Factor		Plastic  Optic Fiber Panel	Cold Cathode Fluorescent
Minimum thickness		.013"	.035"
Electro Magnetic  Interference (EMI)		NO	YES
Tooling		Low cost with fast turnaround	High cost with long lead time
Cost per square inch of active area		$.25 to S.80 + light source	$.50 to $1.50 + inverter cost
Life		Fiber optic panel is functionally passive; standard light  sources' typical ranges are 1 K to 40K hrs. (see "Ease of  Maintenance")	10K to 20K hours Heat reduces  life
Ease of maintenance		Simple; Replace light source only	Moderate to Difficult; Requires disassembly and lamp  replacement
Power source		User selects light source Typically 2.5 to 14 volts AC or DC  (no inverters needed)	AC only. Requires inverter at$7.00 to $40.00  each
Durability		Excellent; Very rugged	Good
Power consumption		Low to high. Choose from LED, vacuum, gas filled, and  halogen	Moderate to high
Moisture effect		None	Minimal
Shelf life degradation		NO	NO
Heat generation		None at panel. Heat at remote light source	None at light source Heat at inverter
Color		Wide Variety	White  only
Temp. Operating:		-50°C to +85°C**	0°C to +65°C*
Storage		-50°C to +85°C	-40°C to +85°C

*Figures all full ranges for each product type. Backlight  products are typically rated at 25†C.
**Figures all full ranges for Poly-Optical's  materials only, without lamps.