A passive matrix, electro-luminescent display system for receiving an input image, processing such input image, and displaying such processed image, comprising: a. a passive matrix, electro-luminescent display having an array of column electrodes, an array of row electrodes oriented orthogonally to the array of column electrodes and an electro-luminescent layer located between the array of column electrodes and the array of row electrodes, the intersection of each column and row electrode forming an individual light-emitting element; b. one or more row drivers adapted to provide separate drive signals at different times to different groups of row electrodes (24, 26) within the array of row electrodes, wherein the row electrodes of each group simultaneously receive at least two different level signals; c. a display driver adapted to receive the input image signal and process this input image signal using presharpening filtering to provide a presharpened image control signal; and d. one or more column drivers adapted to in response to the presharpened image control signal simultaneously provide a drive signal to all the column electrodes within the array of column electrodes at the same time drive signals are provided to the groups of row electrodes (24, 26) so that the concurrence of row and column signals causes individual light-emitting elements to produce light, wherein each group of row electrodes (24, 26) contains at least three row electrodes, and the image is displayed by modulating voltages applied to the light-emitting elements through the column electrodes and the row electrodes, characterized in that the row electrode signal levels within each group of row electrodes (24, 26) are distributed such that the row electrode(s) at the center of the group receive(s) a peak signal level and other electrodes in the group receive lower, nonzero signal levels. a. a passive matrix, electro-luminescent display having an array of column electrodes, an array of row electrodes oriented orthogonally to the array of column electrodes and an electro-luminescent layer located between the array of column electrodes and the array of row electrodes, the intersection of each column and row electrode forming an individual light-emitting element; b. one or more row drivers adapted to provide separate drive signals at different times to different groups of row electrodes (24, 26) within the array of row electrodes, wherein the row electrodes of each group simultaneously receive at least two different level signals; c. a display driver adapted to receive the input image signal and process this input image signal using presharpening filtering to provide a presharpened image control signal; and d. one or more column drivers adapted to in response to the presharpened image control signal simultaneously provide a drive signal to all the column electrodes within the array of column electrodes at the same time drive signals are provided to the groups of row electrodes (24, 26) so that the concurrence of row and column signals causes individual light-emitting elements to produce light, wherein each group of row electrodes (24, 26) contains at least three row electrodes, and the image is displayed by modulating voltages applied to the light-emitting elements through the column electrodes and the row electrodes,