A character board carrying a number of characters is placed in face-to-face relationship with a light source matrix comprising light sources of the same number as that of the characters so that one character may be illuminated by one light source. Each character is divided into a predetermined number of sections or dots. A photodetector matrix comprising photodetectors of the same number as that of the sections into which the character is divided is provided in connection with the character board. Optical fibers of the same number as that of the sections are provided for each character to transmit the light passing through the character to the photodetectors of the photodetector matrix. The corresponding sections of the respective characters are connected with the same photodetector by means of optical fibers so that every photodetector may receive signals from the sections in the same position of the different characters. The photodetectors are connected with a scanning line selecting circuit by way of amplifiers. In accordance with the output of the character generator as constructed above, characters are displayed in a display such as a cathode ray tube.
