Computer Monitors

B. Konkoth

Types of monitors
CRT
Cathode

Ray

Tube

LCD
Liquid

Crystal Display

CRT
The filaments at the

back of the cathode tube shoot a beam of electrons to the screen at the front of the tube This screen is coated with phosphor that glows when struck by the electron beam.

LCD
An LCD panel

produces an image using a liquid crystal material made of large, easily polarized molecules

2 types of LCD panels

Active matrix Most common Contains cells of liquid crystal, a matrix of thin-film transistors (TFT) provides a much brighter, sharper display Passive matrix Dual-scan display Has a row of transistors running on the top of the screen as well as the left of the screen

Features of a monitor

Video cards
Interface between the monitor and the

computer. Also called graphic adapters, video boards, graphics cards, or display cards. Sometimes the video controller with a video port is integrated into the motherboard.

Video card

Methods of data transfer

RGB video port

standard method of passing three separate signals for red, green, and blue which most video cards and CRT monitors use. uses a regular 15-pin Super VGA port

Methods of data transfer

DVI port - Digital Visual Interface port

digital interface standard used by digital monitor such as a digital flat panel monitor, and digital TVs (HDTV). for a video card that only has a DVI port, you can purchase a VGA converter so you can connect a standard VGA cable to use a regular analog monitor.

Methods of data transfer

S-Video Super Video

this method sends two signals over the cable, one for color and the other for brightness, and is used by some high end TVs and video equipments. it uses a 4-pin round port

Methods of data transfer

Composite video

using this method, the red, green, and blue (RGB) are mixed together in the same signal. this is the method used by television and can be used by a video card that is designed to send output to a TV

Flat Screen Monitors

LCD - Plasma
Picture Quality

Normal computing, both LCD and plasma screens will provide sharp and clear display Watching Blu-Ray movies or playing highdefinition games, Plasma screens have less picture lag and sharper color resolution than LCD displays.

LCD - Plasma
Power Usage

LCDs use considerably less power than plasma displays, which use self-lighting pixels
Plasma screens are more likely to experience screen burn-in (the screen becomes permanently discolored where the unchanging image was)

Screen Burn-In

LCD - Plasma
Pixel Levels

LCD screens generally have more pixels per square inch than plasma makes them ideal if you are working with complex spreadsheet programs or editing software
Plasma monitors are usually ahead of the curve regarding their maximum size the biggest monitors are plasma

Size

LCD - Plasma
Lifespan

LCD monitors tend to be rated for 60,000-plus hours Plasma monitors range from 20,000 to 30,000 hours
Comparable pricing

Price