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 - PlasmaLCD - Plasma Picture Quality

Normal computing, both LCD and plasma screens will provide sharp and clear display

Watching Blu-Ray movies or playing high-definition 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

Screen Burn-In Plasma screens are more likely to

experience screen burn-in (the screen becomes permanently discolored where the unchanging image was)

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

Size Plasma monitors are usually ahead of the

curve regarding their maximum size the biggest monitors are plasma

LCD - Plasma

Lifespan LCD monitors tend to be rated for 60,000-plus

hours Plasma monitors range from 20,000 to 30,000

hours Price

Comparable pricing