The monitor is a hardware device, which physically connects to your video card. The monitor allows information and current status be be visually outputted similar to a TV.
Types of Monitors
Monitor Manufacturers: Sony, Samsung, Princeton, ViewSonic, illyama, NEC
CRT or Cathode Ray Tube Monitor
CRT stands for cathode-ray tube and is a technology has been around for a long time. Until recently, it was the only choice of monitor available to consumers. The CRT technology works by passing an electron beam across the back of the screen illuminating phosphor dots. This is process is repeated from top to bottom many times thus creating a screen image.
CRT stands for cathode-ray tube and is a technology has been around for a long time. Until recently, it was the only choice of monitor available to consumers. The CRT technology works by passing an electron beam across the back of the screen illuminating phosphor dots. This is process is repeated from top to bottom many times thus creating a screen image.
LCD or Flat Panel Monitor
LCD stands for liquid crystal display and although it may seem like this is a new technology it has been used in digital watches for years. The technology works by passing an electric current through liquid crystal which is contained between two sheets of polarizing material. There are 2 types of color LCD's, passive matrix and active matrix also known as TFT (thin film transistor). Passive matrix LCD's are the less expensive of the two types.
LCD stands for liquid crystal display and although it may seem like this is a new technology it has been used in digital watches for years. The technology works by passing an electric current through liquid crystal which is contained between two sheets of polarizing material. There are 2 types of color LCD's, passive matrix and active matrix also known as TFT (thin film transistor). Passive matrix LCD's are the less expensive of the two types.
| CRT | LCD |
| Pros | Pros |
| Inexpensive | Takes up little space on desktop |
| Multi-Sync Capable | Light Weight |
| High Refresh Rates | Energey Efficient |
| Better Color Clarity and Depth | Causing less eye fatigue |
| Cons | Cons |
| Takes up alot of space on desktop | Expensive |
| Very heavy | Blurry Images outside native resolution |
| Use large amounts of energy | Motion blur on fast moving images |
| Generate excess heat | Washed out colors |
CRT vs. LCD Monitor Comparison Chart:
| Characteristic | CRT | LCD | Description |
| Screen size | x | x | Diagonal length of the screen surface. Starts at 13 inches up to 32 inches for some of the LCD monitors |
| Resolution | x | x | The number of pixels displayed on a entire screen. The higher the resolution the more you can display in the screen. LCD Monitors work best at a specific resolution otherwise known as native resolution Most monitors start at 640 * 480 resolution up to 1920 * 1200 for some high-end LCD monitors. |
| Refresh Rate | x | The refresh rate of a monitor is the frequency at which the screen is redrawn. The higher the number the more often the screen is redrawn and the less flicker will occur. Common refresh rates are 60, 72 and 75Hz. A monitor rated at 60Hz can build 60 frames per second. | |
| Response Time | x | The time it takes an LCD monitor to build one screen. The lower the response time the better. Common response time is 12-16ms. | |
| Interlaced | x | The electronic beam draws every other line with each pass, which lessens the overall effect of a lower refresh rate. | |
| Viewing Angle | x | x | CRT can be viewed at almost any angle. LCD can be viewed at certain angles. The range for this spec is 120/100 degrees for lower end models to 170/170 degrees for higher end models. |
| Dot Pitch | x | This is the space between image pixels on the screen measured in millimeters. The lower the number the better. An example of a dot pitch is. 28mm | |
| Color | x | x | The number of bits used to store data about color for each pixel. Color Support in Bits/Pixel Measurement 16 colors = 4-bit color 256 colors = 8-bit 65,536 colors =16-bit (high color mode) 16,777,216 = 24-bit (true color mode) True colors = 32-bit (usually reserved for scanning) |
| Connectors | x | x | The most common are the VGA connector for older monitors The newest connector are the DVI (Digital Video Interface) |
| Brightness | x | Shows how bright the LCD display will be and ranges from 200 cd/m 2 to 350 cd/m 2. | |
| Contrast Ratio | x | The contrast ratio determines how rich colors will appear on screen. The contrast between true black and true white on the screen. The higher the contrast ratio the better. Contrast ratios range from 200:1 up to 1000:1 | |
| Backlighting | x | Some LCD monitors display backlighting better than others. | |
| Multiscan | x | CRT monitors offers a variety of refresh rates so they can support several video cards. | |
| Display Type | x | x | CRT supports a curve screen and a flat CRT improves clarity LCD supports TFT (Active Matrix) and DSTN (Passive Matrix) |
Monitor Troubleshooting
Greenish Tint (Bad Monitor or Bent Pins)
Never work on monitors very dangerous!!!!!!!!!
Monitor Controls
Power - Turns the monitor on / off.
Brightness - Using this button or wheel the user can increase and decrease the brightness on the screen.
Contrast - Using this button or wheel can increase and decrease the amount of contrast on the screen.
Horizontal Size - Allows for the picture on the screen to be stretched to the horizontal edge of the monitor.
Vertical Size - Allows the picture on the screen to be stretched to the vertical edges of the monitor.
Horizontal Position - Allows the picture to move moved horizontally, once in the center the user can then use the Horizontal size to stretch it to have an equal amount of black border on each side.
Vertical Position - Like the Horizontal Position, using this button or wheel the user can move the picture up or down to center the picture more appropriately.
Full Screen - Sets monitor to full screen
Degauss - This button will demagnetize the CRT restoring possible color impurities. After this button has been pressed the degaussing circuit will be activated and then deactivated after a few seconds. Pressing and holding this button for a few seconds may cause your computer monitor to reset all data.
Corner / Trapezoid Correction - Using this button or wheel the user can either round the edges of the picture or move the picture inward like an hour glass or outwards.
Vertical Linearity - Sets the width of the vertical lines.
Moire - Removes or reduces the Moire effect if any.
OSD Controls - If the monitor contains OSD controls allows for the OSD menus to be adjusted.
Power Management - Allows the user to define the power management settings through the monitor itself and not the software.
Monitor Status - Displays the current monitor settings such as refresh rate and other settings.
Language - Sets the language on the monitor.
