About Computer Monitors
The computer monitor, also known as the visual display unit, displays the images created by a computer. They are associated more with desktop computers rather than laptop computers, since the latter typically have a built-in screen. In recent years, monitors have evolved at a rapid speed that has seen quality go up and prices go down.
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History of
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The first computer monitors used cathode ray tubes (CRT). The display screen connected with a network of circuitry that created and formatted pictures from video. The video data was transferred from the signals source and an enclosure, which used a modular component with a display adapter to create the compatible video format in the screen.
Evolution
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From the technology of CRT monitors came organic light-emitting diodes, surface electron-emitters, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma screens. Many new computers use thin film transistor LCDs, which are lightweight and compact. They do not require much power, have no geometric distortion and do not flicker. Plasma monitors are also thin and light. They offer very high contrast ratios and a high-speed response. Plasma screens are generally more expensive than flatscreen LCDs. The size of monitors has also evolved. While becoming thinner, they have also become a lot larger. The first computer screen was just a couple inches wide. By the 1990s, most computers had monitors with a diagonal screen size of 10-14 inches. However now it's not unusual to have a screen that is 20 inches or more. A recent report indicated that the size of the average monitor has grown by 75% in the last twenty years.
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Features
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A computer monitor typically has two main cords connected to it. One cord is the power cord and it is plugged into an electrical outlet. The other cord is plugged into the computer so that information can be relayed to the monitor and ultimately be shown on the screen. Monitors also feature a power switch and various buttons that allow for visual adjustments of the picture. Many modern monitors offer power saving features to shut down the screen when it is not in use. This increases the monitor's overall longevity.
Type
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Some major monitor manufacturers include Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Samsung and Dell. The three major types of monitors are CRTs, LCDs and plasmas. Touch screen monitors are a type of LCD screen that allows you to command the computer with a touch of your fingers. This type of technology is commonplace on smartphones and ATM machines. However more and more computer monitors are now being developed with touch screen capabilities. Some advanced monitors are HDTV ready and act as a TV tuner.
Features
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When shopping for computer monitors, one of the most important aspect to consider is the display resolution. Most monitors include resolution settings of 640 x 480 pixels, 800 x 600 pixels, 1024 x 768 pixels and 1280 x 1024 pixels. However, some screens can handle resolutions up to 3840 x 2400 pixels or more. Also consider the monitor's dot pitch, which measures the sharpness. The lower the dot pitch number, the sharper the images appear. Other features include the aspect ratio, which allows for widescreen display, as well as contrast ratio, power consumption, refresh rate and response time. These all factor into the monitor's overall performance.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/matthamm/436356415/
