1.1.1 Monitor/Display

A computer must have display or monitor to display information. A computer display is also called a ``screen''. In this course, we'll use the term ``display''.

There are many different types of displays. First, there are several technologies used in computer displays. The older technology is known as cathode-ray-tube (CRT) , and the newer technology is known as liquid crystal display (LCD) . The comparison between CRT and LCD techologies is listed as follows:

Size: for the same display size, CRTs require more depth. This is due to the shape of a cathode-ray-tube. An LCD display, on the other hand, tends to be very flat (hence the name flat-panel) . If you have limited destop space, an LCD should be considered.
Resolution: this criterion is tricky. Each LCD has a ``native resolution'' . At the native resolution, an LCD is more clear than any CRT display. However, when an LCD is not at its native resolution, the clarity degrades, and becomes inferior to CRTs. As a result, if you have an LCD, be sure to use the native resolution to maximize clarity.
Price: LCDs are getting less expensive, but CRTs are still more cost effective (for the same display size). The gap, however, is shrinking every day.
Brightness: LCDs and CRTs have comparable brightness. However, the cold-cathode backlight of LCDs tends to degrade and become dimmer over time. The brightness of a CRT, on the other hand, does not fade with time.
View angle: in an environment where a display will be viewed by many people simultaneously, a CRT is a better choice. Although LCDs are becoming better, they still have a fairly limited angle of view.
Physical durability: CRTs are extremely durable and are immune to most physical abuse (unless dropped). LCDs, on the other hand, are quite fragile. LCDs can be easily damaged from pressure and shock applied to the display area.

Besides the technology, displays are also categorized by how they connect to a computer. The most common standard is through a video graphics adaptor (VGA) interface. An emerging new standard is digital video interface (DVI) . Note that the interface of a display must matct that of the computer.