Monitor Facts

Monitor Facts

• The first computer CRT monitors used a digital signal from the video card to display the picture.
• Video cards for modern CRT monitors convert the digital signal from the computer into an analog signal that is displayed by the CRT.
• VGA mode has a resolution of 640 x 480 and 16-bit color depth.
• The position and shape of the display are commonly controlled by hardware switches located on the monitor.
• Increasing the refresh rate reduces screen flicker.
• A bent or broken pin in the data cable can cause the monitor to display strange tints.
• The smaller a monitor's dot pitch, the sharper the picture.
• Non-interlaced monitors produce the least amount of flicker.
• Flat panel displays use an liquid crystal display (LCD) panel that uses a liquid crystal material and transistors to display images.
• The two types of LCD panels currently available are active-matrix and dual-scan passive matrix.
• Active-matrix displays are more expensive but have a higher image quality (this applies to flat-panel and laptop displays).
• Active-matrix displays use 1 to 4 transistors at each pixel to control the image on the screen.
• Flat panel displays have two ports to receive either digital or analog signals from the video card.
• Flat panel displays use a digital signal to display the image, so to get the best image, use a digital video card.
  
  
  
  
  
  Video Card and Monitor Connectors

  Device	Port/Connector	Location
  VGA/SVGA Monitor	Male High Density DB-15 (three rows)	Cable
  	Female High Density DB-15 (three rows)	Video Card
  CGA/EGA Monitor (only found on older equipment)	Male DB-9	Cable
  	Female DB-9	Video Card
  Digital Monitor	Male DVI-I	Cable
  	Female DVI-I	Video Card