difference between crt and lcd monitors supplier

CRT and LCD are both display devices. CRT is an old technology whereas LCD is modern one. One major difference between CRT and LCD is in the technology used for image formation. The CRT display produces an image by using an electron beam, while LCD display produces an image on the screen using liquid crystal display.

CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube. CRT displays produce an image on the screen by using a sharp beam of electrons that is highly focused to hit a phosphor screen present in front of the tube. The important components of a CRT are electron gun, focusing mechanism, and phosphor screen.

CRT was used in earlier TVs and computer monitors. CRT produces poor quality images on the screen and also consumes large electricity. The lifespan of CRT displays is very short. Because of all reasons, CRTs are being replaced by other display technologies these days.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. In LCD, liquid crystals are used to produce images on the screen. LCD displays are thin and more energy efficient, thus they are used in several small sized devices like mobiles, laptops, TVs, desktop computer monitors, calculators, etc.

In LCDs, light is obtained from external sources, and then it is converted into a definite graphics pattern using optical effects. LCDs have several advantages over CRT such as less power consumption, faster response, smaller size, low cost, etc.

Both CRT and LCD have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, these days, CRTs have almost become extinct. No one seems to be using them anymore. LCDs and other display technologies have replaced them because the new devices are highly efficient in terms of cost, power, and performance.

CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube and LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display area unit the kinds of display devices wherever CRT is employed as standard display devices whereas LCD is more modern technology. These area unit primarily differentiated supported the fabric they’re made from and dealing mechanism, however, each area unit alleged to perform identical perform of providing a visible variety of electronic media. Here, the crucial operational distinction is that the CRT integrates the 2 processes lightweight generation and lightweight modulation and it’s additionally managed by one set of elements. Conversely, the LCD isolates the 2 processes kind one another that’s lightweight generation and modulation.

Since the production of cathode ray tubes has essentially halted due to the cost and environmental concerns, CRT-based monitors are considered an outdated technology. All laptops and most desktop computer systems sold today come with LCD monitors. However, there are a few reasons why you might still prefer CRT over LCD displays.

While CRT monitors provide better color clarity and depth, the fact that manufacturers rarely make them anymore makes CRTs an unwise choice. LCD monitors are the current standard with several options. LCD monitors are smaller in size and easier to handle. Plus, you can buy LCD monitors in a variety of sizes, so customizing your desktop without all the clutter is easy.

The primary advantage that CRT monitors hold over LCDs is color rendering. The contrast ratios and depths of colors displayed on CRT monitors are better than what an LCD can render. For this reason, some graphic designers use expensive and large CRT monitors for their work. On the downside, the color quality degrades over time as the phosphors in the tube break down.

Another advantage that CRT monitors hold over LCD screens is the ability to easily scale to various resolutions. By adjusting the electron beam in the tube, the screen can be adjusted downward to lower resolutions while keeping the picture clarity intact. This capability is known as multisync.

The biggest disadvantage of CRT monitors is the size and weight of the tubes. An equivalently sized LCD monitor can be 80% smaller in total mass. The larger the screen, the bigger the size difference. CRT monitors also consume more energy and generate more heat than LCD monitors.

For the most vibrant and rich colors, CRTs are hard to beat if you have the desk space and don"t mind the excessive weight. However, with CRTs becoming a thing of the past, you may have to revisit the LCD monitor.

The biggest advantage of LCD monitors is the size and weight. LCD screens also tend to produce less eye fatigue. The constant light barrage and scan lines of a CRT tube can cause strain on heavy computer users. The lower intensity of the LCD monitors coupled with the constant screen display of pixels being on or off is easier on the eyes. That said, some people have issues with the fluorescent backlights used in some LCD displays.

The most notable disadvantage to LCD screens is the fixed resolution. An LCD screen can only display the number of pixels in its matrix. Therefore, it can display a lower resolution in one of two ways: using only a fraction of the total pixels on the display, or through extrapolation. Extrapolation blends multiple pixels together to simulate a single smaller pixel, which often leads to a blurry or fuzzy picture.

For those who are on a computer for hours, an LCD can be an enemy. With the tendency to cause eye fatigue, computer users must be aware of how long they stare at an LCD monitor. While LCD technology is continually improving, using techniques to limit the amount of time you look at a screen alleviates some of that fatigue.

Significant improvements have been made to LCD monitors over the years. Still, CRT monitors provide greater color clarity, faster response times, and wider flexibility for video playback in various resolutions. Nonetheless, LCDs will remain the standard since these monitors are easier to manufacture and transport. Most users find LCD displays to be perfectly suitable, so CRT monitors are only necessary for those interested in digital art and graphic design.

The crucial difference between CRT and LCD exist in their image forming technique. CRT displays image on the screen by making use of electron beam, however, LCD utilizes liquid crystals for the formation of an image on the screen.

Another major difference that exists between CRT and LCD is their size and dimension. CRT monitors are thicker and heavier but small in size than that of LCD.

We will discuss some other important differences between CRT and LCD but before that have a look at the rough draft of the contents to be discussed under this article.

DisadvantagesHeavy, gets heated at rapid rate during operation.Provides fixed aspect ratio and resolution, requires large area, operating temperature is limited between 0 -60 degrees.

CRT is expanded as Cathode ray tube. It is a vacuum tube that produces images when a sharp beam of the electron which is highly focused hits the phosphor screen that is present at the front-end of the tube.

It consists of certain basic components that are responsible for the generation of an image on the screen. The figure below shows internal system involved in a CRT:

An electron gun assembly is present that produces a sharp beam of electrons. These electrons when moves inside the tube experience acceleration by the anode and focused towards the screen.

The two deflection plates are the reason for the movement of the beam horizontally and vertically. However, as the two movements are not dependent on each other thus the beam after hitting the screen, gets fixed anywhere on it.

When we talk about the screen of CRT then it is basically termed as the faceplate. The inner surface where the beam strikes is basically a phosphor coating. This phosphor is responsible for the conversion of electrical energy generated by the movement of the electron beam into light energy.

It is noteworthy in case of CRT that phosphor screen generates secondary electrons when electron beam hits it. So, in order to sustain an electrical equilibrium, the secondary emitted electrons must be collected which is done by aquadag.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. In LCD liquid crystal is utilized in order to generate a definite image on the screen. Liquid crystal is basically termed as the fourth state of matter. It permits the display to be very thin and thus supports numerous applications.

When we talk about LCD then its principle of working is such that light energy is not produced by LCD, despite light energy generated by an external source is controlled in order to have light or dark appearance at some particular areas.

Here, a layer of liquid crystal is placed between 2 polarizing films. When light emitted by an external source falls on the layer of liquid crystal then their combination generates a coloured visible image that is displayed on the screen.

An external potential is provided to the liquid crystal. This potential changes the orientation of the molecules. After this polarized light is passed to the crystal that generates bright and dark spots at the screen of the display.

One of the excellent property of LCD over CRT is its antiglare property. LCD screen more efficiently reduces the glare generated by light as compared to CRT.

CRT is more dominant to flickering as it possesses a low refresh rate that causes a drop in image brightness that is easily recognized by naked eyes.As against, flickering is not that much higher in LCD due to its high refresh rate.

CRT and LCD both have their separate advantages and disadvantage over the image formation technique. But LCD has replaced CRT very efficiently in the recent era. Despite LCD is more costly than CRT but due to its better image display and almost negligible flickering property, it is widely used.

The main key difference between CRT and LCD exist in their image forming technique. CRT displays images on the screen by making use of an electron beam while in LCD utilizes liquid crystals for the formation of an image on the screen. Here we will discuss some other important main key difference between CRT and LCD to better understand this topic.

CRT stands for a cathode-ray tube. It is a display device used in the television set and computer monitors. It is a one kind of vacuum tube that contains one or more electron guns, electrostatic deflection plates, and a phosphor target which is located at the back of the glass screen.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. It monitors a computer monitor or display that uses LCD technology to show clear images and is found in many laptop computers and flat-panel monitors. This device is available to display arbitrary images or some fixed images with low information content. Which can be displayed or hidden such as preset word, some digits, and seven-segment display and also a digital clock.

CRT and LCD both are display devices. The power consumed by LCD is approximately around the 1/3rd of that of the CRT.CRT consuming high power compared to LCD.

A major component of CRT is phosphor screen, electron gun, vacuum glass tube, deflection plate. While in The main component of LCD was an internal light source, glass plate, nematic liquid crystal.

One of the excellent properties of LCD over CRT is its an antiglare property. LCD screen more efficiently reduces the glare generated by light as compared to the CRT.

CRT is more dominant in flickering as it possesses a low refresh rate that causes a drop in image brightness that is easily recognized by makes eyes. While flickering is not that much higher in LCD due to its high refresh rate.

A German scientist called Karl Ferdinand Braun invented the earliest version of the CRT in 1897. However, his invention was not isolated, as it was among countless other inventions that took place between the mid-1800s and the late 1900s.

CRT technology isn’t just for displays; it can also be utilized for storage. These storage tubes can hold onto a picture for as long as the tube is receiving electricity.

Like the CRT, the invention of the modern LCD was not a one-man show. It began in 1888 when the Austrian botanist and chemist Friedrich Richard Kornelius Reinitzer discovered liquid crystals.

CRT stands for cathode-ray tube, a TV or PC monitor that produces images using an electron gun. These were the first displays available, but they are now outdated and replaced by smaller, more compact, and energy-efficient LCD display monitors.

In contrast, a Liquid crystal display, or an LCD monitor, uses liquid crystals to produce sharp, flicker-free images. These are now the standard monitors that are giving the traditional CRTs a run for their money.

Although the production of CRT monitors has slowed down, due to environmental concerns and the physical preferences of consumers, they still have several advantages over the new-age LCD monitors. Below, we shed some light on the differences between CRT and LCD displays.

CRTLCDWhat it isAmong the earliest electronic displays that used a cathode ray tubeA flat-panel display that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals

CRTs boast a great scaling advantage because they don’t have a fixed resolution, like LCDs. This means that CRTs are capable of handling multiple combinations of resolutions and refresh rates between the display and the computer.

In turn, the monitor is able to bypass any limitations brought about by the incompatibility between a CRT display and a computer. What’s more, CRT monitors can adjust the electron beam to reduce resolution without affecting the picture quality.

On the other hand, LCD monitors have a fixed resolution, meaning they have to make some adjustments to any images sent to them that are not in their native resolution. The adjustments include centering the image on the screen and scaling the image down to the native resolution.

CRT monitors project images by picking up incoming signals and splitting them into audio and video components. More specifically, the video signals are taken through the electron gun and into a single cathode ray tube, through a mesh, to illuminate the phosphorus inside the screen and light the final image.

The images created on the phosphor-coated screen consist of alternating red, blue, and green (RGB) lights, creating countless different hues. The electron gun emits an electron beam that scans the front of the tube repetitively to create and refresh the image at least 100 times every second.

LCD screens, on the other hand, are made of two pieces of polarized glass that house a thin layer of liquid crystals. They work on the principle of blocking light. As a result, when light from a backlight shines through the liquid crystals, the light bends to respond to the electric current.

The liquid crystal molecules are then aligned to determine which color filter to illuminate, thus creating the colors and images you see on the screen. Interestingly, you can find color filters within every pixel, which is made up of three subpixels—red, blue, and green—that work together to produce millions of different colors.

Thanks to the versatility of pixels, LCD screens offer crisper images than CRT monitors. The clarity of the images is a result of the LCD screen’s ability to produce green, blue, and red lights simultaneously, whereas CRTs need to blur the pixels and produce either of the lights exclusively.

The diversity of the pixels also ensures LCD screens produce at least twice as much brightness as CRTs. The light on these screens also remains uninterrupted by sunlight or strong artificial lighting, which reduces general blurriness and eyestrain.

Over time, however, dead pixels negatively affect the LCD screen’s visual displays. Burnout causes these dead pixels, which affect the visual clarity of your screen by producing black or other colored dots in the display.

CRT monitors also have better motion resolution compared to LCDs. The latter reduces resolution significantly when content is in motion due to the slow pixel response time, making the images look blurry or streaky.

With CRTs, you don’t experience any display lag because the images are illuminated on the screen at the speed of light, thus preventing any delays. However, lag is a common problem, especially with older LCD displays.

CRTs are prone to flickeringduring alternating periods of brightness and darkness. LCDs don’t flicker as much thanks to the liquid pixels that retain their state when the screen refreshes.

CRTs have a thick and clunky design that’s quite unappealing. The monitor has a casing or cabinet made of either plastic or metal that houses the cathode ray tube. Then there’s the neck or glass funnel, coated with a conductive coating made using lead oxide.

Leaded glass is then poured on top to form the screen, which has a curvature. In addition, the screen contributes to about 65% of the total weight of a CRT.

LCDs feature low-profile designs that make them the best choice for multiple portable display devices, like smartphones and tablets. LCD displays have a lightweight construction, are portable, and can be made into much larger sizes than the largest CRTs, which couldn’t be made into anything bigger than 40–45 inches.

The invention of the cathode ray tube began with the discovery of cathode beams by Julius Plucker and Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Geissler in 1854. Interestingly, in 1855, Heinrich constructed glass tubes and a hand-crack mercury pump that contained a superior vacuum tube, the “Geissler tube.”

Later, in 1859, Plucker inserted metal plates into the Geissler tube and noticed shadows being cast on the glowing walls of the tube. He also noticed that the rays bent under the influence of a magnet.

Sir William Crookes confirmed the existence of cathode rays in 1878 by displaying them in the “Crookes tube” and showing that the rays could be deflected by magnetic fields.

Later, in 1897, Karl Ferdinand Braun, a German physicist, invented a cathode ray tube with a fluorescent screen and named it the “Braun Tube.” By developing the cathode ray tube oscilloscope, he was the first person to endorse the use of CRT as a display device.

Later, in 1907, Boris Rosing, a Russian scientist, and Vladimir Zworykin used the cathode ray tube in the receiver of a television screen to transmit geometric patterns onto the screen.

LCD displays are a much more recent discovery compared to CRTs. Interestingly, the French professor of mineralogy, Charles-Victor Mauguin, performed the first experiments with liquid crystals between plates in 1911.

George H. Heilmeier, an American engineer, made significant enough contributions towards the LCD invention to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of National Inventors. And, in 1968, he presented the liquid crystal display to the professional world, working at an optimal temperature of 80 degrees Celsius.

Many other inventors worked towards the creation of LCDs. As a result, in the 1970s, new inventions focused on ensuring that LCD displays worked at an optimal temperature. And, in the 1980s, they perfected the crystal mixtures enough to stimulate demand and a promotion boom. The first LCDs were produced in 1971 and 1972 by ILIXCO (now LXD Incorporated).

Although they may come in at a higher price point, LCD displays are more convenient in the long run. They last almost twice as long as CRTs are energy efficient, and their compact and thin size make them ideal for modern-day use.

LCDs are also more affordable compared to other display monitors available today. So, you can go for a CRT monitor for its ease of use, faster response rates, reduced flickering, and high pixel resolution. However, we don’t see why you should look back since there are so many new options that will outperform both CRTs and LCDs.

If you are looking for a new display, you should consider the differences between CRT and LCD monitors. Choose the type of monitor that best serves your specific needs, the typical applications you use, and your budget.

Require less power - Power consumption varies greatly with different technologies. CRT displays are somewhat power-hungry, at about 100 watts for a typical 19-inch display. The average is about 45 watts for a 19-inch LCD display. LCDs also produce less heat.

Smaller and weigh less - An LCD monitor is significantly thinner and lighter than a CRT monitor, typically weighing less than half as much. In addition, you can mount an LCD on an arm or a wall, which also takes up less desktop space.

More adjustable - LCD displays are much more adjustable than CRT displays. With LCDs, you can adjust the tilt, height, swivel, and orientation from horizontal to vertical mode. As noted previously, you can also mount them on the wall or on an arm.

Less eye strain - Because LCD displays turn each pixel off individually, they do not produce a flicker like CRT displays do. In addition, LCD displays do a better job of displaying text compared with CRT displays.

Better color representation - CRT displays have historically represented colors and different gradations of color more accurately than LCD displays. However, LCD displays are gaining ground in this area, especially with higher-end models that include color-calibration technology.

More responsive - Historically, CRT monitors have had fewer problems with ghosting and blurring because they redrew the screen image faster than LCD monitors. Again, LCD manufacturers are improving on this with displays that have faster response times than they did in the past.

Multiple resolutions - If you need to change your display"s resolution for different applications, you are better off with a CRT monitor because LCD monitors don"t handle multiple resolutions as well.

So now that you know about LCD and CRT monitors, let"s talk about how you can use two monitors at once. They say, "Two heads are better than one." Maybe the same is true of monitors!

Responsible for performing installations and repairs (motors, starters, fuses, electrical power to machine etc.) for industrial equipment and machines in order to support the achievement of Nelson-Miller’s business goals and objectives:

• Perform highly diversified duties to install and maintain electrical apparatus on production machines and any other facility equipment (Screen Print, Punch Press, Steel Rule Die, Automated Machines, Turret, Laser Cutting Machines, etc.).

• Provide electrical emergency/unscheduled diagnostics, repairs of production equipment during production and performs scheduled electrical maintenance repairs of production equipment during machine service.

Distinguish, differentiate, compare and explain what is the differences between CRT and LCD Monitor. Comparison and Difference. As the technology has improved and the prices have come down, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have rapidly been replacing CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors on desktops around the world. ComputerWorld first reported that LCD sales would surpass CRT sales for the first time in 2003, a lead that it didnt hold for good. But according to DisplaySearch, a flat panel display market research and consulting company, the sales of LCD monitors regained the lead over CRT sales in the third quarter of 2004, a lead that it should eventually hold for good.

Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) were once the only way to convey pictures. They are large, bulky and consume a lot of power. Liquid Crystal Displays or more commonly known as LCDs are beginning to replace CRTs in most applications today. They are essentially the reverse of what CRTs are, light, thin, and energy efficient. Also, because of the high power consumption of CRT displays, it needs to dissipate a greater amount of energy which makes it run hotter compared to LCDs.

The only aspect where CRT wins over LCD in performance is in the response time. Older LCDs have been plagued with very slow response times that create ghosting effects on the screen whenever there is high speed motion. This made early LCD screens unsuitable for most gaming needs and even in viewing movies, but newer LCDs have improved on it and this is no longer such a big issue.

Understandably, LCDs cost significantly more compared to CRTs in displays of the same size due to the more complex production process that is needed to produce LCDs. But consumers often rationalize that the extra cost is recovered after a while due to the significantly lower power consumption. The physical dimensions of the LCD also meant that it is usable in so many applications where CRTs would simply be impractical to use. Aside from the usual TV screen or computer monitor, LCDs are also used in mobile phones, digital cameras, music players, GPS navigators, and so much more.

A problem that is unique to LCD screens is the dead pixel, which is unheard of in CRT screens. Since LCDs are a matrix of pixels, one or more of these pixels may not function due to irregularities in the production process. This leaves a small dot on the screen that doesn’t change with the display, appearing like a small piece of dirt stuck in there. Most manufacturers would accept and replace screens that have dead pixels in them but it is always best to inquire about the warranty and their dead pixel policy.

"Between 0.0001 and 0.00001 nits" "Sony claims an OLED contrast range of 1,000,000:1. When I asked how the contrast could be so high I was told that the surface is SO black the contrast is almost infinite. If the number representing the dark end of the contrast scale is nearly zero then dividing that number into the brightest value results in a very, very high contrast ratio."

Does not normally occur at 100% brightness level. At levels below 100% flicker often occurs with frequencies between 60 and 255 Hz, since often pulse-width modulation is used to dim OLED screens.

No native resolution. Currently, the only display technology capable of multi-syncing (displaying different resolutions and refresh rates without the need for scaling).Display lag is extremely low due to its nature, which does not have the ability to store image data before output, unlike LCDs, plasma displays and OLED displays.

A well-defined monitor can make using a system a pleasure. Likewise, being forced to squint at a 15" CRT at 60Hz can make us weep in pain and long for a nice LCD to while away our hours at. A good display makes all the difference.

Monitors are widely used and rarely understood. Sure, you know that the difference between LCD and CRT is that one is flat and one is massive and heavy. But do you really understand the technology that goes into these things?

In this article, we"re going to investigate how CRTs and LCDs work, and also examine some of the issues pertaining to monitors, such as Refresh Rate and Vsync as well as looking into our crystal ball to see the future of displays.

The BasicsSo let"s start with the easy stuff. The picture that appears on your monitor comes from the graphics card in your computer, and the job of the graphics card is to render the picture suitable for the monitor. A wired output runs from the graphics card to the monitor.

Both the graphics card and monitor adhere to the same set of specifications, so that they can happily talk to each other. The standards are set out by VESA, which defines things like how monitors identify themselves to the computer.

CRTs receive their picture through an analogue cable, and that signal is decoded by the display controller, which handles the internal components of the monitor - think of it as the mini-CPU for the monitor.

CRTs have a distinctive funnel shape. At the very back of a monitor is an electron gun. The electron gun fires electrons towards the front through a vacuum which exists in the tube of the monitor. The gun can also be referred to as a cathode - hence the electrons fired foward are called Cathode Rays.

Resolution on a CRT is flexible and a newer model will provide you with viewing resolutions of up to 1600 by 1200 and higher, whereas on an LCD the resolution is fixed within each monitor (called a native resolution). The resolution on an LCD can be changed, but if you’re running it at a resolution other than its native resolution you will notice a drop in performance or quality.

Both types of monitors (newer models) provide bright and vibrant color display. However, LCDs cannot display the maximum color range that a CRT can. In terms of image sharpness, when an LCD is running at its native resolution the picture quality is perfectly sharp. On a CRT the sharpness of the picture can be blemished by soft edges or a flawed focus.

A CRT monitor can be viewed from almost any angle, but with an LCD this is often a problem. When you use an LCD, your view changes as you move different angles and distances away from the monitor. At some odd angles, you may notice the picture fade, and possibly look as if it will disappear from view.

Some users of a CRT may notice a bit of an annoying flicker, which is an inherent trait based on a CRTs physical components. Today’s graphics cards, however, can provide a high refresh rate signal to the CRT to get rid of this otherwise annoying problem. LCDs are flicker-free and as such the refresh rate isn’t an important issue with LCDs.

Dot pitch refers to the space between the pixels that make up the images on your screen, and is measured in millimeters. The less space between pixels, the better the image quality. On either type of monitor, smaller dot pitch is better and you’re going to want to look at something in the 0.26 mm dot pitch or smaller range.

Most people today tend to look at a 17-inch CRT or bigger monitor. When you purchase a 17-inch CRT monitor, you usually get 16.1 inches or a bit more of actual viewing area, depending on the brand and manufacturer of a specific CRT. The difference between the “monitor size” and the “view area” is due to the large bulky frame of a CRT. If you purchase a 17″ LCD monitor, you actually get a full 17″ viewable area, or very close to a 17″.

There is no denying that an LCD wins in terms of its physical size and the space it needs. CRT monitors are big, bulky and heavy. They are not a good choice if you’re working with limited desk space, or need to move the monitor around (for some odd reason) between computers. An LCD on the other hand is small, compact and lightweight. LCDs are thin, take up far less space and are easy to move around. An average 17-inch CRT monitor could be upwards of 40 pounds, while a 17&-inch LCD would weigh in at around 15 pounds.

As an individual one-time purchase an LCD monitor is going to be more expensive. Throughout a lifetime, however, LCDs are cheaper as they are known to have a longer lifespan and also a lower power consumption. The cost of both technologies have come down over the past few years, and LCDs are reaching a point where smaller monitors are within many consumers’ price range. You will pay more for a 17″ LCD compared to a 17″ CRT, but since the CRT’s actual viewing size is smaller, it does bring the question of price back into proportion. Today, fewer CRT monitors are manufactured as the price on LCDs lowers and they become mainstream.

CRTs are analog devices controlled by the varying voltages in the signal. There are also two controls for each of the three "beams" coming off the electron gun: bias and gain. When the three bias controls and gain controls are lumped together, you have contrast and brightness. All of these together control the floor and ceiling of the amplification (black and white luminance) as well as how quickly the luminance of the display increases from black to white. These are the controls most users know.

LCDs are digital devices and are a completely different animal. When run digitally, there is no bias or gain and in some instances...no contrast adjustment. The only variation is the intensity of the backlight. This is how LCDs connected to a computer through a DVI or ADC cable will operate. Unfortunately, digital interfaces for displays did not exist when LCDs were first introduced, so manufacturers tried to graft on analog controls since an analog signal was being used. This has caused mixed results. In most cases, setting brightness and/or contrast too high on an LCD with an analog connection will introduce clipping of the lighter tones.

Our goal is to achieve the highest contrast ratio and luminance without introducing clipping. We are measuring the luminance of a white patch and a very light gray patch and checking to see if there is an appropriate difference between them. We have found that some displays (usually laptops) will not produce a large enough luminance difference between the two patches regardless of the contrast setting. You can do this test visually. The alternating patches will be displayed continuously. If you can see them change with contrast all the way up, you can proceed. If not, turn the contrast down until you can see the difference and then proceed.

LCDs respond rather slowly to contrast and brightness adjustments and may take some time to stabilize. Since they change over time, this can cause the luminance of two sequential measurements to be greater or smaller, thus causing the indicator to move. That"s why we recommend waiting for the indicator to stabilize. When the indicator stabilizes, the display probably has as well.

You might have used a large bulk size of the computer monitor in your childhood; it is the CRT monitor. Nowadays you are seeing that those types of monitors are disappearing and some slim-looking monitors are taking their place; these are the LCD and LED monitors. It has become our reality due to a fast technological advancement during the last few decades. In today’s topic, we will analyze CRT vs LCD monitors; their relative comparison, and try to figure out the differences.

The full form of CRT is Cathode Ray Tube. The CRT monitor is one kind of display unit. It is one of the oldest types of monitor. Although the use of CRT monitors is becoming obsolete with the invention of smarter monitors and TVs, you can still find them on the market because it is still useful in many cases.

The CRT monitor has a coating of phosphor inside the tube. An electron gun is a crucial component of a CRT monitor. The black and white CRT monitor has got only one electron gun; on the other hand, the colored one has got three different electron guns- red, green, and blue. The electrons emitted from the electron guns strike on the phosphor dots; thus the dots become ablaze which in turn represent us as pictures.

The full form of LCD is Liquid Crystal Display. This kind of display unit uses transparent liquid crystals to produce pictures. The crystals are charged up electrically and we are able to watch the display. The LCD monitor is a flat one; hence also called a Flat Panel Monitor. Its refresh rate is also higher.

The LCD display is used on the calculator and digital watch. The laptop and netbook extensively use LCD monitors for the display unit. A flat-panel monitor is also available for desktop PC, but the price is quite high. It can generally be connected through DVI or HDMI cables. But what are the actual differences in terms of CRT vs LCD monitors? The next sections will clear your all questions.

The difference between the CRT monitor and LCD monitor is mainly based upon the technology used for the make-up of the two and also the user-friendliness. Both types of monitors have their pros and cons, different usability, and function-ability. In this section, we will try to explain CRT vs LCD keeping in mind these facts.

The CRT monitor is the older type of display unit; whereas the LCD monitor is more of a recent invention. Hence, we can easily say that the CRT monitor is more conventional than the LCD monitor.

CRT monitors function on the basis of electron beams originating from the electron beam and hitting the phosphor dots. On the other hand, the operation of LCD monitors is based upon liquid crystals being charged up electrically. Both the monitors’ ultimate goal is to produce pictures not only in the form of still images but also in the form of motion.

LCD monitors use up much less power than CRT monitors. In fact, an LCD monitor consumes 3 to 4 times less power than a CRT monitor. It is one of the biggest advantages of LCD monitors.

You may have found out that as technology advances, gadgets are becoming smaller and smaller. It is of course done for getting the advantages of portability. The same case has happened in the evolution of the monitor. CRT monitor being the older one possesses a sizable body structure; whereas the LCD displays are slim and very small in size.

The CRT monitor is very heavy because it has to carry a weighted electron gun. An average-sized CRT monitor weighs generally 20 to 25 kg. The LCD monitor has a great edge in this respect. An LCD monitor generally weighs 4 to 6 kg which makes it easy to handle.

Image flickering is the frame disturbances on the monitor; a series of frames can not appear flawlessly as a blank frame causes two frames to set apart. This annoys a viewer to a great extent. CRT monitors have more problems with image flickering than LCD monitors.

Image persistence or image retention is the nature of a picture remaining static for a period of time. The CRT monitor does not have image persistence which the LCD monitor does possess. Although being an old monitor, the CRT monitor has an edge over the LCD monitor in this regard.

A CRT monitor has got some extra space around the main display, and this extra space is totally useless. The LCD monitor covers almost the full display as the viewing area and thus making it more efficient.

CRT monitors are better for wide viewing; you can watch a CRT TV from different sections of your room in a much better way compared to the LCD monitors.

The refresh rate of a monitor is one of the most important things that must be considered. Most LCD monitors produce a minimum refresh rate of around 200Hz; whereas the refresh rate of CRT monitors ranges between 70 to 80 Hz on average. Therefore, the resolution of the LCD monitor is much higher than that of the CRT monitor. Also, the G-sync monitor made the viewing experience awesome.

All the television sets used to be made of CRT mechanism in the old times. Computer manufacturers were also making CRT monitors with the limitation of the technology. These monitors are still available, but their use is becoming less and less with time.

LCD monitors have taken the place of old CRT monitors. LCD monitors are extensively used for personal computers, laptops, netbooks, digital watches, calculators, television, and whatnot. You can easily set up dual monitor or triple monitor for convenient usage.

Both the CRT and LCD monitors have their advantages and disadvantages in several aspects. The newer technology will always replace the older ones; even the LED monitors are replacing the LCDs in recent times. No matter old or new; you should buy a monitor according to your need and choice. After reading the article, you should know all about CRT vs LCD monitors and their key differences.

Also, setup and key adjustments are more complicated with LCDs—and much more necessary—than they are with CRTs. To be sure, all displays can benefit from proper tuning and adjustment. But LCDs are more likely to experience clarity or viewability issues if they"re not tuned and tweaked to optimum conditions.

In this Recipe, we"ll tackle the system-building differences between LCDs and CRTs. We"ll also describe the kinds of usage situations best suited to one kind of display over the other. Finally, we"ll describe some important tools you can use to make sure your customers get the most from their LCD choices.

We"ll start with the pros and cons of CRT displays, and then do likewise for LCDs. After that, we"ll make some comparisons and explain which type of display is best-suited for specific, identifiable usage scenarios.

Our comparison of the pros, cons, and differences between CRT and LCD displays hinges on the differences between analog and digital technologies. CRTs are analog; therefore, they support continuous values, smooth scaling, and arbitrarily high resolutions (within reason or the limits of technology). LCDs are digital and therefore work like an array of individual, discrete pixels with individual, discrete color and gray-scale values, and a fixed, native resolution. In mathematical terms, it"s the difference between a continuous integral versus a stair-step function. Here"s how they line up:

Color/gray-scale accuracy: Best color and gray scale accuracy; used as reference standard for professional calibration. Perfectly smooth gray-scale with infinite number of intensity levels.

Motion artifacts: The faster images move on a display, the more past display values can affect current display contents; these leftovers are called motion artifacts. CRTs offer fast response times with no motion artifacts. For this reason, CRTs are the best choice for fast-moving or ever-changing images.

Resolution: CRTs operate at any resolution, geometry, and aspect ratio with no need to rescale images shown. CRTs also run at the highest resolutions graphics cards support.

Emissions: CRTs emit electrical, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields, where magnetic fields are often believed to pose health hazards (although no available scientific evidence supports this belief).

Geometric distortion: CRTs are subject to geometric distortion and generally include adjustments to counter same. But they may also be affected by magnetic fields from other devices.

Interference: CRTs produce visual distortions known as Moire patterns. While many monitors offer Moire reduction, this doesn"t entirely eliminate this problem.

Sharpness: CRTs use electron beams to activate pixels on their screens. This results in softer images than an LCD operating at its native resolution. (But a CRT is usually sharper than an LCD not operating at its native resolutions.)

Size, weight, and power consumption: CRTs are big and bulky. They consume more power—and give off more heat—than most other display technologies.

Size, weight, and power consumption:LCDs are thin-profile devices that are generally lighter than CRTs. LCDs also consume less electricity—and give off less heat—than CRTs.

Aspect ratio: Any LCD has a fixed resolution and aspect ratio. For panels with a resolution of 1280 x 1024 (common for 17- and 19-inch models), the aspect ratio is 5:4 or 1.25, smaller than the 4:3 or 1.33 ratio common for other displays. This may require letterboxing to a 1280 x 960 resolution to get a standard 4:3 ratio.

Bad pixels and screen uniformity: LCDs may include malfunctioning pixels that are weak, or stuck in on or off modes. They are also subject to variations in backlighting, owing to the use of light sources at the top or bottom edges of the display.

Black-level, contract, color saturation: LCDs are poor at producing deep blacks and dark grays. This results in lower contrast and reduced color saturation for low intensity colors, which makes LCDs a poor choice for dimly lit or dark environments.

Color and gray scale accuracy: Internal gamma and gray-scale on an LCD varies by location on the display surface. LCDs normally produce only a limited number—fewer than 256—of discrete intensity levels. This leads to image-accuracy issues with black level, gray-scale, and gamma, and it isn"t suitable for professional color balancing.

Interference: LCDs using analog input require painstaking adjustment of pixel tracking and phase to minimize digital noise in image display. Automatic controls seldom produce optimum outputs, and it may be impossible to eliminate all digital noise completely.

Motion artifacts: The slower an LCD"s pixel refresh rate—often called response time, though this term is more appropriate for CRTs—the more likely it is that motion artifacts will appear. For continuous or very fast motion, some artifacts are inevitable on an LCD.

Resolution: Native resolution is set by the manufacturer and cannot be altered. All other resolutions require re-scaling and leads to image degradation, especially where fine text and graphics are concerned.

White saturation: White levels on LCDs are easily overloaded, and maximum brightness occurs before gray-scale values peak. This phenomenon is best managed by careful contrast-setting adjustments.

When it comes to picking one kind of display over the other, here"s what you should advise your customers on a number of criteria, including needs, pocketbooks, and working environments:

Color or gray-scale accuracy: Users who need or want higher color or gray-scale accuracy, and more viewable deep blacks or dark grays, will be better served by CRTs. Professional color balancing demands a high-quality CRT.

Contrast: CRTs produce the brightest contrast levels available, LCDs fare somewhat more poorly, especially with black and dark colors. Contrast ratio numbers published for LCD displays cannot always be taken literally.

Environmental concerns:CRTs, especially the picture tube itself, are chock-full of heavy metals of several varieties and pose more challenges for recycling than do LCDs. Also, smaller size and weight means less waste to manage. Also, LCDs emit less heat and other forms of energy—electrical, electromagnetic and magnetic—than do CRTs.

Lighting: Users who work in bright light are bound to prefer an LCD. Users who work in lower-light conditions will increasingly prefer a CRT as ambient light decreases.

Motion and artifacts: Users who need or want to work with fast or constantly moving images are best served by CRTs. But this also limits diagonal sizes to no more than 24 inches.

Operating costs: Those concerned about energy consumption will favor LCDs, as these monitors consume at least 40 percent less electricity than CRTs with the same rated diagonal measurements. (And standby mode savings are about 40 percent.) In theory, users can also get away with less office space by using LCDs, translating into lower rent.

Purchase cost: Those with smaller budgets should consider CRTs, as they cost 50 percent or less than LCDs with the same reported diagonal measurements.

Resolution: If a user doesn"t like an LCD at its native resolution, this spells trouble. Native resolution for an LCD is equivalent to maximum resolution on a CRT; it represents the upper limit of picture quality for a given model. So if a user needs a monitor to run at multiple resolutions, especially if they also need fine text and graphics for all resolutions, this virtually mandates a CRT.

With more customers switching to LCDs, system builders should understand how to set up these monitors and configure them properly once they"re in place. A system builder should also know how to get the best-looking text on the screen. To help, we"ll now describe some great tools for system builders working with LCD displays.

ClearType is a Microsoft technology specifically designed to improve text readability on LCD screens, including laptop screens, mobile device displays, and flat-panel monitors. ClearType technology can access individual color elements in each pixel on an LCD display. Prior to its introduction, the level of detail operated at the pixel level. But with ClearType running on an LCD monitor, features of text as small as a fraction of a pixel in width can be displayed, according to Microsoft. This leads to a visible improvement in the sharpness of tiny text details. It not only improves readability, but also is easier on the eyes, especially over extended periods of time.

ClearType is included with Windows XP. But to tweak text settings on individual LCD displays, you must download a Windows PowerToy called ClearType Tuner.

Once downloaded and installed, ClearType Tuner appears as a control panel widget named ClearType Tuning. Its users work with a wizard that asks them to select among multiple on-screen displays that look the best, in much the same way an optometrist works with patients to help determine a new prescription for corrective lenses.

Using the ClearType Tuning widget is fast and easy, and a bit of practice makes working with it a snap. You"ll also see noticeable improvements to text on LCD screens as a consequence of its use, as toggling the check box for "Turn on ClearType" in the widget itself will show.

DisplayMate Technologies is a small and highly-regarded company that offers a family of powerful tools of great interest to system builders and consultants. The company offers a $89 (download only) or $99 (CD and manual shipped to buyer) product called DisplayMate for Windows Video Edition, which we highly recommend. It not only supports both CRT and LCD displays, but also other display types, including liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS), digital light processing (DLP), TV, HDTV, Plasma, and multi-media displays. Though this product aims primarily at end-users and consumers, system builders and consultants on a tight budget can get plenty of value from this product.

System builders who work with lots of displays and really want to get the most out of them will probably prefer the higher end DisplayMate Multimedia Edition, which sells for $495. It not only handles the same kinds of displays as the aforementioned Windows Video Edition, but also includes many more test patterns and command scripts to perform customized display testing and tuning.

This scaffolding around the consumer-level DisplayMate for Windows program provides users with a set of detailed descriptive text screens that precede each of the monitor test sequences under two general headings: Set-Up Program and Tune-Up Program.

The Set-Up program helps familiarize users with graphics and display capabilities on the systems under test, and to establish initial configuration. The Tune-Up Program provides quick checks on specific display capabilities, with opportunities to tweak and tune them for optimal display output.

Introduction: A lead-in screen for the program that briefly describes its capabilities and (more important) provides the option to toggle the Novice Option on or off. Beginners will appreciate its information and instructions, while experienced users can ignore this.

Set-Up Display: A stepwise procedure that leads users through all available user controls on their display and graphics card, each of which is associated with a test pattern and an explanation of how to use its appearance on screen to achieve settings that are visually optimal. First, an initial explanation appears on screen. Then, users click through a sequence of 22 test-pattern screens that include checks on brightness and contrast, intensity range, black-level, and gray scale checks, numerous standard test patterns and color gauges, and numerous geometry checks. The whole sequence takes at least 30 minutes to traverse the first few times through, especially if you read all the preliminary text that precedes each individual test (and if our experience is any guide, you definitely should).

Video Obstacle Course: A set of demanding and difficult images designed to stress test displays and show settings in need of adjustment or improvement. The software also provides information about what users will see during these 24 tests, and how to remedy any potential problems or issues they may expose. About a third of the tests repeat from the previous Set-Up Display sequence, but others deal with important checks related to Moire patterns, color registration, screen and local display regulation, and more. Expect to spend at least 30 minutes working through this series of test patterns and checks.

Master Test Pattern: As the name suggests, this one has a little bit of everything: Geometry, focus and resolution checks, gray-scale and color levels and saturation, and more. You"ll learn to use this to take a quick look at a display and see if it needs some (or more) work.

Video System Information: Shows what information from your display and graphics card DisplayMate can read, including native resolution, screen colors, gray levels, screen and pixel aspect ratios, pixel shape (square or not), color depth, palette, and planes, as well as system font and display driver information. Useful to make sure everything is as it should be.

The DisplayMate Tune-Up Program includes the following elements, whose organization indicates that this tool takes a functional view of the various activities involved in display tuning and tweaking:

Sharpness and Resolution: Deals with sharpness, focus, and resolution with numerous horizontal and vertical bars, as well as the battery of Moire pattern tests (18 in all).

Screen Pixel Resolution: Shows a series of 15 visually interesting test patterns to check screen resolution, fineness of detail, and accuracy in a series of complex line and pattern traces. This is some of the coolest looking stuff in the program.

Miscellaneous Effects: A series of 14 tests and checks that let you fool around with colors and gray scales on the display. Be sure to toggle through color selections where you can; click the right mouse button to toggle through such options where available.

In our test lab, we have a number of LCD screens ranging in size from 17 inches (diagonal) to 30 inches. We found the DisplayMate program"s ability to help us properly set brightness, contrast, and pixel timing to be of greatest use. Those are the aspects of our LCDs that suffer the most when left at factory-default settings. System builders and consultants will find these tools useful in making sure that their customers and users have the best possible experiences when they upgrade or switch to LCD displays.

ED TITTEL is a freelance writer and trainer in Austin, TX, who specializes in Windows topics and tools, especially networking and security related matters. JUSTIN KORELC is a long-time Linux hacker and Windows maven who concentrates on hardware and software security topics. Ed and Justin are also co-authors of Build the Ultimate Home Theater PC (John Wiley, 2005).