Monitor and Television Types and Information

There are several types of television and/or monitor types and styles. To be more specific, there are currently 4 different types. They are Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Plasma, and the newer LED TVs. The order in which I have just presented them, with all other variables controlled, range in order from cheapest to most expensive. This being said, they also range from least quality to maximum quality. Today I am going to be explaining the basic makeup of each type and also briefly clarify how to differentiate between each type.

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

These monitors are commonly referred to as boxes. These are the oldest monitors, circa 1960’s and earlier. These work with a basic projection system within itself, and thus take up a relatively large amount of space. These are the only type of monitor which is not flat screen. CRT monitors will burn out and be useless to your purpose much more quickly than will LCD, Plasma, or LED monitors. The early warning signs that a CRT monitor is failing to the point of inoperability are as follows: First, the monitor will flicker on and off at a seemingly random interval at random points during operation. The monitor may shut off for a longer period of time and then power back on, randomly. The monitor’s image may shift position to a different location than you had originally set. Second, discoloration may occur within the monitor, turning the image presently on your screen into a black-and-white, grayscale image. Lastly the monitor will turn off permanently, and you cannot power it back on. You will need to purchase a new monitor, preferably a newer type. Computers purchased from a company today will generally not offer the option of a CRT monitor.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

These monitors are the cheapest flat panel displays. These work by exciting small crystals which produce the pixel-image on the screen. LCDs, and all other flat panel displays are very nice because the image cannot shift around the screen, as in CRT displays, and is always a perfect clear image. There is no bulb to burn out, however pixels can “die” or become stuck at a certain color. There are ways for the common user to fix this, as I will define in a later article. This type is what companies will normally bundle with computers, although you can purchase a plasma TV and utilize it as a computer monitor.

Plasma Displays

This type is generally exclusive to Televisions, as they are quite expensive. Plasma is excited, similarly to the crystals within an LCD monitor which produces your image on the screen. Like LCD monitors, plasma screens’ images cannot be distorted or shifted within the screen, unless the user wishes it so. Plasma TV’s typically produce slightly better quality to the user and are also more expensive.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

These are very recently being produced by companies such as LG. These work by very small LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes which produce the overall image. These TVs are quite expensive, but eliminates glare and is almost always high-definition at 1080p resolution, the highest that HD can go currently.