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The Monitor
Your
computer would be almost pointless if you could not
see what it was doing. All the results of its
processing, all the data sent out by the video card,
needs a place to be displayed, and this is the job of
the monitor.
The
monitor, or screen display as it is also called,
receives the data from the video card and converts it
into colours and shapes that we are so familiar with.
There
are several types of monitors. In the earlier years,
computer monitors were patterned after the television
tube, known as the Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT). These work
by combining the data from the video card with tiny
electrons (particles of electricity), and firing this
electric combination against a phosphor coating
located just behind the glass screen you normally see.
This electron/data combination is fired up to 75 times
per second, which lights up the phosphor coating,
producing the different colours and shapes we see.
Early types of CRT monitors supported only 16 colors,
and were identified as CGA monitors. Then came the EGA
and VGA types, which supported up to 256 colours.
Current CRT monitors are classed as SVGA and XGA
monitors, which support up to 16.7 million colours.
CRT
monitors produce a clear, well-detailed picture, and
this has resulted in their wide spread popularity.
However, the firing of electrons at the monitor screen
produces electrical radiation, which does affect you
if you regularly sit in front of the screen for more
than two hours at a time. This radiation and its
associated health risks has been instrumental in the
development of a new technology, the LCD monitor.
The
LCD monitor gives off no radiation whatsoever, due to
its different technology. The data from the video card
is sent to a liquid crystal display, a light sensitive
device. This in turn lights up the glass screen where
you view the results. The picture displayed is not
quite as clear and well-defined as the CRT monitor,
but still gives an impressive result. However, due to
the more complex technology used in LCD screens, the
purchase price is still almost 3 times that of the CRT
monitors. This however will change as LCD technology
continues to expand.
Maintenance
on CRT monitors is relatively simple. A wipe over on
the glass with a lint-free cloth dampened with warm
soapy water with remove smudges and fingerprints. To
prolong the life of your CRT monitor, always turn it
on AFTER you have started your PC. This is
particularly important if the power to your monitor
comes from your PC box.
For
LCD monitors, try to avoid touching the glass, as this
can cause dead pixels (tiny areas on the screen that
do not light up). Some LCD screens use a power
transformer. This should be located in a well
ventilated place, as they can become quite warm. A
gentle wipe of the monitor with a soft DRY lint-free
cloth will keep them looking spic-and-span for many
years.
For
further information or help if your PC has a problem,
please call us on 41638061, or email us at info@mcsyarraman.com.au
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