- Joined
- Dec 1, 2007
- Location
- Near Toronto Canada
I wanted to make a sticky to answer some common questions.
Basic: Display types and connection types:
CRT CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) displays use an electron gun firing through a vaccuum tube onto phosphors to create images on a screen. These are the least energy efficient, and the heaviest displays at any given size. No backlight. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube
LCD An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) uses several thousand little colored doors, in red green and blue (as well as yellow if you want to jump on the Sharp bandwagon)in front of a back light. Depending on how widely these pixels open, and in what combination, you see shapes and colors on your display.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCD
LCD BACKLIGHTING:
LCD TV/Monitor A cold cathode fluorescent tube lighting system provides backlight
LED TV/Monitor Energy efficient LED (light emitting diodes) provide backlight
-edge lit LED: LED's along the periphery of the screen provide the backlight
-full array LED: LED's behind the screen provide backlight
-full array local dimming LED: LED's behind the screen provide backlight, and can individually dim or turn off, providing for greater depth of black and a greater contrast level
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_TV
PLASMA: A plasma screen is a thin film applied to a sheet of glass. The film operates in a manner more similar to a CRT than to an LCD, as each individual pixel is made up of phosphors which create their own light. Plasma does not use a backlight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_TV
AMOLED/OLED: Still in its relative infancy, Organic Light Emitting Diode technology promises the best picture yet. Each individual pixel is also it's own light source, making for the equivalent of a local dimming LCD with millions of lights behind it, with a color gamut and contrast ratio greater than plasma in a paper thin display. OLED Tv's, which are not available as of yet at retail, and LED TV's are completely different.
CONNECTIONS
VGA- Analog signal. Predates desktop LCD panels
DVI S DVI D- Digital Video Interlink, single or dual link. Digital signal. Dual link is usually recommended for resolution over 1920x1080 and signals over 60Hz. Typically used on LCD monitors
HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface takes what is essentially a DVI signal and adds digital sound on the same cable. Typically used on LCD monitors, HDTVs, Component systems, Bluray and upscaling DVD players.
Displayport- Apple format digital signal. Supported by many current generation video cards.
Common questions:
Can I use a DVI out display card to run an HDMI display such as an HDTV?
Yes. Since HDMI and DVI are essentially the same video signal, an HDMI/DVI conversion cable is nothing more than a DVI cable with an HDMI connector on one end. Obviously you will lose the sound transport.
Can I use a plasma or LCD HDTV as a computer monitor?
Yes. Any display with an HDMI input can be used as an output for your PC. You may need DVI to HDMI cable.
Which display type is best for gaming?
Plasma. Plasma has a much higher contrast ratio than LCD. It also has a much faster response time than even the fastest TN panels. However, on the down side, Plasma does not typically have the brightness of an LCD (super high tier Plasmas do not share this issue to any significant extent). This means that if you have a very brightly lit room, or wish to use the display in a room fully lit by sunlight, a Plasma may not be for you. Also, many people see 'noise' in static images on a plasma due to the way that the phosphors display images. I would say that an LCD makes a better computer screen, but if you already have a plasma, there's no reason you can not use it as a PC display.
Which display type is best in a brightly lit room?
An LCD with the highest light output you can get, measured in cd/m2 (Candellas per square meter). This measures the brightness against the equivalent in candle light. A 500cd/m2 screen has a brightness equivalent to five hundred candles per square meter of screen. For those not on the metric system, a meter is approximately three feet. 12 inches = 30 centimeters. 100 centimeters = 1 meter.
Can I use my TV speakers? Or my home theater system?
Yes and yes. If you have a videocard that supports audio via HDMI out, such as any current or last gen ATi card, all you need to do is run an HDMI cable from that card to either the TV or your receiver and set your PC's default audio out to be that videocard's HDMI out.
PC doesn't have HDMI out? HDTV's up to 2008 support HDMI and RCA audio as a single input. Run a DVI to HDMI cable for video and use a 3.5mm to RCA cable from your soundcard/onboard audio. You can also run your digital audio out to your receiver if you do not have HDMI out on your PC or HDMI in on your receiver.
Less Basic: LCD Panel types, color gamut, viewing angle, response time, potential for damage, burn in, and how they affect you:
There are three types of TFT (thin film transistor) LCD displays available. Whether the display is CCFL (fluorescent) or LED (light emitting diode) backlit, the actual display itself will be one of these three panel types- TN, PVA, or IPS.
TN, twisted nematic, PVA, patterned vertical alignment, and IPS, in plane switching, are the three main types of panel available today. Others exist, such as SVA, but are typically unique to a specific manufacturer. Essentially, TN panels tend to have the worst color range and contrast ratios, but have the fastest response time. This makes them a favorite for people who play a lot of fast paced games like first person shooters. The low response time is the TN panel's strongest feature. A negative feature of TN panels, besides their limited color range, is that they discolor when you are viewing them on an angle. PVA screens have a greater color range and contrast than TN panels, but suffer from a slightly reduced response time. The viewing angle on PVA panels barely affects the coloration at all. IPS panels have the widest color range of any LCD. They have fantastic contrast, and the color won't alter from any viewing angle. However, IPS panels tend to have the poorest response times of all the panel types. This makes them less ideal for fast paced games. You can absolutely play Call of Duty on an IPS. However, odds are a player with the same skill level on a fast TN panel will defeat you.
More info on panel types: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TFT_LCD
What is response time?
How quickly pixels can change color and brightness in miliseconds. Higher response times are associated with 'blur' in fast moving images. A 12ms screen will not produce moving images as sharply as a 2ms screen. TN panels have the lowest response times of any LCD, while plasmas have much lower response times than any LCD.
What is viewing angle?
The angle at which one can view the screen without any appreciable color warping. Measured in degrees. 180 degrees is standing beside the screen. IPS panels excel here as do plasmas as they can be viewed all the way up to 170 degrees off center.
What is color gamut/color range?
The color range that the screen is able to reproduce. An IPS screen or a plasma can produce a much wider color range than a TN lcd.
What is contrast ratio?
The total number of contrast gradiations available on screen at any given time. If a screen had a static contrast ratio of 1000:1, it could, for example, display 1000 shades of gray at once.
What is 'burn in'
Are certain types of LCD/Plasma monitors or TV's more fragile than others?
Yes. LCD's are very sensitive to damage on the LCD screen itself. Using the wrong cleaning materials or methods, having something hit the screen, someone poke it hard, etc can all cause damage. Plasmas can also be fragile because many lower end plasmas use a rather thin piece of glass that can be cracked if mistreated.
What is burn in?
If a static image is displayed on certain types of screen for an extended period of time, it can leave a 'ghost image' behind. Similar to a very faint negative, this image will look like it is literally 'burned in' to the screen. Plasmas and CRT's are most susceptible to this. LCD's are relatively immune although it is not impossible to burn in an image. You would have to actually be trying to do it though.
LCD and Plasma handling tips:
Always transport LCD or Plasma screens in their original packaging and standing upright supported by the packing foam. It is not recommended to transport either type of screen, especially plasmas, with the screen lying down either on it's face or back, as this can potentially cause undue stress and damage to the unit. If your stand is not assembled to the screen out of the box, as is typical of plasmas and larger LCD's, place the stand on your surface first, then carefully lower the screen down onto it. Never touch the panel/front glass if you can avoid it. If you must lay the panel down to install the stand, lay it down on it's face on a soft surface. Ideally a clean carpet or thick towel. Pillows are not ideal as they can bulge in the middle and place undue stress on the panel or front glass. Always handle these screens carefully. Things aren't made the way they used to be. Clean your screen gently and use an approved name brand cleaning solution and a very soft cloth, such as a micro fiber cloth. These can be purchased as a kit.
Basic: Display types and connection types:
CRT CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) displays use an electron gun firing through a vaccuum tube onto phosphors to create images on a screen. These are the least energy efficient, and the heaviest displays at any given size. No backlight. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube
LCD An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) uses several thousand little colored doors, in red green and blue (as well as yellow if you want to jump on the Sharp bandwagon)in front of a back light. Depending on how widely these pixels open, and in what combination, you see shapes and colors on your display.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCD
LCD BACKLIGHTING:
LCD TV/Monitor A cold cathode fluorescent tube lighting system provides backlight
LED TV/Monitor Energy efficient LED (light emitting diodes) provide backlight
-edge lit LED: LED's along the periphery of the screen provide the backlight
-full array LED: LED's behind the screen provide backlight
-full array local dimming LED: LED's behind the screen provide backlight, and can individually dim or turn off, providing for greater depth of black and a greater contrast level
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_TV
PLASMA: A plasma screen is a thin film applied to a sheet of glass. The film operates in a manner more similar to a CRT than to an LCD, as each individual pixel is made up of phosphors which create their own light. Plasma does not use a backlight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_TV
AMOLED/OLED: Still in its relative infancy, Organic Light Emitting Diode technology promises the best picture yet. Each individual pixel is also it's own light source, making for the equivalent of a local dimming LCD with millions of lights behind it, with a color gamut and contrast ratio greater than plasma in a paper thin display. OLED Tv's, which are not available as of yet at retail, and LED TV's are completely different.
CONNECTIONS
VGA- Analog signal. Predates desktop LCD panels
DVI S DVI D- Digital Video Interlink, single or dual link. Digital signal. Dual link is usually recommended for resolution over 1920x1080 and signals over 60Hz. Typically used on LCD monitors
HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface takes what is essentially a DVI signal and adds digital sound on the same cable. Typically used on LCD monitors, HDTVs, Component systems, Bluray and upscaling DVD players.
Displayport- Apple format digital signal. Supported by many current generation video cards.
Common questions:
Can I use a DVI out display card to run an HDMI display such as an HDTV?
Yes. Since HDMI and DVI are essentially the same video signal, an HDMI/DVI conversion cable is nothing more than a DVI cable with an HDMI connector on one end. Obviously you will lose the sound transport.
Can I use a plasma or LCD HDTV as a computer monitor?
Yes. Any display with an HDMI input can be used as an output for your PC. You may need DVI to HDMI cable.
Which display type is best for gaming?
Plasma. Plasma has a much higher contrast ratio than LCD. It also has a much faster response time than even the fastest TN panels. However, on the down side, Plasma does not typically have the brightness of an LCD (super high tier Plasmas do not share this issue to any significant extent). This means that if you have a very brightly lit room, or wish to use the display in a room fully lit by sunlight, a Plasma may not be for you. Also, many people see 'noise' in static images on a plasma due to the way that the phosphors display images. I would say that an LCD makes a better computer screen, but if you already have a plasma, there's no reason you can not use it as a PC display.
Which display type is best in a brightly lit room?
An LCD with the highest light output you can get, measured in cd/m2 (Candellas per square meter). This measures the brightness against the equivalent in candle light. A 500cd/m2 screen has a brightness equivalent to five hundred candles per square meter of screen. For those not on the metric system, a meter is approximately three feet. 12 inches = 30 centimeters. 100 centimeters = 1 meter.
Can I use my TV speakers? Or my home theater system?
Yes and yes. If you have a videocard that supports audio via HDMI out, such as any current or last gen ATi card, all you need to do is run an HDMI cable from that card to either the TV or your receiver and set your PC's default audio out to be that videocard's HDMI out.
PC doesn't have HDMI out? HDTV's up to 2008 support HDMI and RCA audio as a single input. Run a DVI to HDMI cable for video and use a 3.5mm to RCA cable from your soundcard/onboard audio. You can also run your digital audio out to your receiver if you do not have HDMI out on your PC or HDMI in on your receiver.
Less Basic: LCD Panel types, color gamut, viewing angle, response time, potential for damage, burn in, and how they affect you:
There are three types of TFT (thin film transistor) LCD displays available. Whether the display is CCFL (fluorescent) or LED (light emitting diode) backlit, the actual display itself will be one of these three panel types- TN, PVA, or IPS.
TN, twisted nematic, PVA, patterned vertical alignment, and IPS, in plane switching, are the three main types of panel available today. Others exist, such as SVA, but are typically unique to a specific manufacturer. Essentially, TN panels tend to have the worst color range and contrast ratios, but have the fastest response time. This makes them a favorite for people who play a lot of fast paced games like first person shooters. The low response time is the TN panel's strongest feature. A negative feature of TN panels, besides their limited color range, is that they discolor when you are viewing them on an angle. PVA screens have a greater color range and contrast than TN panels, but suffer from a slightly reduced response time. The viewing angle on PVA panels barely affects the coloration at all. IPS panels have the widest color range of any LCD. They have fantastic contrast, and the color won't alter from any viewing angle. However, IPS panels tend to have the poorest response times of all the panel types. This makes them less ideal for fast paced games. You can absolutely play Call of Duty on an IPS. However, odds are a player with the same skill level on a fast TN panel will defeat you.
More info on panel types: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TFT_LCD
What is response time?
How quickly pixels can change color and brightness in miliseconds. Higher response times are associated with 'blur' in fast moving images. A 12ms screen will not produce moving images as sharply as a 2ms screen. TN panels have the lowest response times of any LCD, while plasmas have much lower response times than any LCD.
What is viewing angle?
The angle at which one can view the screen without any appreciable color warping. Measured in degrees. 180 degrees is standing beside the screen. IPS panels excel here as do plasmas as they can be viewed all the way up to 170 degrees off center.
What is color gamut/color range?
The color range that the screen is able to reproduce. An IPS screen or a plasma can produce a much wider color range than a TN lcd.
What is contrast ratio?
The total number of contrast gradiations available on screen at any given time. If a screen had a static contrast ratio of 1000:1, it could, for example, display 1000 shades of gray at once.
What is 'burn in'
Are certain types of LCD/Plasma monitors or TV's more fragile than others?
Yes. LCD's are very sensitive to damage on the LCD screen itself. Using the wrong cleaning materials or methods, having something hit the screen, someone poke it hard, etc can all cause damage. Plasmas can also be fragile because many lower end plasmas use a rather thin piece of glass that can be cracked if mistreated.
What is burn in?
If a static image is displayed on certain types of screen for an extended period of time, it can leave a 'ghost image' behind. Similar to a very faint negative, this image will look like it is literally 'burned in' to the screen. Plasmas and CRT's are most susceptible to this. LCD's are relatively immune although it is not impossible to burn in an image. You would have to actually be trying to do it though.
LCD and Plasma handling tips:
Always transport LCD or Plasma screens in their original packaging and standing upright supported by the packing foam. It is not recommended to transport either type of screen, especially plasmas, with the screen lying down either on it's face or back, as this can potentially cause undue stress and damage to the unit. If your stand is not assembled to the screen out of the box, as is typical of plasmas and larger LCD's, place the stand on your surface first, then carefully lower the screen down onto it. Never touch the panel/front glass if you can avoid it. If you must lay the panel down to install the stand, lay it down on it's face on a soft surface. Ideally a clean carpet or thick towel. Pillows are not ideal as they can bulge in the middle and place undue stress on the panel or front glass. Always handle these screens carefully. Things aren't made the way they used to be. Clean your screen gently and use an approved name brand cleaning solution and a very soft cloth, such as a micro fiber cloth. These can be purchased as a kit.
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