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Monitor Details
Collection of dots
Matrix of dots creates character
Monochrome monitor screen is collection of 350 *720
350 rows and each rows having 720 dots

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Block diagram of color monitor and

function of each block

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It has a three main function blocks:

1. Power Supply
2. Video signal processing and amplification
3. Horizontal/ vertical deflection and synchronization
The transmission lines carried video signal from host
computer to the monitor.
This video signal is normally 1 VPP, is amplified before the
signal is applied to the CRTs cathode.
The amplification is done in two stages.
The preamplifier amplifies the 1Vpp video signal to a
4 6 Vpp signal. It provide contract and brightness
control. It is low voltage video signal.
CRT video amplifier provides high voltage
amplification. It is second stage amplifier, which
amplifies the preamplifiers 4 6 vpp signal to a 40
60 Vpp signal that the cathode requires to energize
each phosphor dot on the screen.
In a color monitor , a trio of red, green and blue
phosphor dots constitutes a picture element, often
called pixel.
Vertical Drive Circuit:---It is designed to operate vertical
yoke. It consist of vertical oscillator and vertical driver.
Horizontal Drive Circuit:---It is designed to operate
Horizontal yoke. It has horizontal oscillator.
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Power Supply:-To accelerate an electron beam from

cathode to phosphor on the screen a large positive voltage
at the CRTs anode required. This is achieved by a constant
power supply.

CRT WORKING
1. Heated cathode emits an electron beam which is
accelerated and focused into high speed narrow beam ,
using control grid, accelerating anode and focusing
anode.
2. Beam is deflected horizontally and vertically using H & V
deflecting coils.
3. Beam strikes on the phosphor coated tube surface
4. CRT screen is made up of phosphor material dots called
pixels.
5. Beam falls on screen and dots are illuminated
6. The high speed scanning of electron beam on the screen
called Raster scanning
7. In this type of scanning , in each frame , new screen
(timing synchronized by V-sync pulse) starts at the topleft point of the screen ,then beam trace top horizontal
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line, retrace in blanked condition back to the start of the

next line(starting of new line is sync by H-sync pulse) and
the sequence continues till the bottom line is reached.T
hen beam retrace in blanked condition to the top-left
position and the scanning for the next frame starts.

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Scanning
Scanning is process in which electronic beam inside CRT
tube is moving from left to right and from top to bottom.
Beam moving left to right , it is scanning all dots in row
and it is called Trace.
Beam moving right to left then it is called Retrace.
No info is display during retrace.
Dot illuminated by electron beam during scanning when
logic 1 is provided by processor.
Dots become invisible when logic 0 is given by processor.

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CRT Characteristics
1. Dot pitch or slot pitch: Horizontal distance between two like-colored phosphor
dots
Also called strip pitch
Dot pitch is an indicator of sharpness of the display image.
It is measured in mm (smaller no means sharper image)

Dot Pitch

2. Pixels:
An individual dot on the screen.
Color monitor pixel contain three dots
Also called pixels or pel.
Collection of Row and column is called pixel.

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3. Resolution: Resolution is expressed in the number of horizontal and

vertical picture elements i.e. pixels
More resolution == quality better
Resolution= Total no. of Horizontal pixels * Total no. of
Vertical pixels

4. Horizontal Scanning Frequency: The frequency at which monitor repaints the horizontal
lines that make up an image is called Horizontal
Scanning Frequency.
Unit := KHz
If resolution 800*600 , 600 lines per screen

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Vertical Scanning Frequency: The frequencies at which the monitor repaints the
whole screen
It is also called as vertical scanning frequency.
Unit : Hz (no. of cycles per second)
Higher rate associate less flicker
72Hz means screen should e redraw 72 times per
second.
6. Frame Rate: How many times a screenful of information is
produced per second is called frame rate.
Higher frame rate : less flicker problem
7. Video Bandwidth: It is the highest input frequency a monitor can handle
and helps in determining the resolution capabilities of
the monitor
Unit MHz
Higher video bandwidth == image quality better.
Bandwidth=Horizontal pixel * vertical pixel * frame
rate
For 600*400 , if frame rate is 25
Video bandwidth=600*400*25=5,760,000 i.e 5.7
MHz

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8. Screen size: Computer display rated by their size

15 inch,17inch,19 inch monitors
Screen Size is measured diagonally

9. Interlace Mode: In interlaced mode the image is scanned in two

passes even pass and odd pass
Gun scans from top to bottom, left to right with each
scan displaying a frame.
On first pass it will skip every next line.
On second pass , it will scan the lines it missed during
the first pass, thus creating image in two scan
Used in TV.
10.

12

Non- interlacing: All the lines are scanned or displayed in one pass
instead of two passes required in the interlaced
mode.
Used in CRT monitors

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Interlace

Non-interlace

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Advantages of CRT Monitors

1) Less expensive - Although LCD monitor prices have
decreased, comparable CRT displays still cost less.
2) 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.
3) 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.
4) 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.
5) More rugged - Although they are bigger and heavier than
LCD displays, CRT displays are also less fragile and harder to
damage.
6) Contrast ratio allows perception of true black. Darks are
darker.
7) Displays full motion video better.

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8) Screen images viewed from side angle are as good as when

viewed straight-on. (no dilution of clarity or color)
9) Modern versions may include sleep mode for energy
efficiency
10) Strong glass screen can withstand routine handling and
not easily damaged by casual touch.
11) Many now available with flat viewing screens for fewer
glares, viewing convenience.
12) Strong glass screen can withstand routine handling.

Disadvantages of CRT Monitors

1) Larger size takes up more desk space, bigger the screen
bigger the footprint.
2) Heavy weight.
3) Heavier size limits easy and convenient movement.
4) Expends more energy and throw off heat.
5) Measuring difference. 19 CRT provide 18 usable area
6) Radiation emission.

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LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

There are three common states of matter: solid, liquid or
gaseous.
Solid molecules always maintain their orientation and stay
in the same position with respect to one another.
The molecules in liquids are just the opposite: They can
change their orientation and move anywhere in the liquid.
But there are some substances that can exist in an odd
state that is sort of like a liquid and sort of like a solid.
When they are in this state, their molecules tend to
maintain their orientation, like the molecules in a solid,
but also move around to different positions, like the
molecules in a liquid.
This means that liquid crystals are neither a solid nor a
liquid.
That's how they ended up with their seemingly
contradictory Name.
One feature of liquid crystals is that they're affected by
electric current.
A particular sort of nematic liquid crystal, called twisted
nematics (TN), is naturally twisted.
Applying an electric current to these liquid crystals will
untwist them to varying degrees, depending on the
voltage. LCDs use these liquid crystals because they react
predictably to electric current in such a way as to
control light passage.

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Twisted nematic (TN) crystal , which are rod shaped

crystals are used in LCD
Liquid crystal display technology works by blocking light.
LCD is made of two pieces of polarized glass (also called
substrate) that contain a liquid crystal material between
them.
A backlight creates light that passes through the first
substrate.
At the same time, electrical currents cause the liquid
crystal molecules to align to allow varying levels of light
to pass through to the second substrate and create the
colors and images that you see.

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Working Principal
1. When some voltage is applied across the opposite glass
electrodes of LCD
2. Direction of liquid crystal molecules is unchanged
3. This unchanged made visible with the help of certain
polarizing filters which covers outer surface of the glass
electrode
Polarization :- Orientation of light rays in space.

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Polarizer :- Two polarizer's (vertical in the input and

horizontal in the output) also called as filters (which
changing the direction of light rays in space)
When liquid crystal molecules orientation is changed
(twisted) due to electric field then they changed vertically
polarized waves into horizontal direction.

Working
Light entering the display is guided by liquid crystal
molecules
Molecules of the liquid crystal twist and they rotate
incoming light by 90 degree.
Incoming light is vertically polarized because of vertical
filter and due to twist given by molecules the light waves
becomes horizontally polarized.
When current is passed through electrodes The liquid
crystal molecules straighten out and stop redirecting
light.
No light can pass through ,making this region darker
compared to rest of the screen To display characters or
graphics, voltage is applied to the desired regions making
them darker and visible to the eye.

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Advantages of LCD Monitors

1) Require less power - Power consumption varies greatly
with different technologies. The average is about 45 watts
for a 19-inch LCD display. LCDs also produce less heat.
2) 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.
3) More adjustable - LCD displays are much more adjustable
than CRT displays.
4) 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.
5) Flicker free screen.
6) More usable display area than on comparably sized CRT.
7) Low frequency radiation is practically eliminated

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Disadvantages of LCD Monitors

Fragile screen : may result in both screen and backlight
lamp damage if touched or handled.
Contrast ratio causes darkness to not to be displayed true .
Dark may be viewed as dark gray rather black.
Designed for only optimum resolution.
Can not adjust images.
Best view of screen is straight on, limiting clarity and
colors for those viewing from angle.

Types Of LCD:--1.Passive Matrix

2.Active Matrix

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Passive Matrix Displays

This type of LCD display uses a grid of conductive metal to
charge each pixel.
Two glass layers called substrates.
One substrate is given column and other is given rows.
It is made up of transparent conductive material (indiumtin-oxide)
Rows and columns are connected to integrated circuit that
control when a charge is sent down a particular column or
row.
LCM is sandwiched between 2 glass substrate and
polarizing film is added to the outer side of each substrate.
Passive matrix is made up of set of multiplexed
transparent electrodes.
Electrode are made up of ITO , are placed above and
below the LC layer in row/column formation.

Passive-matrix LCDs use a simple grid to supply the charge

to a particular pixel on the display.
Creating the grid is quite a process! It starts with two glass
layers called substrates.

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One substrate is given columns and the other is given rows

made from a transparent conductive material. This is
usually indium-tin oxide.
The rows or columns are connected to integrated circuits
that control when a charge is sent down a particular
column or row.
The liquid crystal material is sandwiched between the two
glass substrates, and a polarizing film is added to the outer
side of each substrate.
To turn on a pixel, the integrated circuit sends a charge
down the correct column of one substrate and a ground
activated on the correct row of the other.
The row and column intersect at the designated pixel, and
that delivers the voltage to untwist the liquid crystals at
that pixel.
Advantages:
1. Simple to implement
2. Less costly
3. Simple circuitry
Disadvantages:
1. Can cause distortion
2. Loss of contrast in bigger array sizes resulting from
crosstalk
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Active Matrix Displays

Most LCD displays use active matrix technology.
Active display have transistor built into each pixel.
A thin film transistor (TFT) arranges tiny transistors and
capacitors in a matrix on the glass of the display , acts as
switch controlling the voltage each pixel receives.
Electrode placed above the liquid crystal matrix.
To address a particular pixel, the proper row is switched
on, and then a charge is sent down the correct column.
Since all of the other rows that the column intersects are
turned off, only the capacitor at the designated pixel
receives a charge. The capacitor is able to hold the charge
until the next refresh cycle.
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Advantages:
1.Sharp display
2.Better viewing angle
3.40:1 contrast
Disadvantages:
1. Need better backlight
2. Complex hardware
3. More costly as compared to passive matrix display.

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Comparison of Passive and Active Matrix

LCDs
Parameter

Passive

Active

Contrast

10-20

100+

Viewing scale

Limited

Wide

Gray scale

16

256

Response time

100-200ms

<50ms

Multiplex ratio

480

>1000

Size

Up to 17

<14

Manufacturability

Simple

Complex

Cost

Moderate

high

Video Accelerated Card

The video card is middleman working between the
processor and monitor .
Video card the job of translating what the processor
produces into a form that monitor can display.
Characteristics that differentiate graphics accelerators
Memory:- own memory which is reserved for storing
graphical representations . the amount of memory
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determines how much resolution and how much many

colors can be displayed.
Bus:-Each graphics accelerator is designed for a particular
type of video bus.
Register width:- the wider the register the more data the
processor can manipulate with each instruction.

Components of video accelerator card: Graphical processing unit(GPU)

GPU is specialized processor with advanced image
processing capability, (3D graphics), based on encoding because
of high temp that the graphics processor can reach , a radiator
and fan are mounted on it.
The video Bios
provide a set of video related functions that are used by
programs to access the video hardware.contains the graphics
cards setting , in particular graphics modes.
Video memory(frame buffer)
Store images processed by the GPU before they are
displayed by the monitor.
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RamDac(Random access memory digital analog

convertor)
Screen information stored in the video memory (RAM) is
digital.Every value is stored as o and 1 with intensity signal .
The monitor is analog . In order to display the image on screen
The information in the video memory must be converted to
analog signals and sent to monitor.

Interface
a kind of bus used to connect the graphics card to the
motherboard AGP bus or PCI express bus.PCI Express bus is
better than AGP bus in performance.

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