What does a computer monitor look like? Monitor: basic characteristics of the external device. Main parameters for choosing a monitor

Life flows and everything changes along with it, but last years in all spheres of human life key place I took over the computer and don’t intend to give up the palm. Since the creation of the first computer device, it computing power, shape, sizes and key technologies changed in better side. Today, almost everything is computerized: medicine, education, manufacturing, the mining industry, and even human leisure. Now one out of two residents of countries with high and medium levels of economic development owns portable computers - smartphones or tablets. At the same time, most of the world's inhabitants use desktops, which are separate system units, information output devices, peripheral devices for data input - mouse and keyboard. It is worth paying special attention to the monitor, since this is the part of the computer in front of which a person spends a very long time. A monitor is an important component of the development of human society, so the ability to choose suitable model and availability necessary knowledge it will not be unnecessary for anyone to talk about him.

Areas of application of monitors

In order to find out where monitors are used and for what purpose, you first need to understand what computer monitors are. There are a number of their definitions, but if you choose the most basic one, it sounds like this. Monitor is special device to output information from the computer's computing unit by using special screen, equipped with either a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal matrix (LCD, used in modern monitor models). Information is displayed by highlighting individual smallest elements of the screen - pixels, which together form a complete picture of text, tables, pictures, photos or videos.

We can safely say that monitors are used everywhere. IN government institutions and in enterprises to perform current functions and responsibilities including:

• Conducting core activities (production, assembly, extraction, etc.).
• Maintaining accounting and warehouse records.
• Logistics.
• Accounting and control of the activities of institutions.
• Other areas of activity.

The same applies to educational, medical and other institutions in various spheres of human activity. All this happens because any activity has long been transferred to computer accounting using specially developed software products.

There are a long range of applications for a device such as a monitor. This leads to the need to develop and create devices for specific needs. Therefore, manufacturers offer a wide selection of computer monitors from home to professional with special functions.

LCD or CRT?

The key feature of any monitor is its screen. The first such devices were cathode ray tube displays. They had a lot of weight, huge dimensions and a small screen diagonal, but at the same time they had a clear, good picture regardless of the viewing angle. The CRT monitor screen was updated at a frequency of up to 85 Hz, which had a positive effect on the user’s eyes, reducing the load. However, it is believed that the beam of light from the CRT, while attacking the screen, also attacked the vision of many people, which led to a rapid deterioration in their health. Due to bulkiness, high power consumption, negative impact on users' vision, and also due to the small size of the screen, liquid crystal matrices (LCDs) were developed to replace them. LCD displays reduced energy consumption by 60 percent compared to CRTs and had significantly less weight and dimensions, as well as the correct backlight, which was scattered along the sides of the screen and did not hit directly in the eyes. Modern models of such monitors have a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. However, here everything depends on the type of matrix.

TN or IPS matrix?

Whether it's a laptop, computer or portable device, it uses a special matrix of liquid crystals. There are only three main technologies for their production (not counting subtypes):

• TN+Film - Twisted Nematic + film.
• IPS - Image Packaging System.
• VA - Vertical alignment.

Considering that a monitor is a device for displaying the result of work, it is important to understand that different types works will look and be perceived differently on monitors with different matrices.

TN+Film technology is widely used and ensures its leadership for many years to come. Its main advantage is the low cost of production, which is very important factor in the competitive struggle of producers. However, it has small viewing angles and sharply loses color if you look at the screen from the side. The response speed of such matrices can be within 2-8 ms.

IPS technology appeared later and was intended to become a professional matrix for the most accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles. No sooner said than done. The matrix really turned out to be excellent: the colors are rich, conveying reality as much as possible, and the angles are almost up to 180 degrees, and the high speed of the matrix. But the cost of monitors with this technology is much higher than that of its competitor TN+Film. Therefore, not every buyer will spend extra money just to watch films of dubious quality and scroll through pages on the Internet. IPS is really for enthusiasts who want to get the most accurate match to reality. They are commonly used by designers, engineers and gamers.

Key monitor manufacturers: Dell, LG, Samsung and Acer install both TN and IPS matrices on their devices. There are plenty of decent monitors to choose from. Their price usually ranges from 4 to 120 thousand rubles.

VA Matrix

The Samsung monitor is made in best traditions Korean manufacturer, using his development - the VA matrix. It is superior to TN technology in transmitting deep blacks, but loses in response speed. Won quite a few fans this monitor. Its price is 20-30 percent lower than IPS, so for movie buffs it will be an excellent option with good color rendition.

Why do you need matrix response speed?

Another characteristic of the monitor is the response speed of the display matrix. It shows how quickly an individual pixel can change its brightness after entering a user command. Modern models of monitors from any manufacturer cope with this task in 2-15 milliseconds. The fastest matrices are usually used on gaming monitors and devices for displaying video editing results. Slow ones, in turn, are usually professional artistic, design or engineering devices. It is important for them maximum quality pictures, not output speed.

The monitor driver can also have an important impact on the response speed of the matrix, so developers try to optimize the software component of the devices as much as possible.

Resolution is constantly increasing

From year to year you can see how the computing power of computers increases. This leads to the development and creation of better content materials with better clarity and more high resolution. To reproduce them, new monitor matrices with higher resolution are being created. The new and improved monitor is selling like hot cakes. There may not be an increase in inches, but the pixel density and picture clarity certainly are. On this moment The main permission standards are:

• HD Ready.
• FullHD.
• UltraHD.

Does size matter?

When choosing a monitor, the question always arises of how it will be used. If it’s just a machine for the Internet, then the screen can be small, but if it’s for playing movies or computer games, then it’s advisable to take a larger device. Whether it's a Samsung, Dell, LG or Acer monitor, it doesn't matter at all when you choose it based on its characteristics. Therefore, the only important thing here is what function it will perform, based on this, and the size is selected. Yes, he is important.

Why is the monitor no longer square?

We often hear from conservative users that the monitor should be square, as before, since new monitors stretch the image. Indeed, they used to be almost square and had an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4. But in the photo, video and computer games industry, all developers agreed that this format is not capable of showing a wide picture close to the view of the human eye. Therefore, a wide format was created with aspect ratios of 16:9 and 16:10. Now these formats are widely used in the production of monitors, televisions, as well as in television broadcasts digital quality. So if the monitor driver is installed correctly, then there will definitely be no problems with image stretching.

What types of monitor housings are there?

Based on the assigned tasks, monitors can have different housings and mounts, which allows you to equip both individual workstations with one image output device, and entire stands with dozens of them.

It often happens that it is difficult to decide how to connect a monitor in a particular place, since, for example, in a plant or factory there are specially designated places in which new equipment is installed to replace old equipment. In these cases, specific housings from the manufacturer or special mounts are suitable. If the proposed options are not suitable, you can always conclude a contract for the manufacture of the case and mounting of the monitor according to your own standards.

How to care for your monitor

For a CRT monitor, it is important to wipe off dust and not expose it to high/low temperatures and moisture.

Liquid crystal displays require more “gentle” care, since even careless strong pressure on the display can render it unusable. Therefore, to wipe off dust, it is advisable to use special sprays and microfiber cloths or wet wipes, created specifically for these types of screens. Just as in the case of CRT screens, it is necessary to eliminate the impact of negative external factors.

The choice of any computer or any component begins with determining the criteria, which in this case
are technical specifications. Agree, when buying, for example, a monitor, the definition of “to show it well” is not enough, you need to know what size display is needed, with what resolution, how it will be connected, for what purposes it will be used (for games, office work). To answer these and whole line For other questions, you need to know what characteristics monitors have, which are important, which are not so important, and which are usually kept silent about in official specifications.

Let's briefly list the characteristics that each monitor, without exception, has. Let's make a small guide with a brief description of what it is, how important the parameter is, what it affects, and what values ​​it is advisable to strive for.

Unfortunately, not all characteristics can be found in the descriptions of a monitor, be it a laptop screen or a display for a desktop PC. At the same time, among those parameters that are usually hidden, there are very interesting ones that can affect the image quality.

1. Matrix type

2. Screen resolution

This is the vertical and horizontal size of the screen in dots (pixels). The most popular and commonly found screens in laptops have FullHD resolution (1920x1080). Besides this, there is also a large number of other permissions, some of which are more common, some less common.

Physically, this characteristic means the number of pixels on the screen that make up the image. The more pixels per unit screen area, the, in theory, more high quality picture, because the pixels become smaller and less and less noticeable. The “graininess” of the image disappears.

At the same time, we should not forget about the cost. How higher resolution, the higher the price (in this case I am operating with some kind of average display, and I am not comparing a high-quality screen with a lower resolution with a budget one, but with a higher resolution).

If we're talking about about a gaming laptop or monitor, then there is another point to consider. When using GTX 1070/1080 class video cards in almost any game, you can set the graphics settings to maximum or close to it.

If the screen has a resolution of 4K (3840 x 2160), then in order to enjoy the games from the picture on maximum settings graphics, GTX 1070/1080 video cards may no longer be enough. You may need to install a couple of such video cards, or even more.

3. Brightness

Indicated in the specifications for any monitor. This is a value measured in cd/m2 (candelas per square meter). Actually, what this characteristic is is clear from the name. Strictly speaking, the higher the value of this parameter, the better. Adjusting the screen to reduce its brightness is not difficult.

As for laptop screens, this parameter is also important for the reason that the very design of this type of computer allows it to be used not only in an office or at home, but also on trips, on the street, where the bright sun or other light source will illuminate the image on screen.

At low brightness values, it will be difficult to use such a screen in bright light. If the maximum value corresponds to 300 cd/m2 or even higher, this means that bright sunlight will not be a problem. In the end, it’s better to have a reserve of brightness, because you can always reduce it, but add what you don’t have - alas.

4. Contrast

This parameter reflects the ratio of the brightness level of white to black. It is usually specified as a ratio, for example 1000:1. As with brightness, the higher this value, the better. The image will be more natural.

Contrast depends on the matrix manufacturing technology. So, IPS screens inferior in this parameter to screens made using VA technology, not to mention OLED, quantum dots and so on.

Conventionally, we can assume that screens with a contrast ratio of 500:1 or less can be classified as mediocre. It is better to focus on values ​​of 1000:1 and higher. Especially if in your work you have to deal with image editing, colorization, etc.

5. Dynamic Contrast

This parameter is almost always indicated, at least for regular, non-laptop monitors. Agree that not including in the specifications, for example, the value 100000000:1 is an omission. Big numbers attract attention and appeal to potential buyers (provided that this is not the price).

What does this characteristic mean? This is the result of the monitor electronics working to adjust the image at each moment in time in order to improve the “picture”. The brightness of the lamps is controlled in order to achieve high contrast Images.

I wouldn't pay special attention on this parameter, because this is more marketing than real characteristic, talking about the merits of a particular monitor. Moreover, whichever display you choose, the number of zeros in the value dynamic contrast It’s hard to count, and it’s not necessary.

6. Black depth

But this parameter is rarely indicated in technical specifications, although the image quality is affected. When using the monitor under normal conditions, with daylight or artificial lighting, this parameter may be difficult to estimate.

Another thing is that if you display a black picture on the screen, then at a low level of external lighting, or in complete darkness, it will become noticeable that the black color is somehow not quite black, and may even look more like gray. Some areas of the screen may be brighter than others.

This is all due to the fact that a backlight is used to produce images on the screen of LCD monitors, and to display black, it is not turned off, but is blocked by rotating the crystals in such a way that they do not transmit light.

Unfortunately, they ALMOST do not transmit light; some of the light still overcomes this barrier. In the above picture you can see that the black color still has some kind of gray tint.

Again, a lot depends on the matrix manufacturing technology. Blacks on VA screens are more similar to black than on IPS, for example. Of course, a lot depends on the quality of the matrix used, settings, adjustments, but in general this is true. Works best with black OLED screens, on quantum dots and other new technologies.

With a certain degree of error, black level can be calculated by dividing brightness by contrast. For example, with a screen brightness of 300 cd/m2 and a contrast of 1000:1, we get a value of 0.3. This means that black pixels will glow (in theory, they should not glow at all, and only in this case can we talk about a truly black color) with a brightness of 0.3 cd/m2.

I hope it is clear that the lower this value, the better, the “blacker” the black color will be, forgive the tautology.

7. Screen surface type

Looking at the monitors themselves, you will notice that some of them are glossy, the surface shines and has a mirror effect. Other screens, on the contrary, reflect practically nothing and cope well with glare. There are two types of surface - glossy and matte. You can also find semi-gloss models, but these are attempts to combine the advantages of both types, reducing the disadvantages inherent in each of them.

So, the undoubted advantages of gloss include better brightness and contrast, better color rendition, the image is perceived more clearly. Those who work with images should prefer this type.

There are also disadvantages to glossy screens. This, of course, is glare and reflections of bright objects - lamps, light windows, etc. This can tire the eyes. Such screens are not suitable for laptops that are often used outdoors in bright sunshine. Another unpleasant feature is the unauthorized collection of fingerprints by screens with such a surface, as well as other contaminants. It is better not to poke your fingers at the screen, so as not to constantly wipe off the remaining marks.

Matte screens “by definition” do not glare, they behave better in bright light, but this comes at the expense of worse contrast and color rendition. There is another drawback characteristic of matte screens, this is the “crystalline effect”. It manifests itself in the fact that the displayed point does not have clear boundaries, but may have some uneven edges with different shades.

How noticeable it is depends on your vision. For some, such “crystals” literally catch the eye, while others don’t even notice them. However, image clarity suffers from this.

8. Response time

A parameter that is almost always specified. For those who love games, this is one of the main screen options. The response time determines how clear the picture will be in dynamic scenes. It appears, for example, in the form of trails that trail behind image elements quickly moving across the screen. The shorter the response time, the better.

This parameter depends on the manufacturing technology of the matrix used in a particular display. So, the fastest ones are TN screens, and this is perhaps the only (if you do not take the cost) reason that this type of display has not yet “died”. IPS are slower, and VA are between these types of matrices in terms of response speed.

If the screen is selected for office work, surfing the Internet, watching videos, working with images, then this parameter is not very important. Now, if you are a true lover of virtual battles, then the screen with minimum time response is a mandatory requirement. And here you can even put up with worse color rendition and unimportant viewing angles for TN matrices. Their response time is the shortest.

9. Viewing angles

As the name suggests, this means at what angle you can look at the screen at which the image does not lose color or brightness, or the quality of the picture deteriorates. Here the obvious outsider is TN matrices. The peculiarities of the technology are such that it is impossible to get closer to the maximum values.

But IPS panels do well with this. Viewing angles of 178° both vertically and horizontally are common. Frankly speaking, at such a large angle the image still deteriorates, but there are no such catastrophic consequences as with TN. VA matrices are closer to IPS, although slightly inferior to them.

How important this parameter is depends on how the monitor is used. If you are not going to watch videos from YouTube or those taken at the last party with a large group, but are using the monitor in splendid isolation, then viewing angles are not so important.

10. PWM

A characteristic that is almost never specified. (English - PWM)? This is Pulse Width Modulation, which is used to adjust the brightness of the screen. What is the essence of the emerging problem?

As I already mentioned when talking about black depth, LCD monitors use a backlight. Not always necessary maximum brightness screen glow and needs to be reduced. How can I do that? In at least two ways:

• Reduce the brightness of the backlight lamps/LEDs.
• Make light sources turn on and off by sending pulses to them certain frequency and duty cycle, which is perceived as a decrease in the brightness of the glow.

The second option is PWM brightness control. Why is he bad? This very flickering of lamps. It is good if the flicker frequency is high and amounts to tens of kHz. It’s not bad if the pulse amplitude is small. It's worse when the flicker frequency is low, and it can become noticeable to the eye.

The operating principle is as follows. To reduce the brightness of the screen, pulses are applied to the backlight lamps in such a way that they are turned on part of the time and off part of the time. For example, at 50% brightness, the llamas are on half the time and off half the time.

The resulting value of the ratio of the time when the backlight is on to the time when it is off will be one or another screen brightness level. With a further decrease in brightness, the glow time of the lamps decreases, and the time when they are off increases. The flickering becomes more noticeable.

Naturally, much depends on individual vision characteristics. Some people react little to such flickering, while for others, after a couple of hours, figuratively speaking, their eyes begin to “bleed out.”

Be that as it may, the presence of PWM is a minus of the monitor. Unfortunately, you can find out about the presence or absence of this unpleasant effect either from reviews or reviews of a particular display, or check it yourself. Can be carried out simple check, which is called the “pencil test”.

The point is that you need to take an ordinary pencil and wave it like a fan in the plane of the screen. Naturally, the display must be turned on. If, when moving quickly, the outlines of the pencil are visible, then, unfortunately, there is flicker. If the contours are not visible, then there is no flicker. The test should be repeated at lower brightness values.

If the selected monitor has PWM, then if available detailed reviews, it's better to know how it works. If the pulse frequency is high, or PWM is used only at low brightness values, for example, from 0 to 25-30%, and then direct control of the brightness of the backlight lamps is used, then this is not so bad.

Now, if you look at the monitor models offered, some of them have the designation “Flicker free”, i.e. no flicker. I haven’t seen such a designation on laptops, but on regular monitors meets. This marking means that there is no flickering, and this is an additional plus to the display model.

11. Color gamut

Another characteristic that is not always indicated in the specifications for a monitor, but the value of which may turn out to be one of the decisive arguments in favor of a particular model. Most often it is indicated when the manufacturer wants to emphasize high quality installed in a laptop or monitor matrix.

I think it makes sense to devote a separate article to this issue, but now I’ll tell you briefly. You've probably seen in reviews of laptops or monitors a similar picture. This is a color gamut chart for the Dell XPS 15 laptop screen.

This multi-colored area is what the human eye sees, the colors and shades that we can distinguish. Triangles inside – range of displayed colors specific monitor, as well as boundaries corresponding accepted standards color space For computer equipment: monitors, printers, etc.

The two most commonly used color spaces are:

• sRGB is a standard developed in 1996 by HP and Microsoft. Covers a small part color space accessible to human vision.
• Adobe RGB is a standard that is wider than sRGB and covers large quantity colors.

Typically, color gamut is expressed as a percentage of a particular standard. Thus, a screen covering about 60% of sRGB can be called mediocre, since it is difficult to obtain reliable color reproduction on it. It’s good for office work, surfing the Internet too, but this monitor is not suitable for image editing. Here we need displays with a color gamut of about 100% sRGB and higher.

As a conclusion, if you want a good picture with natural colors, then the color gamut needs to be as wide as possible, the higher the value, the better.

12. Color depth

Another parameter that is difficult to find in the specifications for a particular monitor, but such information is in the characteristics of the matrix used. To put it simply, this is the number of colors displayed. You can often find that a monitor displays 16.7 million colors. This is the most common value for this parameter. The problem is that this can be achieved in different ways.

Let me remind you that any color is formed from three basic ones - red, blue, green. Accordingly, the monitor matrix has a certain bit depth for each color, measured in bits. If there are 8 bits for each color, then we get 256 shades of each color, which in combination gives 16.7 million colors. Everything is fine, the monitor shows perfectly, you can take it.

What if each color is not encoded with 8 bits? Cheap displays often use 6-bit matrices, but in addition the abbreviation “+FRC” is also indicated. What do these letters mean?

First, you need to consider that with 6-bit color coding you can get 262 thousand colors. How do you get the final 16 million? This is precisely due to FRC (Frame Rate Control) technology.

The idea is to get the “missing” halftones by showing an intermediate frame with two other colors, which ultimately give those shades that are not available for the 6-bit matrix. In fact, we have another flicker.

Is having FRC bad? Again, a lot depends on the tasks that are performed on the monitor and on the characteristics of vision. Some people don't notice FRC, others, on the contrary, find it annoying. And purely subjectively, if you have to work with color, then it would be better to have a monitor with an “honest” 8-bit matrix.

For professionals, monitors are available with a 10-bit matrix, which allows them to display more than a billion shades. I think there is no need to say that the cost of such monitors is not the smallest, and for office/home/gaming use an 8-bit monitor or even a 6-bit+FRC one is quite suitable if the flickering is not noticeable and high demands are not placed on the screen.

13. Screen refresh rate

Unlike the old ones CRT monitors, this parameter is not so important for displays made using LCD technology, especially if everything is limited to office work, surfing the net, or watching videos. If the matrix produces 60-75 Hz, this is more than enough.

This parameter should be paid attention to those who play games, especially with fast movement objects on the screen. It is also important which video card is used in this case. If it is capable of producing a large number of FPS, then it would be better if the screen refresh rate was higher.

If you look at the display models, including gaming laptops, you will notice that screens with refresh rates of 120, 144 Hz or even higher are offered. In this case, fast movement on the screen will be smoother and more smaller size trails trailing behind moving objects.

Strictly speaking, in this case, not only the refresh rate, but also the speed of the matrix is ​​important. The pixels that make up the image must have time to change the glow parameters depending on the change in the displayed image. By the way, the short response time in combination with high speed The updates are real arguments that TN technology is still relevant for gaming monitors.

It should also be mentioned that a high screen refresh rate is not bad, it allows you to reduce the severity of the problem of desynchronization of the frame rate produced by the video card and the image refresh rate on the monitor. This is relevant for games, and the following parameter helps solve this problem.

14. NVidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync

First, let's briefly describe the problem. The ideal situation is when the video card generates and outputs each frame to the monitor at a frequency equal frequency screen updates. Unfortunately, at every moment of time the video chip has to completely calculate different scenes, some of which are “lighter” and take less time to render,” while others require significantly more rendering time.

As a result, frames are delivered to the monitor at a rate higher or lower than the screen refresh rate. Moreover, if the video card manages to calculate, produce a frame, and even rest a little before rendering the next one while waiting for the next screen update cycle, then special problems No.

It’s another matter if the game has high graphics settings and the video processor has to strain all its silicon forces to calculate the scene. If the calculation takes a lot of time and the frame is not ready for the start of the update cycle, there are two possible scenarios:

• The cycle is skipped.
• Rendering begins when the frame is ready and presented to the monitor.

In the first case, you need to enable the V-Sync vertical synchronization mode. If a new frame is not prepared when the screen refresh begins, the previous one continues to be displayed. The result is the appearance of microdelays in the image, twitching. But the picture is complete.

If V-Sync mode disable, then the movement will become smoother, but another problem may appear - if the frame is prepared somewhere inside the screen refresh cycle, then the frame will consist of two parts, old and new, which will begin to be drawn from the moment it is sent to the monitor. Visually, this is expressed in horizontal image breaks and steps.

More high frequency updates reduce the severity of the problem. But it doesn’t completely solve it. NVidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync technologies can help get rid of these unpleasant image problems.

As the name suggests, they are offered by video card manufacturers. Therefore, when choosing a monitor that has one of these technologies, you should consider which video card is in your computer, or which one you are going to install. Unwise to AMD video card buy a monitor with G-Sync and vice versa. A waste of money on something that won't be used.

Now about these technologies themselves. Their operating principle is similar, but the solution methods differ. NVidia uses its own hardware and software method, i.e. the monitor has a special unit responsible for G-Sync, while AMD uses the DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync protocol, i.e. without installing additional hardware units in the monitor.

In this case, it does not matter by what means the problem is solved, what is important is what can be obtained in the end. In short, the principle of operation of G-Sync and its analogue from AMD is as follows.

The screen refresh rate is not fixed, but is tied to the rendering speed of the video card. The image appears on the monitor at the moment the frame is ready for display. As a result, we do not get fixed, for example, 60 Hz screen updates, but a floating value. One frame is calculated quickly - and it immediately appears on the screen. The second one takes longer to render - the display matrix waits and does not update the image until the frame is ready.

As a result we have smooth image without breaks or other artifacts. Thus, in the case of a monitor chosen for gaming, the ideal option is a model with one of these two technologies (taking into account the coincidence of the manufacturer of the video card in the computer) and, preferably, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher. True, such a display will definitely not be cheap.

15. Interfaces

I won’t go into detail here, because I think it’s already clear. These are connectors installed in the monitor for connecting to the video card. For laptops, the parameter is generally irrelevant, since the display comes “included” and is connected initially.

Rest

I think that characteristics such as weight, size, type of power supply (built-in or remote), power consumption during operation and idle time, the presence of built-in speakers, the ability to mount on a wall, etc. are not something complicated and incomprehensible. That's why I won't describe them.

Conclusion. Monitor characteristics - which are more important, which are less important

I hope I didn’t miss anything important, and if I suddenly forgot to write about something, indicate it in the comments, I’ll add, expand, deepen. Based on the results of what has been said, it becomes clear that choosing a monitor is not only about solving issues related to the required diagonal, matrix type and resolution.

This may be enough for the office, but if the display is chosen for home use, for games, image processing or other specific tasks, then in order not to be disappointed in the purchase, you have to delve deeper into the characteristics of the monitor.

The matter is complicated by the fact that its own vision makes its own adjustments, which does not like, for example, the presence of flicker, imperfections of the matte coating, or the work of FRC being noticeable to the eye. And this cannot be ignored, because we only have eyes and we won’t get new ones.

There is one more “subtle” point - the initial settings of the monitor by the manufacturer. Just because he shows “something wrong” doesn’t mean he can’t show better. However, calibrating a monitor is a painstaking task, and sometimes requires special equipment. At a minimum, you can try to adjust the parameters “by eye”, try to get an image that you will like visually.

I myself recently bought a monitor, although I chose something inexpensive on IPS or VA, and gaming “bells and whistles” were not important to me. However, flicker-free performance was one of the main criteria.

Have a good shopping and let your eyes say “thank you” for the right monitor.

User question...

Good afternoon. Help please, I want to buy a monitor exactly the same as the one I have now, but I don’t know it exact model. All that is there is a sticker on the body of the device, which only indicates its brand (Samsung). How can I find out the model of my monitor without disassembling it and taking it to a specialist shop (and is this possible)?

Hello.

There are several ways to determine your monitor model and they are all quite simple. And, by the way, I should note that the monitor model is sometimes needed not only in cases when you want to replace it, but also in order to know its capabilities and acceptable operating modes.

Let's look at a few ways below...

Determining your monitor model

Method number 1: sticker on the body

The simplest and quick way To determine what kind of monitor you have, look for the sticker on the device case. If there is no sticker or inscription on the front side, then in most cases there is one on the back side of the device, next to the VGA (D-Sub), HDMI, etc. inputs.

An example below is shown in the photo: model AOC monitor F22s+. Actually, knowing the monitor model, you can easily find out all its characteristics on the Internet (on the same Yandex market)...

Method number 2: using special. utilities (Aida, Everest, Astra 32)

Sometimes, there are no stickers on the monitor body (for example, the device could simply come off due to years of use...).

In this case, I recommend using one of the utilities to determine the characteristics of your computer. There are quite a lot of them now, but not everyone can get the maximum information about your monitor. I recommend using Everest or Aida 64 (link to them below).

Determining computer characteristics -

In a programme EVEREST just open the tab "Display/Monitor" , then you will see the following information: monitor name, ID, model, monitor type, serial number, brightness, resolution. aspect ratio, frame rate (scan), etc. In general, everything that was required!

Program AIDA 64 works in the same way: you need to open the same tab "Display/Monitor" : you will see approximately the same information (by the way, the information displayed also depends on the model of your monitor; the screen below shows the properties of a laptop monitor Dell Inspiron 3542 - LG Philips LP156WHB (Dell DCR74)).

The program can show slightly more extensive information ASTRA 32. It has a whole section dedicated to monitors connected to your computer (laptop). By logging into it, you will find out almost all the data about your monitor that can be obtained (probably as much as is in the passport for this product).

ASTRA 32 - monitor: manufacturer, release date, gamma factor, aspect ratio, serial number, monitor ID, display type, input signal, firmware manufacturer, driver status, etc.

Method number 3: in properties (via the Windows Control Panel)

You can also get partial information about the monitor in Windows. To do this, you need to open the control panel at the following address:

Next among the devices, you should see your monitor. You need to right-click on it and go into it properties or options. This way you will know current resolution (and as much as possible) sweep frequency, monitor model (some information may not be available if you do not have drivers installed for your monitor (not to be confused with video card drivers!)).

That's all I have for this sim, special thanks in advance for any additions. Good luck identifying the type and model!

At the same time, most buyers definitely want a high-quality, bright, super-contrast and durable screen.

Before you begin such a responsible purchase, it is worth finding out what types of monitors themselves are and what matrices are installed in them? After all, for online battles and professional work With photos, different types of screens are suitable. One must have excellent speed response, the other is to have accurate color rendering. It will also be a good idea to understand the interface for connecting devices.

Screen types

Today, users prefer LCD screens; LED and OLED displays are popular. Similar screens are used in all types of gadgets: from navigators to. However, they all have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. How to choose the best, brightest and most contrasting monitor? What types of matrices are there? More on this later in the article.

Liquid crystal matrix

It is a glass plate with liquid crystals inside. How do LCD monitors work? The crystals change shades according to RGB scheme: red, green, blue. A passive LCD matrix responds to electrical signals and displays information on the display, while an active LCD matrix (TFT) has tint and brightness controls.

How does an LCD monitor work? It is constructed from:

• liquid crystal matrix;
• light source for illumination;
• contact wiring;
• shells with a metal frame to give rigidity to the product.

LCD

Such screens are popular among manufacturers and are also used for mobile devices. The abbreviation stands for Liquid Crystal Display. Literal translation – liquid crystal screen. Since its introduction, LCD has successfully advanced CRT displays.

TFT

Short for Thin Film Transistor. Active matrix screen technology. This is an ordinary LCD screen, but with thin-film transistors. Most monitors on sale are LCD TFT.

How does it work? LCD monitor? Its basis is pixels and subpixels, with which you can create millions of colors on the screen. A single subpixel includes: color, vertical and horizontal filters, transparent electrodes and LCD molecules.

How does an LCD monitor work? Each of the huge number of pixels carries color information in a separate time period, which together produces a picture. To display it on the screen, a matrix and LED backlight are used.

IPS

Liquid crystal matrix. It was created to eliminate the shortcomings of the TN matrix. The technology has increased visibility to 178° vertically and horizontally, and is characterized by a high level of contrast and good transfer shades. This matrix allows you to create a bright and clear picture. Ideal for screens used for surfing the Internet, watching films, and processing photos.

TN

One of the most simple technologies matrices. TN plus film means additional layer, used to provide visibility of 90-170 degrees horizontally and 65-160 degrees vertically. The word film is often missed in the name, simply called T monitors. They are the most budget-friendly of all those described above. Due to the fact that such screens do not have an ideal image when viewed at an angle and color reproduction is inferior to IPS or MVA monitors, they are not recommended for photo editors or video editors.

TN matrices have a high response speed, which makes it very popular among gamers. In addition, they are energy efficient and durable.

LED monitors: what are they?

The most popular type of backlight in modern LCD monitors– light-emitting diode (LED).

LEDs are characterized by low power consumption, minimal heating levels and resistance to high loads. It is for these reasons that the technology was quickly mastered by manufacturers of various equipment and is currently being developed. It has found its application in screens for TV (for example,) and PC.

On the shelves of online and offline stores you can find the following screens:

1. LED- a type of backlight for LCD matrices, where instead of a lamp one, LED backlighting of the monitor is used, what is it? LEDs are located either at the edges of the panel or behind the crystals, illuminating the matrix. The latter regulates the degree of transmitted light, creating a picture on the screen. The image here is very rich and contrasting. There is also incredible depth of black. Thanks to LED backlighting, the picture becomes as realistic as possible.
2. OLED– a monitor in the matrix of which the main element is organic light-emitting diodes. OLED monitors (there are TVs with them, for example) do not need additional lighting, because OLEDs emit light on their own. Due to the lack of backlight, such devices can be very thin. Such products are less common due to their high cost.

This technology is widely used in screens for ultra-modern TVs and smartphones. For straight lines sun rays the image remains clear and contrasty.

A few more advantages of LED technology:

• significant energy savings;
• does not contain harmful substances (for example, mercury);
• ability to withstand vibrations, low temperatures;
• allows you to create super-thin monitors.

The downside is that OLED displays are currently quite expensive.

Today this technology is outdated and practically not represented on the market. However, it will be useful to know how it works. In plasma, each screen cell is an independently luminous element. The flickering occurs so quickly that the human eye does not catch it; the user sees only a saturated image with a high level of color rendition.

Pros of plasma panels:

• flat and very bright screen with minimal thickness;
• You can design larger panels;
• wide screen viewing angles;
• super contrast image;
• long term unit service (from 10 years);
• The display does not attract dust.

Among the disadvantages of plasma are the rather high cost and increased consumption electricity. With its bright, high-contrast images, plasma is worth considering among buyers.

What screen resolutions are there for monitors?

There are more than a dozen of them in total. Resolution is measured in pixels and the clarity of the image on the screen depends on it. For example, SXGA (1280x1024), WXGA+ (1440x900 pixels), WFHD (2560 by 1080 px). Which maximum resolution monitor? 8K. In pixels it will be 7680 by 4320 pixels. Such resolutions are not yet very widespread due to the high cost of devices that support them and the very small amount of 8K content.

Which screen resolution is best for a monitor depends on the purpose of using the unit: for entertainment, surfing the Internet, working with graphics and other things, the standard one is 1920 by 1080 px. The aspect ratio will be 16 by 9. You can also purchase a model with a different aspect ratio: 16:10 corresponds to a resolution of 1920x1200 or 2560x1600, and the new popular 21:9 ratio corresponds to a resolution of 2560x1080, 3440x1440 or 3840x1600. All options have proven themselves in work and games.

What is the most common monitor resolution:

• HD – inexpensive monitors(for example, ), the number of pixels here is 1366 by 768. Simple toys, videos, simple office work– just right for an HD monitor.
• FullHD – is 1920x1080 pixels (), in currently this is the most popular resolution.
• 4K – dimensions here are 3840 by 2160 px, best option for the entertainment sector: watching movies, gaming applications.

When deciding on resolution parameters, you should also be guided by the size of the display. Which normal resolution monitor screen:

Monitor interfaces

Main screen connectors for connecting to a PC:

1. VGA– analog connector. The standard appeared in 1987 and was created by IBM. The connector is still used today on some video cards, computer displays, and TV. This is a 3 row 15 pin DE-15 connector. In new devices it is usually used together with the connectors presented below.
2. DVI– digital video interface (available here:). The DVI-I connector can transmit digital data and VGA signal.
3. HDMI– multimedia interface. Appeared relatively recently, in 2003. Most often found in LCD displays. The method used here is digital transmission info. There is audio signal transmission (unlike previous options).
4. DP (DisplayPort) is one of the latest interfaces. There are also devices with DP++ on sale; you can connect them to them using adapters HDMI monitors and DVI.

The presence of additional, modern ports in the monitor expands the functionality of the device.

When choosing the type of monitor, you should consider the purpose of its use: for PC games - devices with minimal response time, for design work - with a high level of color reproduction. LED is the most popular screen, while OLED is a more expensive option.

FullHD resolution, despite the emergence of more and more new types, is still a favorite among users. And 4K monitors are making steady progress. Manufacturers are increasingly moving away from the VGA connector, moving to HDMI and DP.

TOPIC No. 2. COMPUTER GRAPHICS HARDWARE

Output devices graphic images, their main characteristics. Monitors, classification, principle of operation, main characteristics. Video adapter. Printers, their classification, main characteristics and operating principles. Plotters (graph plotters). Graphic input devices, their main characteristics. Scanners, classification and main characteristics. Digitizers. Mouse manipulator, purpose, classification. Joysticks. Trackball. Touchpads and trackpoints. Dialogue tools for virtual reality systems.

Monitors, classification, principle of operation, main characteristics

One of the most important components of a personal computer is its video subsystem, consisting of a monitor and a video adapter (usually located on system board). The monitor is designed to display text and graphic information on the screen, visually perceived by the user of a personal computer. There are a wide variety of monitor types available today. They can be characterized by the following main features:

According to display mode, monitors are divided into:

Raster displays;

Vector displays.

In vector displays with image regeneration based on a cathode ray tube (CRT), a phosphor with a very short afterglow time is used. Such displays are often called random-scan displays. Due to the short afterglow time of the phosphor, the image on the CRT must be redrawn or regenerated many times per second. The minimum regeneration rate should be at least 30 (1/s), and preferably 40–50 (1/s). A regeneration rate less than 30 results in image flickering.

In addition to the CRT, a vector display requires a display buffer and a display controller. Display buffer– a continuous section of memory containing all the information necessary to display an image on a CRT. Function display controller is to process this information cyclically at a regeneration rate. The complexity of the pattern is limited by two factors - the size of the display buffer and the speed of the controller.

Raster device can be considered as a matrix of discrete cells (points), each of which can be highlighted. Thus, it is a dot-drawing device. It is impossible, except in special cases, to directly draw a straight line segment from one addressable point or pixel in the matrix to another addressable point. A segment can only be approximated by sequences of points (pixels) that are close to the real trajectory of the segment.

A straight line segment made of points will be obtained only in the case of horizontal, vertical or 45-degree angle segments. All other segments will look like a sequence of steps. This phenomenon is called staircase effect or " jaggedness».

Most often for graphics devices With a raster CRT, a frame buffer is used. Frame buffer is a large contiguous section of computer memory. For each point or pixel in a raster, at least one bit of memory is allocated. This memory is called bit plane. A square raster of size 512 x 512 requires 2 18, or 262,144 bits of memory in one bit plane. Due to the fact that a memory bit has only two states (binary 0 or 1), having one bit plane, you can only get a black and white image. A bit plane is a digital device, whereas a raster CRT is an analog device. Therefore, when reading information from the frame buffer and outputting it to a graphics device with a raster CRT, conversion must occur from digital representation to analog signal. This conversion is performed by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

Based on screen type, monitors are divided into:

CRT-based displays;

Liquid crystal (LCD);

Plasma.

Cathode ray tube displays

To understand how raster displays and regenerative vector displays work, you need to have an understanding of CRT design and methods for creating video images.

The figure shows schematically CRT, used in video monitors.

Cathode(negatively charged) is heated until the excited electrons create an expanding cloud (the electrons repel each other because they have the same charge). These electrons are attracted to the highly charged positive anode. On the inside of the extended end of the CRT is applied phosphor. Using lenses, a cloud of electrons is focused into a narrow, strictly parallel beam, and the beam produces a bright spot in the center of the CRT. The beam is deflected or positioned to the left or right of center and/or above or below center using horizontal and vertical deflection amplifiers. It is at this moment that the difference between vector and raster displays becomes apparent. In a vector display, the electron beam can be deflected directly from any arbitrary position to any other arbitrary position on the CRT screen (anode). Because the phosphor coating is applied in a continuous layer to the CRT screen, the result is an almost perfect straight line. In contrast, in a raster display, the beam can only be deflected to strictly defined positions on the screen, forming a kind of mosaic. This mosaic makes up the video image. The phosphor coating on a raster CRT screen is also not continuous, but consists of many closely spaced tiny dots where the beam can be positioned, forming a mosaic.

LCD screen(LCD) consists of two glass plates, between which there is a mass containing liquid crystals, which change their optical properties depending on the applied electrical charge. Liquid crystals themselves do not glow, so LCDs require a backlight or external lighting.

The main advantage of LCDs is their dimensions (flat screen). Disadvantages include insufficient performance when changing the image on the screen, which is especially noticeable when moving the mouse cursor, as well as the dependence of the sharpness and brightness of the image on the viewing angle.

Liquid crystal displays

LCD– displays have undeniable advantages over competing display devices:

1. Dimensions. LCD displays are shallow and lightweight, making them easier to move and install than CRT monitors, which are approximately as deep as they are wide.

2. Energy consumption. An LCD display consumes less power than a CRT monitor with comparable specifications.

3. User friendliness. In CRT electron rays When scanned, they move across the screen, updating the image. Although in most cases you can set the refresh rate (the number of times the screen is refreshed by electron beams per second) so that the image appears stable, some users still experience flickering, which can cause rapid eye fatigue and headaches. On an LCD screen, each pixel is either on or off, so there is no flicker. In addition, CRT monitors are characterized by electromagnetic radiation in small quantities; There is no such radiation in LCD monitors.

Flaw- high price

HCA panels provide the same image contrast as TFT matrices, and are almost as fast as they respond when playing video. Arithmos has developed a visualization processor for DSTN panels, which can further improve image quality. Thus, for users on a budget, a DSTN display may be a good compromise solution.

In LCD displays, the viewing angle is not only small, but also asymmetrical: it is usually 45 degrees horizontally and +15...–30 degrees vertically. Emissive displays such as EL, plasma and CRT displays typically have a viewing cone of 80 to 90 on both axes. Although recently models of LCD displays with an increased viewing angle of 50–60 degrees have appeared on the market.

Hitachi spokesman Tim Patton believes that in traditional LCD displays there is a dependence of image contrast and color on the viewing angle. This problem has worsened as LCD displays have become larger and more capable of producing more colors.

When creating its new SuperTFT display, Hitachi used a different technology - IPS. As is known, in conventional LCD displays, liquid crystal molecules change their orientation from horizontal to vertical under the influence of an electric field, and addressing electrodes are placed on two glass substrates located opposite each other. In IPS (in-plane switching) displays, on the contrary, two angles alternate in the horizontal plane, with both electrodes located on one of the substrates. As a result, the viewing angle in both the horizontal and vertical axes reaches 70 degrees.

Plasma displays

Gas plasma monitors consist of two plates, between which there is a gas mixture that glows under the influence of electrical impulses. These monitors do not have the disadvantages of LCDs, but they cannot be used in laptop or battery-powered computers because they consume a lot of current.

Diagonal size(distance from the bottom left to the top right corner of the screen) is given in inches. The most common monitors are with a diagonal of 14". However, working with a monitor with a diagonal of 15" is much more convenient, and for working with graphics packages, publishing systems and computer-aided design systems require monitors with a diagonal of at least 17";

– screen shadow mask. The unit of measurement is the distance between the mask holes in mm. The smaller this distance and the more holes, the higher the image quality. This parameter is often identified with screen grain monitor, but this is not true in all cases;

– permission, measured in pixels (points) located horizontally and vertically on the visible part of the screen. Currently, the most common monitors have an extension of at least 1024*768 pixels;

– kinescope. The most preferred types of picture tubes are: Black Trinitron, Black Matrix and Black Planar. These picture tubes are very contrasty and give an excellent image, but their phosphor is sensitive to light, which can shorten the life of the monitor. In addition, when working with a contrast monitor, your eyes get tired faster;

– power consumption. For 14" monitors, power consumption should not exceed 60 W, otherwise the likelihood of thermal overheating of the monitor increases, which shortens its service life. Larger monitors have correspondingly higher power consumption;

– anti-glare coating. For cheap monitors, sandblasting of the screen surface is used. In this case, the image quality deteriorates. In expensive monitors, a special chemical is applied to the surface of the screen that has anti-glare properties; – protective properties of the monitor. Low radiation monitors (LR monitors) are now common. They meet the MPRI or MPR II standards.