Introduction

A monitor plays a very significant role amongst other computer peripherals. In fact, monitors are the only means by which we can know or see what exactly is happening in our PCs. Right from its inception, the visual display electrical equipment which we call a monitor, has come a long way - from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to Thin Film Transistor (TFT) to widescreen monitors to the latest plasmas.

We use them on a daily basis but it’s obvious that lots of people have a bunch of questions when it comes to monitor technologies. For instance, what is “display resolution”? What is “aspect ratio” and what is “dot pitch”? To get to the bottom of these terminologies, read on...

Acronyms and Terminology of Monitors

To start with, I have included some of the most important acronyms and terms which you can notice on the specification list of monitors.

• CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is a very common type of display unit. The technology behind CRT monitors is quite old and closely resembles a television. These monitors are fairly big and heavy and are slowly phasing out. 

• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

Liquid Crystal Display is another type of monitor but compared to CRT monitors LCD monitors are thin, compact flat and lightweight. They consume low power and they occupy less space. 

• TFT LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display)

TFT LCD monitors deliver much improved image quality compared to CRT and LCD monitors. TFT LCD is a variant of liquid crystal display which implements TFT technology.

“TFT-based displays have a transistor for each pixel on the screen. This allows the electrical current that illuminates the display to be turned on and off at a faster rate, which makes the display brighter and shows motion smoother. LCDs that use TFT technology are called "active-matrix" displays, which are higher-quality than older "passive-matrix" displays. So if you ever see a TFTAMLCD monitor at your local computer store, it is a "thin-film transistor active-matrix liquid crystal display." Basically, it is a high-quality flat screen monitor.”Source: Tech Terms Dictionary. 

• Plasma Technology

Plasma is the latest technology that is being implemented in large TV displays. In this technology, plasma refers to tiny cells made up of free-flowing ions and electrons. These plasma cells are injected between two glass plates that are filled with noble gases such as neon and xenon. We provide more insight into the differences between LCD and Plasma TVs in this article on HDTV technology.