Glossary of terms for Monitors
- Brightness
- Contrast Ratio
- Response Time
- Dot Pitch
- Color Depth
- Resolution
- Diagonal Size
- Display Type
- Video Input
- Viewing Angle
- TV Tuner
Brightness
Brightness is the luminance intensity of any surface in a given direction and it is measured in candela per square metre (cd/m2).
Contrast Ratio
Contrast Ratio is the difference between the whitest white and the darkest black colors the display can show. The greater the contrast, the better the screen and the subtlety of colors it can display.
Response Time
Response Time is the amount of time a pixel takes to go from a fully active (black) to fully inactive (white) and back to fully active (black) again. It is measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower numbers mean faster transitions and therefore fewer visible image artifacts.
Dot Pitch
The Dot Pitch is the distance between two dots of the same color and is measured in millimeters. A smaller dot pitch means sharper and more detailed images.
Color Depth
Color Depth describes the color range of the monitor and the higher it is, the more colors are displayed.
Resolution
Resolution measures picture quality in pixels. More pixels means higher-quality and sharper image.
Diagonal Size
Diagonal Size is the size of your monitor screen, measured diagonally in inches.
Display Type
Display Type is the type of display technology that the monitor uses to display images. It can be: CRT, LCD, Plasma, OLED.
CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) is an electronic display device in which a beam of electrons can be focused on a phosphorescent viewing screen and rapidly varied in position and intensity to produce an image.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a digital display that uses liquid crystals cells, that change reflectivity in an applied electric field, to display images.
Plasma displays use a complex gas-based system in which each pixel on the screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma or charged gas, somewhat like a tiny neon light.
OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) can provide brighter displays on electronic devices and use less power than conventional LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) used today; it can also be viewed in bright lighting conditions at greater angles.
Video Input
Video Input represents the capacity of a monitor to connect to a computer or any type of external device. The standard analog connectors are D-sub (D-subminiature) or VGA (Video Graphics Array). HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connectors trasmit any level of video signal digitally, for the best picture quality. The HDMI interface also carries audio signals, making it very convenient. Monitors with USB interface allow plugging-in external devices.
Viewing Angle
The Viewing Angle is the maximum side angle from which the viewer can see the screen clearly.
TV Tuner
TV Tuner allows direct reception of analog or digital signals without the use other devices.