What we have in front of us while we play, work or surf. Almost always on and is responsible for much of our eye health. The monitor or computer screen is a critical peripheral PC that size is not all that matters.
Special Deliveries Monitors
All of the monitors I: The screens and technology
All about Monitors II: What to consider
All about monitors III: Recommended Models
Panel Types and Their Evolution
Before you start getting into flour, it is inevitable take a brief look at the types of TFT-LCD panel, which is the most widespread technology on the market and on which we will focus on this special. The type of panel is a very technical data that users can hardly see written on the list of commercial specifications of a monitor, but give an idea of the technological generation that owns the device.
The first LCD panel used a type called TN or TN + Film. Panels are very popular because its mass production is simple and inexpensive. On the downside, color reproduction and viewing angles are poor. Still, are the most widespread?
For the TN panels have befallen IPS. Designed to solve the problems of viewing angle of TN, IPS panels have been incremental improvements that have been added acronyms while improving its contrast and refresh rates. Today can be seen in models from brands like Apple (iMac), Philips, LG or NEC.
Finally, we find the MVA type panels, developed by Fujitsu as a midpoint between TN and IPS, MVA offer good viewing angle and depth of black and color in exchange for a slower response time. Samsung developed its own version of this technology, called PVA, endowed with a great capacity for contrast.
Monitor Types by Technology
Assumed death CRT technology trade pipe and screens, most of the current market is taken over by the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), in particular its variant TFT-LC (Thin Film Transistor) which incorporates the film transistor LCD pixel to improve the image.
Within the LCD, a distinction between conventional LCD and illuminated by LED LCD or LED-LCD, whose differences discussed below. For now just know that, in general, the LCD-LEDs provide better image quality, use less, are flatter and more expensive than conventional LCD.
The LCD coexists with the plasma, a technology in which, instead of liquid crystal noble gases is used to generate the color dots. Plasma offers better contrast and viewing angle than LCD, but its life is shorter and is a technology used in large-format televisions, so we will not consider it in this guide.
The great advantage of OLEDs is that they need additional lighting as each pixel emits its own light. This allows display of only a few millimeters thick, with ultra-low consumption, and even flexible. The bad news is that its components are degenerate faster. The OLED is called to replace the LCD, but still needs time to develop before they become popular. Also, their prices are prohibitive.
As an anecdote, we should mention SED monitors, a curious Toshiba driven technology in which each pixel is actually a micro CRT as the old CRT. The SED offer better contrast and viewing angle, and are easier to manufacture. However, improvements in LED LCD almost aborted this technology before birth.
Similarly, the e-ink technology, used on eReaders and other mobile devices seems unwilling to address, for the moment, the market monitors.
A Round with LEDs
Most current monitors are LED or LCD-LED. This term refers to LCDs whose illumination is performed by high-luminescence LEDs. The first small LCD lit by cold cathode fluorescent lamps or CCFL. The biggest problem with this system is that it was always on, so the black colors were never entirely black.
Instead, the LEDs can be turned on and off by groups, so, in general, improve the contrast of the image and consume far less energy than fluorescent tube ancestors.
Not all LED monitors are equal. There are different types of LEDs depending on how they are organized and operate these small lamps. The first is the perimeter LED or LED Edge, wherein lights are provided in the edges of the screen.
This type of LED to reduce consumption even further and extremely thin design screens. On the negative side, perimeter lighting is not very uniform. Not so much, at least, as that follow. Perimeter LED displays is the simplest of which use this technology. KZJUNWD7T5H7
The second type is formed by the Full LED Array, also known as Full LED or LED backlit displays complete. In them, the lamps evenly cover the entire backside of the display. Here the quality is determined by the total number of LEDs and possible technologies light distribution of each brand, such as Nano Full LED technology from LG.
Local and Colored Lighting
These two main headings (Edge LED and Full LED) may undergo improvements thanks to two technologies. The first is the local dimming. Is that the lamps are distributed zones. Each zone can be set to different brightness dynamically, which further enhances the contrast and quality of the blacks. Most models feature Full LED Local Dimming. Edge Models are also LG and Sony LED lighting incorporating areas, although their findings vary according to each model.
There are some brands that have incorporated com Sony LED colors green, red and blue instead of white. This invention further improves the intensity of the colors and blacks but for now, it is uncommon.
We close this first part with these general notions. In the next installment tomorrow go down to a more practical level where we see that each figure means the standard specifications of a monitor.
