Making the Switch from CRT to LCD Displays

By Justin Korelc, Ed Tittel

July 10, 2006

(Making the Switch from CRT to LCD Displays :  Page 1 of 1 )

Most new and upgrade systems now call for flat-screen, narrow-profile LCDs rather than old-school, big and bulky CRT displays. But switching over from CRT to LCD is harder than it might seem. System builders need to understand the changes that accompany the switch from picture tubes to a liquid crystal displays.

Also, setup and key adjustments are more complicated with LCDsýand much more necessaryýthan they are with CRTs. To be sure, all displays can benefit from proper tuning and adjustment. But LCDs are more likely to experience clarity or viewability issues if they're not tuned and tweaked to optimum conditions.

In this Recipe, we'll tackle the system-building differences between LCDs and CRTs. We'll also describe the kinds of usage situations best suited to one kind of display over the other. Finally, we'll describe some important tools you can use to make sure your customers get the most from their LCD choices.

CRT vs. LCD: The Pros and Cons

We'll start with the pros and cons of CRT displays, and then do likewise for LCDs. After that, we'll make some comparisons and explain which type of display is best-suited for specific, identifiable usage scenarios.

Our comparison of the pros, cons, and differences between CRT and LCD displays hinges on the differences between analog and digital technologies. CRTs are analog; therefore, they support continuous values, smooth scaling, and arbitrarily high resolutions (within reason or the limits of technology). LCDs are digital and therefore work like an array of individual, discrete pixels with individual, discrete color and gray-scale values, and a fixed, native resolution. In mathematical terms, it's the difference between a continuous integral versus a stair-step function. Here's how they line up:

CRT Pros and Cons

Pros include:

• Black-level and contrast: CRTs produce dark blacks and high contrast levels. They may be used in dimly lit or dark environments.
• Color/gray-scale accuracy: Best color and gray scale accuracy; used as reference standard for professional calibration.
  
  

   Page 1 of 1 

  
  
  BYTE.com > Features > 2006