THE MONITOR
The monitor is an output device used to display information. The monitor is also called Visual Display Unit (VDU). It is similar to ordinary television screen. The output on a monitor is called softcopy. This output is available to the user only for as long as another output has not replaced it. Thus, the output in the monitor is temporary.
A monitor is one of the most common output devices which is used to display information (either data or result) on the screen.
TYPES OF MONITOR
There are two types of monitors.
- Monochrome monitor.
- Coloured Monitor.
MONOCHROME MONITOR
Monochrome monitors are very similar to black and white television sets. They display their output in just one colour. Monochrome monitors are of two types, Monochrome Text Monitor which can only display text and number character in single colour and Monochrome Graphics Monitor which can display texts as well as graphics such as charts, maps, diagrams and other pictures all in one colour.
COLOURED MONITOR
Coloured monitor can display text and pictures in more than one colour. Different types of colour monitors have been developed. These are:
- CGA (Colour Graphic Adapter) which can display only 16 colours.
- EGA (Enhanced Graphic Adapter) which displays 64 colours.
- VGA (Video Graphic Adapter). This can display 262,144 colours.
- SVGA (Super Video Graphic Adapter). This can display more than 262,144 colours.
CATHODE RAY TUBE MONITORS
These are the most common type of monitors for office and the home. They make use of Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).
LCD MONITORS
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors were developed because of the bulky nature of CRTs. Unlike the technology used in CRTs, the technology for portable monitors involves liquid crystals. LCD monitors are thinner than CRTS.
CONCLUSION
We have learnt that the monitor is an output device used to display information. We have also known the differences between the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors. There are two types of monitors i.e. Monochrome and Colour monitors. We have learnt that monochrome monitors can only display information in one colour while colour monitors can display information in more than one colour.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1a. What is a monitor?
1b. Give the full meaning of the following:
(i) VDU
(ii) LCD
(iii) CRT
2a. Mention the two types of monitors.
2b. Write out the full meaning of each of the following:
(i) CGA (ii) EGA (iii) VGA (iv) SVGA
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
OBJECTIVES
- ………… is an output device that shows information.
(a) Keyboard (b) Monitor (c) CPU (d) ALU
- Another name for monitor is ……………(a) CPU (b) VDU (c) DVU (D) MEMORY
- ………….. monitor can display information only in one colour.
(a) Colour (b) Black and White (c) Monochrome (d) colour
- …………. monitor can display information in different colours.
(a) Monochrome (b) Black and White (c) Colour (d) all of the above
- Which of the monitor can display 16 colours? (a) CGA (b) EGA (c) SVGA (d) EGA
THEORY
- Mention any TWO types of coloured monitor you know.
- Write short notes on: (a) Monochrome monitor.(b) Coloured monitor.
See also
