If you are the kid of this 21st century, there is less chance that you have ever seen a CRT monitor. The modern-day highly advanced monitors have replaced the CRT monitor to a great extent. However, these CRT monitors used to rule in the late 20th century and somewhat early part of this century. Why this great fall occurred? What are the cons that the CRT monitor possessed which lead to its ultimate failure? Is anything good still remain with the CRT monitors? All these questions and more will be answered in our journey through the history of CRT monitors.
Table of Contents
What is CRT Monitor?
The CRT monitor is one kind of display unit used mainly for computers and television. By CRT, we mean Cathode Ray Tube. It is one of the oldest screen units. The CRT monitor is known for its large volume to contain tubes and other components. Despite its poor appearance compared to modern monitors, CRT monitor can produce much better contrast in its color scheme.
If you have seen a monitor having a big box on the backside, you can know for sure that it is the CRT monitor. That box is completely gone with the invention of LCD and LED monitors. You may wonder why the box was necessary with the CRT monitor. The working method of the CRT monitor will give you the answer. So, let’s learn how it works.
How does CRT Monitor Work?
The electron gun, positioned in the tube, is the main component of a CRT monitor. In a black & white monitor, there requires only one electron gun; whereas, the color monitor requires three individual electron guns to produce red, blue, and green rays. The charged electrons coming out of the guns hit the screen which is on the front side. The screen is coated with phosphor dots which are ablaze by hitting the electrons and as a result, we see the pictures on the monitor.
The ray is directed by the use of magnetic coils. That’s why any magnets or magnetic devices should not be put near the monitor. A combination of red, blue, and green phosphor dots mixed together to produce all the colors in the spectrum. The resolution of the screen depends on the number of pixels remaining per inch of area. As the number of pixels per inch is increased, the monitor produces better picture quality. CRT monitor can produce sharp images as the whole process occurs instantly without requiring any extra process.
Why has the Crt Monitor Become Obsolete?
There are some disadvantages that lead to less demand for CRT monitors among consumers. When people find better things, it is quite natural that they would forget the less efficient older version and start to consume the newer ones.
The CRT monitor is not a power-efficient device. You would require more power to run the CRT monitor compared to the modern monitors.
This monitor is heavy in weight, big in size, and thus requires a considerable amount of space. The handling of this type of monitor is, therefore, troublesome and damages can occur to the screen if not handled properly. Dual monitors or three monitor setup is kind of difficult because of the size.
The screen size is also smaller which may not be convenient to the modern-day demand of watching pictures, videos, and movies, etc. on a larger screen because of its low refresh rate. Modern day’s monitors support adjustable refresh rate ranges from 60 to 120Hz.
Does the Demand for this Monitor Still Exist?
With the advent of LCD and LED flat panel monitors, the demand for CRT monitors has decreased to a great extent. Who won’t go for the more attractive, less power eater and better picture quality producing device? However, there still exist a few advantages of CRT monitor over the advanced monitors which can be appealing to a number of users.
Some competitive gamers still love the older CRT monitors. The frame rate of CRT monitors is higher than some of the newer monitors. High-speed games like fighting or car racing need each and every frame to be visualized. Many gamers want the extra frame while punching the opponent which may put him/her in an advantageous situation.
The color contrast of CRT monitors is better than that of flat-panel monitors. That is why many graphic designers still use CRT monitors for their work. The charging of phosphor dots in the case of the CRT monitor is so fast that the individual colors can appear on the screen separately (in terms of milliseconds), thus producing good quality color contrast.
Conclusion
We cannot be sure of the future of CRT monitors. Will they disappear completely from the market? There is a good possibility of happening this. Nowadays, you hardly can get a grip on a CRT model from the local market. And the technology is not sitting idly; the monitor is revolutionized by leaps and bound. There may be a time coming when the CRT monitors will only be found in the museum.
