Technical terms can be confusing! So to help you understand see the definitions below.
HD - High Definition
SD - Standard Definition
HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface
Component Video - In popular terms, it's a type of analog information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals, red, green and blue
Composite Video - The format/connection of an analogue (picture only) signal
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) - A video interface standard designed to maximize the visual quality of digital display
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display is a thin, flat display/screen
Pixel - ('picture element', using the common abbreviation 'pix' for 'picture') - A single point in a graphic image on displays/monitor images
Ghosting - A problem in LCD flat screens when pixels creating the image take time to switch and can't do it fast enough
Display resolution - The number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed
Dot Pitch - The size of LCD pixels; the smaller, the better
Response time - The amount of time a pixel in an LCD monitor takes to go from active (black) to inactive (white) and back to active (black) again. It is measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower numbers mean faster transitions and therefore fewer visible image artifacts
Viewing angle - The maximum angle a display can be viewed with acceptable standards
Colour support - How many types of colours are supported
Brightness - The common phrase used when talking about the luminance of a screen
Contrast ratio - The ratio of the luminosity of the brightest and the darkest color the screen is capable of producing
Burn-in - A permanent disfigurement of areas on a plasma screen, usually caused by still images being displayed continuously for long periods
Plasma Display Panel (PDP) - A type of panel display now commonly used for large displays (typically above 32")
Digital Light Processing (DLP) - The technology used in projectors and video projectors
Surface-Conduction Electron-Emitter Display (SED) - A flat display technology that uses surface conduction electron emitters for every individual pixel
Progressive Scan - Higher resolution and fewer artifacts in video with motion compared to interlaced video of the same line rate; especially popular for LCDs
Connection Terms
The following are all types of connections that may be on your screen/monitor:
HDMI - carries a digital video and audio signal. It is able and commonly used to carrying a High Definition signal
DVI - carries a digital video signal. It is capable of carrying a High Definition transmission
COMPONENT - carries an analogue video signal. It is capable of carrying a High Definition signal and is used a lot for progressive signals
- Red connector carries the red signal
- Green connector carries the green signal
- Blue connector carries the blue signal
(It's not rocket science!)
SCART - can carry the following:
- RGB analogue video signal with stereo audio
- Composite analogue video signal with stereo audio
- S-Video analogue video signal
S-VIDEO - carries analogue video only
COMPOSITE RCA Jacks
- Yellow connector for an analogue video signal
- Red and white connectors connect the stereo audio
FAQs for Home Entertainment Equipment
How do I clean my screen?
Always consult your manufacturer's instructions for advice.
First of do not use any cleaners on the screen; most if not all screens will usually have some type of coating on the external panel, and anything that could risk damage to this coating would eventually end up damaging these coatings. Manufactures will usually just recommend a slight amount of water on the cloth.
Microfibre cloths are available from shops for about £5; try photographic stores. They are reusable and machine washable. I use a lot of them myself and they do the job perfectly. If you do buy one, use it only for cleaning your screen and nothing else. Use enough water only to slightly dampen the cloth, and then gently rub it over the screen. The water will evaporate pretty quickly.
Anything that's more stubborn, contact a specialist or better yet, the manufacturer; never under any circumstances apply any real pressure to the panel.