Total Visual Solutions - Monitors

Monitors

Monitors may be used as stand alone items, as fill-in in an installation or to check/monitor a video signal going to a projector for example. The three options are standard CRT (TV) monitors, Plasma screens or TFT (LCD) screens. All three have different applications mostly dependant on their size.

TFT (LCD) screens range from 5" to around 21" but the larger sizes tend to be significantly more expensive than their smaller brothers. These are ideal for monitoring the output to a projector or the feed from cameras in a mixing situation as they take up very little room yet give a crisp clear image. The larger versions of the screens are common as computer monitors and are suitable for data inputs. The clarity of the image is far better than found on CRT screens but the viewing angle is reduced. LCD screens (LCD TVs) include both computer and video inputs for increased flexibility.

CRT (TV) screens typically range from 14" to 28" although smaller versions are available. The main advantage of this type of screen is that they are mass-produced for the home market and therefore the price is very competitive even on the big-name brands. The downside is that due to the way they work the overall unit is very bulky. The cost of these screens will increase a lot to obtain standard input connectors and will again rise if a broadcast quality calibrated monitor is required. Furthermore, as TFT technology improves and costs lower the CRT is gradually becomming extinct.

Plasma Screens are often seen as the best type of screen but their price can be restricting. Prices are dropping but they remain more expensive than a small video projector. With regard to size there are some 4:3 33" screens but mostly they are only available as 42", 50" or 61" in the 16:9 or widescreen format. It is worth noting that the image size is measured as a diagonal across the screen and so the height of the image is not as big as it may first appear. For example the screen height of a 16:9 42" Plasma is roughly equivalent to a 36" 4:3 TV.

Similar to LCD screens Plasmas are ideal for multimedia presentations as they can accept both video and data signals and give a very clear image.