| Digital television has eliminated the need for the CRT | | | | with a superior contrast ratio. The disadvantage to |
| monitor. For years they were the primary display for | | | | these sets is that they have higher power |
| analog TV. Since analog TV no longer exists most | | | | consumption than other flat screens. |
| TVs sold today are flat screens. | | | | The next flat screen TV is the LCD screen. These |
| A flat screen TV gives flexibility in mounting and | | | | have been used for years in laptop computers and |
| locating the screen within the room. Since the monitor | | | | many small devices. Any hand-held calculator, cell |
| is no longer a huge box it doesn't need a piece of | | | | phone, or other such device with a small display uses |
| furniture on which to sit. Most flat screens are hung on | | | | an LCD screen. LCD screens have the advantage |
| a wall or a bracket. The brackets are engineered to | | | | that the technology is well developed and they use little |
| accommodate the weight of the screen and to adjust | | | | power. They do require a light source behind them in |
| for the best viewing. This requires that a suitable blank | | | | order to be visible. This can be either a cold cathode |
| wall be set aside in the viewing room and the furniture | | | | fluorescent light, as is used in laptops, or an LED array. |
| arranged for the best viewing angle. There are stands | | | | LED back lighting doesn't produce the best color quality |
| and carts that can be used with flat screen displays | | | | and is used when power consumption or cost is an |
| but they are rare. | | | | issue. |
| A flat screen TV, especially a large one, is generally | | | | The newest type of flat screen TV is the OLED |
| used as a monitor. That is to say that they are sold | | | | display. These are just coming into the market but |
| without speakers built into them. Since most customers | | | | promise to be the display of choice in the future. They |
| for flat screen displays also have a Surround Sound | | | | are currently confined to small sizes but manufacturers |
| setup this is normal. Smaller sized sets come with | | | | promise to deliver large displays which equal other |
| speakers but the sound is disappointing when | | | | technologies in the near future. The OLED requires no |
| compared to a Surround Sound setup. | | | | back lighting and uses little power. They offer better |
| There are three types of flat screen TVs. The first to | | | | contrast for blacker blacks and will accommodate |
| gain popularity was the Plasma TV. These screens | | | | viewing angles up to ninety degrees. Manufacturing is |
| take advantage of the properties of certain noble | | | | simple and they can be applied to a number of |
| gases when turned into plasma by the application of | | | | surfaces in novel ways. The only problem that needs |
| voltage. The plasma causes a phosphor to fluoresce | | | | to be addressed is a limited life which currently would |
| and this produces one pixel of light. The advantages of | | | | allow five years of eight-hour-a-day viewing. |
| Plasma screens are a bright display and blacker blacks | | | | |