Computer Display Standards
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Computer display standards are a combination of aspect ratio,
display size On 2D displays, such as computer monitors and TVs, the display size (or viewable image size or VIS) is the physical size of the area where pictures and videos are displayed. The size of a screen is usually described by the length of its diago ...
,
display resolution The display resolution or display modes of a digital television, computer monitor or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is ...
,
color depth Color depth or colour depth (see spelling differences), also known as bit depth, is either the number of bits used to indicate the color of a single pixel, or the number of bits used for each color component of a single pixel. When referring to ...
, and
refresh rate The refresh rate (or "vertical refresh rate", "vertical scan rate", terminology originating with the cathode ray tubes) is the number of times per second that a raster-based display device displays a new image. This is independent from frame rate ...
. They are associated with specific
expansion card In computing, an expansion card (also called an expansion board, adapter card, peripheral card or accessory card) is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an electrical connector, or expansion slot (also referred to as a bus slo ...
s, video connectors and
monitors Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West Vir ...
.


History

Various computer display standards or display modes have been used in the history of the
personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
. They are often a combination of aspect ratio (specified as width-to-height ratio),
display resolution The display resolution or display modes of a digital television, computer monitor or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is ...
(specified as the width and height in
pixel In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device. In most digital display devices, pixels are the smal ...
s),
color depth Color depth or colour depth (see spelling differences), also known as bit depth, is either the number of bits used to indicate the color of a single pixel, or the number of bits used for each color component of a single pixel. When referring to ...
(measured in
bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represente ...
s per pixel), and
refresh rate The refresh rate (or "vertical refresh rate", "vertical scan rate", terminology originating with the cathode ray tubes) is the number of times per second that a raster-based display device displays a new image. This is independent from frame rate ...
(expressed in
hertz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that on ...
). Associated with the screen resolution and refresh rate is a display adapter. Earlier display adapters were simple frame-buffers, but later display standards also specified a more extensive set of display functions and software controlled interface. Beyond display modes, the
VESA VESA (), formally known as Video Electronics Standards Association, is an American technical standards organization for computer display standards. The organization was incorporated in California in July 1989To retrieve the information, searc ...
industry organization has defined several standards related to
power management Power management is a feature of some electrical appliances, especially copiers, computers, computer CPUs, computer GPUs and computer peripherals such as monitors and printers, that turns off the power or switches the system to a low-power stat ...
and device identification, while ergonomics standards are set by the TCO.


Standards

A number of common resolutions have been used with computers descended from the original
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible de facto standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a team ...
. Some of these are now supported by other families of personal computers. These are de facto standards, usually originated by one manufacturer and reverse-engineered by others, though the
VESA VESA (), formally known as Video Electronics Standards Association, is an American technical standards organization for computer display standards. The organization was incorporated in California in July 1989To retrieve the information, searc ...
group has co-ordinated the efforts of several leading video display adapter manufacturers. Video ''standards'' associated with IBM-PC-descended personal computers are shown in the diagram and table below, alongside those of early Macintosh and other makes for comparison. (From the early 1990s onwards, most manufacturers moved over to PC display standards thanks to widely available and affordable hardware).


Display resolution prefixes

Although the common standard prefixes ''super'' and ''ultra'' do not indicate specific modifiers to base standard resolutions, several others do: ;Quarter (Q or q) :A quarter of the base resolution. E.g.
QVGA The graphics display resolution is the width and height dimension of an electronic visual display device, measured in pixels. This information is used for electronic devices such as a computer monitor. Certain combinations of width and height ar ...
, a term for a 320×240 resolution, half the width and height of VGA, hence the quarter total resolution. The "Q" prefix usually indicates "Quad" (4 times as many, not 1/4 times as many) in higher resolutions, and sometimes "q" is used instead of "Q" to specify ''quarter'' (by analogy with
SI prefix The International System of Units, known by the international abbreviation SI in all languages and sometimes pleonastically as the SI system, is the modern form of the metric system and the world's most widely used system of measurement. E ...
es m/M), but this usage is not consistent. ;Wide (W) :The base resolution increased by increasing the width and keeping the height constant, for square or near-square pixels on a widescreen display, usually with an aspect ratio of either 16:9 (adding an extra 1/3rd width vs a standard 4:3 display) or 16:10 (adding an extra 1/5th). However, it is sometimes used to denote a resolution that would have roughly the same total pixel count as this, but in a different aspect and sharing neither the horizontal OR vertical resolution—typically for a 16:10 resolution which is narrower but taller than the 16:9 option, and therefore larger in both dimensions than the base standard (e.g., compare 1366×768 and 1280×800, both commonly labelled as "WXGA", vs the base 1024×768 "XGA"). ;Quad(ruple) (Q) :Four times as many pixels compared to the base resolution, i.e. twice the horizontal and vertical resolution respectively. ;Hex(adecatuple) (H) :Sixteen times as many pixels compared to the base resolution, i.e. four times the horizontal and vertical resolutions respectively. ;Super (S), eXtended (X), Plus (+) and/or Ultra (U) :Vaguer terms denoting successive incremental steps up the resolution ladder from some comparative, more established base, usually somewhat less severe a jump than quartering or Quadrupling—typically less than doubling, and sometimes not even as much of a change as making a "wide" version; for example SVGA (800×600 vs 640×480), SXGA (1280×1024 vs 1024×768), SXGA+ (1400×1050 vs 1280×1024) and UXGA (1600×1200 vs 1024×768 - or more fittingly, vs the 1280×1024 of SXGA, the conceptual "next step down" at the time of UXGA's inception, or the 1400×1050 of SXGA+). Given the use of "X" in "XGA", it is not often used as an additional modifier (e.g. there is no such thing as XVGA except as an alternative designation for SXGA) unless its meaning would be unambiguous. These prefixes are also often combined, as in
WQXGA The graphics display resolution is the width and height dimension of an electronic visual display device, measured in pixels. This information is used for electronic devices such as a computer monitor. Certain combinations of width and height ar ...
or WHUXGA, with levels of stacking not hindered by the same consideration towards readability as the decline of the added "X" - especially as there is not even a defined hierarchy or value for S/X/U/+ modifiers.


See also

*
Display resolution The display resolution or display modes of a digital television, computer monitor or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is ...
; this also lists the display resolutions of standard and HD televisions, which are sometimes used as computer monitors. *
Graphics display resolution The graphics display resolution is the width and height dimension of an electronic visual display device, measured in pixels. This information is used for electronic devices such as a computer monitor. Certain combinations of width and height a ...
*
List of common resolutions This article lists computer monitor screen resolutions that are defined by standards or in common use. Most of them use certain preferred numbers. Computer graphics ; Pixel aspect ratio (PAR): The horizontal to vertical ratio of each pixel. ...
*
List of video connectors This is a list of physical RF and video connectors and related video signal standards. By signal standard Physical connectors D-subminiature family DVI-related DIN/Mini-DIN connector, Mini-DIN Others See also *Computer display stan ...


References


External links


Calculate and compare display sizes, resolutions, and source material


* ttp://www.prinds.com/tools/screenDimensions.htm Calculate screen dimensions according to format and diagonal
Standard resolutions used for computer graphics equipment, TV and video applications and mobile devices.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Computer Display Standard Digital imaging Graphics standards VESA