Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
abbreviated history of PC video-display technology:
• MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter)
• HGC (Hercules Graphics Card)
• CGA (Color Graphics Adapter)
• EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter)
• VGA (Video Graphics Array)
• SVGA (Super VGA)
• XGA (Extended Graphics Array) and beyond
IBM pioneered most of these standards, but other manufacturers of compatible PCs adopted and
enhanced them as well. Today, IBM no longer sets standards for the PC business (it sold its PC
business to Lenovo in 2005), and most of these standards are obsolete.
Today's VGA and later video adapters can also handle most older software written for CGA, EGA,
and other obsolete graphics standards. This enables you to use many, if not most, older graphics
software (such as games and educational programs) on your current system.
High-definition (16:9 aspect ratio) displays were originally developed for HDTVs but are also
available for laptops, desktops, tablets, media players, and smartphones. These standards and
resolutions include:
nHD (one-ninth of FHD, resolution of 640×360)
qHD (one quarter of FHD, resolution of 960×540)
HD (1280×720, also known as 720p)
FHD (full HD, 1920×1080, also known as 1080p)
QHD (Quad HD, resolution of 2560×1440)
QFHD (Quad Full HD, resolution of 3840×2160)
UHD (Ultra HD, resolution of 7680×4320)
Video Adapter Types
A monitor requires a source of input. The signals that run to your monitor come from one or more
video display adapters in the system.
There are four basic types of video display adapters:
•
Discrete plug-in video cards
—These cards require the use of an expansion slot but provide the
highest possible level of features and performance.
•
Discrete video on the motherboard
—The same discrete circuitry that can be found on a video
card can also be directly built in or mounted on the motherboard. This is how high-end video is
installed in modern laptops and some older desktop systems; however, modern desktops
normally use either discrete video on a plug-in card or motherboard chipset or processor
integrated video.
•
Motherboard chipset integrated video
—This is video circuitry integrated into the
motherboard chipset. Because it shares the system random access memory (RAM) and other
components, it provides an economical solution that also uses less power (ideal for laptops).
•
Processor integrated video
—This is video circuitry integrated into the processor, either as a
