Display Method

Quick Review
 Classification

 Pixel

 Resolution

 Aspect Ratio

 True Color

 Color Depth
 Display Method
 Procedure of creating an image on the screen.

 Raster Scan

 Random Scan
 Raster Scan
 CRT
 Raster Scan
 CRT
 Raster Scan
 The electron beam excites each pixel on the
screen from left to right and top to bottom.
Raster Scan
Raster Scan
 Raster Scan Graphics Storage
 Refresh/Frame buffer:

 Memory area that holds the set of intensity values for

all the pixels.

 Stored intensity values are then retrieved from the

refresh buffer and “painted” on the screen.
 Raster Scan
 3 beams (each for R,G and B) move from the top
left corner to the bottom right corner

 Since phosphor is illuminated for a short period

of time,
 Refreshing is usually done 60 times/sec
(60 Hz).
 Also called refresh rate.
 Raster Scan
 Refresh/Frame buffer:
 Random Scan
 The electron beam directed only to the parts of
the screen where a picture is to be drawn.

 Draws a picture one line at a time.

 Picture Definition is stored as a Line-Drawing

Commands in an area of memory called display
buffer/list (Random Scan Graphics Storage).

 The component lines of a picture can be drawn

and refreshed.
 Random Scan
 Also called vector drawing.
Random Scan
Raster Scan vs Random Scan
Raster Scan vs Random Scan
Raster Scan vs Random Scan
 Raster Scan vs Random Scan

Raster Scan Random Scan

Resolution Lower Higher

Electron-Beam Covers whole screen Covers only part of screen
Operation Cost less expensive Costlier
Refresh Rate 60 to 80 30 to 60
Picture Definition Stored as values Stored as line commands
Realism in More realistic Less realistic
display
Application Suitable where whole Suitable where small part
screen is utilized of screen is utilized
 Raster Scan Display System
 Video Controller or Display Controller, is used to
control the operation of the display device such
as refreshing the screen.
 Raster Scan Display System
 A fixed area of the system memory is reserved for
the frame buffer.
 Video controller is given direct access to the
frame buffer.
 Display Processor
 Graphics system requires a lot of processing.

 If done on CPU, it makes system slow.

 A separate processor to deal with graphics

complexity.

 Called display processor.

Raster Scan Display System
 Works: Display Processor
 Calculating the intensity values for pixels
corresponding to an image definition.

 Deciding pixel positions.

 Digitization process is called Scan Conversion.

 Generating various styles (dashed, dotted, etc.)

 Many more.
 Display Processor
 Translation of graphics command stored in
display file.

 Fetching of instructions

 Decoding

 Execution

 Refreshing (running the same set of commands

again)
Random Scan Display Processor
 Character Generators
 Challenges:
 Font Type (Typefaces)
1. Serif
2. Sans Serif
 Font Size
 Bold
 Italics
Character Generators
 Character Generators
 Two generation techniques:

1. Bitmap method

2. Outline method
 Bitmap Font
 Also called Raster Font.

 Simpler

 Corresponding bits are stored

in frame buffer.

 Require more space

 Good for sans serif

 Outline Font
 Also called Stroke Font.

 Straight lines and curves are

used.

 More complex.

 Require less space

 Good for serif

Color Display Techniques
 Color Display Techniques
 How to produce colors on the screen?

1. Beam penetration method

2. Shadow-Mask method
 Beam penetration method
 Screen has layers of different colored phosphors.

 Emitted color depends on how far the electron

beam penetrates into the phosphor layers.

 A typical setting has two phosphor layers: red

and green.
 Beam penetration method
 Slow electrons excites only the outer red layer.

 Very fast electrons excites the inner green layer.

 At Intermediate level: orange and yellow.

 Beam penetration method
 Inexpensive.

 Only limited number of colors.

 Quality of image not good.

 Primarily used in Random Scan systems.

 Shadow Mask Method
 Screen is filled with phosphor dots.

 Three phosphor color dots (RGB) at each pixel

position.

 Three electron guns.

Shadow Mask Method
Shadow Mask Method
 Shadow Mask Method
 Light emitted from the three phosphors results in
a small spot of color at each pixel position.

 To accurately excite the corresponding phosphor

of RGB triad at a pixel position, a fine metal sheet
having holes is used before the screen, called
shadow mask.
Shadow Mask Method
 Shadow Mask Method
 When the three beams pass through a hole in the
shadow mask, they activate a dot triangle, which
appears as a small color spot on the screen.

 The phosphor dots in the triangles are arranged

so that each electron beam can activate only its
corresponding color dot when it passes through
the shadow mask.
 Shadow Mask Method
 More expensive.

 Different intensity of beams means different

colors.

 Millions of colors.

 Good quality image.

 Used in Raster Scan systems.

Beam Penetration vs. Shadow Mask

Beam Penetration Shadow Mask

Usage Random Scan Raster Scan

Colors limited Millions
Cost less expensive Costlier
Picture quality Not good good
Resolution higher lower
Thank You