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Audiovisual
Industry
Employee's Guide

Chapter Four

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INTERNATIONAL
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A S S O C I A T I O N , I N C ®.

© 2002 ICIA. All rights reserved. Information contained herein is valid at time of printing.
Table of Contents
Chapter Four: Computer Data Display…………………………………………………….2
Lesson One: Computers………………………………………...……………………..3
Lesson Two: Graphics Adapters………………………………………………………4
Lesson Three: Display Devices.............................................................................5
Lesson Four: Electronic Artistry……………………………………………………….6
Lesson Five: Pixels and Resolution…………………………………………………..7
Lesson Six: TechKnowledgy…………………………………………………………..8
Lesson Seven: Emissive Display Systems…………………………………………..9
Lesson Eight: Transmissive Display Systems……………………………………...10
Lesson Nine: Reflective Display Systems…………………………………………..11
Lesson Ten: Summing Up………………………………………………………........12

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Chapter Four – Computer Data Display
25 minutes of online instruction

Summary Objective
♦ Identify and explain the applications of computer data display in the AV industry.
♦ Identify and explain the fundamentals of the computer display signal.
♦ Identify current applicable display technologies.
♦ Demonstrate the proper setup and operation of the data display equipment in AV
applications.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson One: Computers
Lesson Objective
Preview chapter objectives.

Background
The following point is illustrated in this lesson:
♦ People use hardware and software to manipulate information; they use
audiovisual technology to convey this information to others.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Two: Graphics Adapters
Lesson Objective
Identify different kinds of graphics adapters.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ A computer g raphics adapter, commonly referred to as a “video card,” is one of
several key hardware components found inside a computer.
♦ A video card outputs computer signals, not the standard video signals.
♦ The computer’s graphics adapter determines the potential quality of the display.
♦ Resolution measures the quality of a displayed image’s detail - the higher the
resolution, the more detailed the image.

Activities
Tips and Techniques
Here is a copy of the online reference chart.

IBM Graphics Adapters

Graphics CGA EGA VGA SVGA XGA SXGA UXGA
Adapter
Color Enhanced Video Super Extended Super Ultra
Graphics Graphics Graphics VGA Graphics XGA XGA
Adapter Adapter Array Array
Year 1981 1984 1987 1991 1991 1993 1996
Released
Resolution 640x200 640x350 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200
Displayable 4 16 256 More than More than More than More than
Colors 16 million 16 million 16 million 16 million

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Three: Display Devices
Lesson Objective
Describe the relationship between a graphics adapter and other hardware components.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Data display signals are broken down into R, G, B, H, and V.
♦ As in all AV gear, the proper flow of input and output signals is crucial to the
computer display.
♦ A computer monitor cannot be connected to a video output.
♦ The distinction between video projectors and data projectors is just about gone,
though a few specialized projectors remain.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Four: Electronic Artistry
Lesson Objective
Discriminate between the two ways electronic images are drawn.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Most computer displays use progressive raster scanning.
♦ Today’s modern technologies build images with small picture elements (pixels).
♦ The number of pixels in a display depends on the display’s resolution.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Five: Pixels and Resolution
Lesson Objective
Identify characteristics of the three most common display resolutions for a projector and
monitor.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Manufacturers use both acronyms and pixel counts in their product literature.
Industry professionals often refer to gear by citing its resolution capabilities.
♦ An individual pixel can only be one color at a time. Therefore, the more pixels in
an image, the more color detail that image can have.
♦ The technical process of scaling discards or adds i nformation to make the
computer’s resolution fit the display’s resolution.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Six: TechKnowledgy
Lesson Objective
Name three imaging technologies.

Background
The following point is illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Display systems emit, transmit, or reflect light.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Seven: Emissive Display Systems
Lesson Objective
Describe the emissive characteristics of CRTs and PDPs.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Emissive technologies emit light to create an image; they are a self-creating light
source.
♦ CRT monitors and projectors are analog displays, so they use the raster method
to make pictures.
♦ PDPs, or Plasma Display Panels, are strictly monitor displays .

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Eight: Transmissive Display Systems
Lesson Objective
Describe the transmissive characteristics of LCDs.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ In transmissive technologies, like the o verhead projector, a light source transmits
light through the image information to display it.
♦ In a Liquid Crystal Display, or LCD, light passes through a layer of liquid crystal
substance.
♦ LCDs can be found in monitors and projectors.

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Nine: Reflective Display Systems
Lesson Objective
Describe the reflective characteristics of DLPs and LCoS.

Background
The following points are illustrated in this lesson:
♦ Reflective technologies reflect light to create an image.
♦ Currently, DLP and LCoS are only available in projection in our industry.

Activities
Interview Activity: 10 minutes
Ask your manager if you have any of the projector types discussed in the last three
lessons in inventory or ownership. Are these projectors available for you to see?

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Chapter Four: Computer Data Display
Lesson Ten: Summing Up
Lesson Objective
Test chapter objectives.

Background
This lesson helps measure your success at meeting chapter objectives.

Activities
Practical Application Activity: 20 minutes
This activity gives you the opportunity to apply the information in this chapter. Work
with your manager to demonstrate the setup and operation of video equipment in AV
applications. In order to achieve this objective:

1. Ask your manager if you may have access to a laptop, a portable projector, a
VGA cable, and a front projection screen.
2. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions for connection and operation of the
equipment.
3. Use the information you learned in the online course and this guide for tips on the
proper signal flow.
4. Locate the proper input on the projector, and operate the video source to ensure
successful signal flow to video display. (Some laptops have special controls for
activating the external display.)
5. Position the projector the proper distance from the screen in order to fill the
screen. Position the projector at the correct elevation from the floor to avoid
keystone error.
6. Focus the projector.
7. Congratulations! You have successfully setup and operated a video display.

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