Monochrome monitors display one color against a solid background. They were used extensively in the 20th century, but were eventually replaced by color monitors due to their limited features. Monitors with a single phosphor can provide a clear and sharp display, but may suffer from screen burn. Some variations include black characters on a light green background or orange characters on a black background. Today, monochrome monitors are still used in some point-of-sale systems where color is not necessary.
Also known as monochrome monitors, monochrome monitors are computer monitors that display a single color against a solid color background. Used extensively during the mid to latter part of the 20th century, the monochrome monitor was once used with any type of computer system that included some sort of digital display. The first desktop computers developed in the latter part of the 1970s used this type of monitor. The monochrome monitor continued to be a staple in many office environments until the early 1990s, when it was finally eclipsed by the more feature-rich color monitor.
The effect of a monochrome monitor is somewhat similar to that of a black and white television. Early designs called for a plain black background, with white text appearing on screen. Some models have reversed the process, using a white background to display black text. While somewhat simple, using a single phosphor to generate the single color in each pixel allows the monitor to provide a very clear and sharp display.
One of the disadvantages of the monochrome monitor is the potential for what is known as screen burn. This phenomenon is caused by the relatively high intensity generated by the single phosphor. When text is left displayed for extended periods of time, it can actually leave an impression on the screen even after the user switches to viewing other stored data. Because the pixels that make up the display on a color monitor are composed of multiple phosphors, the potential for screen burn with contemporary monitors is greatly reduced, especially with the use of automatic screen savers.
Some variations in the monochrome monitor arose over time, although the use of a single phosphor for displaying text remained constant. For example, some manufacturers offer monitors with black characters on a light green background or orange characters on a black background. Later designs included equipment that would allow the user to adjust the brightness setting on the device, which could help improve visibility to some extent.
Since the 1990s, the monochrome monitor has been replaced with color monitors that offer a wider range of color selections for text, images and graphics. Almost all desktop systems today use a color monitor. There are still some devices that use monochrome technology, such as electronic display cash registers, and various other types of point-of-sale systems where there isn’t a need for a lot of color or the display of detailed graphics.
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