Tag: LCD

What’s the difference between a LCD and LED screen?

When you are comparing displays for a laptop, desktop computer, or even a flat-screen television, you will often see them referred to as either LCD or LED. You may wonder what the differences between the two technologies are, and which one is better for your needs.

Truthfully, the comparison between LCD and LED displays is a bit tricky, as they can be the same thing. In fact, the terms may be somewhat interchangeable for some models. Confused? You should be.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display, which refers to tiny crystals that make up the pixels of an LCD display. The crystals don’t create light themselves, but instead they filter the light to create colors that combine to make the image on the screen. The light for the picture is actually supplied by the backlight located behind the crystals and the inverter board.

Originally, LCD displays used fluorescent lamps as backlights, which provide a fairly bright light but are prone to uneven lighting and generally use a lot of power. In many cases when someone refers to an LCD display, they are referring to a display that uses fluorescent backlighting. These displays are becoming less common.

LED displays are those that use LED (light emitting diodes) lights as a backlight. LEDs use less power than fluorescent bulbs and usually provide a brighter and more even light for the display. However, LED backlights still shine through LCDs to create the color for the display. This is where much of the confusion between the two technologies happens.

In summary; a display that is referred to as LCD could mean one that uses fluorescent OR LED backlighting, though it generally refers to those with fluorescent backlights. LED refers to a display with LED backlighting, but it is worth knowing that LED displays are still technically LCD displays as well.

http://www.uk-online.co.uk/news/

How to find the proper replacement LCD for your HP Laptop

Laptop computers are subject to a lot of wear and tear, especially on their moveable parts. The monitor is one of the most used and abused parts of your computer as a result of this, and also its sheer size. Fortunately, it isn’t that hard to find and replace an HP LCD monitor for your laptop.

The first thing you’ll want to do is identify your machine, with a model number if possible. Typically, this will be displayed on the underside of the laptop on a white sticker called the service tag. If you’re not sure what is what on this sticker, write it all down. The model number identifies your machine, and the product number narrows it down even more.

If you are unable to find your specific model number, you may need to remove the LCD itself and find a part number on it. To do so, look at the front of your monitor. It will either have screws or caps along the edge facing you as if you were using the machine. If it has caps these can be removed simply by popping them off with a tool. Remove the screws beneath around the perimeter of the screen. Then, take a corner of the bezel (the part of your computer case surrounding the monitor itself) and carefully remove the entire face and set aside. Now at the bottom of your laptop, you should see screws on the hinges which will also need to be removed, carefully. Once this is done you should be able to lower the monitor itself face down to the keyboard, revealing its backside, which will list its specific part number.

If you do attempt to do this at home, be sure to remove the AC adapter and the battery. Remember always, safety first. If you are not comfortable with doing this, take your machine to a local repair shop, or contact your manufacturer for further assistance.

When shopping for replacement LCDs, there are a number of specifications of which to be cognizant. First and foremost will be size. Especially when purchasing a new laptop monitor, you will be locked into a specific size, so make sure your new monitor will fit your machine properly. Aspect ratio refers to the height and width of display, for example a 16:9 would be considered a widescreen display format. Resolution is typically the gold standard of performance rating. The higher the resolution, the more pixels the monitor will display. More pixels allow for a sharper, crisper image. Most common displays run at WXGA or XGA, depending on the aspect ratio. There are many other specifications that come in to play that you may wish to discuss with a computer repair shop or retailer, but those listed above will be the most influential to the quality and function of your display.