ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Computer display standards

Computer display standards are rules that tell computers how to show pictures on a screen. There are different types of display standards, and they each have different ways of showing pictures.

A computer needs a display standard so that it knows how to talk to the monitor that is hooked up to it. Each monitor is different, and some have more colors, are sharper or have better contrasts than others. A display standard tells the computer how to show pictures on the screen to make sure they look good on the monitor.

Some display standards are better for showing pictures like movies or video games, while others are better for working on documents or spreadsheets. The most popular display standards are VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort.

VGA is one of the oldest standards and has been around since the 1980s. It uses an analog signal, which means it sends pictures one line at a time, like a fax machine. VGA can only show up to 640x480 pixels on a screen, which is not very clear compared to the other standards.

DVI, or Digital Visual Interface, was developed in the late 1990s and is a digital connection that sends pictures all at once, making images clearer and more accurate. However, it can only support one monitor per port.

HDMI, or High-Definition Multimedia Interface, is a digital standard that can transmit both audio and video signals. Many devices such as TVs, gaming consoles and laptops use HDMI to connect to a monitor.

DisplayPort is the newest standard, created in 2006. It has a digital signal and can support multiple monitors per port. It is often used in high-end computers, gaming rigs or graphics workstations.

In summary, a display standard is like a set of rules that tells the computer how to show pictures on a screen. Different display standards have different features such as clarity, number of colors, and the ability to support audio as well as video.
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