Graphics System

Image
A 2D distribution of intensity or color
To do graphics, must:
represent imagesencode them
numerically
display imagesrealize them as
actual intensity distributions

Representative display technologies

Computer displays
Raster CRT display
LCD display

Printers
Laser printer
Inkjet printer

Cathode ray tube

First widely used electronic display
developed for TV in the 1920s
1930s

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

Con
Electron gun emits the beam of electrons
which passes through focusing and deflection
system and reaches phosphor-coated screen.
Phosphor-coated screen emits small spot of
light at each position which is contact with
electron beam
Refresh CRT
Redraw the picture repeatedly by quickly
directing the electron beam back over the
same points .
Refresh rate of CRT
No. of times per second the image is redrawn
6

Con

Con

Electron gun components are heated

metal cathode and control grid
Heat is supplied to the cathode by
directing a current through coil of wire
called filament and the electron beam is
emitted
Intensity of the electron beam is controlled
by setting voltage levels on control grid
High ve voltage will shut off the beam
Small ve voltage will decreases no. of
electrons passes through.
8

Con
Amount of light emitted by the phosphor
coating depends on the no. of electrons
striking the screen
Control the brightness of the display by
varying the voltage on control grid
Focusing system force the electron beam
to converge into a small spot as it strikes
the phosphor, otherwise electrons would
repel each other and beam would spread
out
Focusing , deflection of the electron beam
can be controlled either using electric
or
9

Con

10

Con
2 pairs of coils used, one pair mounted on
the top and bottom of the neck, and
another pair is mounted on the opposite
sides of the neck
Horizontal deflection made by one pair
and vertical deflection by another pair of
coils
In electrostatic deflection is used, 2 pairs
of parallel plates are mounted inside the
CRT envelope
11

Con

Persistence
How long phosphor continue to emit light
after the CRT beam is removed

Resolution
Maximum no. of points that can be
displayed without overlap on a CRT
No. of points per centimeter that can be
plotted horizontally and vertically

Aspect Ratio
Ratio of vertical points to horizontal points
necessary to produce equal-length lines in
both directions
12

Con

13

Storage Tube Graphics Displays

A CRT with a long persistence phosphor
Line or character will remain visible up to a hour
until erased
Intensity of electron beam is increased
sufficiently to cause the phosphor to assume its
permanent bright storage
Display is erased by flooding the entire tube
with a specific voltage which causes the
phosphor to assume its dark state
14

Con
Features
It is flicker free
Resolution is 10241024
Display of dynamic motion or animation
is not possible
Easier to program than calligraphic or
raster scan refresh display
Level of interactivity is lower than with
either a refresh or raster scan display

15

Raster Scan Graphics

Displays

16

Con
Electron beam swept (move) across the
screen, one row at a time from top to
bottom
Picture definition is stored in a memory
area called refresh buffer or frame buffer
Memory area holds intensity values for all
screen points
Stored intensity values retrieved and
painted
17

Cont

In black and white system each pixel is

represented as either 0 or 1, so one bit
required to store pixel value in frame
buffer which is called bitmap
Bit value 1-> Electron beam on
Bit value 0-> Electron beam off
Frame buffer which requires multiple bits
to represent one pixel called pixmap
18

Con
Horizontal retrace
After refreshing each scan line , electron
beam returns to left end of the screen

Vertical retrace
At end of each frame electron beam returns
to the top of the screen to begin next frame

19

Con
Interlaced refresh procedure
Display each frame in two passes
1st pass even numbered (solid) lines are
displayed
2nd pass odd numbered (doted) lines are
displayed

20

Calligraphic Refresh or
Random-Scan Displays

21

Con
Electron beam is directed to only the
parts of the screen where a picture is
to be drawn
Picture components can be drawn in
any order
Refresh display file
Picture definition is stored as a set of
line drawing commands in an memory
called refresh display file or display list
22
or display program