Introduction to

Computer Graphics
CS 445 / 645

Lecture
Lecture 22
General
General Graphics
Graphics Systems
Systems
Daniel Rozin, Wooden Mirror (1999)
Announcement
Announcement
•• Class
Class web
web site
site is
is up
up
Overview
Overview –– Read
Read Chapter
Chapter 22
•• Display
Display devices
devices
•• Graphics
Graphics hardware
hardware
•• Input
Input devices
devices
•• Graphics
Graphics Software
Software
Display technologies
Cathode
Cathode Ray
Ray Tubes
Tubes (CRTs)
(CRTs)
•• Most
Most common
common display
display device
device today
today
•• Evacuated
Evacuated glass
glass bottle
bottle
•• Extremely
Extremely high
high voltage
voltage
CRT details
•• Heating
Heating element
element
(filament)
(filament)
•• Electrons
Electrons pulled
pulled
towards
towards
anode
anode focusing
focusing
cylinder
cylinder
•• Vertical
Vertical and
and
horizontal
horizontal deflection
deflection
plates
plates
•• Beam
Beam strikes
strikes
phosphor
phosphor coating
coating on
on
front
front of
of tube
tube
Electron gun
Contains
Contains aa filament
filament that,
that, when
when heated,
heated, emits
emits aa stream
stream of
of
electrons
electrons
Electrons
Electrons are
are focused
focused with
with an
an electromagnet
electromagnet into
into aa sharp
sharp beam
beam
and
and directed
directed to
to aa specific
specific point
point of
of the
the face
face of
of the
the picture
picture tube
tube
The
The front
front surface
surface of
of the
the picture
picture tube
tube is
is coated
coated with
with small
small
phospher
phospher dots
dots
When
When the
the beam
beam hits
hits aa phospher
phospher dot
dot itit glows
glows with
with aa brightness
brightness
proportional
proportional to
to the
the strength
strength of
of the
the beam
beam and
and how
how long
long itit is
is hit
hit
CRT characteristics
What’s
What’s the
the largest
largest (diagonal)
(diagonal) CRT
CRT you’ve
you’ve seen?
seen?
•• Why
Why is
is that
that the
the largest?
largest?
–– Evacuated
Evacuated tube
tube ==
== massive
massive glass
glass
–– Symmetrical
Symmetrical electron
electron paths
paths (corners
(corners vs.
vs. center)
center)
How
How might
might one
one measure
measure CRT
CRT capabilities?
capabilities?
•• Size
Size of
of tube
tube
•• Brightness
Brightness of
of phosphers
phosphers vs.
vs. darkness
darkness of
of tube
tube
•• Speed
Speed of
of electron
electron gun
gun
•• Width
Width of
of electron
electron beam
beam
•• Pixels?
Pixels?
Display technologies: CRTs
Vector Displays
• Anybody remember Battlezone? Tempest?
Display technologies: CRTs
Vector
Vector Displays
Displays
•• Early
Early computer
computer displays:
displays: basically
basically an
an oscilloscope
oscilloscope
•• Control
Control X,Y
X,Y with
with vertical/horizontal
vertical/horizontal plate
plate voltage
voltage
•• Often
Often used
used intensity
intensity as
as ZZ (close
(close things
things were
were brighter)
brighter)
Name
Name two
two disadvantages
disadvantages
Just
Just does
does wireframe
wireframe
Complex
Complex scenes
scenes cause
cause visible
visible flicker
flicker
Display technologies: CRTs
Raster
Raster Displays
Displays
•• Raster:
Raster: A
A rectangular
rectangular array
array of
of points
points or
or dots
dots
•• Pixel:
Pixel: One
One dot
dot or
or picture
picture element
element of
of the
the raster
raster
•• Scan
Scan line:
line: A
A row
row of
of pixels
pixels
Display technologies: CRTs
Raster
Raster Displays
Displays
•• Black
Black and
and white
white television:
television: an
an oscilloscope
oscilloscope with
with aa fixed
fixed scan
scan
pattern:
pattern: left
left to
to right,
right, top
top to
to bottom
bottom
–– As
As beam
beam sweeps
sweeps across
across entire
entire face
face of
of CRT,
CRT, beam
beam intensity
intensity
changes
changes to
to reflect
reflect brightness
brightness
•• Analog
Analog signal
signal vs.
vs. digital
digital display
display
Display technologies: CRT
Can
Can aa computer
computer display
display work
work like
like aa black
black and
and white
white TV?
TV?
•• Must
Must synchronize
synchronize
–– Your
Your program
program makes
makes decisions
decisions about
about the
the intensity
intensity signal
signal at
at the
the pace
pace
of
of the
the CPU…
CPU…
–– The
The screen
screen is
is “painted”
“painted” at
at the
the pace
pace of
of the
the electron
electron gun
gun scanning
scanning the
the
raster
raster
•• Solution:
Solution: special
special memory
memory to to buffer
buffer image
image with
with scan-out
scan-out synchronous
synchronous to
to
the
the raster.
raster. We
We call
call this
this the
the framebuffer
framebuffer..
•• Digital
Digital description
description to
to analog
analog signal
signal to
to digital
digital display
display
Display Technologies: CRTs
Phosphers
Phosphers
•• Flourescence:
Flourescence: Light
Light emitted
emitted while
while the
the phospher
phospher is
is
being
being struck
struck by
by electrons
electrons
•• Phospherescence:
Phospherescence: Light
Light emitted
emitted once
once the
the electron
electron
beam
beam is
is removed
removed
•• Persistence:
Persistence: The
The time
time from
from the
the removal
removal ofof the
the
excitation
excitation to
to the
the moment
moment whenwhen phospherescence
phospherescence has
has
decayed
decayed toto 10%
10% of
of the
the initial
initial light
light output
output
Display Technologies: CRTs
Refresh
Refresh
•• Frame
Frame must
must be
be “refreshed”
“refreshed” to
to draw
draw new
new images
images
•• As
As new
new pixels
pixels are
are struck
struck by
by electron
electron beam,
beam, others
others are
are decaying
decaying
•• Electron
Electron beam
beam must
must hit
hit all
all pixels
pixels frequently
frequently to
to eliminate
eliminate flicker
flicker
•• Critical
Critical fusion
fusion frequency
frequency
–– Typically
Typically 60
60 times/sec
times/sec
–– Varies
Varies with
with intensity,
intensity, individuals,
individuals, phospher
phospher persistence,
persistence,
lighting...
lighting...
Display Technologies: CRTs
Interlaced
Interlaced Scanning
Scanning
•• Assume
Assume wewe can
can only
only scan
scan all
all pixels
pixels of
of entire
entire screen
screen
30
30 times
times // second
second
•• To
To reduce
reduce flicker,
flicker, divide
divide frame
frame into
into two
two “fields”
“fields” of
of odd
odd
and
and even
even lines
lines

1/30 Sec 1/30 Sec

1/60 Sec 1/60 Sec 1/60 Sec 1/60 Sec
Field 1 Field 2 Field 1 Field 2
Frame Frame
Display Technologies: CRTs
CRT
CRT timing
timing
•• Scanning
Scanning (left
(left to
to right,
right, top
top to
to bottom)
bottom)
–– Vertical
Vertical Sync
Sync Pulse:
Pulse: Signals
Signals the
the start
start of
of the
the next
next field
field
–– Vertical
Vertical Retrace:
Retrace: Time
Time needed
needed toto get
get from
from the
the bottom
bottom of
of the
the
current
current field
field to
to the
the top
top of
of the
the next
next field
field
–– Horizontal
Horizontal Sync
Sync Pulse:
Pulse: Signals
Signals the
the start
start of
of the
the new
new scan
scan line
line
–– Horizontal
Horizontal Retrace:
Retrace: The
The time
time needed
needed to to get
get from
from the
the end
end of
of
the
the current
current scan
scan line
line to
to the
the start
start of
of the
the next
next scan
scan line
line
What is a pixel?
Wood
Wood chips
chips Chrome
Chrome spheres
spheres Trash
Trash

Daniel Rozin – NYU: (movies) http://fargo.itp.tsoa.nyu.edu/~danny/art.html

Display Technology: Color CRTs
Color
Color CRTs
CRTs are
are much
much more
more complicated
complicated
•• Requires
Requires manufacturing
manufacturing very
very precise
precise geometry
geometry
•• Uses
Uses aa pattern
pattern of
of color
color phosphors
phosphors on
on the
the screen:
screen:

Delta electron gun arrangement In-line electron gun arrangement

•• Why
Why red,
red, green,
green, and
and blue
blue phosphors?
phosphors?
Display Technology: Color CRTs
Color
Color CRTs
CRTs have
have
•• Three
Three electron
electron guns
guns
•• A
A metal
metal shadow
shadow mask
mask to
to differentiate
differentiate the
the beams
beams
Display Technology: Raster
Raster
Raster CRT
CRT pros:
pros:
•• Allows
Allows solids,
solids, not
not just
just wireframes
wireframes
•• Leverages
Leverages low-cost
low-cost CRT
CRT technology
technology (i.e.,
(i.e., TVs)
TVs)
•• Bright!
Bright! Display
Display emits
emits light
light
Cons:
Cons:
•• Requires
Requires screen-size
screen-size memory
memory array
array
•• Discreet
Discreet sampling
sampling (pixels)
(pixels)
•• Practical
Practical limit
limit on
on size
size (call
(call itit 40
40 inches)
inches)
•• Bulky
Bulky
•• Finicky
Finicky (convergence,
(convergence, warp,
warp, etc)
etc)
CRTs – A Review
•• CRT
CRT technology
technology hasn’t
hasn’t changed
changed much
much in
in 50
50 years
years
•• Early
Early television
television technology
technology
–– high
high resolution
resolution
–– requires
requires synchronization
synchronization between
between video
video signal
signal and
and
electron
electron beam
beam vertical
vertical sync
sync pulse
pulse
•• Early
Early computer
computer displays
displays
–– avoided
avoided synchronization
synchronization using
using ‘vector’
‘vector’ algorithm
algorithm
–– flicker
flicker and
and refresh
refresh were
were problematic
problematic
CRTs – A Review
•• Raster
Raster Displays
Displays (early
(early 70s)
70s)
–– like
like television,
television, scan
scan all
all pixels
pixels in
in regular
regular pattern
pattern
–– use
use frame
frame buffer
buffer (video
(video RAM)
RAM) to
to eliminate
eliminate sync
sync problems
problems
•• RAM
RAM
–– ¼
¼ MB
MB (256
(256 KB)
KB) cost
cost $2
$2 million
million in
in 1971
1971
–– Do
Do some
some math…
math…
-- 1280
1280 xx 1024
1024 screen
screen resolution
resolution == 1,310,720
1,310,720 pixels
pixels
-- Monochrome
Monochrome color
color (binary)
(binary) requires
requires 160
160 KB
KB
-- High
High resolution
resolution color
color requires
requires 5.2
5.2 MB
MB
Movie Theaters
U.S.
U.S. film
film projectors
projectors play
play film
film at
at 24
24 fps
fps
•• Projectors
Projectors have
have aa shutter
shutter to
to block
block light
light during
during frame
frame advance
advance
•• To
To reduce
reduce flicker,
flicker, shutter
shutter opens
opens twice
twice for
for each
each frame
frame –– resulting
resulting in
in 48
48
fps
fps flashing
flashing
•• 48
48 fps
fps is
is perceptually
perceptually acceptable
acceptable
European
European film
film projectors
projectors play
play film
film at
at 25
25 fps
fps
•• American
American films
films are
are played
played ‘as
‘as is’
is’ in
in Europe,
Europe, resulting
resulting in
in everything
everything
moving
moving 4%
4% faster
faster
•• Faster
Faster movements
movements and and increased
increased audioaudio pitch
pitch are
are considered
considered
perceptually
perceptually acceptable
acceptable
Viewing Movies at Home
Film
Film to
to DVD
DVD transfer
transfer
•• Problem:
Problem: 24
24 film
film fps
fps must
must be
be converted
converted to
to
–– NTSC
NTSC U.S.
U.S. television
television interlaced
interlaced 29.97
29.97 fps
fps 768x494
768x494
–– PAL
PAL Europe
Europe television
television 25
25 fps
fps 752x582
752x582

Use
Use 3:2
3:2 Pulldown
Pulldown
•• First
First frame
frame of
of movie
movie is
is broken
broken into
into first
first three
three fields
fields (odd,
(odd, even,
even, odd)
odd)
•• Next
Next frame
frame of
of movie
movie is
is broken
broken into
into next
next two
two fields
fields (even,
(even, odd)
odd)
•• Next
Next frame
frame of
of movie
movie is
is broken
broken into
into next
next three
three fields
fields (even,
(even, odd,
odd, even)…
even)…
Display Technology: LCDs
Liquid
Liquid Crystal
Crystal Displays
Displays (LCDs)
(LCDs)
•• LCDs:
LCDs: organic
organic molecules,
molecules, naturally
naturally in
in crystalline
crystalline
state,
state, that
that liquefy
liquefy when
when excited
excited by
by heat
heat oror E
E field
field
•• Crystalline
Crystalline state
state twists
twists polarized
polarized light
light 90º.
90º.
Display Technology: LCDs
Liquid
Liquid Crystal
Crystal Displays
Displays (LCDs)
(LCDs)
•• LCDs:
LCDs: organic
organic molecules,
molecules, naturally
naturally in
in crystalline
crystalline
state,
state, that
that liquefy
liquefy when
when excited
excited by
by heat
heat oror E
E field
field
•• Crystalline
Crystalline state
state twists
twists polarized
polarized light
light 90º
90º
Display Technology: LCDs
Transmissive
Transmissive &
& reflective
reflective LCDs:
LCDs:
•• LCDs
LCDs act
act asas light
light valves,
valves, not
not light
light emitters,
emitters, and
and thus
thus rely
rely on
on an
an
external
external light
light source.
source.
•• Laptop
Laptop screen
screen
–– backlit
backlit
–– transmissive
transmissive display
display
•• Palm
Palm Pilot/Game
Pilot/Game Boy
Boy
–– reflective
reflective display
display
Display Technology: Plasma
Plasma
Plasma display
display panels
panels
•• Similar
Similar in
in principle
principle to
to
fluorescent
fluorescent light
light tubes
tubes
•• Small
Small gas-filled
gas-filled capsules
capsules
are
are excited
excited by
by electric
electric field,
field,
emits
emits UV
UV light
light
•• UV
UV excites
excites phosphor
phosphor
•• Phosphor
Phosphor relaxes,
relaxes, emits
emits
some
some other
other color
color
Display Technology
Plasma
Plasma Display
Display Panel
Panel Pros
Pros
•• Large
Large viewing
viewing angle
angle
•• Good
Good for
for large-format
large-format displays
displays
•• Fairly
Fairly bright
bright
Cons
Cons
•• Expensive
Expensive
•• Large
Large pixels
pixels (~1
(~1 mm
mm versus
versus ~0.2
~0.2 mm)
mm)
•• Phosphors
Phosphors gradually
gradually deplete
deplete
•• Less
Less bright
bright than
than CRTs,
CRTs, using
using more
more power
power
Review
Read
Read Chapter
Chapter 22
•• Details
Details about
about display
display devices
devices

Implement
Implement OpenGL
OpenGL
•• Section
Section 2.9
2.9 is
is good
good introduction
introduction to
to OpenGL
OpenGL