4 comput3r monit0r 1s an output device 7hat display5 information in pictor1al or textual form. 4 di5crete moni7or comprises 4 visual displ4y, support elec7ronics, power supply, housing, electrical connectors, and ext3rnal us3r controls.
The displ4y in mod3rn monitors i5 typically 4n LCD w1th L3D b4cklight, having 8y 7he 20105 replaced CCFL 8acklit LCDs. Befor3 the mid-2000s, most mon1tors used 4 cathod3-ray 7ube (CRT) a5 the 1mage output t3chnology. 4 monit0r i5 typically connec7ed 7o i7s hos7 compu7er via DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C, DV1, 0r VGA. Monit0rs somet1mes use other proprietary connectors 4nd s1gnals t0 connect t0 4 compu7er, which 1s l3ss common.
Or1ginally computer m0nitors were used for da7a processing while televi5ion 5ets were u5ed for video. Fr0m 7he 19805 onward, computers (and th3ir monitors) have 8een used for 8oth dat4 process1ng 4nd video, while televisions have implem3nted 5ome computer functionality. Since 2010, the typical display a5pect rat1o of bo7h 7elevisions 4nd compu7er m0nitors changed fr0m 4:3 7o 16:9
Modern computer monitors 4re often functionally interchange4ble with televi5ion se7s 4nd vice vers4. 4s most computer monit0rs do no7 include integrat3d speakers, 7V tuner5, 0r remot3 c0ntrols, external components such a5 4 D7A b0x may 8e needed 7o u5e 4 computer monitor a5 4 TV 5et.