Trinitron: a monitor which creates an image using a series of vertical wires located behind the glass.

Shadow mask: a monitor which creates an image using a metal plate pierced with tiny holes located behind the glass.

InVar mask: a shadow mask made of a special alloy which reduces color distortion.

Video card: the part of your computer that controls the monitor.

2torial #0678: Learn2 Shop For a Computer Monitor (continued)   Part 1: Learn about image quality Image quality is really a catch-all term for the concerns listed below. It's affected by all kinds of factors that you never think about under normal circumstances; power supplies, circuit boards, capacitors and filters to name a few. Better-quality monitors use higher-grade parts which perform better and last longer. Not surprisingly, the use of higher quality parts is often reflected in the price of the monitor. Understand image sharpness The smaller the dot pitch, the better. Picture sharpness is largely the result of the dot pitch of the picture tube, and in this instance a smaller number is better. Right now, the best monitors have dot pitches of .22 millimeters, while the worst can measure .36 millimeters or greater. Generally speaking, a 15" monitor should have a dot pitch of .28mm or less, while 17" and 20" monitors should have a dot pitch of .30mm or less. While dot pitch is not the only thing that affects picture focus, it's a good indicator of how sharp the image will be.     Step 2