Why don't LCDs scale as well as CRT displays?

[mshan]

Is it simply because LCDs currently use cheap scalers or is there something intrinsic to the design of LCDs that will never let them scale as well as CRT displays?

 

[Dman877]

LCD's have a set amount of pixels, actual physical pixels, in the panel. Think of an lcd panel as a grid of lights. CRT's work completely differently, they have electron guns that shoot light through a magnetic feild to create an image.

 

[RaiderJ]

LCDs always scale/stretch at non-native resolutions

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: Dman877
LCD's have a set amount of pixels, actual physical pixels, in the panel. Think of an lcd panel as a grid of lights. CRT's work completely differently, they have electron guns that shoot light through a magnetic feild to create an image.

Is that why CRTs are bigger?

I wonder if it will ever be possible to have a CRT/LCD hybrid that's only half or a quarter of the size of a reg CRT yet you can have the best of both worlds.

 

[suicidalpigeon]

there was suppose to be new crts half or 1/3rd the current size but i lost the link...

 

[corkyg]

CRTs are scanning imagers - the image is painted on by an electron beam that strikes rare earth phosphors embedded in a glass tube. Same as TV. Scaling is easy just by controlling the beam.

LCDs use thin film technology which provides for a fixed number of pixels embedded in the film. The pixels are turned on and off by controlling voltages on an X-Y axis. They are staring images - no flicker - no scan lines. There is no real scaling in LCDs. However, they can interpolate resolutions below "native" by combining pixels and omitting pixels. The result is less than desirable.

LCDs are now being made for HDTV in sizes as large as 42 inches.