Why was LCD invented?

LCD, or the liquid crystal display, weren't "invented" for use in televisions. Televisions are just one application of liquid crystals.

The properties of liquid crystals were noted many years ago. When a voltage is applied to a liquid crystal molecule, it moves, or rotates. This property can be used to affect light transmission through a transparent medium.

A liquid crystal display is just an application of this phenomenon. The earliest application I know of was the production of low powered numerical displays used as an alternative to LED seven segment displays. Think of the handheld calculator. It typically uses an LCD.

The picture superiority of LCD televisions over CRT is debatable. I own a widescreen CRT television, and I am amazed at how superior it is to typical consumer level LCD or plasma displays in terms of colour accuracy, black levels and contrast. But it sure has its drawbacks: limited size, hernia producing weight and higher power consumption than LCD panels, for example. Plasma displays suck more power than either LCD or CRT, though.

I am sure that flat panel displays will one day offer something better, but they just aren't as mature a technology as CRTs yet. But unless you buy used, you are pretty well out of luck for buying a CRT display these days.

Answer

Simply put: much better image quality.

To read the specifics go here:

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/13-lcdtvadvantages.html

Answer

Also standard crt screens require a lot of power in their vertical and horizontal hold architecture. Using liquid crystal displays reduce the power used.

First answer by MrEdit. Last edit by Little mugwump. Contributor trust: 72 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 123 [recommend question]