Some LCDs say they have xxdots and some say xxxpixels. What is the correllation between pixels and dots?
I assume 640 x 480 would be 307,200 pixels. If an LCD was advertised as 330,000 dots what the heck does that tell me if anything when comparing to pixels?

I believe "dots" count each subpixel (R,G,B ) so one pixel equals three dots.

So horizontal resolution is one third with dots.

err... I think.

I tend to look at resolution (640x480) rather than pixel count because I've
heard that several manufacturers FIB! They'll count the 3 sub pixels as a
pixel for the horizontal, and such. However, whenever I want to figure out
something like that, I go to Wikipedia.

Here is a link that gives you some info about halfway down about pixel count.

Yes, I believe pixels are devided into subpixels called dots. So, the 330,000 dots in pixel form would be

330,000/3 = 110,000 pixels. You would then devide it by a common pixel resolution like 600, or 480, or 320, or...

Although, I'm having trouble trying to figure out the resolution and aspect ratio of the 330,000.

Hope that helps.

Here's a link for total pixel count for the different resolutions.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/howmanydots/

Thanks for your help on this!

Here is the info I am looking at. It is for a small LCD screen 2.5". I know that projected it won't be very good quality but, I just want to play a little bit.


Screen size: 2.5¡± (diagonal)
Ratio: 4:3 TFT screen
VHF, UHF; CATV
Resolution (H x V): 1440 x 234 = 336,960 dots
LCD Brightness: 250cd/m2
Contrast: 150:1
1 RCA video input, Audio Input



So, this would be 112,320 pixels, right? So, is this CGA or QVGA according to the chart? Is the chart that was posted minimums for each category not maximums? The chart has 128,000 pixels in the CGA and 76,800 in the QVGA. I'm not brain dead, I am just trying to make sense of all this hocus pocus.

That's 480x234... the chart is for actual monitor resolutions, not for those
little displays for the car and stuff. It's closest to Wide Quarter VGA, tho.

Basically, it's neither a standard monitor or video resolution, it just scales
whatever you give it to it's res and that's it, as far as I can tell. Some of
those displays (like the one I got from a digital photo frame that was at
960x234) will actually take (when hooked up to the composite out of the
computer) up to 1024x768 res and just scale it down to that 960x234. It
looks funky, but it helps with the color dithering to have a higher res input.

I agree. Hey vonneuton, is it 960, or 320? (960/3dotsperpixel = 320, a common width.)

Correct me if I am wrong but, isn't a regular CRT TV 480x234 resolution. If you play a DVD which is a higher resolution or view your computer say set at 800 x 600 on the CRT TV does it scale the image down?? If it does, how does the TV compensate for the loss of dithering or is there a loss?

Well, I don't know about the dithering, but I think CRT TV is 480x320, though I'll have to look that up to be certain.

EDIT: I'm pretty sure I got that wrong.

EDIT 2: Howstuffworks says that a normal crt can display 480 lines of vertical resolution, so that would put a 4:3 tv at 640x480, but again I'm not sure.

It is confusing.
The CRTs are designated with a horizontal resolution measured in the number of vertical lines.
So, you are saying that 480 is vertical lines but not the horizontal resolution? I'm getting a headache!

Scroll down to ""Vertical and Horizontal Resolution"" at this link. It explains how it all works. http://www.hdtvinfoport.com/HDTV-Resolution.html

Yep... 320 x 234. Great, isn't it?

And you know what... the way that manufacturers mess with numbers and stuff, all those
numbers are grey area as far as I'm concerned. For small LCDs, I don't really trust a
whole lot of the companies that make them specifically for cars and such... big unknowns.

As for TV's resolution, it says in that link. And to quote the website:
-----
The "vertical resolution" of NTSC TV refers to the total number of lines (rows) scanned from left to right across the screen - BUT Counted from Top to Bottom, or Vertically. This number is set by the NTSC TV 'Standard' (ie: 520 lines - 480 'visible' lines). This Vertical Resolution number is static - it doesn't change. Therefore, the Vertical Resolution is the same for ALL TV's manufactured to meet a specified Standard.

The horizontal resolution of television, and other video displays, is dependent upon the quality of the video signal's source.
As an example - the horizontal resolution of VHS tape is (about) 240 lines; broadcast TV (about) 330 lines, laserdisc (about) 420 lines; and DVD (about) 480 lines.
-----

So 480 x whatever for analog CRT TVs.

But that's with traditional CRTs, which aren't using a static technology like LCDs do. With
LCD technology, you have a fixed amount of pixels, because they install a transistor in
there. The only thing we can do is send emails to the manufacturers and hope to god
that they send us the correct information.

Like when I was searching for a new LCD, I found an Audiovox DVD in a bag that said it
had 480i resolution... when contacted, they said that the DVD player was 480i, and the
LCD was 480 x 234. Slightly different, wouldn't you say? No mention of that on ANY
of the marketing.

In a nutshell,

1. Standard CRT TVs verticle resolution is static at 480 visible lines and horizontal resolution on broadcast TV is about 330 lines.

2. Pixel count is not included in these numbers on CRT TV

3. Trying to compare pixel or dot count on LCDs to resolution of CRT TVs is like trying to compare apples to monkeys butts.


I think I got it. Thanks to everyone that replied

I think I may have to use that at some point. Do I have your permission?

Feel free to use it, abuse it or write it on a bathroom wall.