{{Short description|Display technologies with an invariable matrix of pixels}}
{{Multiple image | header = Fixed vs. CRT pixels | image1 = Closeup of pixels.JPG | width1 = 260 | caption1 = Closeup of a fixed pixel display: pixels consist of 3 colored subpixels, and are arranged in a matrix, aligned both horizontally and vertically. | image2 = CRT pixels close-up crop.JPG | width2 = 150 | caption2 = A CRT monitor that has no clear distinction of individual pixels; the image is formed based on the resolution set by the electron gun. The brightness of the image can vary within each phosphor dot. }}
'''Fixed-pixel displays''' are display technologies such as LCD and plasma that use an unfluctuating matrix of pixels with a set number of pixels in each row and column.<ref name="SID-Symposium"/><ref name="SPIE-3954"/> With such displays, adjusting (scaling) to different aspect ratios because of different input signals requires complex processing.<ref name="SPIE-3954"/>{{Better source needed|reason=Requires citation that specifies the claimed complexity of the processing.|date=October 2021}}
In contrast, CRT-based displays "paint" the screen with the required number of pixels horizontally and vertically. CRTs can be designed to more easily accommodate a wide range of inputs (VGA, XVGA, NTSC, HDTV, etc.).{{cn|date=October 2021}} Despite the phosphor dots on a color CRT superficially resembling pixels, they are not: the electron guns in the CRT do not control phosphor dots individually, and the brightness of an image can change within a dot.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Technology Connections |date=2018-04-22 |title=These Are Not Pixels: Revisited |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea6tw-gulnQ |type=Video |access-date=2026-03-24 }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="SID-Symposium">{{cite conference | url = https://sid.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1889/1.2036376 | title = Invited Paper: 65.3: Development of Image Quality Technology for Digital High Definition Plasma TV | book-title = SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers | publisher = Society for Information Display | pages = 1832–1835 | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | doi = 10.1889/1.2036376 | first1 = Susumu | last1 = Tsujihara | first2 = Keiich | last2 = Otake | date = 5 July 2012 | access-date = 30 October 2021 | quote = The screen resolution of fixed pixel display devices such as plasma TVs and LCD TVs is regulated by the number of pixels in the panel. | url-access = subscription }} {{closed access}}</ref> <ref name="SPIE-3954">{{cite conference | url = https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/3954/0000/Artifact-free-resizing-using-an-optical-method/10.1117/12.383382.short | title = Artifact-free resizing using an optical method | date = 25 April 2000 | access-date = 30 October 2021 | first1 = John W. | last1 = Bowron | first2 = George | last2 = Tsintzouras | volume = 3954 | book-title = Projection Displays 2000: Sixth in a Series | doi = 10.1117/12.383382 | conference = Electronic Imaging 2000 | location = San Jose, CA, United States | quote = A fixed pixel display is characterised by the number of rows and columns that can be addressed. This can be referred to as the 'native resolution' of the panel. When the native resolution of the panel matches the resolution of the signal it can be used directly. When the signal does not match this resolution some other measures must be taken to display the information. The most popular technique is resizing the signal electronically to match the resolution of the panel. | url-access = subscription }} {{closed access}}</ref> }}
Category:Digital imaging {{compu-graphics-stub}}