The workhorse CRT: New life: This old standby is still first in monochrome text displays, and color CRTs are widely chosen for graphics

It is pointed out that the monochrome CRT display still has potential for improvement at only modest extra cost. The trend is toward larger screens, greater character content, and positive images-black characters on a white background, like a printed page, as opposed to the white on black that has been standard for 20 years. Because of the nature of the monochrome CRT, many improvements can be made in the overall system by improving video amplifiers and by modifying electron-beam-focusing coils, scan rates, and deflection, without changing the structure of the tube itself. It is predicted that the biggest improvements in color monitors will come not from changes in tube design but from the digital integrated circuits that drive them. Some of the problems that will have to be solved to produce better CRT color displays are discussed.