# IBM Monochrome Display Adapter

> computer display standard

**Wikidata**: [Q849817](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q849817)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Monochrome_Display_Adapter)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ibm-monochrome-display-adapter

## Summary
The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) is a computer display standard developed by IBM that provided text-only output for early Personal Computers. It was one of the original display adapters, offering high-quality text display that distinguished it from other display technologies of its time.

## Key Facts
- IBM Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) is a computer display standard created by IBM
- Also known as IBM Monochrome Display and Printer Adapter, Monochrome Display Adapter, and has several non-English names including Arabic, Korean, and Catalan variants
- Has a Freebase ID of /m/02wmzl and a Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID of adaptador-de-pantalla-monocrom (former scheme: 0246710)
- Has 24 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages including English, German, Spanish, and others
- Is categorized as an instance of computer display standard in knowledge bases
- Has a dedicated Commons category for visual documentation
- Information available in 10 Wikipedia languages: Arabic, Catalan, Czech, German, English, Spanish, Basque, Persian, Finnish, and Commons

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary purpose of the IBM Monochrome Display Adapter?
A: The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter was designed to provide high-quality text display for early IBM Personal Computers, offering crisp, readable text that was ideal for business and programming applications.

### Q: How did the IBM Monochrome Display Adapter differ from other display adapters of its time?
A: Unlike other adapters that supported graphics, the MDA was primarily focused on text display, offering superior text quality with 720×350 resolution compared to adapters like CGA which had lower text resolution but supported color graphics.

### Q: In which languages is information about the IBM Monochrome Display Adapter available?
A: Information about the IBM Monochrome Display Adapter is available in multiple Wikipedia languages including Arabic, Catalan, Czech, German, English, Spanish, Basque, Persian, and Finnish.

## Why It Matters
The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter represents a foundational step in computer display technology, establishing standards for text display that influenced decades of computing. Its high-quality text output made it particularly valuable for business applications, programming, and word processing during the early personal computing era. As one of the first display standards for IBM PCs, MDA set a precedent for subsequent display technologies and played a crucial role in making computers accessible and useful for professional applications that required clear text representation.

## Notable For
- Being one of the original display standards for IBM Personal Computers
- Providing superior text quality with 720×350 resolution, making it ideal for professional applications
- Having extensive documentation and presence across multiple language Wikipedia editions
- Its distinctive text-only approach compared to later color graphics adapters
- Its lasting impact on computer display standards despite being largely superseded by more capable adapters

## Body
### Technical Specifications
The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter is a computer display standard focused on text output rather than graphics. It is categorized as an instance of computer display standard and was developed by IBM for their Personal Computer systems.

### Naming and Recognition
This display standard has multiple aliases including "IBM Monochrome Display and Printer Adapter," "IBM Monochrome Display Adapter," "Monochrome Display Adapter," and the acronym "MDA." It also has several non-English names including Arabic names "أم دي ايه" and "ام دي إيه" and Korean name "IBM 모노크롬 디스플레이 어댑터."

### Knowledge Base Presence
The IBM Monochrome Display Adapter has a significant presence in knowledge bases with:
- Freebase ID: /m/02wmzl
- Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID: adaptador-de-pantalla-monocrom (former scheme: 0246710)
- 24 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages

### Language Availability
Information about this display standard is available in 10 Wikipedia language editions: Arabic, Catalan, Czech, German, English, Spanish, Basque, Persian, Finnish, and the Commons category.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013