# Vector monitor

> Display device used for computer graphics up through the 1970s

**Wikidata**: [Q1712927](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1712927)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_monitor)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vector-monitor

## Summary
A Vector monitor is a type of electronic visual display used primarily for computer graphics up through the 1970s. Unlike raster displays, Vector monitors draw directly to specific points on the screen using an electron beam that follows mathematical instructions to create images.

## Key Facts
- Vector monitors were used for computer graphics primarily during the 1970s
- They belong to the class of electronic visual displays, which are electrically controlled with no moving parts
- The Vector monitor has a freebase ID of /m/02qnm_s
- It has 8 sitelinks across different platforms
- The Vector monitor is available in 8 languages: Azerbaijani, Czech, German, English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Ukrainian
- It has a museum digital tag ID of 12688
- Microsoft Academic ID for Vector monitor is 2780770965 (now discontinued)

## FAQs
### Q: What is a Vector monitor?
A: A Vector monitor is an electronic visual display used for computer graphics that draws directly to phosphorescent dots on the screen using an electron beam following mathematical instructions.

### Q: How does a Vector monitor differ from raster monitors?
A: While raster monitors build images line by line from top to bottom, Vector monitors draw directly to specific points on the screen, allowing for smoother curves and more precise graphics without aliasing.

### Q: When were Vector monitors used?
A: Vector monitors were primarily used during the 1970s for computer graphics applications before being largely replaced by raster-based displays in the following decades.

### Q: Why did Vector monitors fall out of use?
A: Vector monitors were eventually superseded by raster displays due to their lower cost, higher resolution capabilities, and compatibility with the emerging graphics standards of the 1980s and beyond.

## Why It Matters
Vector monitors represented a significant advancement in early computer graphics technology, allowing for precise drawing of lines and curves without the stair-stepping artifacts common in early raster displays. They were instrumental in the development of early computer-aided design (CAD) systems, vector graphics software, and arcade games during the 1970s. Despite being largely obsolete today, understanding Vector monitors provides important historical context for the evolution of display technology and computer graphics. The precision and mathematical nature of Vector monitors influenced early computer graphics algorithms and concepts that continue to be relevant in modern graphics programming and digital art.

## Notable For
- Direct drawing capability that allowed for mathematically precise lines and curves without stair-stepping artifacts
- Use of an electron beam following vector instructions to create images directly on phosphorescent screens
- Historical significance in early computer graphics development during the 1970s
- Compatibility with early vector-based computer graphics systems and CAD applications
- Lower cost alternative to more expensive specialized vector display systems of the era

## Body
### Technology Overview
Vector monitors are a type of electronic visual display that uses an electron beam to draw directly to specific points on a phosphorescent screen. Unlike raster displays that scan across the entire screen line by line, Vector monitors only illuminate the points needed to create the image.

### Historical Context
Vector monitors were primarily used during the 1970s for computer graphics applications. They were particularly popular in early computer-aided design (CAD) systems, vector graphics workstations, and arcade games of the era.

### Technical Specifications
The technology relies on mathematical instructions that direct the electron beam to specific coordinates on the screen. This allows for precise drawing of lines and curves with minimal distortion.

### Decline and Legacy
While innovative for their time, Vector monitors were eventually replaced by raster-based displays in the 1980s. Raster displays offered higher resolution, lower cost, and better compatibility with emerging graphics standards, leading to the obsolescence of Vector monitors in most applications.

### Cultural Impact
Vector monitors played a role in the early development of computer graphics and influenced the design of early arcade games and computer interfaces. Their legacy continues in modern vector graphics algorithms and concepts used in digital art and computer graphics programming.