Client Announcements

“R.I.P., CRT Monitor”, says PC World

Immediate release
November, 2007

“R.I.P., CRT MONITOR”, SAYS PC WORLD

- Flat screen monitors and the growing popularity of “teleputing” sound the death knell for the CRT monitor as homes plug their PCs into their TVs

- Eight in ten PCs are now sold with a remote control
PC World, the UK’s leading chain of computing superstores, announces today that it has flicked the off-switch on the sale of bulky CRT monitors for the last time.

A new generation of energy-efficient flat screen monitors and televisions has seen off the classic CRT monitor, saving acres of spare room desk space in the process.

Today, increasing numbers of buyers are selecting a flat screen monitor or are plugging their PCs into their new flat screen televisions and engaging in teleputing as new connected home technologies become a reality. Owners are taking advantage of their new HD-ready flat screens to play games, films or show photographs.

Today, around 80% of the PCs that PC World sells are supplied with remote controls, reflecting the dramatic change in usage patterns.

The CRT monitor has been a fixture in many spare rooms since the PC generation started in earnest in the late 1980s. At its peak in 1999, the global market for CRT monitors was worth around US $20 billion. Flat LCD monitor sales outstripped CRT monitor sales in 2003 for the first time.
“The death of the CRT monitor is a consequence of the changing role of the PC in the home,” said Niall O’Keeffe, marketing director at PC World. “It used to be that the monitor was there to display straightforward static images, but content has evolved dramatically and the use of PCs has broadened to encompass all sorts of entertainment and flat screen monitors have risen in popularity. Many routinely plug their PCs into flat screen televisions today, and with shifting requirements it has become inevitable that the CRT monitor’s days would be numbered.”
PC World is offering an “amnesty” on old CRT monitors, including a 10% discount on new flat screen monitors with each CRT monitor traded in. Old monitors will be recycled by PC World’s specialist contractors in line with the WEEE directive.

― Ends ―

Notes to editors:

The trend towards connecting the PC to the TV is in many ways a return to the past. Many of the early computers, including the infamous Sinclair ZX, often connected to CRT televisions. The image quality was invariably poor due to the requirement to convert the image format for display on an analogue screen.
Today’s PCs are capable of displaying sharp images, even high definition, on modern LCD or plasma screens and many are capable of connecting digitally to the TV. The very latest PCs and laptops can connect using an HDMI lead, the latest digital connection method.
The CRT or cathode ray tube refers to the picture tube incorporated within bulky monitors. The back of the tube has a negatively charged cathode. The electron gun shoots electrons down the tube and onto a charged screen. The screen is coated with a pattern of dots that glow when struck by the electron stream. Each cluster of three dots, one of each color, is one pixel. The image on the monitor screen is usually made up from at least tens of thousands of such tiny dots glowing on command from the computer. The closer together the pixels are, the sharper the image on screen. The distance between pixels on a computer monitor screen is called its dot pitch and is measured in millimeters. Most monitors have a dot pitch of 0.28 mm or less.
Most modern computer displays can show thousands or millions of different colors in the RGB color space by varying red, green, and blue signals in continuously variable intensities. For years, TVs and computer monitors have been significantly different. However, as TVs have become more versatile, the distinction, if not the image, has blurred.

More information:

Rob Forbes, PC World, 07872 671829
rob.forbes@dsgiplc.com

Hamish Thompson, Twelve Thirty Eight Ltd, 07702 684290
hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com

About PC World
PC World is Britain’s largest specialist chain of computing superstores. The superstores offer more than 5,000 product lines including extensive ranges of PCs, laptops, printers, software, peripherals and accessories from the major brands, as well as many PC World exclusive products. In-store PC Clinics offer on the spot advice and service. Component Centres offer a ‘one-stop shop’ for customers with advanced technical knowledge, providing a vast choice of PC components and upgrade products at competitive prices. In 2007, PC World won Retail Week’s Product Innovation of the Year award, for its Data Recovery service. Every PC World store has an in-store business centre staffed by experienced business specialists. They offer local companies face-to-face help and advice with choosing the best IT solutions. There are 157 stores in the UK and 10 in the Republic of Ireland.

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