CRT vs. Flat Screen Monitors

[Jinx]

I swore I just posted this, but when searching all my posts for the last month, it doesn't come up. Anyway, some questions about monitors:

a) How come laptops existed years before flat screen monitors and TVs?
b) Why does my TV have "instant on"; yet, my PC (CRT) monitor needs to warm up?

The puzzles of technology...
- Jinx

[friedo]

a) Old LCD monitors were pretty terrible. They were extremely slow to update and could only be viewed at certain angles. Thus the only use for them was in laptops, where people were willing to sacrifice these things for portability.

b) Your PC's CRT is old. Old TVs took a couple seconds to warm up as well.

[Dewey Finn]

You must start a lot of threads if you can't find one you posted just a week ago. Here (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=402691) it is.

[carnivorousplant]

CRTs use a Cathode Ray Tube, which has to warm up to function.
Some television sets kept current flowing in the tube to speed up the time to come on.

[Imasquare]

I swore I just posted this, but when searching all my posts for the last month, it doesn't come up.Either you or someone else did in the last few days.

b) Your PC's CRT is old. Old TVs took a couple seconds to warm up as well.Not really. TV sets in the 70's featured an instant on feature. As soon as you pushed the button the picture came on instantly. Modern TV sets don't have this feature, probably because it wastes electricity by keeping the picture tube warmed up constantly.