The monitor you are using with your computer may be affected by which hemisphere of the earth you are in. The Northern and Southern hemispheres of the earth have different magnetic fields, each pulling toward its respective pole. Monitors with
cathode ray tubes, which are the majority of
desktop monitors in use today, are manufactured specifically for which hemisphere they are going to be used in.
CRT monitors work by moving electron beams back and forth behind the screen, and the earth's magnetic fields act on the electron beams, pulling them toward the field. A monitor calibrated for the Northern hemisphere can still be used in the Southern hemisphere, but the colors and the image would be slightly skewed. Most major monitor manufacturers give users the controls to manually adjust the image.
LCD monitors are not affected by this phenomenon. |
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By Webopedia.com Staff
Originally published 2002. Last updated: January 22, 2010
Monitors: Earth's Magnetic Field Affects Performance

Variations in the earth's magnetic field can affect a monitor's
performance, especially if it is moved from one hemisphere to the other.
TV and Monitor CRT
(Picture Tube) Information

This document contains a collection of information relating to CRT
(picture tube) construction, characteristics, problems, maintenance,
troubleshooting, and repair.
http://www.laserfaq.org/sam/crtfaq.htm |