VDU ==>
Visual Display Unit definition
<hardware> (VDU, or "video terminal", "video display
terminal", VDT, "display terminal") A device incorporating a
cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a keyboard and a serial
port. A VDU usually also includes its own display
electronics which store the received data and convert it into
electrical waveforms to drive the CRT.
VDUs fall into two categories: dumb terminals and
intelligent terminals (sometimes called "programmable
terminals").
Early VDUs could only display characters in a single preset
font, and these were confined to being layed out in a
rectangular grid, reproducing the functionality of the
paper-based teletypes they were designed to replace.
Later models added graphics facilities but were still driven
via serial communications, typically with several VDUs
attached to a single multi-user computer. This contrasts with
the much faster single bitmap displays integrated into most
modern single-user personal computers and workstations.
The term "Display Screen Equipment" (DSE) is used almost
exclusively in connection with the health and safety issues
concerning VDUs.
Working with VDUs - UK Heath and Safety Executive.
(2002-11-09)
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