On-Screen Display

What Does On-Screen Display Mean?

An on-screen display (OSD) is a strategically arranged control set that appears on a computer monitor, television screen, VCR or DVD player. The OSD allows users to select viewing options or adjust display characteristics, such as contrast, brightness and vertical/horizontal image or video positioning.

Techopedia Explains On-Screen Display

The OSD may be activated by buttons at the bottom of a computer monitor or via software. On a TV, VCR or DVD player, the OSD may be activated by buttons or via a remote control. Users may also be able to view or set program searches, information, and/or parental control with certain channels.

Computer software may use OSD as support for enhanced keyboard, audio controls, music track selections, almanac data, and access to background programs, which may be built into the operating system.

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Margaret Rouse

Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.

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