Flat Monitor Gets Blurry Then Turns Into Horizontal and Vert

[Bret Cahill]

A first I thought it was a software problem, then a dust bunnies in
the tower problem, then I realized the machine made the right noises
logging on, etc.

So I turned my attention to the monitor. For awhile I could get it to
work by laying it flat on its back and tapping it w/ a screwdriver.

Then this morning that stopped working.

Now it seems to be working perfectly -- why I'm posting here -- and
slapping it doesn't seem to send it back to blurry mode.

One interesting aspect about the monitor when it's _not_ working: it
puts out a sine wave hum with a frequency about middle C.


Bret Cahill

 

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 3:54:55 AM UTC-6, Bret Cahill wrote:

A first I thought it was a software problem, then a dust bunnies in

the tower problem,  then I realized the machine made the right noises

logging on, etc.



So I turned my attention to the monitor.  For awhile I could get it to

work by laying it flat on its back and tapping it w/ a screwdriver.



Then this morning that stopped working.



Now it seems to be working perfectly -- why I'm posting here -- and

slapping it doesn't seem to send it back to blurry mode.



One interesting aspect about the monitor when it's _not_ working:  it

puts out a sine wave hum with a frequency about middle C.



Actually the tone remains either way.



It may be some kind of thermal problem. As it heats up it tends to

get worse.





Bret Cahill

Sounds like the legendary bad solder-flow connection! If it was just thermal...the tapping wouldn't have "fixed" it!

 

[Bret Cahill]

A first I thought it was a software problem, then a dust bunnies in

the tower problem,  then I realized the machine made the right noises

logging on, etc.

So I turned my attention to the monitor.  For awhile I could get it to

work by laying it flat on its back and tapping it w/ a screwdriver.

Then this morning that stopped working.

Now it seems to be working perfectly -- why I'm posting here -- and

slapping it doesn't seem to send it back to blurry mode.

One interesting aspect about the monitor when it's _not_ working:  it

puts out a sine wave hum with a frequency about middle C.

Actually the tone remains either way.

It may be some kind of thermal problem.  As it heats up it tends to

get worse.

Bret Cahill

Sounds like the legendary bad solder-flow connection! If it was just thermal...the tapping wouldn't have "fixed" it!

It could be some combination of dust, heat and a loose or unintended
connection. The rel. humidity is usually < 20% so static electricity
could be a factor. The instrument light in my vehicle will
occasionally work when it's really humid or really cold althought that
might not be the best model.

Maybe the greasy smoke from the frying pan makes it over here.

It's cool right now and it's working so 15 - 30 minutes under a 300
watt quartz light may confirm something. The drunk looking for his
keys under the light isn't such a great joke.

It just went out again before I could post and dropping it on its back
got it going again.


Bret Cahill

 

[Tim Wescott]

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:52:31 -0800, Bret Cahill wrote:

A first I thought it was a software problem, then a dust bunnies in the
tower problem, then I realized the machine made the right noises
logging on, etc.

So I turned my attention to the monitor. For awhile I could get it to
work by laying it flat on its back and tapping it w/ a screwdriver.

Then this morning that stopped working.

Now it seems to be working perfectly -- why I'm posting here -- and
slapping it doesn't seem to send it back to blurry mode.

One interesting aspect about the monitor when it's _not_ working: it
puts out a sine wave hum with a frequency about middle C.


Bret Cahill

Loose connection. Either at a cable, or a solder joint has cracked, or a
circuit board has a crack.

You need to open it up and poke around to see what you need to wiggle to
make it work/not work (without killing yourself or the monitor, of course
-- I have no idea what sort of voltages there are in such a monitor).

Given that laying it on its back and tapping it seems to help, I'd start
with the cables, then wiggle all of the heavy-looking components, then go
finer from there. Try pressing in the middle of circuit boards -- if
you've got a cracked trace, then that'll either push it together or pull
it apart, to make it work/not work.

If you were in Portland Oregon I'd suggest going to Free Geek and buying
a new on: your problem isn't going to be easy to find. How much is your
time worth?

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Bret Cahill]

A first I thought it was a software problem, then a dust bunnies in the
tower problem,  then I realized the machine made the right noises
logging on, etc.

So I turned my attention to the monitor.  For awhile I could get it to
work by laying it flat on its back and tapping it w/ a screwdriver.

Then this morning that stopped working.

Now it seems to be working perfectly -- why I'm posting here -- and
slapping it doesn't seem to send it back to blurry mode.

One interesting aspect about the monitor when it's _not_ working:  it
puts out a sine wave hum with a frequency about middle C.

Bret Cahill

Loose connection.  Either at a cable, or a solder joint has cracked, or a
circuit board has a crack.

You need to open it up and poke around to see what you need to wiggle to
make it work/not work (without killing yourself or the monitor, of course
-- I have no idea what sort of voltages there are in such a monitor).

Given that laying it on its back and tapping it seems to help,  I'd start
with the cables, then wiggle all of the heavy-looking components, then go
finer from there.  Try pressing in the middle of circuit boards -- if
you've got a cracked trace, then that'll either push it together or pull
it apart, to make it work/not work.

If you were in Portland Oregon I'd suggest going to Free Geek and buying
a new on: your problem isn't going to be easy to find.  How much is your
time worth?

I'll nurse it along, try not to bang my feet on the desk, etc.

It's not often you get an opportunity to fix a 'puter peripherial just
by banging -- like an appliance or power tool.


Bret Cahill

 

[Bret Cahill]

A space heater + tapping on the upper right back seems to get it to
work.

The theory du jour is after 4 summers of 100 F heat it warped or
melted a little. It likes to be hot.


Bret Cahill

 

[Bret Cahill]

All the banging and heating seems to fixed it. The 1,000 watt space
heater was killing my carbon footprint.


Bret Cahill