Dark graphics

[Jim Ludwig]

Hi,
I'm having trouble with somewhat dark video quality on my monitor. I
believe I've had this issue for a long time, but I didn't realize it until I
got a laptop awhile back and that screen is much, much brighter. My Windows
apps look fine, but if I play a dvd movie, watch a video, or play a game,
it's way too dark. Where I run into trouble for instance is when my son
plays his LEGO Batmann game. It's so dark on my pc that it is actually not
playable because you can't see half the stuff. It looks great on the
laptop. I have downloaded the latest drivers for the video card, which is
an older nvidia Geforce card. I have tried fiddling with the control panel
that came with the downloaded driver as well as obviously messing with the
control knobs on the monitor itself. Any thoughts to why I'm have this dark
video?
Thanks,
Jim Ludwig
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Malke]

Hi,
I'm having trouble with somewhat dark video quality on my monitor. I
believe I've had this issue for a long time, but I didn't realize it until
I
got a laptop awhile back and that screen is much, much brighter. My
Windows apps look fine, but if I play a dvd movie, watch a video, or play
a game,
it's way too dark. Where I run into trouble for instance is when my son
plays his LEGO Batmann game. It's so dark on my pc that it is actually
not
playable because you can't see half the stuff. It looks great on the
laptop. I have downloaded the latest drivers for the video card, which is
an older nvidia Geforce card. I have tried fiddling with the control
panel that came with the downloaded driver as well as obviously messing
with the
control knobs on the monitor itself. Any thoughts to why I'm have this
dark video?

Attach the computer to a different monitor. If everything is fine, replace
the original monitor. If everything is still dark, your video card may be
going. Uninstall it and try a known-working card.

Malke

 

[smlunatick]

Hi,
I'm having trouble with somewhat dark video quality on my monitor.  I
believe I've had this issue for a long time, but I didn't realize it until I
got a laptop awhile back and that screen is much, much brighter.  My Windows
apps look fine, but if I play a dvd movie, watch a video, or play a game,
it's way too dark.  Where I run into trouble for instance is when my son
plays his LEGO Batmann game.  It's so dark on my pc that it is actuallynot
playable because you can't see half the stuff.  It looks great on the
laptop.  I have downloaded the latest drivers for the video card, whichis
an older nvidia Geforce card.  I have tried fiddling with the control panel
that came with the downloaded driver as well as obviously messing with the
control knobs on the monitor itself.  Any thoughts to why I'm have thisdark
video?
Thanks,
Jim Ludwig
(e-mail address removed)

For your info, I too had notice that a nVidia card might display
darker graphics. This can possible be cause with a monitor that is
based on a CRT tube. The tube might be nearing its end. I changed my
"dead" 17 inch CRT monitor and replaced it with a 22 inch wide LCD. I
am now working on my "tan" since the LCD is incredibly bright.

You can not compare a CRT monitor to any LCD based monitor.

 

[Lem]

Hi,
I'm having trouble with somewhat dark video quality on my monitor. I
believe I've had this issue for a long time, but I didn't realize it until I
got a laptop awhile back and that screen is much, much brighter. My Windows
apps look fine, but if I play a dvd movie, watch a video, or play a game,
it's way too dark. Where I run into trouble for instance is when my son
plays his LEGO Batmann game. It's so dark on my pc that it is actually not
playable because you can't see half the stuff. It looks great on the
laptop. I have downloaded the latest drivers for the video card, which is
an older nvidia Geforce card. I have tried fiddling with the control panel
that came with the downloaded driver as well as obviously messing with the
control knobs on the monitor itself. Any thoughts to why I'm have this dark
video?
Thanks,
Jim Ludwig
(e-mail address removed)

Usually, the Brightness control on the monitor should fix this. If not,
look for Brightness and "Gamma" controls, either in the application
(games sometimes include video setup options) or in the control panel
for your display adapter.

Or it could simply be that your old monitor (CRT) is failing.

You could try iGamma or gamma panel, but both apps are old, no longer
supported, and may not help anyway: http://majorgeeks.com/iGamma_d3774.html
http://majorgeeks.com/Gamma_Panel_d2796.html

As you can see, your problem is far from unique:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=monitor+too+dark&btnG=Google+Search&cts=1237398613278&aq=f&oq=
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

How old is the monitor? Over time, they darken, and no amount of adjusting
the brightness will make it look 'like new' again. I had one 17" CRT that
lasted 11 years, when I finally swapped it out for a newer one, I was amazed
at the color change of the desktop! It may be that it's time to think about
something newer.

 

[Jim Ludwig]

Attach the computer to a different monitor. If everything is fine, replace
the original monitor. If everything is still dark, your video card may be
going. Uninstall it and try a known-working card.

Malke

 

[Jim Ludwig]

Malke and others,
Thanks a bunch! The old monitor was indeed the problem. My computer is at
least 9 years old and the 22" trinitron has seen better days evidently. My
background wallpaper is the standard Win XP green pasture with blue sky and
as soon as I hooked up the other monitor (a 17" Samsung), I knew the problem
was solved. However, I actually went back to my old monitor because I'm
spoiled by the size. At least I know, now what the problem was. Actually,
I should have suspected because a while back I noticed that the sides of my
screen were starting to "shrink". I figured then that it was starting to go
out. The good news is that I'm going to buy a whole new system probably
around August.
Thanks again to all.
Jim

 

[Randall Flagg]

Malke and others,
Thanks a bunch! The old monitor was indeed the problem. My computer is at
least 9 years old and the 22" trinitron has seen better days evidently. My
background wallpaper is the standard Win XP green pasture with blue sky and
as soon as I hooked up the other monitor (a 17" Samsung), I knew the problem
was solved. However, I actually went back to my old monitor because I'm
spoiled by the size. At least I know, now what the problem was. Actually,
I should have suspected because a while back I noticed that the sides of my
screen were starting to "shrink". I figured then that it was starting to go
out.

Nice of you to have omitted that info in your original post.

 

[Malke]

Malke and others,
Thanks a bunch! The old monitor was indeed the problem. My computer is
at
least 9 years old and the 22" trinitron has seen better days evidently.
My background wallpaper is the standard Win XP green pasture with blue sky
and as soon as I hooked up the other monitor (a 17" Samsung), I knew the
problem
was solved. However, I actually went back to my old monitor because I'm
spoiled by the size. At least I know, now what the problem was.
Actually, I should have suspected because a while back I noticed that the
sides of my
screen were starting to "shrink". I figured then that it was starting to
go
out. The good news is that I'm going to buy a whole new system probably
around August.
Thanks again to all.

You're very welcome, Jim. Glad that sorted it for you. And yes, it's time to
get a new system with a nice big flat panel monitor. Your eyes will be so
happy!

Thanks for taking the time to let us know the outcome.

Malke