Help! Bad video or Monitor?

[Howard Schwartz]

I asked, in a previous post, for help concerning using one monitor with 2
pCs, while transferring files with Dcc (direct cable connection).

I was well advised not to simply plug and unplug the video cable between
the PCs (i.e., use software or a switch instead).

Alas, I had been doing the former with no apparent, immediate problems.
Silly me: Now my Optiquest 17 inch monitor screen suddenly turns dark green
and then, if I am lucky, blinks back to normal. It starts doing this after
it has been on a while, indicating a fault perhaps depending on hardware
heating up (e.g., a cold solder link?).

Is there some freeware diagnostic software that can help me determine if my
``green-ing'' flickering screen is a monitor problem, video problem, or
both? The video is the S3+ type implimented as a chip on the motherboard.

 

[Terry Russell]

I asked, in a previous post, for help concerning using one monitor with 2
pCs, while transferring files with Dcc (direct cable connection).

I was well advised not to simply plug and unplug the video cable between
the PCs (i.e., use software or a switch instead).

wot? no sparks, lucky you, actually it is mostly allright 97% of the time
but you really shouldn't do it except by accident
often the machine will just spontaneously lockup or reboot, judging from the
admittedly few
times I have done it

Alas, I had been doing the former with no apparent, immediate problems.
Silly me: Now my Optiquest 17 inch monitor screen suddenly turns dark
green
and then, if I am lucky, blinks back to normal. It starts doing this after
it has been on a while, indicating a fault perhaps depending on hardware
heating up (e.g., a cold solder link?).

monitors just die, but usually only one colour at a time goes
all the twisting of cables may have cracked or shorted something in the
cable
or at the teminations

Is there some freeware diagnostic software that can help me determine if
my
``green-ing'' flickering screen is a monitor problem, video problem, or
both? The video is the S3+ type implimented as a chip on the motherboard.

....and THAT is another reason not to hot swap, fry the onboard chips and the
motherboard is
likely to go awol, and while fiddling there are a number of pins back there
that
don't like being shorted by the metal shroud

any test will probably have to run when the problem is happening, at which
time a green on black
monitor won't tell you much

just try another monitor if you have one, always useful to have a spare
look for recycled shops or at auctions $5-30 for 17 inch
or the same monitor on the second machine will isolate the problem

possibly just a loose connection in the (usually fragile) video cable
socket/pin,
make sure the plug is properly secured with the screws

with repeated connections it is easy to bend a pin, then jam it down nice
and
flat or even doubled over, so it makes no or intermittent
connection,sometimes
an earth can be bent to contact other pins

or you can pack fluff and dust into the socket with the same results.

 

[Howard Schwartz]

nd THAT is another reason not to hot swap, fry the onboard chips and
the motherboard is
likely to go awol, and while fiddling there are a number of pins back
there that
don't like being shorted by the metal shroud

any test will probably have to run when the problem is happening, at
which time a green on black
monitor won't tell you much

Actually, I may have lucked out: My green-ing monitor seems to have
corrected itself. Why would hot swapping PCs, using a switch be better, as
one respondent wrote?

I think I have a better way: Using one of many such utilities (wizmo.exe),
I can blank the monitor, setting it on low power -- then switch the cable,
and wake up the monitor with the connection to new computer. I assume,
blanking the monitor and placing it on low power standby will terminate the
video signal to the monitor, yes?

 

[Terry Russell]

Actually, I may have lucked out: My green-ing monitor seems to have
corrected itself. Why would hot swapping PCs, using a switch be better, as
one respondent wrote?

A proper switchbox will have suitable electronics and remove the danger of
cable and pin munging and live connections not having appropriate earths
when connecting, also a lot more convenient that swapping plugs all the
time.

I just opened one up, I just wanted to know if it really was just a ripoff
with wiretowire connection, it has a significant chunk of electronics, about
a well
populated pci cards worth which I presume does something important
With hotswap the Pc still won't have adapted to the appropriate monitor
specs at bootup unless very basic video mode.

It just isn't a good idea to hot swap monitors, it may work fine most of the
time but if it doesn't it could be expensive.

Hmm, I just had to try a couple of old P400's, swapping with monitor on and
of
20 times, 2 machines,one reboots every time if monitor on, one works
every time whether on or of, by changing plug angle I can make either show
all red, all green, or all blue, not enough power for crackling sounds but I
am
sure it probably isn't really good for something.
The rebooter now seems to have a dead video card..I have dozens spare and
expected something like that ..good enough for me ..no more experiments
It can work, but isn't really worth assuming it will work on the next
machine,
it may be different with different generations of monitors or video cards.

I think I have a better way: Using one of many such utilities (wizmo.exe),
I can blank the monitor, setting it on low power -- then switch the cable,
and wake up the monitor with the connection to new computer. I assume,
blanking the monitor and placing it on low power standby will terminate
the
video signal to the monitor, yes?

Should do, maybe, it is your system and you can blow it up if you want to.

Alternatively, there is no reason in most parts of the consumer driven
west to scrimp on monitors, valuable desk space is about the only reason for
a switchbox.
( I assume, probably invalidly that my location in a midsized western state
capital is average wrt preloved IT items)

Think about it, in a city of one million there will be about 50,000 pcs and
monitors
being junked each year, 1,000 a week, where do they go?

Look in you local paper for computer auctions, in any moderate
sized city there should be one where you can usually get a half dozen older
15 or 17 inch crts for about $5-$25 depending on quality, or $25-$30 each
for
upmarket 2002 or later 17-19. It just isn't worth the risk to save on a
monitor.
Expect about 50 percent will be tolerable to good.


You may even get a couple of 19 or 21 inch for $5 or $10..if you can wait,
have help or like weightlifting and don't mind having the odd ton of dead
monitors
waiting disposal in the shed
Last week I cleared out some junk and took a half ton of P400 and less pcs
and
monitors to the scrapyard, oh wow $13 !
but at least it doesn't cost $25 to dump them, hey I am in front $38 for an
hour.
There is now in Oz a levy, sorry, 'stewardship facilitation incentive' on
hazardous
waste disposal of old monitors, so the value of older monitors just went
into negative.
Honestly, I have seen racks of dozens of 21 inchers passed in with no bid,
not even $1, just some people looking down and shuffling their feet,
half or more probably give decent video, but they are so big, and so heavy,
and I still have a dozen , and the lady of the house will have a fit if I
bring another
dozen home.

 

[Howard Schwartz]

Should do, maybe, it is your system and you can blow it up if you want
to.

I strongly suspect my kludge is safe:
a) Start DCC server on one PC.
b) Using software, turn off video of monitor and put it on standby
only.
c) Switch cable to second PC.
d) Now turn on second pc, and video goes to monitor just as it
does in a normal boot.
e) Start DCC client on second PC

Alternatively, there is no reason in most parts of the consumer driven
west to scrimp on monitors, valuable desk space is about the only
reason for a switchbox.
( I assume, probably invalidly that my location in a midsized western
state capital is average wrt preloved IT items)

Like you, I have all sorts of old hard drives, CD players, video cards,
modems, etc. laying around. I REALLY do not want to add another space
consuming monitor to my collection!

Think about it, in a city of one million there will be about 50,000
pcs and monitors being junked each year, 1,000 a week, where do they go?

Indeed, I think it now costs far more to recycle or dump a used PC than to
buy it! In fact, in my SF east bay area this problem has spawned a new type
of petty crime: Also sorts of PCs. monitors, Printers etc. are abandoned in
front of garbage cans `illegally' and left to rot, if not picked up.
Disposing of them at the dump usually costs $30. per item and upwards.