my CRT monitor--is it dying?

[bt]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rod Speed]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that
has served me well for five years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes
on a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This problem
becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing
and color restore commands, and have checked the
plug at the point of the computer (an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

It wont be that last.

Is the monitor on it's last legs,
Unlikely.

or is it the video card in the computer,

Unlikely, but the easy way to check that is
to try that monitor on a different computer.

or is it something I can (cheaply) fix?

Likely its the convergence and its clearly varying with time
its been powered on, so its not likely to be cheap to fix.

How do I tell?

See above.

 

[paulmd]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

Thanks in advance.

Cheap monitors start going out after 5 years, by 10 years even the good
ones are on the last legs.

One may tell if it's the video card (unlikely), by plugging in another
monitor to that computor. You can probably borrow one from a friend.

Since the degauss command isn't working, it's probly your monitor. If
the symptoms worsen over time, it's dying. Time to start saving for a
flat panel.

Very little about CRTs is cheap to fix. Sorry.

 

[Jon Danniken]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

Is there a magnet or source of magnetism near the monitor?

Jon

 

[Rod Speed]

"bt" wrote

Is there a magnet or source of magnetism near the monitor?

You wouldnt expect that to produce the problem only after a few hours.

Much more likely to be the monitor circuitry drifting once it warms up.

 

[bt]

Is there a magnet or source of magnetism near the monitor?

Jon

There's a small laser printer on a metal stand next to the affected side
of the monitor. Would that contain a magnet?

I've tried repeated degaussing (the monitor's internal degauss), pushed
that printer a few inches away, and otherwise fiddled with it a lot, and
the situation seems a bit improved. Well, the monitor as a whole is
looking better, but the problem hasn't gone away. For example, The
bright red "e" in the ebay logo becomes orange if I drag it to the upper
left corner of the screen.

Thanks to all of you for your replies and suggestions.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

Dunno but I bought a cheapo unbranded 14" monitor about 8 years ago.
Works lilke a dream, still you gotta pay for Sony 'quality' ;O)

 

[Bazzer Smith]

Is there a magnet or source of magnetism near the monitor?

The biggest sourse of magnitic interference if probably from the (faulty)
monitor itself. Given that it gets worse the longer the monitor is on
it suggest the monitor itself (unless your printer is also faulty :O)

Might be the video card I guess, can you connected it to another video
source?

How about powering up your computer for a few hours and then connecting it
to the monitor when it is 'cold'?
I doubt the video cad has the brains ti realise it is not conected to a
monitor :O)

 

[kony]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

Thanks in advance.

It's not the video card.

Your monitor is progressively failing. Might hold out for a
long time or might go tomorrow... I don't know but at least
you got 5 years out of it.

 

[meow2222]

I have a Sony G400 19" CRT monitor that has served me well for five
years or so.

Recently, I've noticed that the upper left region of the screen takes on
a slightly dark bluish cast, and that colors in that part of the screen
are distinctly less saturated than elsewhere on the screen. This
problem becomes more evident after the monitor has been on for a few
hours.

I have tried the "reset" button, the internal degaussing and color
restore commands, and have checked the plug at the point of the computer
(an oldewr Mac G4 tower.)

Is the monitor on it's last legs, or is it the video card in the
computer, or is it something I can (cheaply) fix? How do I tell?

no, no and no. You've got a convergence/purity fault most likely due to
something overheating. The worst that'll happen is you get a
miscoloured effect.

Theres only one simple fix I can suggest, its not ideal but is
reasonably likely to fix it for you, and is simple cheap and easy. Put
a fan on the underside of the monitor case blowing air up thru the
machine. A bit of a bodge technically but a quick simple solution. Hold
it there and power up before fixing it in place, as theres a chance it
might upset the picture, but long as it doesnt you shouldnt see the
problem recur.




NT

 

[bt]

You've got a convergence/purity fault most likely due to
something overheating. The worst that'll happen is you get a
miscoloured effect.

Theres only one simple fix I can suggest, its not ideal but is
reasonably likely to fix it for you, and is simple cheap and easy. Put
a fan on the underside of the monitor case blowing air up thru the
machine. A bit of a bodge technically but a quick simple solution. Hold
it there and power up before fixing it in place, as theres a chance it
might upset the picture, but long as it doesnt you shouldnt see the
problem recur.

Very interesting... and it makes sense that this problem would show up
during an extraordinary heatwave (with no air conditioning where the
computer is). Thank you... I'll see if I can find a little fan, and
I'll make a point of attending to the ventilation around the monitor,
which is something I hadn't thought of. Thanks again.

 

[kony]

Very interesting... and it makes sense that this problem would show up
during an extraordinary heatwave (with no air conditioning where the
computer is).

It seems you left out this vital bit of info previously.
Wouldn't it have been good to tell us it was potentially
overheating in the first place?

Your other equipment ought to be scrutinized too, heat will
effect more than just a monitor.

 

[bt]

It seems you left out this vital bit of info previously.
Wouldn't it have been good to tell us it was potentially
overheating in the first place?

It wasn't an intentional omission... it just didn't occur to me. Guess
my mind was addled by the heat.

 

[meow2222]

It wasn't an intentional omission... it just didn't occur to me. Guess
my mind was addled by the heat.

I think thats for us technical ones to figure out

NT