Monitor Downsizes Itself!

AndiAndi Lancaster, UK
edited July 2004 in Science & Tech
Hello Folks! :)

Don't know if this is strictly a 'Windows' problem, but anyway ...

Recently, my monitor decided that life as a 14" was just too much to bear in the current economic climate, and subsequently 'downsized' itself. Whenever I switch on now, I get a wide black band around the screen and sometimes, just for variety, it jumps a little to one side.

This is something I can cure using the controls on the monitor itself, but having to do this every time is driving me nuts :banghead:

Can anyone explain (in plain language, please) why it's doing this and - even better - suggest a permanent fix?

Comments

  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited July 2004
    it might just be plain ol dying

    i got 1 that slowly got darker and darker
    and 1 that the gamma whent haywire on, is it a LCD or a CRT?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2004
    It sounds like the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is failing.

    The CRT is primarly responsible for spraying electrons at the screen to produce a display. If the CRT is beginning to fail, colour can be distorted, the image can be undersized or oversized, or portions of the display may be missing.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited July 2004
    if its a crt id say replace it wif a 17 or 19 inch jewel. they are really cheap and look better than LCD's
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited July 2004
    Thrax wrote:
    It sounds like the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is failing.

    The CRT is primarily responsible for spraying electrons at the screen to produce a display. If the CRT is beginning to fail, color can be distorted, the image can be undersized or oversized, or portions of the display may be missing.

    Actually, it's the color (ray) guns which spray the electrons which were in turn created by the cathode. The CRT itself contains the anode, cathode, RGB guns, grill, phosphor, and other components. ;)

    It sounds like what happens when the power regulation is getting faulty. Nothing you can do about it accept wait for it to die (you'll hear a loud "BANG"
    followed by a nasty smell) and get a replacement ASAP.

    If it's really a 14" CRT, than chances are its expected lifetime is just about over anyhow. Check out Merkortech.com for some great deals on a new monitor (many of us on these forums have bought from them in the past).
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited July 2004
    It's not doing this when you're doing a specific thing is it, ie, playing a certain game or anything. Is it random?
  • AndiAndi Lancaster, UK
    edited July 2004
    "Give it to me straight, Doc. How long have I got?"

    Thanks, everyone! Not quite the answer I'd hoped for, but I appreciate your input. Yes, it really IS a 14" CRT, rescued from a hi-tech junk-pile many moons ago (some companies have more money than sense & sensibility - obscure literary reference there, which seemed amusing when I typed it!!!). Looks like I'll have to start saving up the pennies to replace it :bawling:

    FYI: it does the downsize trick whenever I switch on, no matter what I'm using it for. I discovered I could fool it by selecting a default screensize of 640x480 which makes it fill most of the screen ... but I'm still expecting that big bang any day now :eek2:
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited July 2004
    could be days, mothns, never

    but if u want a new monitor go bigger 14' HAS to hurt ur eyes
    i suggest anything from viewsonic, absolutly bee-utify monitors, but then again every 1 has their favorites :)

    http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-116-254&depa=0
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