DELL P1110 monitor too bright

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Comments

  • edited November 2004
    TheSmJ wrote:
    Darker.

    The higher the resistance, the brighter the picture.

    I am going to try getting a 10 MOhm pot. (variable resistor) That way,
    I can fine-tune it and also readjust later if the screen degrades again.

    I will let you know what happens.

    Dan
  • edited November 2004
    The shadow is gone!! thanks for the tip. :D
  • edited November 2004
    I ended up just using a 5.1 MOhm resistor instead of the POT. BTW, I could
    have gotten the same result by leaving in the existing resistor and soldering
    in another 10 MOhm resistor in parallel, givinig a total resistance of 5 MOhm.
  • edited November 2004
    I was about to open up the case and change the resistor, when I came across a much simpler fix for the washed-out appearance on my Dell P991 Trinitron.

    Go into the Option Menu and activate the Color Return feature (available after the monitor has warmed up).

    This will recalibrate the grey levels and fix the brightness.

    Before, I had to turn it down to 0 brightness. Now it's perfect at level 50.

    No need to risk being fried by human bug zapper or obtain fancy service software.

    Dan
    www.autonvs.com
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    One killer on this monitor is the convergence. How the hell do you set it up perfectly? I just can't seem to set it up perfectly :(
  • edited November 2004
    Enverex your problem is most likely the cable you are using. Get the vga cable that is posted on page 3 of this thread. What you are expiriencing is most likely a shadow caused by your monitor cable and not the convergence settings. I had the same shadow and the cable posted in this thread fixed my shadowing. It is a high quality svga cable and VERY cheap as well. :)
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2004
    Element wrote:
    Enverex your problem is most likely the cable you are using. Get the vga cable that is posted on page 3 of this thread. What you are expiriencing is most likely a shadow caused by your monitor cable and not the convergence settings. I had the same shadow and the cable posted in this thread fixed my shadowing. It is a high quality svga cable and VERY cheap as well. :)
    Location: Worcester, UK

    It isn't shadowing either, is is either red or blue depending on where on the screen you look. If I set it up for the center of the screen then left will be one way out and the right will be the other way out.
  • edited December 2004
    I just stumbled on this thread via a google search. I bought an overly bright Dell P1100 from a guy for $15, figuring I could just adjust the internal brightness pot (I have experience with adjusting monitors having done it for a few months for the Navy). When I opened it up I was really suprised that there were NO pots to adjust it. After reading this thread I opened it up and soldered a 10Mohm resistor is parallel (forming effectively a 5Mohm resistor). PROBLEM SOLVED! Thank you whoever thought up this solution!

    BTW, for this particular monitor the visible raster is completely extinguished (i.e. black background in non-techy speech) at a brightness of 5. I have my contrast set to 75.
  • edited December 2004
    Well you never know what you're going to find when you use Google - fortunately it was this thread!

    I (believe) I'm also suffering the brightness over time with my G500. Mine is a built in 2000 model (Confirmed if you hold down the center button after switching off the monitor, turning back on still holding it, then wait for the grey information box to pop up).

    I'm wondering if anyone here can answer the following two questions:

    1. Would the resistor value change for Australian 240/260Volt models?

    2. Was this problem rectified with the G520 refresh model?

    I'm adept at soldering and have no qualms about performing the task but the clear difference between U.S/Australian power standards is of obvious concern.

    Great thread - glad I found it.

    Regards :thumbsup:

    P.S I had a 19" Sony G400PS before the G500 and this model DID NOT suffer this problem. I've always wondered why my G500 was overly bright no matter what I did with the Brightness/Gamma setting. I'm a PC Gamer and I always notice the difference in graphic detail between the G500 and the 400PS my Brother now uses.
  • edited December 2004
    Hi.

    Ive been looking at the guide on how to fix this problem. But there are something that gets me a bit confuses.

    Looking at the http://www.hutzelman.com/home/hardware/mods/monitor/ guide
    ull see that it says: "For reference, the original R459 resistor is supposed to be rated at 10 MOhm"
    But if u look at the pictures u can see it, or parts off it.. and u can se a first BLUE and and a second YELLOW stripe.. This would give us the value 6 4.
    When i look inside my monitor i see the rest of the strips and it is BLACK and GOLD. Thus telling me that this resistor is only 64Ohm
    The new one that is solded on is BLUE, RED, GREEN, GOLD thus giving the value 6.2MOhm.

    That meens that we go from 64 to 6200000 witch is quite a leep.

    Can any one that has done this check the part that they took out to see what value it had? It would have been ok to go from 10MOhm to 6.2MOhm but going from 64 to 6200000 just seems to much...

    Ill try the none playing with the resistors stuff to night and if it dont work ill try to change the resistor tomorrow.. but i would really like to hear what u guys have to say about this..

    /vonGrepa
  • Domie-DDomie-D South Western Pennsylvania
    edited December 2004
    Don Froula wrote:
    I fixed this problem on my P1110 last night in 2 minutes with NO need for hardware modifications or expensive Sony software. This may not work for all P1110's, but it sure cured the "too bright" problem for me.

    - Turn off monitor.

    - Hold down the center front panel "set" button. While holding this button down, swich on monitor. Continue holding the "set" button for 4 seconds, release and immediately push again.

    - A password prompt will appear on screen. Enter "7711" using the monitor front panel set and arrow keys.

    - A service mode screen will come up.

    - Maneuver to the "Gray Scale" menu.

    - Set "Brightness" to 50% and "Contrast" to 90% (these are the same controls as the normal menu).

    - Adjust the "G2" setting down to the optimal brightness. This setting controls the feedback loop for all three R-G-B electron guns in the CRT. I set mine to a value of 125, but your optimal value may differ.

    - Turn monitor off and on to exit service mode.

    - Fine tune brightness and contrast with normal controls.

    -That's it!

    Don,
    Did you do this with a Dell Brand P1110? I tried this with mine and couldn't get into the service mode....

    Does anyone here have the Dell brand and has gotten into the service mode?
    Can you please detail how to do it step by step?

    I have tweaked my projection tv at home using the service menu instead of hosing it by adjusting the G2 trimpots... so that is why I like to use the service menu instead of removing the old resistor and soldering a new one.

    I really like this monitor. I do have the "Color Return" set to on... the brightness does settle down automatically after the monitor is on for about 30 minutes. After this time the blacks are indeed black. I guess I could just live with this... however I like to tweak any electronic device I own.

    By the way I found this thread like so many others by doing a search for this particular monitor. I've been enjoying this thread and this forum.
  • slipkidslipkid Member
    edited December 2004
    Don Froula wrote:
    Did you do this with a Dell Brand P1110? I tried this with mine and couldn't get into the service mode....

    Does anyone here have the Dell brand and has gotten into the service mode?
    Can you please detail how to do it step by step?

    like you, i also have a DELL P1110

    and the instructions posted above do not work for me either....it does nothing other than go into the usual setup menu
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2004
    I have a Dell P1110, also can't get into this special mode.
  • edited December 2004
    Enverex wrote:
    I have a Dell P1110, also can't get into this special mode.
    Same here: Dell Trinitron P1110, screen too bright to look at even with settings down, and the 'set' button procedure doesn't seem to work (unless I'm using the wrong button? but I've tried them all).

    I also found a copy of the WinDAS software, but it won't run; keeps complaining about missing DLL files I can't find (TRANSDLL.DLL).

    A copy of the DAS software won't run either; keeps looking for a security key.

    Finally, I tried to take the cover offf the monitor to poke around inside, but after taking out the two screws, I felt like I couldn't take the cover off without snapping something.

    Of course, the first thing I did was try to get help from Dell, but as you might guess, I went through 3 weeks of back-and-forth emails before they finally told me there was nothing they can do to help.

    This has been very frustrating, and I'm not better off than I was to begin with, as many of you are. Please, if anyone's got advice on what I can try, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
  • edited December 2004
    The back cover will come off, but I had to REALLY force it. I ended up breaking the two retaining tabs on the top with a flat-blade screwdriver (You'll see two spots at the seam on the top where you can insert a screwdriver). Even with the top tabs broken, the two screws on the bottom seem to do a decent job of holding the cover on. That cover doesen't serve any structural purpose anyway, so the two screws are plenty good enough at holding it on.
  • edited December 2004
    I think Domie D's monitor isn't the same one we have here.
  • edited December 2004
    I have a DELL (Sony) P1110 monitor with a brightness problem. The diagnosed problem is G2 (screen) is too high. G2 is controlled by IC404 PWM output pin 14. The pulses are filtered by C456 and this signal leads to IC405 op amp. The control of G2 is then done by Q406, Q407 and Q410. All of these components appear to be functional in my monitor. That would suggest the setting of the PWM is wrong. The adjustments in this monitor are under processor control and the data is stored in eeprom. I suppose the data has become corrupted or is missing. I am working on an interface unit to be used with the WinDAS software to allow adjustment of the data. If anyone has any information on the circuitry of the A-1500-819-A interface unit, it would save a lot of time and be very much appreciated. I have built an interface unit but the software tries to communicate, then responds ECS error, so something is not quite right yet. This monitor also has a convergence problem. It can be set at the middle but the edges must be compromised. The convergence rings on the tube are still firmly set, so I am thinking this can be adjusted with the software also. If anyone can supply any information, please contact me. Thank you.
  • edited December 2004
    Doesn't look like I could tell you anything you don't already know, but please keep us posted! I now have both a "Compaq" P1100 and "Dell" P1110, and both have this connector on the back of the unit, so the software + cable interface schematics would be really nice to have around.

    I had always assumed the resistor was just wearing out over time (due to a problem on the electronic component supplier's end, like all of the motherboards with leaking/bursting caps). I couldn't really imagine how data in an EEPROM could simply become "lost", especially on pretty much every P1100, 1110, or equivelent ever made, but I'm no expert when it comes to these types of semiconductors.

    Out of curiosity, how'd you manage to find the software and your current cable to get yourself this far?
  • edited December 2004
    The software was obtained with the help of a previous poster (deesto). The software needs a bit of reverse-engineering if you know what I mean, to get past the security key. If you use the software, be sure to install the ActiveX Flexgrid control and register it, or the mdl files will be inaccessable. The resistor in my monitor is 2.2M just as it should be. The feedback/reference resistors all check to be the proper values also. Rather than change this resistor as has been suggested, I can connect a resistor of 1.5M from the CRT G2 point to ground and the voltage lowers to an acceptable range and monitor looks great (except for the bit of covergence at the sides). At this point it is still a mystery as to why all of these monitors seem to have the same failure, but eeproms are not the most reliable components. They have been known as a high failure rate part. Many RCA televisions using adjustment data in eeproms have had a very high failure rate (if you had a newer "dead" RCA television chances were that the eeprom was bad). When (if) I get this working, it will be interesting to find if the eeprom has actually failed or the data has changed.
  • edited December 2004
    Oh the cable....I built it. It's not working correctly yet. I don't know if I should invert the data or not, which control lines to use in what configuration, setup of the PC serial port....etc. yet. The monitor has only Ground, +5, Rxd and Txd on the interface connector. Note: Do not connect Rxs and Txd from PC serial port directly to the Rxd and Txd of the monitor. Voltage levels are different.
  • edited December 2004
    Do you have an ociliscope? I've found them VERY usefull with building cables and the like without actually having the schematics (but a basic understanding of what I needed to go where). Too bad I haven't had access to one since highschool. :(
  • edited January 2005
    I have a Compaq p1100 that I got off Ebay for cheap and had the same problem too bright . Did the resistor mod first using the 4.7 mohm but was too dark, changed them out for 6.8 Mohms and results were spectacular, striking brilliant and vibrant colors. The monitor is now a pleasure to use. Greatly appreciate the advice. This job took only about 20 minutes once we figured out how to get into the case.
  • edited January 2005
    WOW
    I love the internet ... I was given a Sony G500 a year ago and set up my old Sony 420GS on a second computer. I have always had to keep the G500's brightness at 0 and then also lower the brightness on my video card settings in order to use it and take advantage of the 21 inch screen. Unfortunately my video games have never looked good.

    A friend came by and we played some cooperative Quake2 for old times sake and I just could not believe how much better his game looked on my old 420GS. I decided to search the web about the problem and found this fantastic thread.

    1. The Sony DAS software calibration mentioned in previous post's sounds out of reach with all the special equipment needed etc.

    2. I am getting ready to try the resistor change mentioned in several posts.

    3. But before I do, I would love to be able to get into a Service mode if such a mode exists for the Sony G500 and make adjustments there. One post mentioned such a mode on the Dell version of this monitor but no one has confirmed being able to replicate his method. Has anyone been able to access a "Service Menu" on a Sony G500?

    Many Thanks
    RWS
  • edited January 2005
    I am going to buy the G500 service manual from a place online and see if there is Service Mode I can get into.

    By the way ... if you are looking for another of these monitors I found a place that has several versions at good prices ...

    http://www.azatek.com/pricelist.asp?CID=59
  • edited January 2005
    WOW!

    I am typing this post on my newly-fixed monitor. It looks great! This monitor hasn't seen real, honest-to-god dark colors in years. I'm really impressed.

    I soldered a 10M ohm resistor in parallel with the existing one, which turned out to be perfect for me.

    Getting the plastic cover off the monitor was BY FAR the most difficult part of this procedure. The tabs at the top are a real bitch, and frankly I don't see how you can remove the cover without breaking them unless you have some sort of special tool. Thankfully, breaking them is no big deal, and the cover stays securely fastened without them (albeit much easier to remove once you take out the screws). Don't bother sticking a screwdriver in there, all I accomplished by doing that was tearing up the outer plastic.

    The solder process was very easy, and I've never even soldered before. There are no other components close to the area in question on the board, so it's pretty much impossible to screw up.

    The brightness on my monitor still goes down after it's had a chance to "warm up", so make sure you take that into account when you calibrate if yours does also.

    Thanks so much to whoever posted this excellent fix! :thumbsup:

    (By the way, I ordered the resistors from circuitspecialists.com. They had the right stuff for cheap, but shipping cost a fortune.)
  • slipkidslipkid Member
    edited January 2005
    gravix wrote:
    The brightness on my monitor still goes down after it's had a chance to "warm up", so make sure you take that into account when you calibrate if yours does also.

    very good point

    i think it has been mentioned b4 up here but it bears repeating - don't be bummed if you make the mod and your monitor still looks all washed out after you first power up!! give it a few minutes

    mine still looks horrible for the first 2 or 3 minutes b4 it starts to "settle down"

    - jon -
  • ShivianShivian Australia
    edited January 2005
    TheSmJ wrote:
    P.S.: "Colour", Thrax? What the hell are they teaching you over there at EMU?
    How to spell obviously :p

    Ps very useful info! :D
    I'll definitely store this in the ol' memory banks for future reference.
  • edited January 2005
    What is the best (overall cheapest) source for this golden egg of a resistor? It looks like RS supply only goes to 1M ohm. I get stuff from Ocean State Electronics (www.oselectronics.com), they have it for .20, but you have to bring your order over $10, which is easy, they have alot of neat stuff dirt cheap. I'd rather end up with yet another multimeter for $9.99 than 1,000 resistors....
  • edited January 2005
    Jameco.com is another company I use. Not sure if there's a minimum order though.

    Otherwise, get a new multimeter and a .20 resistor?
  • edited January 2005
    darkscion0 wrote:
    After I put the 5.6M resistor on the monitor, it was really dark, but now the monitor is fairly light again. The weird thing is, that my brightness controls are backwards now. When I turn down the brightness, the monitor gets brighter? Any ideas?
    ---
    More details on my funky brightness controls. When you turn it up from 0 to 30 it gets brighter, then after that, the more you turn it up the darker it gets.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    I was wondering if anyone has found an answer to darkscion0's question.

    I recently repaired my year 2000 Sony G500 by adding a 10MOhm resistor, and it worked great. The picture looks great, but I have the same situation where the brightness controls are funky, same as darkscion0's scenario.

    If I leave it at around 50 brightness, it looks great, but I'd really like to know if there is a way to get the brightness control working like it used to.

    After I soldered in the resistor, turned it on, and let it warm up, I did the "Image Restoration" under the "Easy" tab in the "color" menu. (Unfortunately, I didn't notice if the brightness control problem existed before I activated the restoration (but after the solder), and I haven't tried the "restoration" in the sRGB tab yet.)

    Anyway, I am very happy with the image results, but I'd love to have a normal brightness control.

    Any ideas?
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