Computer Monitor

[NEO]

Hi,

I have recently been having some trouble with my computer monitor whereas when I turn it on, the display turns a 'pinky' colour. This can be rectified by tapping the top of the monitor a couple of times and walla! the display is back to normal. Any ideas on how I can fault find this problem and prevent getting to the stage where the situation turns into a fist fight between me and my monitor?

Thanks

NEO

 

[breezer]

yes, your monitor is old and has a fault, the problem with momitors is they use a very high LETHAL voltage to operate the "tube" it will cost more than the price of a new one to get it looked at by a professional so i suggest

unfortunately i am NOT JOKING. a monitor has several thousand volts which can and will KILL

electricity has no prejudices, it kills any one

 

[AdamW]

I agree. My electronics lecturer at uni always emphasised the "killer" in kilovolts...

Only problem I can think of that might cause this and would be fixable is if you have a monitor with a separate video lead (as opposed to a permanently attached moulded lead). In the case of the removable lead try removing it and plugging it in again, then doing the retaining screws up.

That is fairly unlikely as in that situation the picture would be more purple than pink (loose GREEN connection, only RED and BLUE in the picture). But it is worth at least looking.

If you have a moulded lead then as Breezer says it isn't worth repairing. Take it to your local recycling centre as monitors (along with all computer equipment) contain some pretty toxic chemicals and shouldn't be placed in landfill.

 

[boilerbeasty]

Hmmm I thought it was the "volts that jolts and the mills that kills". But the voltages on CRTs are pretty high, and i wouldn't go poking around one with a kitchen knife. Even if its been turned off for a bit, the capacitors store charge for quite some time.

You can also have this problem with monitors if the one signal (green i suppose) isn't getting to the monitor. Give it a wiggle.

Or scan.co.uk do cheap monitors.

 

[masona]

the problem with momitors is they use a very high LETHAL voltage to operate the "tube"

Do you know if the TFT flat panel monitor have a very high voltage or does it works in a difference way ?

 

[boilerbeasty]

TFT monitors work by applying an electric field accross a thin film of chemicals which line up in the field. When they all line up the same way, they reflect light which has the overall effect of making it look a different colour. This requires much lower voltage and current than a CRT monitor. The only 'high' voltage you are likely to see is in a step-down tranformer which takes mains voltage and produces 12V DC (or something similar). Frequently this is in a separate box, so that the monitor can be kept nice and thin.

 

[altec]

What is the actual voltage that ctr monitors run at. Mine is just plugged in to a socket

 

[BR]

Yes, the monitor itself is powered by 230V but the tube inside requires somewhere in the region of 28/29kv to operate.

 

[breezer]

it has a step UP transformer inside, the high voltage is required to get the electrons from the back of the tube to the front (screen)

the tube has a coil around it this directs the flow of electrons as to where they should go.

thing is, the voltage is very high, but the current very low, but it is still LETHAL and should not be touched

 

[masona]

Is this the same as television ?

 

[breezer]

yes

 

[altec]

What voltage does an electric fence use? about 100V????????

 

[BR]

much higher, about 5000V. You may be wondering why this dosn't kill you, heres why:

It is current which kills, not voltage however the voltage has to be there to 'drive' the current through your body. The electric fence runs at a high voltage but very low current.

 

[Donkey]

Hello ppl, I just thought that I would mention that the monitor in question appears to me to have a dry joint. I would never "trash" this monitor without first getting an estimate for the repair. Making sure that I told the Engineer that giving it a "slap" rectified the problem.

I of course agree that trying the repair yourself is extremely dangerous and I speak as someone who has had many HT shocks including one on my forehead, and i supposidly am a seasoned engineer.

My advice is, get a quote. If you don't like the price then "trash" it.

 

[NEO]

K Thanks Guys,

I'll check out a couple of the contacts on the main PCB for any movement however 'it is inevitable' I see the end coming. Every beginning has an end.......

Thanks

NEO