what blew up?

[cyclestart]

I don't have an account with a general computer forum so tossing it out here. Some of you folks are plenty hardware savvy.

This morning my display went beserk. The bright colors are exaggerated, the whites are grey, there's some banding effect, and the screen flickers. The same effects using a live (in ram) cd, so the problem is hardware for sure.

Are these the usual signs of a dying monitor or something worse? Computer techs around here are expensive and incompetent so this will be a self repair. Been hankering for one of those LCD displays anyway.

edit/arrggh, wrong forum, this morning is starting out a beauty.

[dertsap]

my screen will get messed up if and when the monitor cable is a little loose , if its not that then it would probably be either the monitor or the graphics card is crapping out ,
if it is the graphics card they are a dime a dozen on ebay

[Al_The_Man]

It sounds like monitor problem, it would only take a second to plug in another monitor if you could borrow one, or if you have a laptop, or know some one with one, they usually have a monitor output you could plug this one into for a quick test.
Al.

[Ferny]

The following assumes you have a CRT monitor.

If you checked the cable was plugged in tight try bending it near the monitor.
Try bending it near the connector next.
Did it change? If yes it's a bad cable no then start tapping the back of the monitor then the sides.
Did it change? If yes then it's cracked solder joints most likely on the neck board or on the main board wherever a cable is connected. If it didn't change it's probably bad capacitors on the neck board. Most likely the 10uf capacitors. There's 3 color circuits on the neck board Red, Green, and Blue they are all the same so they will all need new caps most likely.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!!!
If you choose to remove the back cover WHICH I DO NOT RECOMMEND FOR NON TRAINED ELECTRONICS PERSONNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unplug it from the AC power of course! Then absolutely the first thing you MUST DO is discharge the tube to make it safe to work on. Take a clip lead and clip it to the metal on a flat screw driver. Clip the other end to chassis ground (the metal frame {follow the braided cables to the metal frame}) While holding the plastic handle and not touching any metal of the screwdriver, slip it under the rubber boot on the HIGH VOLTAGE ANODE on the top rear of the tube. It is usually the fattest red wire with a black rubber boot on the tube. You should hear an arc discharging the tube.

Most 17"-21" monitor have around 25,000 Volts powering the tube! You don't want to know how much that hurts right? I think it could be lethal under the right circumstances!!!

On a lighter note I remember my former boss helping us techs out...he tried discharging the tube of a LIVE monitor WHILE TOUCHING the metal screwdriver. The screwdriver flew 25 feet across the room and he took the rest of the day off! It those inattentive times that get you!

Be careful!

Ferny.

[dertsap]

i find sometimes if something isn t working right then i'll wak it a few times lightly with a hammer , if that doesn t work , i go at it progressively harder till it has fixed the problem or is indeed deemed irreparable

[cyclestart]

With the help of a trusting friend, "This won't damage your fancy laptop, err..... probably", the monitor checked out ok. $45 ( and a graphics card a teenager would snicker at) later the machine is back in buisness.

Thanks for the help.