Thread View: uk.comp.homebuilt
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Started by Terry Pinnell
Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:22
Monitor distortion
Author: Terry Pinnell
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:22
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:22
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I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some of them, but so far in vain. Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: PeeCee
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:22
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:22
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"Terry Pinnell" <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message news:mkdnn3hnk5qri353op5i5u4e2jra2flfnj@4ax.com... > I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from > the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. > Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant > extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields > in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. > > This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about > fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some > of them, but so far in vain. > > Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? > > -- > Terry, East Grinstead, UK Terry What you describe is a non linear sweep. i.e. the electron beam is sweeping across the screen at different speeds depending on what side of the screen it is at. (think of the shape of a ski jump) Geometry Menu options usually cover trapesoid, pincushion, barrel and parallel distortion not sweep linearity. Sweep linearity is usually an internal or hidden menu adjustment , as such you are likely to need the services of a Monitor Technician. Under those circumstances it may well be cheaper to locate a second hand replacement, or to look at a new LCD. Best Luck Paul.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: Gazwad
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:25
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:25
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Terry Pinnell <terrypin@dial.pipex.com>, the debilitated-destitute and unabashed chocolate starfish poker who likes rough bowel loosening with camels, and whose partner is a comfort woman with a diseased gooey man trap, wrote in <mkdnn3hnk5qri353op5i5u4e2jra2flfnj@4ax.com>: > I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from > the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. > Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant > extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields > in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. > > This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about > fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some > of them, but so far in vain. > > Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? > > -- > Terry, East Grinstead, UK Why should anyone help you Pinhead? You refuse to thank a single person for any of the help you have received, ever. You're just a thankless cunt who deserves all that fucks-up in your life. Don't bother denying anything there's plenty of evidence available. -- For my own part, I have never had a thought which I could not set down in words with even more distinctness than that with which I conceived it. There is, however, a class of fancies of exquisite delicacy which are not thoughts, and to which as yet I have found it absolutely impossible to adapt to language. These fancies arise in the soul, alas how rarely. Only at epochs of most intense tranquillity, when the bodily and mental health are in perfection. And at those weird points of time, where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of dreams. And so I captured this fancy, where all that we see, or seem, is but a dream within a dream.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: Mike Tomlinson
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:22
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:22
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In article <mkdnn3hnk5qri353op5i5u4e2jra2flfnj@4ax.com>, Terry Pinnell
<terrypin@dial.pipex.com> writes
>I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from
>the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen.
>Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant
>extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon.
Is this a circle in the centre of the screen or a circle in the top
right hand corner?
If in the centre, that's unusual. Geometry issues caused by menu
controls will have a mirror effect - i.e. both top-and-bottom OR right-
and-left sides of the screen will be affected by any adjustment.
>This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about
>fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some
>of them, but so far in vain.
If you can't get a good circle with use of the keystone, parallax or
pincushion controls (see the manual to find out which on-screen menu
icons those correspond to), it's probable that 1) the geometry circuitry
has failed (how old is the monitor?) or less likely, 2) a correction
magnet on the back of the tube has fallen off. Has the monitor been
banged, dropped or moved recently?
>Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please?
Toss it and get a nice new TFT?
The p930 came with a 3 year warranty. If it's still in warranty, stick
a claim in. Tell the phone droid the monitor is dead - they may give
you the run around if they perceive it to be a minor picture alignment
issue.
--
(\__/) Bunny says NO to Windows Vista!
(='.'=) http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html
(")_(")
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: kony
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:51
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:51
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On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 06:22:12 +0000, Mike Tomlinson <mike@jasper.org.uk> wrote: >The p930 came with a 3 year warranty. If it's still in warranty, stick >a claim in. Tell the phone droid the monitor is dead - they may give >you the run around if they perceive it to be a minor picture alignment >issue. yes they might give the runaround. I had an equivalent Compaq Trinitron tubed monitor that failed under warranty, shortly after HP took over Compaq's interested, at which point they gave me that runaround in verifying warranty rights before they sent a P930. Being a non-sony tube I wasn't thrilled with the substitution but it worked fine for a few years then got dimmer and dimmer till the video card driver tweaks were marginal and it was planned to be replaced... then when it got colder as winter set on, the horizonal starting going out and there was rapid wiggling of everything on-screen. unfortunately the original compaq warranty was up, but i prefer LCDs so it was just a nudge in the the right direction except i'd have liked to get a year or more out of it... it does seem it died too soon.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: Terry Pinnell
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:16
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:16
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"PeeCee" <abuse@local.host> wrote: >"Terry Pinnell" <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message >news:mkdnn3hnk5qri353op5i5u4e2jra2flfnj@4ax.com... >> I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from >> the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. >> Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant >> extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields >> in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. >> >> This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about >> fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some >> of them, but so far in vain. >> >> Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? >> >> -- >> Terry, East Grinstead, UK > > > >Terry > >What you describe is a non linear sweep. >i.e. the electron beam is sweeping across the screen at different speeds >depending on what side of the screen it is at. >(think of the shape of a ski jump) >Geometry Menu options usually cover trapesoid, pincushion, barrel and >parallel distortion not sweep linearity. >Sweep linearity is usually an internal or hidden menu adjustment , as such >you are likely to need the services of a Monitor Technician. > >Under those circumstances it may well be cheaper to locate a second hand >replacement, or to look at a new LCD. > >Best Luck >Paul. > Paul, Mike: Thanks both. Looking for documentation right now. But I may well reconcile myself to living with it until my well-overdue PC upgrade, when I may treat myself to a 22" or 24" wide screen LCD/TFT. There is a menu entry called Linearity. But it appears to be affect 'squashing' at top and bottom, not left and right. Any idea about this one called 'Recall'? It offers just Yes and No. Mike: As mentioned, image only distorts when it's close to right edge, whether top, middle or bottom. I used a resized image so that circle occupies whole window, and I could then drag it around the screen. Ah - found a Visa entry dated 15th April 2005, so looks like I'm within the 3 years. Hopefully there's a receipt here somewhere. Visa shows supplier as 'MCS', and I paid �117.45. (BTW, I'm sure I saw much higher than prices when I googled yesterday?) -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: JANA
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:08
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:08
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If the monitor was good before and over time the problem started to show, this is an indication of some components failing in the sweep circuitry of the monitor. This type of failure is not an adjustment. Common failures are electrolytic capacitors in the related areas. The power supply, and scan amplifier circuits are usually where most of the failures occur. Capacitors usually fail from heat and usage. If the distortion is horizontal where the image is distorted on the right or left side of the screen, the defect is in the horizontal scan or sweep area. If the distortion is in the top or bottom direction, the defect is in the vertical scan or sweep area. With proper trouble-shooting the defective caps can be located and changed for new ones. This will take someone who is experienced in monitor servicing, and have the proper tools and instruments to perform the work. The main obstacle that the service tech may run in to is if he needs the service manual and schematics, and any dedicated parts. The manufactures of most computer monitors will not supply service support to any non-contracted service tech facilities. In the end, you may not find the cost of servicing a computer monitor feasible in relation to replacing it. At today's prices you can have an LCD screen for a very reasonable cost. Computer monitors are designed for a life span of about three to four years with normal use. After about 30,000 hours, they tend to start decreasing in their performance. -- JANA _____ "Terry Pinnell" <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message news:mkdnn3hnk5qri353op5i5u4e2jra2flfnj@4ax.com... I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some of them, but so far in vain. Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: do_not_spam_me
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:03
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:03
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Terry Pinnell wrote: > I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from > the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. > Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant > extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields > in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. > > This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about > fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some > of them, but so far in vain. > > Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? Someone in sci.electronics.repair may know how, but also read the FAQ at www.repairfaq.org. Some libraries have Sams Photofacts repair manuals, on paper or online. The monitor likely has a dying electrolytic capacitor in its horizontal sweep circuit, but an adjustment should fix the picture well enough for you (it has for me) In older CRT monitors that's done by turning the slug in a horizontal circuit coil, but newer monitors handle it digitally, either though a hidden menu or with special equipment (Samsung's was $600, Panasonic's was homemade for $10 and required a program they sold for $3). If HP won't tell you how to bring up any service menu, try to find the actual manufacturer by reading the UL registration number and looking it up at UL.com. Some manufacturers, like Envision (AOC) and CTX were very good about providing technical information to anybody (Envision even sent out free service manuals by e-mail), while others are paranoid about consumers electrocuting themselves. Don't work on the monitor itself unless you have electronics repair experience, and realize that glass breakage can be much a risk as electric shock, so do not set the monitor upright on a bed or sofa or it will fall forward. Instead set it with the screen on the bottom. Read all the safety precautions in the RepairFaq first.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: do_not_spam_me
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:14
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:14
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JANA wrote: > The manufactures of most computer monitors will not supply service > support to any non-contracted service tech facilities. Ah, the good old days, pre-2000, when many of them would. CTX laid off most of its US employees a few years ago, including almost every technician, and replaced them with lower-cost people who received no training. Despite that, many of them were awarded the title "technician," and one of them almost cried when they couldn't answer some very basic questions about monitors. Even Japanese companies that were once known for excellent service went that way, such as Panasonic. When I asked one of their monitor "technicians" about a user control for the convergence, the reply was, "I don't know what convergence are." The manager assured me the person was one of their best technicians. > In the end, you may not find the cost of servicing a computer monitor > feasible in relation to replacing it. At today's prices you can have an LCD > screen for a very reasonable cost. Not for the picture quality I want. Movies with dark scenes are almost unwatchable to me on LCDs because the blacks aren't black enough, not even with Samsung's multiple backlight system, which is meant to improve the blacks. So I'm keeping my Farnsworth until Elvis' ghost shoots the picture tube. > Computer monitors are designed for a life span of about three to > four years with normal use. After about 30,000 hours, they tend > to start decreasing in their performance. I still have my NEC Multisync II monitor from about 1985. It still works well but can't display over 800x600 without interlace.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: Terry Pinnell
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:38
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:38
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do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com wrote: > > > >Terry Pinnell wrote: >> I've just noticed that circular objects become squashed inwards from >> the right, the closer they are to the right hand edge of my screen. >> Doesn't happen with top, left or bottom edges to any significant >> extent - just the right. Circle looks like a lemon. No magnetic fields >> in the vicinity. Degaussed anyway but made no difference. >> >> This is an HP p930 19" CRT monitor. Although a bit apprehensive about >> fiddling with its menu geometry options, I did play blindly with some >> of them, but so far in vain. >> >> Can anyone help me isolate and fix the problem please? > >Someone in sci.electronics.repair may know how, but also read the FAQ >at www.repairfaq.org. Some libraries have Sams Photofacts repair >manuals, on paper or online. > >The monitor likely has a dying electrolytic capacitor in its >horizontal sweep circuit, but an adjustment should fix the picture >well enough for you (it has for me) In older CRT monitors that's done >by turning the slug in a horizontal circuit coil, but newer monitors >handle it digitally, either though a hidden menu or with special >equipment (Samsung's was $600, Panasonic's was homemade for $10 and >required a program they sold for $3). If HP won't tell you how to >bring up any service menu, try to find the actual manufacturer by >reading the UL registration number and looking it up at UL.com. Some >manufacturers, like Envision (AOC) and CTX were very good about >providing technical information to anybody (Envision even sent out >free service manuals by e-mail), while others are paranoid about >consumers electrocuting themselves. > >Don't work on the monitor itself unless you have electronics repair >experience, and realize that glass breakage can be much a risk as >electric shock, so do not set the monitor upright on a bed or sofa or >it will fall forward. Instead set it with the screen on the bottom. >Read all the safety precautions in the RepairFaq first. Thanks for the follow-ups. I was terrifically impressed with the service I had from HP today. Half an hour ago, only about 4 hours since I first called them, I have a replacement monitor! The process was stressful at the outset. Two conversations, apparently with support staff in India, were cut-off when they tried to transfer me to 'the right department'. And then my serial number was mapped to an entirely different HP product - apparently the numbers are not unique! And then I was told that it was 2 years outside the 3 year warranty period, despite having a receipt in front of me (for a 'NEW, BOXED, P930') dated 14th April, 2005. Anyway, within minutes of emailing them a scan of that, I had confirmation that delivery would be within 24 hours, and that improved an hour later to today! Finally arrived at about 7pm (it's 7.30 now). HOWEVER, unfortunately the story doesn't have a happy ending. The glass surface of the screen is badly blemished. There's an irregular mark over an area of about 4cm x 4cm, towards lower left of screen. No response to cleaning. Here's a photo, although it's hard to see because of the reflections. http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/Images/HP-P930-Mark.jpg I'd rather have the distortion than peering through this ;-( I reckon I'll be asking for another replacement... -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: kony
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:32
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:32
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On Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:16:21 +0000, Terry Pinnell <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote: >Paul, Mike: Thanks both. Looking for documentation right now. But I >may well reconcile myself to living with it until my well-overdue PC >upgrade, when I may treat myself to a 22" or 24" wide screen LCD/TFT. > ?? It's not as though you have to replace the monitor as same time as rest of system, usually (unless it were something ancient and the video card and/or it's driver simply can't support 22-24" wide screen native resolutions. Then again, I suppose if you were looking for an OEM package deal that included a monitor then it might save a little money to buy all at once, but often the deals are for the lower end monitors in any size and choosing the upgraded monitor (same size, or larger, it varies) adds enough to the cost of the system that it might be as well to just find a good deal on a separate retail monitor. >There is a menu entry called Linearity. But it appears to be affect >'squashing' at top and bottom, not left and right. > >Any idea about this one called 'Recall'? It offers just Yes and No. Probably resets the defaults, which is certainly something you should try if you don't mind readjusting the settings again as you had them previously (if it doesn't solve the problem, and probably it won't if the monitor had began distorting like this without any changes to these settings). > >Mike: As mentioned, image only distorts when it's close to right edge, >whether top, middle or bottom. I used a resized image so that circle >occupies whole window, and I could then drag it around the screen. > >Ah - found a Visa entry dated 15th April 2005, so looks like I'm >within the 3 years. Hopefully there's a receipt here somewhere. Visa >shows supplier as 'MCS', and I paid �117.45. (BTW, I'm sure I saw much >higher than prices when I googled yesterday?) Yes that monitor typically cost a lot more than �117 though I couldn't give an average for your location.
Re: Monitor distortion
Author: kony
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:45
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:45
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On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 09:14:43 -0800 (PST), do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com wrote: >Not for the picture quality I want. Movies with dark scenes are >almost unwatchable to me on LCDs because the blacks aren't black >enough, not even with Samsung's multiple backlight system, which is >meant to improve the blacks. So I'm keeping my Farnsworth until >Elvis' ghost shoots the picture tube. > Seems pretty arbitrary to me... you do realize that in real life, seldom is anything actually "pitch black", rather shades above complete blackness? Similarly, just because you used to see nearer complete black portions in movies it doesn't necessarily mean that's how they were supposed to look. LCDs do of course have higher black level than CRT on average, but it's not something one can't become adjusted to rather quickly, so long as the particular LCD doesn't have a lot of backlight bleeding or irregular lighting. On the other hand, LCDs have much going for them in that they show details in (movies, etc) that are blurred on a CRT.
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