Troubleshooting a monitor

[elSicomoro]

All is not well with my new old monitor...

I have a 17" KDS VSx-7, set for 1024x768 screen resolution, 32-bit color quality and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hertz. The biggest problem I'm having is that the size of my screen keeps changing...that is, I'll set the horizontal size and position to what I want, but the screen will later shrink for no reason. In addition, the screen flickers on occasion, but I haven't seen it do that since Friday night.

I'm suspecting that the big problem here is that the monitor is not compatible with Windows XP. I looked for any available drivers from Microsoft and actually found some available from KDS. The problem is that they're only for Win95 and 98.

Any help and/or suggestions would be appreciated.

[tw]

Originally posted by sycamore
I have a 17" KDS VSx-7, set for 1024x768 screen resolution, 32-bit color quality and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hertz. The biggest problem I'm having is that the size of my screen keeps changing...that is, I'll set the horizontal size and position to what I want, but the screen will later shrink for no reason.

Windows does not control these features just like your TV station does not control the width of your TV. The TV station (and Windows) can control how much of the screen it will use. But the size of that display are is a function of the monitor.

Assuming this problem is width of display (and not size of display that windows is using), any computer repairmen who recommends a solution using 'new drivers' should be avoided forever. Any acceptable computer repairman knows windows does not control width that monitor displays on screen because he knows signals in a cable from computer to monitor. Drivers don't just fade out and then restore width. Software can only determine percentage of existing display area to use. Monitor determines how big that total display area will actually be - just like TV and TV station.

Width of screen is adjustable inside monitor (as well as with an external control). Those controls adjust voltage applies to horizontal magnetic fields. You don't want to put your hands in there without better knowledge of those high voltages. Best one can suggest is that the electronics controlling horizontal control voltages is failing. Not from surges or other almost mythical reasons. Because some semiconductor is now displaying a defect originally created in the factory.

When it does fully fail, a repair shop with sufficient knowledge (which eliminates most every computer repair shop) can fix it. But then is it worth the money? I have repaired a few of these things. First, one needs a schematic - by itself a big job. IOW I did repairs only to learn. Start prowling buy.com, cdw.com, amazon.com etc maybe for a flat screen.

[tw]

BTW, Windows also does not control the focus (or fuzzyness) of a display. That too is a function only of the monitor.

Better source for used monitors, because they fail so easily as demonstrated - Second Source Computers outside West Chester on Paoli Pike or a computer show where the monitor has been working just fine for hours on display at the show.

[SteveDallas]

Hey, my monitor (a Philips 17" CRT) is acting oddly too... Every once in a while, not consistently, a horizontal black line appears. It's not always in the same place. It appears to be one pixel in width. Power cycling the monitor makes it go away. Till the next time... I've had it happen 5 or 6 times in one day, but it's now been about 4 days since the last time. (Oddly enough, Mrs. Dallas has never run into it, and she's actually using the computer more than I am these days.)