(possible) LCD monitor repair tip

[dai h.]

(not directly music related but probably everyone has a monitor these days possibly for digital-based recording, etc., so hence this post)

try to make this quick

got dead monitor

symptoms

1. wouldn't stay on
2. high pitched whining sound

long story short, replacing a number of (mostly obviously) bad aluminum (aluminium) electrolytic capacitors resurrected the monitor. Tried to source 105 deg., 3000 hour rated caps for all the replacement caps. Most expensive was a 100uF 450V (around US $8-9-ish). (I could only find a snap-in type for a 3k hour rated one so had to extend the leads with wire.) The other small ones around 40 cents ea. (so it was cheaper than buying, say a good used monitor).

Probably not too difficult for someone with experience tinkering with electronics, but some care is necessary.

-the plastic rim around the panel was difficult to remove. Happened to have all plastic non-marring tools that were included with a replacement iPod battery that was very useful for this (might actually be worth buying if you are in a professional situation or possibly often called on as fix-it-guy/gal by family, friends, etc.--possibly guitar picks may work for this). (Started at the bottom then slowly, carefully worked up and around.)

-be careful not to damage the delicate ribbon cable to the front panel controls when removing the plastic rim

tangentially, I found that really old RTV DOES NOT work, lol... (nasty and smelly). Really old synthetic rubber adhesive (contact cement I think is whatcha callit as another term) while not "keeping"(flowing) well, and being difficult to handle does seem to work(cure, harden) if you can get it on where you want it to go (my case, to provide extra support for the big 100uF 450V)

anyway, good luck if you need to do this

[bboy]

Hi
I have a samsung 913t lcd monitor and when it powers up it displays the message "not optimum mode recommened mode: 1280 x 1024 60hz "
then after a few seconds changes to " check signal cable"

Now I connected another monitor to verify the mode on the computer which was ok, and the cable is also ok, have you any experience with a problem like this?

thanks

[dai h.]

um, please keep in mind I am not a PC repair person and my fix was a bit of a shot in the dark/act of desperation (though not without thought), so no (sorry!) I don't have any experience but since the message seems to imply that you should change the resolution(and possibly the frequency as well), have you tried that?

[Steve Conner]

Yup, your computer is probably set to the wrong refresh rate, ie something other than 60Hz.

If you allow the computer to boot with the monitor already connected and powered, the computer should talk to it over DDC and negotiate the right resolution and refresh rate. But with certain video card/monitor combos, the DDC will quit working if you extend the video cable longer than standard.