Monitor Flickering

[mrblonde]

Hi,
I wouldn't post a question like this normally but I am getting heat from my boss.

Win 98SE/ IBM Aptiva

My customer gets a random monitor flicker once or twice an hour for a 1-2 second period. I swapped monitors out, however the problem is still there. On the same computer I have gotten a complaint of slowness. So I plan on adding more RAM (FYI). Does anyone have some methodology or things to check on.

Thanks

 

[AidanEnos]

Get a power checker, it's a little plug with 3 LEDs to make sure you have the outlet wired properly - more importantly you have a good ground.
or
It sounds like you have a faulty video card
or
Your video card isn't properly seated, try cleaning the connectors on the card and reseating it
or
If you moniter cable isn't hardwired to the monitor I'd change the cable.

Just a few extra ideas, I'll bet it's the ground and if you just need a quick fix tell your user to use the Degauss button on the moniter every few hours and it should be at least a little more reliable )

Aidan

 

[xHarleyx]

I thought I would add to the previous reply. He has covered it well. I think it's the card yoo. Try what he said including sticking it a new slot if it's a pci. Most important of all to make sure the drivers are updated and not to have any magnetic forces or speakers or flouresent lighting around the monitor. Very important to have the right current and good ground. Make ssure you degauze the monitor once in ahile. As time goes by your monitor picks up static electricity and You have to use the degauze button on your monitors front panel. Most good monitors will have this feature. Let us know how you make out. Tell your Boss to Chil. Hee Hee.

 

[spacekowboy]

its obvious, but your refresh rate on card is set high enough to eliminate any flickering from that isnt it?

what is the rate on the monitor itself?

heat? do u ever work on his machine??

X-)

 

[mrblonde]

Spacekowboy,
Nah, it ain't my PC. I haven't even tore into it yet. I'll definitly let you all know.

Everyone else,
Thanks, I love these forums...

 

[theripper]

Just to add - usually monitors default to 60mhz (refresh rate) ironically - florescent lights refresh at 60mhz too.

Sometimes changing the refresh rate alone can help multiple monitor issues.

Good Luck ~

 

[xHarleyx]

I was watching Tech TV tonight about monitors. Leo said the refresh rate should be at 75 or higher to avoid flicker too. I just wanted to throw that in the fire with the rest of the replies. Take care......Harley

 

[SimonDavis]

One other possible cause (which is kind of mentioned already) - you don't have any other equipment close to the monitor, do you? If you place for example one monitor close to another, and switch it on or off, it will make the other one flicker (and often cause moving lines on the display).

The cause is electromagnetic radiation, which will pour out of an unshielded monitor (and almost all monitors are unshielded). You can as mentioned further up, get it from other devices, such as flourescent lights, and I'd guess most other high voltage electrical equipment such as a laser printer.

I would also check that you don't have your monitor cable physically wrapped around or passing close to any other power source.

On the slowness subject, unless you've already got 22gb of RAM, it's always the best place to start. You didn't mention the spec though, so can't really say.

 

[mrblonde]

Yeah, RAM is already on order. (Not quite 2GB though )
I'm going to get to that PC later on this afternoon. I'll update the forum, when I get some specifics. Sounds like 75mhz is the refresh rate to go with then?

Mat

 

[SimonDavis]

Just a quickie - the refresh rate you select depends on the card - not all cards will run at 75Hz (by the way, if you really do get 60 'Mhz', your signal will probably reach Mars!)

You might get dire warnings about damage to your equipment when you change the settings, although to be honest the worst I've seen is a squiffy display, which was fixed by reverting to a slower refresh rate. I would guess most modern cards can do better than 60hz.

The refresh rate is (more or less) the speed at which the screen is redrawn. Generally speaking, the faster it is the better.

 

[princewilly]

I had the same problem here, it was the user radio in one instance, in the other instance the speaker was causing the monitor to flicker.
make sure you dont have any electonic devices close to the monitor.

 

[thadwalt]

I have heard that you can set your setting to make your computer degauss itself, which will make your monitor flicker for 1 to 2 seconds like you said. And I think that you can change that by doing a right click on your mouse then going into properties. And it is in there someone.