Death Of The Computer Monitor

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

Now I have already tried to troubleshoot this issue, and have discussed it with a couple members already but if anyone can give me any idea of what might possibly be wrong or if it's repairable, I will deeply appreciate it.

I woke up this morning to find my monitor screen black with the power button blinking. I tend to keep my computer monitor on sometimes at night, it works very well as a night light. ([color="#808080"]Don't ask, I wake up every 4 hours it seems[/color])
Some time during the night something must have fried or happened with my monitor because it will not display a screen. It gives me nothing but black with either a green blinking power button or a glowing green power button that is not blinking- as though the monitor is displaying picture ([color="#808080"]which it is not[/color]).


Now I'd like to see if there's something I can do about this without spending $99-150 bucks of my money, but my last option is to salvage the monitor for parts and throw the remains out and get a new one. ([color="#808080"]Or just get a laptop.[/color])

To give those of you who might be curious of how old my computer is in general, it still takes PC3200 memory. Though I am not certain what the age of the monitor is, I can only assume that it has not been passed around between computers.


[b]Troubleshooting:[/b]

[list]
[*]I have checked to see if everything is plugged in correctly, and it is.
[*]I have checked to see if it is displaying a green line or a dell logo,it shows nothing but a green blinking on button.
[*]I have unplugged the monitor from not only my computer tower, but from the strip I have and then plugged it back in again. It gave no result.
[*]I have tried it on another computer, again....nothing but a blinking green light.
[*]I have also tried giving it a decent smack, but again.. nothing.
[*]I have left it off for a prolonged amount of time to see if it is over heated or something of the sort, again it gives me the same result.
[/list]

[b]Other Information:[/b]
[list]
[*]The monitor and the computer are Dells.
[*]They are quite old, at least 2000-2004.
[*]The computer takes PC3200 memory, if that says anything about it's age.
[*]The monitor has 1 power lead that plugs into a power strip or a wall, and 1 lead that plugs into the computer tower.
[/list]

[Fenrir Greycloth]

Well, the problem seems to be that A) its an old monitor [img]http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/public/style_emoticons//cool.gif[/img] you leave it on constantly for hours/days on end. Its not meant to be on constantly like that. Its like leaving an engine running all day. It wears down fast. Electricity is still running through your monitor, and the pixels are constantly being surged with currents.

I would have suggested looking at your Graphics card, but it appears that is not the problem since you have tried it upon another tower.

solution? Get a new computer. You will thank yourself since they are more sturdy and much better built than ten years ago... >.>

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

I intend to get a laptop soon, the problem is deciding whether or not I want to spend so much money yet. I wasn't expecting I'd have to pay for a monitor, at the moment I've got a temporary fix.

[Malaikat Maut]

[quote name='Fenrir Greycloth' date='23 March 2010 - 04:51 PM' timestamp='1269377508' post='56801']
Electricity is still running through your monitor, and the pixels are constantly being surged with currents.
[/quote]
It sounds like the monitor is a CRT, in which case there would be no "pixels". Also, leaving electronics powered on is generally considered to be fine as they experience substantially less wear and tear than mechanical components, such as a motor. In fact, it may actually prolong the life because electronic devices tend to generate heat. Powering them off allows them to cool which could lead to condensation when they heat again. I agree with your prognoses though, Fenrir.

Amoran, If you've tried that monitor on another computer with similar results, the only other thing I would have you try is to put a different monitor on your computer. If it shows a display than the monitor is definitely bad, and at this point they aren't worth fixing. I don't know that the parts are even worth anything, and I wouldn't recommend messing with the insides of a CRT monitor. They have huge capacitors which can hold a charge for a long time after being unplugged. The lethality of the charge is debatable...but still not worth the risk in my opinion.

[Kamisha]

Well actually CRT (crystal ray tube) monitors still do have pixels the pixels are activated by the electrons emitted by a cathode hitting the screen on different pixels on the screen which are activated by the kinetic energy of the electron. There are three things that could have happened all fatally ending your monitor.
1) A power serge burned out the cathode its happened before
2) All the pixels have ended there life simultaneously. (all pixels have a limited life span they are always getting bombarded even when the screen is black you will always notice a glowing blue because it makes simulated black.)
3) The CRT has sprung a leak and was filled with air. (most likely and a CRT is basically a huge light bulb)

Usually when a CRT breaks is gone for good best thing you could do is replace it. Though get an LCD screen they are the only thing you can get now anyway and they last longer. Thats all I can say on the matter physics comes in hands some times.

[Malaikat Maut]

[quote name='Kamisha' date='24 March 2010 - 04:08 PM' timestamp='1269461328' post='56855']
Well actually CRT (crystal ray tube) monitors still do have pixels the pixels are activated by the electrons emitted by a cathode hitting the screen on different pixels on the screen which are activated by the kinetic energy of the electron.
[/quote]

Just to be pedantic...It's cathode ray tube. And those electrons are fired by an electron gun which "activate" phosphors and not pixels. It's impossible for a CRT to have "dead pixels" in the same convention that the language is used to define nonfunctional liquid crystals on an LCD.

[Kamisha]

[quote name='Malaikat Maut' date='24 March 2010 - 04:17 PM' timestamp='1269465460' post='56864']

Just to be pedantic...It's cathode ray tube. And those electrons are fired by an electron gun which "activate" phosphors and not pixels. It's impossible for a CRT to have "dead pixels" in the same convention that the language is used to define nonfunctional liquid crystals on an LCD.
[/quote]

I guess cathode was correct I knew there was something weird about using that. However with the pixel thing I have to say that you are incorrect. It activates phosphors however in order to create different colors there are several different versions of Phosphorous which emit different colors when contacted by the electron. Following the rule of the three primary colors and changing the intensity of each by determining the rate at which they are hit in order to flash at a different frequency is the determinare of color. So yes there are pixels as there must be in order to create the different colors. You can see them by bring a magnifine glass to the screen of a CRT you can try it out if you have one.

However on earthier account there is nothing you can do except replace that screen as there is no fixing a CRT.

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

[quote name='Malaikat Maut' date='24 March 2010 - 12:27 PM' timestamp='1269451653' post='56852']
It sounds like the monitor is a CRT, in which case there would be no "pixels". Also, leaving electronics powered on is generally considered to be fine as they experience substantially less wear and tear than mechanical components, such as a motor. In fact, it may actually prolong the life because electronic devices tend to generate heat. Powering them off allows them to cool which could lead to condensation when they heat again. I agree with your prognoses though, Fenrir.

Amoran, If you've tried that monitor on another computer with similar results, the only other thing I would have you try is to put a different monitor on your computer. If it shows a display than the monitor is definitely bad, and at this point they aren't worth fixing. I don't know that the parts are even worth anything, and I wouldn't recommend messing with the insides of a CRT monitor. They have huge capacitors which can hold a charge for a long time after being unplugged. The lethality of the charge is debatable...but still not worth the risk in my opinion.
[/quote]

I set up another computer monitor on my computer, its a temporary fix unfortunately. But yes, my brother fiddled around with my monitor and declared the same thing. The monitor has gone bad, I shouldn't open it up and explore it's insides, and that I should get a new one.

I just sort of wish it hadn't of gone bad, and at a terrible time too.

Thank you for your suggestions on this, I really appreciate it.

[quote name='Malaikat Maut' date='24 March 2010 - 04:17 PM' timestamp='1269465460' post='56864']

Just to be pedantic...It's cathode ray tube. And those electrons are fired by an electron gun which "activate" phosphors and not pixels. It's impossible for a CRT to have "dead pixels" in the same convention that the language is used to define nonfunctional liquid crystals on an LCD.
[/quote]

Good sir, you have broken my brain. But that is most certainly interesting to know.

[I am Bored]

oh and i would advise getting a desktop, upgrading ram is MUCH cheaper..... and it's much easier to upgrade....