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CRT Monitors

shermans
Pro
Posts: 1,303
Thanks: 101
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Registered: ‎07-09-2007

CRT Monitors

My faithful old Compaq V90 CRT monitor has just stopped working.  Black screen.  It was fine and failed with no warning.  I thought it must have been a power failure but sadly it was not.  It owes me nothing as it is more than 15 years old.  However, it was a good size, gave a good image and I simply liked it.
What is strange is that the on-screen adjustment menus still work, and I get messages.  For instance if I disconnect the video cable, I get a message "No video cable".  So why does the text work but not the image ?
I am waiting to upgrade to Windows 10 from XP.  I know I could buy a Windows 8 machine with a free upgrade to 10, but I fear spaghettit code too much with upgrades, and would rather have a virgin install of 10 when it arrives.  Also, it involves more than one computer and several printers.
I suppose it is wishful thinking, but is there any chance that the monitor has an intermittent fault and will come back to life after a short rest ?  Silly question, I know.  I assume it is on the way to re-cycling.
Fortunately, I had an equally old CRT monitor in the garage which I have installed and it works - smaller screen though and not as sharp an image.
15 REPLIES 15
shutter
Community Veteran
Posts: 22,206
Thanks: 3,769
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

can`t be absolutely certain.... but the main failure for crt in t.v. was the L.O.P.T.  or Line Output Transformer,........ You would need an old fashioned T.V. repair man to deal with that ! ! ...
twocvbloke
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 6,399
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Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: CRT Monitors

From the sound of it, either there's something gone wrong in the electronics (resulting in getting OSD messages, etc. but no signal from the computer), or the cable has broken a wire inside resulting in something going wonky with not displaying anything, if it's the cable, it could be repaired, but, it's whether you want to or not cos it's a fiddly job, not to mention no guarantee of bringing it back to life...
I miss my old Compaq CRT monitors, I had a pair of 17" S710s that looked amazingly clear, sharp and bright, but some (badword)wit threw them out without telling me, so they were gone for good... Sad
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

Quote from: shutter
can`t be absolutely certain.... but the main failure for crt in t.v. was the L.O.P.T.  or Line Output Transformer,........ You would need an old fashioned T.V. repair man to deal with that ! ! ...
Not sure how you feel about routing in the back of the CRT but if you can see any details on the transformer it might be worth getting a replacement, a quick look on the internet shows these things are available fairly cheaply but going down that road is a gamble, even if you get lucky and it works it's a fair bet something else will go in it.
We are born into history and history is born into us.
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

If the LOPTs I've replaced are anything to go by a de-soldering tool is highly desirable.
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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
shutter
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

Of course,... if you`re rooting around in the back of a CRT..... then you should remove the power plug from the supply.... otherwise there could be some shocking results !  Shocked
Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

Yup, when I was a kid my dad was a TV engineer.
Learnt the hard way that touching the back of a CRT screen wasn't a good idea.
That was shocking (in both senses of the word). Shocked
pwatson
Rising Star
Posts: 2,470
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Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: CRT Monitors

The menu displays, therefore the display works, therefore there isn't a problem with the LOPT  Crazy
Do not go poking around the back of a CRT monitor unless you know what you're doing and certainly not on the say so of random forum posters!
twocvbloke
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 6,399
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Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: CRT Monitors

I poked about in the back of my old Philips combi TV once, took a shock right across the chest, so the TV went out in the bin and I got a Samsung LED backlit TV instead...  Grin
7up
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

Not quite to the same standard as you lads but i tinkered with a few camera flashes in the past lol.. You remember the disposable 35mm film cameras? Well .. I paid for the camera, why shouldn't I be able to keep it? - and so I did! Removed the cardboard, figured out how to get the case apart and did it in the bathroom with the light off lol. Got the film out and then continued to play with the rest of the camera to see if it could be reused with another film... gave up on that so investigated the flash... wish I hadn't lol. There's me holding the circuit board in my hand after removing it from the camera, presses the charge button, accidentally touches something and next thing i knew i was sat on my backside against the wall behind me  Crazy
You'd think I would learn from that.. but no.. i did it a second time about a month later  Cheesy
I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!
twocvbloke
Seasoned Hero
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Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: CRT Monitors

I've taken many a disposable apart (in the daylight, once the film's run out it's all wound back into the cannister!!), never played with the flash like that though, but I'm sure it's on par with a faulty flyback giving you a bite like I had with my old Philips TV... Grin
nanotm
Pro
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Registered: ‎11-02-2013

Re: CRT Monitors

check the cable is fitted correctly (unscrew it and push it back on) sometimes you get some dust in the socket from the back so a quick blast of air can clear it, last time I had a blank screen it was actually the gfx card output not working, if you have something else to plug it into then check to see if its the monitor or the pc that's the problem.
I only got rid of my old crt because it had a wired in vga lead and my pc had hdmi ouput/
just because your paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

It won't be dust in the socket, but it could be oxidation on the connectors although it doesn't sound like it, take them out and plug back in a few times.
Other than that, I totally agree with
Quote from: pwatson
The menu displays, therefore the display works, therefore there isn't a problem with the LOPT  Crazy
Do not go poking around the back of a CRT monitor unless you know what you're doing and certainly not on the say so of random forum posters!
Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

@7up
Funny you say that, a friend of mine used to work at Boots, dismantled a disposable camera and done the same as you.
The TV shock was enough for me.
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: CRT Monitors

I've been known to check the status of mains cables by flicking my finger on each conductor.
Then I discovered neon screwdrivers.
I wouldn't consider such practice advisable at my current age.
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine