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Screen Flickers??

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I wonder if anyone can help?
Two of my users have reported that their screen flickers whilst they are working at their terminal. Both say that it is infrequent and it flickers from their desktop to a black screen. One of them has even stated that the screen changes to a bight blue or pink

Any suggestions

Kind Regards
Neil Hughes

21 replies

by ian boothby

If it's infrequent and recovers to the desktop/program then don't worry too much - it could be a 1001 things. If yo DO want to do something though, try ensuring that the monitor cables are thumbscrewed up tightly, or even better, replace/swap the cable and wait to see if the error re-occurs!

by skutts

If replacing the cable as suggested in A1 doesn't cure the fault, then the chances are that the monitor is faulty. From the symptoms you describe, it is probably dry solder joints on the CRT base (a small PCB on the end of the CRT). If you, or anyone you know, are competent with soldering, then it should be a firly simple task to re solder these. A word of caution though - the CRT is essentailly a huge capacitor with a charge of up to 25,000 volts. If have not had any experience with electronics, don't take the back case off, send it away - a TV repairman should be able to fix it.

Rog

by vilefileman

2 Things, check whats around them. Cell Phones are known to call screen flickers, among other things, and plugging radio or fans into the same receptacle can also cause screen flickers.

V

by raidman

To add on to answer #3 floresent lighting can also cause flickering if close to the top of the monitor. Also, try the monitor in a different location.
Note: Depending on your work load, Monitors can be purchased so cheap these days it isn't even worth working on them. We just buy new ones when they go out!
Good luck,

by bock2000

I agree with the other answers to check the cables first. Check for anything at that persons desk electronic near there monitor. Also if the users are in cubes check the other side of the cube to see if the next cube over has anything that could be interfering. I have fixed many a monitor by turning off a fan in the next cube. Also, we have some monitors that will cause monitors on the other side of the wall of a cube to degauss when it is turned on. You might check to see if that is happening.

Hope this helps!

by crjordan

The color changes are almost always a faulty wire in the cable. Try working the cable back and forth near both connectors, if this causes the color change, you could have a broken wire in the cable, or a lose pin in one of the connectors. Make sure the Video adapter is properly seated and the Screw is in place. Fans and other interference will cause flickering and screen warbling, but going completely black and back in also sounds like a cable problem. Make sure the cable is out of the way (from feet hands and other objects). you may also try zip tying it to itself or another stable object until you can replace either the cable or the monitor.
Regards,
Chuck

by justme2007

I just got this in an email today (and it was from TechRepublic!)

Today's Windows 95/98 tip

GET RID OF THE SCREEN FLICKER
Have you ever noticed that the screen on your Windows 98 computer seems to flicker? This commonly occurs on older computers, which have probably been upgraded from Windows 95 or even Windows 3.x.

This problem is often due to an improperly calibrated refresh rate. The refresh rate determines how often the computer redraws the image on the monitor screen. The Windows98 installation process, which includes selecting a video display driver, can occasionally select an inappropriate refresh rate for your monitor. While the user can
manually adjust the refresh rate, care must be taken to avoid harming the monitor.Excessively high refresh rates can damage certain video displays, so be sure to consult your device manual or the manufacturer's Web site before selecting the maximum possible refresh setting.

To manually adjust the refresh rate, click on Start |Settings | Control Panel and double-click the Display icon. Once the applet opens, select the Settings tab and click on Advanced. Select the Adapter tab. A drop-down list of refresh rates will be available here and, provided you don't exceed the monitor's maximum rate, you can select each of these in turn to find the optimal setting. As a rough guide, refresh
rates of 70 Hz to 85 Hz are common.

Hope this helps!

by aqmike

I agree with the previous answers that say to check the cable and connection first. Second, check the refresh rate. If you don't know what that may be, look at the back of the monitor and many times it will be on one of the stickers on the back. If the problem was refresh though, the monitor would have these problems at a more constant rate. The problem is probably that the monitor is either being interfered with by something very close to it (flouresant lights, large speakers, etc.) or it could possibly be the monitor is on the verge of going bad.

by steve moores

Also look out for Transformers ie those that power halogen desk lights or Non shielded speakers(usually distorts colours on screen too!)

by zenbernie

This is a rather oddball thing I'm about to say, but I've seen it happen a number of times now, and I know it has resolved similar issues for me: check the type of video card, and what the settings are on its hardware acceleration. I've seen the NVIDIA brand cards cause screen flickers which ACT like a refresh problem, and when I disabled the hardware acceleration ( via Display Properties, Settings, Advanced, Troubleshooting tab)the problem disappeared.
It's a quick fix if it is the problem.

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