focus problem: monitor or video card?

I have a monitor LG FLATRON F700P and a video card AG315E-32 with 32MB
(sorry I don't know the manufacturer, just know that the chip is from
SiS).

I'm used to work in a 1600x1200 resolution. One day, I just started my
PC and the image was out of focus. I noticed that if I downgrade the
resolution to 1280x1024 the focus was ok. The monitor is less than one
year-old, than when I contacted the LG revendor I was given a new
monitor promptly.

I was puzzled when, as soon as I turned on the new monitor, the same
problem was the image out of focus with resolution 1600x1200 or
higher and focus ok in resolution 1280x1024 or lower. I swear: it is
not a matter of just having larger/smaller fonts in the video, it is
really the focus that is changing.

I began to suspect that maybe the problem is in the video card. Is it
possible? How can I be sure? I'm trying to borrow a video card to test
but so far I could not find one that reaches the required resolution
for the test.

Thx
Paula

(Paula) wrote in message . com...
I have a monitor LG FLATRON F700P and a video card AG315E-32 with 32MB
(sorry I don't know the manufacturer, just know that the chip is from
SiS).

I'm used to work in a 1600x1200 resolution. One day, I just started my
PC and the image was out of focus. I noticed that if I downgrade the
resolution to 1280x1024 the focus was ok. The monitor is less than one
year-old, than when I contacted the LG revendor I was given a new
monitor promptly.

I was puzzled when, as soon as I turned on the new monitor, the same
problem was the image out of focus with resolution 1600x1200 or
higher and focus ok in resolution 1280x1024 or lower. I swear: it is
not a matter of just having larger/smaller fonts in the video, it is
really the focus that is changing.

I began to suspect that maybe the problem is in the video card. Is it
possible? How can I be sure? I'm trying to borrow a video card to test
but so far I could not find one that reaches the required resolution
for the test.

Thx
Paula

Hi,

have you had a play around with different refresh rates ? What O.S. are you using ?

- Donald
- www.mailpopper.com

Hi,

have you had a play around with different refresh rates ? What O.S. are you using ?

- Donald
- www.mailpopper.com

Hi Donald,

I'm using Win XP. Actually, I didn't try to change refresh rates. I'm
looking this now and I'll play around a bit. I'll let you know...

Thx
Paula

Hi,

have you had a play around with different refresh rates ? What O.S. are you using ?

- Donald
- www.mailpopper.com

Hi again,

here I am: I tried from 60Hz to 85Hz. The mode that is focused is
1280x1024@60Hz (but has flickering). Curiosly, the recommended
resolution for the monitor is VESA 1280x1024@85Hz, but in this mode I
get the out of focus image (Is the recommended VESA with an actual AGP
card a problem?). For higher resolutions (ex 1600x1200) I always have
an out of focus image, no matter the refresh rate, although the degree
varies. According to the monitor manual, the Max Flicker Free mode is
VESA 1600x1200@75Hz, but at 1600x1200 I have only the option up to
70Hz (which is out of focus anyway).

Any ideas?

Cheers
Paula

I would see if I can try the monitor on another computer, or try
another display card in the computer. If the fault is the same, then
it has to be something with the monitor.

I would not be surprised in these low cost monitors if there is a
design problem. I have seen this before.

If you want a monitor with very sharp focus at all resolutions,
consider a Viewsonic, Mitsubishi, or a Sony monitor. These are pricey,
but will have great results.

If you want something very sharp for focus, convergence, and general
performance, you should consider an LCD panel. But, these are best at
their native resolution.


Jerry G.
=======



(Paula) wrote in message . com...
Hi,

have you had a play around with different refresh rates ? What O.S. are you using ?

- Donald
- www.mailpopper.com

Hi again,

here I am: I tried from 60Hz to 85Hz. The mode that is focused is
1280x1024@60Hz (but has flickering). Curiosly, the recommended
resolution for the monitor is VESA 1280x1024@85Hz, but in this mode I
get the out of focus image (Is the recommended VESA with an actual AGP
card a problem?). For higher resolutions (ex 1600x1200) I always have
an out of focus image, no matter the refresh rate, although the degree
varies. According to the monitor manual, the Max Flicker Free mode is
VESA 1600x1200@75Hz, but at 1600x1200 I have only the option up to
70Hz (which is out of focus anyway).

Any ideas?

Cheers
Paula

Hi,

Yeah, I'm trying to manage to exchange the card and/or the monitor to
test. Let's see wuaht happens.

Concerning your suggestions about trademark: I regreted a lot to leave
behind my Sony 17". It crashed and no one could fix it. I intented to
buy a new Sony 17" but discovered that Sony now only makes 19" and
larger or LCD, what are both out of reach for me.

Curiously, I've never seen Viewsonic or Mitsubishi for sale here in
Brazil. I'll try to check. And I hope they have 17".

Just to be sure and as knowledge: it is possible indeed to be a
problem in the video card then? I mean, I didn't know so far that
video card can be a cause for focus problems.

Thx anyway
Paula

(Jerry Greenberg) wrote in message . com...
I would see if I can try the monitor on another computer, or try
another display card in the computer. If the fault is the same, then
it has to be something with the monitor.

I would not be surprised in these low cost monitors if there is a
design problem. I have seen this before.

If you want a monitor with very sharp focus at all resolutions,
consider a Viewsonic, Mitsubishi, or a Sony monitor. These are pricey,
but will have great results.

If you want something very sharp for focus, convergence, and general
performance, you should consider an LCD panel. But, these are best at
their native resolution.


Jerry G.
=======

Going by my interpation of "focus", this would be only the monitor. If
you are having smearing or some other phenonom, that is not being
properly described, then we are sort of not synchronized in this area.

I would suggest to try the monitor on another computer, and run it
through the resolutions you want to use. This would be the easiest
test for you.

I understand what you are saying about Sony and other monitors. This
August 2004, is the cut off date where most of the manufactures of
CRT's "picture tubes". They will be terminating the manufacture of
these, except for a few types for their very high end type CRT
monitors.

It will take about 1 to 2 years to run out of tubes for the
manufacturing of the main stream type CRT type monitors. After that,
only the LCD type and a very few high end CRT type monitors will be
available.

As for the consumer type TV sets, there will be a range of CRT types
in the name brands for a few years more. After that, the technology
will all go to the LCD, and DLP type projection types for the very
large screens, and the LCD and Plasma types for the direct view types.


____________________________________________

Extracted from:http://broadcastengineering.com/news...sony_stop_crt/

The report also said that Sony, one of the world's largest
manufacturers of television receivers, will stop making cathode ray
tube displays in Japan as it promotes newer sets with liquid crystal
and plasma displays. Sony produced 130 million cathode ray tube
televisions worldwide last year, but fewer than 2 million liquid
crystal and plasma screen sets.

Last week Sony said it was close to reaching a deal to co-produce
liquid crystal displays for televisions and computers with Samsung
Electronics in South Korea. To date, Sony has had to buy the panels
from other companies.

For more information visit www.sony.com/professionals.

_____________________________________________

Extracted from:http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardw...l/news/3651/1/

Thu 7/26/01 -- Call it writing on the wall, or on the screen:
Tokyo-based Hitachi Ltd. announced today that it's decided to stop
manufacturing CRT monitors and "concentrate resources on flat panel
displays, particularly TFT LCDs." By the end of 2001, the company
says, it will halt production of cathode-ray tubes at its plants in
Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia; the three factories produced
approximately five million CRTs in fiscal year 2000.

______________________________________________

As for the above, there are hundreds of news releases in the industry
about the stopping of CRT manufacturing. In about 3 to 4 years, seeing
a new good quality CRT computer monitor, and a new CRT TV set will be
very rare.

There may be some low quality CRT monitors and TV sets being produced
out of the Orient for a number of years to come, but as the
feasability gets less, these will also be discontinued.


Jerry G.
=======




(Paula) wrote in message . com...
Hi,

Yeah, I'm trying to manage to exchange the card and/or the monitor to
test. Let's see wuaht happens.

Concerning your suggestions about trademark: I regreted a lot to leave
behind my Sony 17". It crashed and no one could fix it. I intented to
buy a new Sony 17" but discovered that Sony now only makes 19" and
larger or LCD, what are both out of reach for me.

Curiously, I've never seen Viewsonic or Mitsubishi for sale here in
Brazil. I'll try to check. And I hope they have 17".

Just to be sure and as knowledge: it is possible indeed to be a
problem in the video card then? I mean, I didn't know so far that
video card can be a cause for focus problems.

Thx anyway
Paula

(Jerry Greenberg) wrote in message . com...
I would see if I can try the monitor on another computer, or try
another display card in the computer. If the fault is the same, then
it has to be something with the monitor.

I would not be surprised in these low cost monitors if there is a
design problem. I have seen this before.

If you want a monitor with very sharp focus at all resolutions,
consider a Viewsonic, Mitsubishi, or a Sony monitor. These are pricey,
but will have great results.

If you want something very sharp for focus, convergence, and general
performance, you should consider an LCD panel. But, these are best at
their native resolution.


Jerry G.
=======

Smearing? Maybe! Honestly i don´t know the word, but from I've read in
the dictionary it seems close to what I am having.

Anyway, the mistery goes deeper:

1) if I remove my agp video card and put a new one (also agp sis 32mb
another model) the problem is exactly the same

BUT

2) if I connect my monitor to a TOSHIBA laptop with a GFORCE card, the
image is sharp, nice, clear and perfectly focused (not smeared ?)


I'm getting crazy trying to discover where the hell is the problem?? I
could believe in some strange and obscure incompatibility between the
monitor and sis cards BUT it was working properly one week ago!

The slot? The motherboard itself?

It is not a system matter, anyway, because the problem appeared both
in Windows XP and Linux at the same day.


Any ideas? Clues?

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Hash: SHA1

Paula wrote:

Smearing? Maybe! Honestly i don´t know the word, but from I've read in
the dictionary it seems close to what I am having.

Anyway, the mistery goes deeper:

1) if I remove my agp video card and put a new one (also agp sis 32mb
another model) the problem is exactly the same

BUT

2) if I connect my monitor to a TOSHIBA laptop with a GFORCE card, the
image is sharp, nice, clear and perfectly focused (not smeared ?)


That indicates the monitor is likely okay - as long as the image is correct
through all the desired resolutions.


I'm getting crazy trying to discover where the hell is the problem?? I
could believe in some strange and obscure incompatibility between the
monitor and sis cards BUT it was working properly one week ago!

The slot? The motherboard itself?

It is not a system matter, anyway, because the problem appeared both
in Windows XP and Linux at the same day.


This would point to a problem within the computer - not necessarily the
video card, however.

My suspicion is there is a very slight change in the voltage(s) being
supplied to the AGP card under the conditions of the higher resolutions.

It's likely that under these [supposed] conditions the card is not able to
supply a stable horizontal, vertical (or both) synch signal at the higher
resolutions, or is not able to maintain the required signal levels at the
desired resolutions.

If this condition does exist it could be caused by a malfunctioning
mainboard or a malfunctioning power supply.

You can test the power supply voltages by following the guidelines in these
two links (and others that may be linked to them).

http://tinyurl.com/2t69q
and
http://tinyurl.com/32j

Alternately you can just replace the power supply with a good quality
(Antec, Sparkle, as examples) unit.
This won't alleviate the issue if the problem is with the mainboard.



Any ideas? Clues?

- --
Ron n1zhi

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