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View Full Version : Trying to buy a monitor...Rant



Chuck Wintle
06-06-2004, 8:11 AM
Friday night I went to purchase a monitor. Found a store with Samsung monitors at a really good price. Picked one up, brought it home, set it up and the first thing I see is noticable distortion in the upper part of the screen. The picture sagged noticeably in the middle. Ok. Pack it up and exchange it for another at the store. The second one had the same distortion as the first! I could not believe my luck, or lack of it, to get 2 in a row with the same defect. Correct me if I am wrong but these monitors should have never left the factory with this problem. I guess I will try another brand now. Any suggestions?

Waymon Campbell
06-06-2004, 8:49 AM
Charles - You may have already thought of this (and checked it), but is there a possibility that there is some external interference in the location you have the monitor setup? I have seen RF interference cause otherwise perfect monitors to show artifacts, distortions and make funny sounds. Just a thought...

Chuck Wintle
06-06-2004, 8:57 AM
Waymon,

I thought it might be interference but my old monitor shows no distortion in th espot where it will be used. My old monitor is becoming dim so I need to change it out for a new one. It seems odd to get 2 in a row but I am thinking it might be a batch problem?

Jim Becker
06-06-2004, 9:44 AM
Speakers and magnets can cause distortion and some monitors are less shielded than others. I'll also assume you attempted to correct the problem with the monitor controls. Also, be sure that the driver in Windows is not trying to use a refresh rate that is inappropriate for your monitor. But given you have the same issue with two monitors from the same manufacturer and the same store...I'd pick a different product. (LCDs don't have the distortion issues that CRTs do)

David Wilson
06-06-2004, 9:55 AM
As an old tv repairman I believe your problem is caused by magnetic fields. Not necessarily generated where your monitor is located. If the monitors were shiped to the store in a container that included speakers the residual magnetic affect could cause your problem. Most monitors have a degausing feture. Check the manual for degausing and try the procedure. (You may have to do it 2 or 3 times)

Hope this helps

Chuck Wintle
06-06-2004, 12:08 PM
My plan is to return the monitor to the store and if necessary, show them in the store the distortion in the monitor. Definitely if the distortion is not present in the store then something in my setup is at fault. However my old monitor shows absolutely no distortion and it is in precisely the same spot where the new one was. A very starnge problem indeed.