Flat Screen Monitor Fix

[Da Rolling Eye]

Well, ya get what ya pay for. Found a monitor at a garage sale, today, and bought it for $10. Didn't have a powder source so went to Don Quijote and bought a power adaptor. Needed 12 vdc. Plugged it all in and it won't go on. The screen has a big, oval "blob" and only flickers a couple of times.

Is it the screen? Can it be fixed?...or is that going to cost more than it's worth? Monitor is a Pro View. Ever heard of it? According to the label on the back, it needs 12 vdc at 3.0A. My adaptor is 12 vdc at 500A. Do I have a problem with the power supply?

Hey, if it's a waste of time, effort and money, I have no problem with just chucking it. Took a chance with the 10 bucks I paid.

Any suggestions/ideas appreciated.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Flat screen? As is thin screen like LCD display? Either way, that oval blob sounds like trouble. You might want to look at it in strong light. It's possible the backlight is out. A lot of people don't realize that LCDs are back lit with florescent lights. The florescent bulb goes it, it gets real hard to see.

[helen]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Is it the screen? Can it be fixed?...or is that going to cost more than it's worth? Monitor is a Pro View. Ever heard of it? According to the label on the back, it needs 12 vdc at 3.0A. My adaptor is 12 vdc at 500A. Do I have a problem with the power supply?

I am more a software type of person than a hardware type of person but your post just doesn't give enough information to me at least.

For instance there is no reference a model number of the unit which might be on the label that you found on the back.

I don't know about the existance of a company called "Pro View" but I really don't know all the makers of monitors.

And are you sure that your power supply is 12 vdc at 500A and not .500A or 500mA?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

According to the label on the back, it needs 12 vdc at 3.0A. My adaptor is 12 vdc at 500A. Do I have a problem with the power supply?

Yeah you have a problem...the monitor requires 3amps to drive it. You're giving it 0.5 amps. You need to supply six times more amperage than what you're giving it.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

And are you sure that your power supply is 12 vdc at 500A and not .500A or 500mA?

Yeah you have a problem...the monitor requires 3amps to drive it. You're giving it 0.5 amps. You need to supply six times more amperage than what you're giving it.

Ah crap. You guys're right. I just looked again at the power supply and it's 500mA.

GG, yeah it's an LCD flat screen. I should have thought of this when I looked at it at that house. It looks like how LCD calculators look when they go belly up. The screen goes black like something leaked.

Hokay, dump the thang and return that power supply to DQ.

Thanks folks.

[Pomai]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

If you said a pixel (or two, or many) was burnt out, I'd say chuck it.

I've "repaired" a 27" CRT TV monitor by simply using silicone sealant to seal the anode boot attached to the back of the tube, which comes from the flyback transformer.

In CRT monitors, the flyback transformer is a common cause of failure.

Obviously flat screens - especially LCD models - are as solid state as it gets. Still, I'd pop the back open and at least make sure there isn't any foreign objects (like a dead roach) shorting a circuit on the motherboard, or any other board. Have a can of spray air and/or contact cleaner handy. I'd also press on any ribbon cable connections to make sure they're seated properly.

Good call on Craig about the power supply.

[DNR55]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Ah crap. You guys're right. I just looked again at the power supply and it's 500mA.

GG, yeah it's an LCD flat screen. I should have thought of this when I looked at it at that house. It looks like how LCD calculators look when they go belly up. The screen goes black like something leaked.

Hokay, dump the thang and return that power supply to DQ.

Thanks folks.

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Don't dump it until you try a 12v- 3amp supply. The distorted display could be just that it was not getting enough power. If it is truly just 12v at 3 amps, then you could connect it to a car battery with the right polarity plug and it should work. Car batterties can deliver 3 amps easily. No further purchase necessary. If it DOES work off the car battery, then you have to track down a regular 12v-3A supply for your normal house usage. If you have a UPS on your computer you could pull the battery from that to test it also. Those are usually 12v or 2 x 6 volt batteries. Assuming that your UPS batteries are less than 2 or 3 years old, it should work.

[DNR55]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Well, ya get what ya pay for.
Is it the screen? Can it be fixed?...or is that going to cost more than it's worth? Monitor is a Pro View. Ever heard of it? According to the label on the back, it needs 12 vdc at 3.0A. My adaptor is 12 vdc at 500A. Do I have a problem with the power supply?

Hey, if it's a waste of time, effort and money, I have no problem with just chucking it. Took a chance with the 10 bucks I paid.

Any suggestions/ideas appreciated.

=============
Looks like you are in Wahiawa. If you don't want to try my previous suggestions, bring it to my house in Waipahu. Contact me via PM if you like.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

===========
Don't dump it until you try a 12v- 3amp supply. The distorted display could be just that it was not getting enough power. If it is truly just 12v at 3 amps, then you could connect it to a car battery with the right polarity plug and it should work. Car batterties can deliver 3 amps easily. No further purchase necessary. If it DOES work off the car battery, then you have to track down a regular 12v-3A supply for your normal house usage. If you have a UPS on your computer you could pull the battery from that to test it also. Those are usually 12v or 2 x 6 volt batteries. Assuming that your UPS batteries are less than 2 or 3 years old, it should work.

Whew. Was just about to give up on it. I can see the logic as the LCD does need power to, what...produce a picture? The 12vdc at .5A is just not going to do it. It's also not enough to light off the flourescent back light, right? I'll probably rig something up this week and see what happens. Thanks.

I'd hate to think this Mililani Mauka lady sold us junk as most of the stuff she was selling off was all high end furniture and electronics. Just dumping them. $50 for a $1000 easy chair? Shoooots!

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Okay, this lady sold us junk. I hooked the thang up and the screen lit up....except for that black blob. Big'ol, oval shaped, black blob with what looks like long cracks in it. Not unlike looking at a piece of broken glass that didn't fall to pieces yet. So, it seems the flourescent back lighting works, but the LCD screen itself is toast. I can see the light only at the 4 corners and through the cracks.

[DNR55]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Okay, this lady sold us junk. I hooked the thang up and the screen lit up....except for that black blob. Big'ol, oval shaped, black blob with what looks like long cracks in it. Not unlike looking at a piece of broken glass that didn't fall to pieces yet. So, it seems the flourescent back lighting works, but the LCD screen itself is toast. I can see the light only at the 4 corners and through the cracks.

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Sounds like it is suffering from fatal blunt force trauma. What a waste.

[Composite 2992]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

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Sounds like it is suffering from fatal blunt force trauma. What a waste.

Someone probably got angry trying to read the Advertiser website and punched the screen!

[hifotog]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Just my 2c if you want it....yeah, you get what you paid for, but IF was me, I would not EVEN have the b***s to actually sell it...bad karma. If you want to (I may regret this but I hang out here everyday)..try go Craigslist Hawaii and see what they got in the computer section....sometimes you get good deals, other times...you gotta watch the tiny words....

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

Just my 2c if you want it....yeah, you get what you paid for, but IF was me, I would not EVEN have the b***s to actually sell it...bad karma. If you want to (I may regret this but I hang out here everyday)..try go Craigslist Hawaii and see what they got in the computer section....sometimes you get good deals, other times...you gotta watch the tiny words....

I agree. My wife likes to hold garage sales and we don't feel right selling something broken or make sure the buyer knows it's broken. Yup. Get what you pay for.

Craigslist is the first site we check when the puter is turned on.

[MixedPlateBroker]

Re: Flat Screen Monitor Fix

If you're feeling environmentally friendly, I imagine you could gut the circuitry and repurpose the remains as a a big-ole picture frame.

If you're not feeling particularly friendly and the seller isn't too far of a drive, you could "plant" the monitor in her front yard.

Of course, I, like any other law-abiding citizen, frown upon acts of vandalism.

I'm just saying.