Blurry Display

[Anjie]

My display has been going blurry off and on. It will be clear when you boot up and then all of a sudden it will get blurry and sometimes it clears up on it's own too. This started shortly after my son installed an update to the MECH WARRIOR 3 game but not totally sure it is the reason.
I am running a
1.4 Gig Athlon
Via KT266A Motherboard
256 Megs DDRAM
ATI Radeon 8500 64M DDR Graphics Card
Sound Blasters Audigy Sound Card
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[Dan]

Logically it's either your monitor or your video card.
You could try changing the refresh rate (control panel-display-settings-advanced) to somewhere around 60hz to see if this makes a difference, if so your card may be losing it (altho' that's a great card).
Manually degaussing your monitor might help, altho' this won't cure the problem if it is the monitor.
If you have another monitor, or access to one, I would try swapping it out to see if it is failing....same goes with the video card to see if has been used up.

[Anjie]

Bummer, I hope it isn't my monitor or my card. The monitor is a Hitachi and the whole system is only a hair over a year old. I will try the refresh rate. Still think it may have something to do with the Mech Warrior Download. Was thinking it might be possible that it changed some sort of setting or something. I know my sound card settings were all changed some too after the download and had to go in and correct them. But can't figure out what setting it may be on my display settings yet. I am running windows XP and although I like it for the most part. It doesn't like to get along very well with a lot of other software and I frequently have to sqiggle around with settings and get patches and what not to make it behave. Thanks for your help....

[bailey]

I realy don.t like to suggest this, but I belive it is the monitor, but it is not bad, there is a adjustment inside for the focus adjustment. if your were familar with monitors you would have known this, so sence your not, just take it to a repaire shop and have them do the adjustment for you, do not try to adjust it your self, as there can be up to 20,000 volts in there

[Anjie]

Thanks Guys...just curious though. If it were my monitor or card would only the words get fuzzy. My son can play his games and we can search the internet and the images and 3D stuff are just fine. Only the words get garbled. Have found something in my programs listing that I have never noticed before called Wild Tangent Web Driver, Wild Tangent Updater, and Wild Tangent Multiplayer Library. The one has settings in it for 3D play. Wondering if anyone knows anything about this and if it could be the culprit?

[Anjie]

Oh, and refresh rate is at 60hz so it wasn't that easy, thanks for trying though Dan. And it just goes in and out. Will be clear one minute and fuzzy the next. Goofy thing! I swear these things are moodier than us women.

[Dan]

Anjie-
I had a Decaview brand monitor that kept burning up video cards 'till I figured it out....after spending time in the repair shop the technician found 48 solders that were either cracked or undone....I guess it's a long way from China to New Hampshire....
If the problem isn't steady, i.e. it comes and goes, chances are there is something loose.
I've a theory about computers and their components: they know what ticks us off and when....
(you might try taking out the video card and reseating it, just in case it's something simple like that....be sure to unplug the machine, and keep one hand on the case when you touch or remove it)
keep us posted on your progress.....

[Anjie]

Nope, Bailey is right. It is my monitor... I put an old monitor I had around here and everything else works great. The good news is it is still under warranty through Hitachi. Just have to figure out how to get them to fix it now. Called today, but there business hours are 9 to 5 Eastern time....I get home about 4:30 Central time. Going to try the web site next. Hopefully it won't be to bad getting it fixed. Thanks for all you help guys...it is greatly appreciated. Still love this site even if I don't get in here often anymore.

[Dan]

great news.....usually things break down AFTER the warranty runs out....

[fatboyjim]

Anjie

Good to hear that you noticed the problem before the warranty ran out, every time anything breaks in my house it's always a week after it's gone

Pulled this from the Hitachi Displays website:

Return for Repair Procedure
In Warranty, Out of Warranty Return/Repairs

Contact Information for replacement
Contact HitachiDisplays Customer Support at: 1-800-562-2552 and…
1. Provide your name, address, and contact information
2. Be prepared to provide model number, serial number, problem description and on-line order number or proof of purchase (for out of warranty returns, also have have credit card or corporate purchase order information available)
3. HitachiDisplays will provide an RMA # and instruct you on the service process including the repair location address.

IMPORTANT
· Pack defective unit using appropriate packaging
· Print RMA# clearly on outside of carton or the product will be refused by our repair center.
· Ship back to HitachiDisplays designated repair center.



HTH, And good luck

Jim

[jamesrpm]

And let us know how it goes with Hitachi , RMA experiance is always good information to have when buying hardware.

[Anjie]

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you all. My father fell ill and we lost him so haven't been around to reply. Have already contacted Hitachi. So far the service has been super. Very polite, speedy response. The monitor has a 3 year warranty and as I had mentioned the system is barely a year old. Had the RMA# via fax in less than an hour. I have to get packaging to send the monitor back as the original packaging was stored at my ex husbands house and now is gone. Will let you all know how quickly they process the repair once the monitor has been shipped. Hope to get that done sometime this week.

[Dan]

Anjie

Very sorry to hear about your father. Hope you're holding up OK....

[fatboyjim]

Hope you are OK, very sorry to hear about your loss.

Thanks for the word on Hitachi, good to know there are still some good companies in computers...

Jim

[Anjie]

Thanks guys, I am doing okay. I was lucky I guess to get to spend his last moments with him. Or so that is what every one keeps telling me. Actually it was pretty horrible. He was a heavy smoker and he had been having lung problems for the past several years. Literally had to watch him suffocate to death for the last 45 minutes. Hate the tobbaco industries. Not much of an activist but if I ever were, it would be against the tobbaco industry. I am the only one of a family of six that does not smoke and the rest of my family look 30 years older than I do and all have lung problems. Now the stupid things have a hold on my beautiful 21 year old daughter. Seems to me, anyone that has seen the damage that smoking has done to my family would have more intelligence than that.

[Dan]

Anjie
not to turn this into an anti-smoking thread...but I, too watched my father go the same way. Two weeks before he passed, I still kept him in his home...insisted that he not smoke any more. He was so driven to have another smoke that he crawled on his hands and knees to his bedroom to find the other set of car keys...was determined to go to the store for another pack (even tho' he could barely walk). Sad, do what you can to show your daughter a picture of a bad lung....keep the faith, God bless....

[Blakhart]

Well said.

[fatboyjim]

Perhaps it's not my place to say but some people have to make their own mistakes, no matter of scaremongering or shouting will stop them

Good luck...