Can you safely run a CRT monitor on its side?

[bluemax]

I'm really loving running this 17" LCD in "tall" mode! Long lists that go down the screen... makes me wonder why the world is pushing for widescreen. When it comes to getting work done, I'll take TALL over WIDE any day!

I also have a 17" CRT for the second monitor right beside it. I can physidally dump it over on its side and it's good and square, not flopping on uneven edges. It DOES get some green discolouration in one corner though, like you'd get from having something magnetic too close.


So.... can you SAFELY run a CRT on its side, or is it one of those things that can damage it because it's not designed that way?

(BTW, on my lunch break, I played a little MAME on the LCD's tall screen - Ms. Pac Man looks great in full-screen tall! Just like the arcade!

 

[bruceb]

Electricaly, yes ... but how are you going to keep it that way ? ?
As to the Green Splotch, that can be cured with a Degaussing Coil
You can get one at most electronics shops ... To use it, place it Parallel
to the Screen, turn it on (monitor is also on) & then move it slowly in a
circular motion .. then back away from the monitor keeping the coil the
same way ... rotate it 90 degrees and then turn off the coil

The splotch should be gone ... if it returns, the monitor needs service
as they have built-in automatic degaussers .. the circuit is not very complex
but something there may have malfunctioned

 

[bluemax]

I should mention that the green splotch ONLY happens when I tilt the monitor onto its side. When upright, it's perfect.

If it works, it'll just sit on top of the SFF PC right beside the LCD, so both would be tall.

 

[bluemax]

BruceB - good point. I dumped it over, got the green blob..... and simply hit DEGAUSS!

100% perfect!

Tall screen goodness!

 

[Roguestar]

I prefer tall over wide too. Especially for reading things like webpages, forums, anything with a list really. To hell with widescreen!

 

[bluemax]

Only complaint: Intel drivers are a little weak... I can only get 72hz refresh out of this monitor when in rotated mode vs 85hz normal...

If my eyes can't take it, I might go back to "normal" but 72hz is a far cry better than 60!

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Cooling could be an issue because the chassis heat will be moving over itself.
I'd put a low cfm 120 fan on the lower part of the top vent grill.
Just hang it on the grill work with a couple of bent paperclips.

 

[bluemax]

I could see the IT department not liking that.......


Maybe I aughta' stick this thing back right-side-up. My supervisor is computer illiterate and constantly worried I'm going to break the computer.

"You didn't download anything did you?!!?? You could ruin the whole network!!"

Silly.

 

[boomerang]

I don't know the "true" answer to your question, but I'm thinking that the CRT is designed to be upright and when on its side, some of the components are in an unnatural position and are flexed or strained in a manner that is causing your green spot.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[bluemax]

"HEAT" is what sold me. It was getting much warmer on the side (or, the new "top") than usual. I didn't want to take the chance of long-term damage.

I'd love a second LCD but I won't push my luck asking for one - I'm lucky to have a second monitor at all!

 

[boomerang]

We've been pushing for second monitors for the last several years. They just can't comprehend our need.

They don't need one, so why would we. The other issue is that they keep buying CRT's. I keep telling them they'd save enough in energy usage to pay for the LCD's. It all falls on deaf ears.

 

[Seekermeister]

You guys might just inspire some design engineer to come out with tall monitors.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Several LCDs can be turned 90degrees for portrait mode.
When I buy a LCD that feature will be a must.

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
You guys might just inspire some design engineer to come out with tall monitors.

You know what'd be REALLY cool?

Take two 19" standard LCD panels (the inner mechanics, no plastic frame.
Mount the two VERTICAL, side by side, with as little material between them as possible. I know the technology is allllmost there to have ZERO space between the two panels... OLED is supposed to be able to "knit" multiple panels together.

You could then use this 2048x1280 monitor as either two single-page monitors, or as a single large monitor!

Maybe not so practical at home, but HUGE for the workplace!

 

[CurseTheSky]

The Samsung SyncMaster 204B can be turned 90 degrees. It's pretty cool.

 

[SilentRunning]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
You guys might just inspire some design engineer to come out with tall monitors.

About 15 years too late. There was a line of crt monitors called Radius Pivot that could be rotated on the stand from horizontal to vertical.

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: SilentRunning

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
You guys might just inspire some design engineer to come out with tall monitors.

About 15 years too late. There was a line of crt monitors called Radius Pivot that could be rotated on the stand from horizontal to vertical.

Nifty.

Nice to see so many LCD's doing it though.... sadly, some of them are hard to view in "portrait" mode. The HP1740 here at work is less-than-perfect for viewing on its side, you can tell they didn't optimize it for such operation even though it's capable of the rotation.