My new used monitor is blurry!

[sniperruff]

So my place at work was throwing out a working Dell M990 (a 19-inch CRT). so i took it home to replace a 15-inch CRT.

so i fired it up and it was very blurry! i thought it's probably because it has not been used for a while. but after a week of using, it's still quite blurry.

i understand that it's old. but after i run some fast graphics on it, such as a video, counter strike, or a fast screen saver, the graphics becomes crystal clear again.

so what's the problem? is there any way i can fix this? or is it just a symptom that a monitor is getting old?

thanks

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
So my place at work was throwing out a working Dell M990 (a 19-inch CRT). so i took it home to replace a 15-inch CRT.

so i fired it up and it was very blurry! i thought it's probably because it has not been used for a while. but after a week of using, it's still quite blurry.

i understand that it's old. but after i run some fast graphics on it, such as a video, counter strike, or a fast screen saver, the graphics becomes crystal clear again.

so what's the problem? is there any way i can fix this? or is it just a symptom that a monitor is getting old?

thanks

there's a focus adjustor thing on CRTs but you're going to have to take it apart. it's very dangerous as well. even after you turn it off, high voltage is retained in capacitors and can shock you if you touch the wrong spot. maybe you can find some place that does that like a repair shop, i don't know...

 

[hans030390]

yeah that...or, maybe you need to adjust your display settings, or the settings on the monitor itself.

oh, and maybe you are used to the 15in being clear on 2d stuff, and the 19in is just big and you're not used to it...or something...iduno

 

[Pete]

Does the blurriness remain even at lower refresh rates and resolutions? What video card are you driving the monitor with?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Unless you know exactly what you are looking for and doing - ie, you don't have to ask - do not dissassemble a CRT.

Try tweaking every external setting first, check the cable for breaks or sharp bends, and try to change the resolution and refresh rate combination.

Trying to feed 1280x960@85Hz, for example, is too much for a pathetic onboard Intel chip.

- M4H

 

[kmmatney]

CRTs do get blurry over time. I just replaced my 6 year old old 19" SONY which was so blurry I couldn't run it above 1024 x 768. It started getting noticably blurry when it was 4 years old. I tried taking it apart, but couldn't improve things much. I doubt that any external controls will help you out - your only hope is to tweak the pots inside the case. Its certainly not worth paying anyone else to fit it.

 

[sniperruff]

thanks everyone. yes the blurriness is also present at lower resolutions.

and the vid card is a GF3 Ti500, which works beatuifully with my 17-inch CRT

my guess is the age (made almost 5 years ago). oh well this is what i get for trying to save a few bucks and not get that 1905FP.

 

[TempusMM]

Again, try different refresh rates efore you do anything else. There also should be a convergence option in the monitor's own settings, that's likely your problem. Make sure that Moire cancell is not active in the monitor settings as well. Go through all of the controls on the monitor itself, some companies use different terms for things. I'm betting you can get it worked out.

 

[ShadowBlade]

new eye perscription?

 

[jamesbond007]

If it looks fine for videos/games, I think it's time you get a TV card and setup dual-monitors. :thumbsup:

 

[sniperruff]

thanks again everyone. it became a little clearer by resetting the monitor, turning the moire to zero, lowering contrast and brightness. now text is more visible but i won't get to see the dark corners in CS =/