Replace Monitor Cord -- Possible?

[GamingMouse]

I have an old monitor which works, but one of the pins on the cord that connects it to the computer is missing, so the image is fuzzy.

Wheras the power cord can be easily removed from the monitor and replaced, this connection cord is built right into the monitor, so I don't see an easy way to replace it.

But I figured it might not be too hard to do. Does anyone know? If so, how is it done?

Thanks,
gm

 

[PurdueRy]

measure the outputs of each of the pins, cut the wire, and attach a new connector

 

[Fardringle]

It's possible, yes. But usually it isn't worth the effort since you'll have to open up the monitor, and using tools specifically designed for servicing monitors (so you don't electrocute yourself with as much as 30,000 volts from the CRT), melt the soldered connections for the existing cable and (if you can find one for sale or cannibalized from another monitor) solder in the new cable using the same pin/wire configuration as the old cable.


edit: Considering it's an old (and probably worth little) monitor, you could go ahead and cut the cable as rleemhui said, but since you'll be compromising the shielding on the cable by doing so, you may very well end up with an image that is even worse than what you have now.

 

[GamingMouse]

Originally posted by: rleemhui
measure the outputs of each of the pins, cut the wire, and attach a new connector

how do you measure the outputs for each pins? also, why is this info needed to attach a new connector?

Thanks,
gm

 

[Fardringle]

If you don't know the proper color configuration of the wires in the cable, then you will need to measure the signal output on each of the pins using a voltage meter or something similar in order to determine which wire should be attached to which pin on the new plug after you cut the cable. The wires SHOULD be the same color in all standard VGA monitor cables, but there's no guarantee that they will be, and if you get the wiring wrong, at the very least it won't work, and you could short something out and cause permanent damage to the monitor and/or your PC.


edit: fixed a typo

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: GamingMouse

Originally posted by: rleemhui
measure the outputs of each of the pins, cut the wire, and attach a new connector

how do you measure the outputs for each pins? also, why is this info needed to attach a new connector?

Thanks,
gm

An Oscilloscope or VM. This is necessary because once you take off that connector You probably won't know what each wire does seeing as there is 15 of them

 

[nweaver]

or....


cut the cord, and use a cheap tester set to continuity (sic) on the connector/cut wire to find the color of each pin, i.e. pin 1 should only have continuity on one wire (maybe the red 😛). So connect that red wire to pin 1 on the new connector.

 

[networkman]

This "old" monitor - what size is it? If it's a 15" or smaller, it's not really worth messing with. People routinely throw away monitors of that size. Even if it is larger(17"+), how much is it worth to you? Recent used 19" monitors(Compaq S9500) can be had on e-Bay for like $65 + shipping.

Having done repairs like this previously, I want to assure you that you do NOT want to be poking around the inside of that CRT with any conductive tools - I learned the hard way.