Why do my monitors make this high pitched sound?

November 16, 2005 5:45 AM

I have two Dell 2405fpw monitors (24") and they make a horrible high pitch sound when the screen saver runs or any extended graphics run. I am running OSX, fyi, and want to know if this can be rectified? Why do the monitors make this high sound, and can it be stopped?
posted by Saku to computers & internet (4 comments total)

I think it's a known problem (thread on the Dell Community Forum). My initial guess would have been that it's something to do with the inverter for the backlight, and since some of the reports in that thread suggest that the whine coincides with the backlight coming on, that could well be problem.

Some people in that thread returned their monitors and were given good ones, so the best course of action might be complaining directly to Dell. Are they still under warranty or a return period of some kind?
posted by chrismear at 5:59 AM on November 16, 2005

They are still under warranty, indeed. Thanks for the thread. I am looking into it, and may very well pursue it with Dell. They certainly call me enough, so I might as well go all the way.
posted by Saku at 6:27 AM on November 16, 2005

I bought a pair of 2405FPWs as well, and mine don't make any sound. Definitely call Dell and have them send you some new units.

High pitch sounds from electronics usually come from low quality capacitors. I don't understand analog electronics well enough to know why they make the sounds they do.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:00 AM on November 16, 2005

I exchanged my Dell TV for one that doesn't make the sound, with no complaints from them. My Dell laptop developed a very faint version of the same sound. (Note to self- damage hearing more soon.)
posted by wzcx at 12:40 PM on November 16, 2005