Who's to blame for my blue world?
May 10, 2008 9:49 PM Subscribe
What is the most likely source of this PC screen problem?
I'm having an occasional computer issue. From time to time my screen suddenly takes on a pale blue tint. By which I mean the screen image remains intact, but looks precisely as if viewed through a blue gel filter. White goes to a faint blue, and other colors are adjusted accordingly. Yellows look a bit greenish, etc.
If this helps, it's not something that gradually fades in and takes a moment to notice or anything. When it happens it happens instantly, without any sound or other indication that something's wrong. And when it eventually fixes itself, it does that instantly too.
I figure the problem's got to be either with my video card or with my monitor. And I'm inclined to distrust the monitor simply because it's about seven years old, while the computer is less than a year old.
The monitor's a CRT, by the way. (Ask your parents.)
But I thought I should see if anyone more familiar with these issues has an opinion before blaming a monitor that's served me quite well up to now. Do old CRTs sometimes just forget their white balance or something?
I'm having an occasional computer issue. From time to time my screen suddenly takes on a pale blue tint. By which I mean the screen image remains intact, but looks precisely as if viewed through a blue gel filter. White goes to a faint blue, and other colors are adjusted accordingly. Yellows look a bit greenish, etc.
If this helps, it's not something that gradually fades in and takes a moment to notice or anything. When it happens it happens instantly, without any sound or other indication that something's wrong. And when it eventually fixes itself, it does that instantly too.
I figure the problem's got to be either with my video card or with my monitor. And I'm inclined to distrust the monitor simply because it's about seven years old, while the computer is less than a year old.
The monitor's a CRT, by the way. (Ask your parents.)
But I thought I should see if anyone more familiar with these issues has an opinion before blaming a monitor that's served me quite well up to now. Do old CRTs sometimes just forget their white balance or something?
It's not forgetting white balance, most likely the red 'gun' is going out, and the green and blue are taking over. It happens as tubes age, I would imagine at some point it will stop being a temporary issue, and become permanent. A 7yo CRT has served its purpose well, go find yourself a nice $200 big LCD on sale.
posted by pupdog at 9:59 PM on May 10, 2008
posted by pupdog at 9:59 PM on May 10, 2008
8 times out of 10 (more or less), this is a pinched or half-connected cable, not a monitor or video card problem. Wiggle your cable. Does it change?
posted by rokusan at 10:49 PM on May 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by rokusan at 10:49 PM on May 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
Seconding either a cable problem or a dying monitor. Wiggle cable and inspect for bent/missing pins on connector.
posted by zippy at 11:48 PM on May 10, 2008
posted by zippy at 11:48 PM on May 10, 2008
Typically it's a loose cable. Make sure your video cable is snug. It sounds like the red channel connection is not making good contact.
posted by knave at 12:16 AM on May 11, 2008
posted by knave at 12:16 AM on May 11, 2008
I agree it's most likely the monitor or the cable, but just to be the contrarian, something similar happened to me on my first computer, way back in 1994, and it turned out to be the video card, which eventually blew up and took the motherboard with it.
posted by dirigibleman at 1:33 AM on May 11, 2008
posted by dirigibleman at 1:33 AM on May 11, 2008
I agree with sanka but only because I'm assuming you've triple-checked your connections and aren't keeping your speakers pressed right up against the monitor. And aren't taking opium.
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:26 AM on May 11, 2008
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:26 AM on May 11, 2008
Beyond wiggling the cable, as suggested above, ask a friend if you can use your monitor with their computer, just to confirm whether the source of the problem is your monitor or video card.
posted by LSK at 6:18 AM on May 11, 2008
posted by LSK at 6:18 AM on May 11, 2008
The video card can certainly be the problem, but more likely it is the monitor. When this happens, is the color red completely gone? Or just dimmed? If red completely disappears, it is slightly more likely that it's the card. But still, probably not.
If you happen to know someone who repairs TVs or monitors, it might be economical to have them give it a once-over. Sometimes these problems are caused by loose solder joints that can be resoldered, or even just connections inside the monitor that can be re-seated. But repairing monitors is sadly becoming less economical than junking it and getting a new one.
posted by gjc at 8:15 AM on May 11, 2008
If you happen to know someone who repairs TVs or monitors, it might be economical to have them give it a once-over. Sometimes these problems are caused by loose solder joints that can be resoldered, or even just connections inside the monitor that can be re-seated. But repairing monitors is sadly becoming less economical than junking it and getting a new one.
posted by gjc at 8:15 AM on May 11, 2008
My money's on the monitor too, but to be absolutely positive you'd want to test your gfx card on different, known-good monitors.
Most likely, time to get something new. LCDs are pretty cheap nowadays, fortunately, and unless you had a super swank CRT, miles better than what you're used to.
posted by pmv at 8:49 AM on May 11, 2008
Most likely, time to get something new. LCDs are pretty cheap nowadays, fortunately, and unless you had a super swank CRT, miles better than what you're used to.
posted by pmv at 8:49 AM on May 11, 2008
The best thing to do in such cases is to isolate the problem. Connect your computer to another 'known-good monitor, and your monitor to another known-good computer, then you will know for sure which one is causing the problem.
posted by orlandop at 4:03 PM on May 11, 2008
posted by orlandop at 4:03 PM on May 11, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sanka at 9:56 PM on May 10, 2008