Samsung TFT 204b: extreme slow response

Did you try a different monitor to eliminate any possibility it is GUI effects from Winders?

Does the same happen once you are logged in? Did you try the monitor on another computer (i.e. e.g. without GRUB)?

Thank you for your replies!

Yes, same effect during POST, OS booting, logged in (text mode), and GUI running. Connecting the faulty monitor to another machine did not help.

If I connect another monitor to my primary machine, everything shows up fine, so it's definitely a problem with the monitor itself.

Why? If it still shows as faulty if you connect it to another machine, it is clearly a monitor problem.

Of course you're right. I just wanted to express that my problem with this monitor persists, even when I connect it to another machine. So it's not a problem with that specific machine or graphics card or such.

And I didn't mean to say your post wouldn't be helpful, of course!

Hi!

It sounds like a signal processing problem. While I doubt that it will help, have you tried just unplugging the monitor from power and letting it sit for a while?

Anywhere from several hours to overnight would do. It doesn't cost anything to try...

William

No problem, Thomas. I was tired ;-).

Trying William's suggestion does no harm, and that could be tried. In such situations, anything needs to be tried, particularly the obvious.

Habitually, TFTs monitors do or do not work. I mean... you turn them on, and either everything's right or nothing works. That is my point of view, but I am not the only one to preach in this.

Hi William!

Thanks for your suggestion! Actually, it has been sitting powered off & disconnected for several months after it broke. I only recently leaned about the many problems with bulging capacitors of this particular TFT, so I decided to give it a try and look inside. The youtube video, however, I took just the other day, so, unfortunately, this seems to be more like a long-term problem...

Thomas

Hi William!

Thanks for your suggestion! Actually, it has been sitting powered off & disconnected for several months after it broke. I only recently leaned about the many problems with bulging capacitors of this particular TFT, so I decided to give it a try and look inside. The youtube video, however, I took just the other day, so, unfortunately, this seems to be more like a long-term problem...

Thomas

Hi William!

Thanks for your suggestion! Actually, it has been sitting powered off & disconnected for several months after it broke. I only recently leaned about the many problems with bulging capacitors of this particular TFT, so I decided to give it a try and look inside. The youtube video, however, I took just the other day, so, unfortunately, this seems to be more like a long-term problem...

Thomas

fade-in

This fade looks so nice it seems a feature instead of a fault. Have you checked all menu options to ensure some weird option has not been enabled?

Carefully observing the video reveals that going from white to black is immediate but the opposite is not. The effect reminds me of a digital clock with weak battery. It could be some weak voltage from the power supply, probably a bad capacitor.

Hi Jeroni!

So maybe I should sell this monitor for it has this extremely rare, special feature? :) Nope, unfortunately, there are no menu options like that...

OK, thanks for the hint. That model is known for having problems with capacitors, but commonly described symptoms are different from what I observe. I'm going to change the capacitors, anyway, and keep you posted.

Thomas

While it isn't obvious, an LCD monitor breaks down into several electronic sections. Power supply, inverter / backlight, logic (signal processing) card, and LCD panel.

1. Check the output voltages of the power supply. Yes, I know the caps look good, but a quick check of the actual voltages MIGHT pickup a problem.
2. The logic card contains several voltage regulators to provide the proper voltages for the processor and it's support components, and often for the LCD panel. These are tyoically a three pin device with tab. Byu Googling the part number on these devices you can determine the output voltage. Verify those voltages. While it is unlikely an incorrect output voltage would cause the symptoms you describe, it's worth the try.
3. The LCD panel usually contains an electronics card (often conceled under a metal cover) which generates the voltages and signals necessary for the proper operation of the panel. I suspect one of these voltages is missing. This is going to require a LOT of detective work to analyse, so try the easier stuff first.

PlainBill