I really hope you don’t tell me I need a new monitor. I’m getting these funky banding lines on my screen and they definietly appear on my images in Photoshop as well. I chose a screen shot of Elements to show you since the grey is a good place to see it without other distractions. I also notice it outside of Elements so it’s not an Adobe thing…i don’t think. Help !
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well ok, I’ll have to go back and get a better one…I set it for 50 quality in sfw….so i guess that wasn’t a good idea. Just a minute…I’ll be back with a better one.
If it is, indeed, your monitor, then only YOU will be able to see the banding… the banding will not be part of the file.
Naturally, when YOU view the screen shot file, you’re viewing it on the suspect monitor, so you’d see banding.
Check your monitor’s cable connections to the monitor and to the PC to make sure they’re both snug. Otherwise, I fear trouble with either the monitor or the video card.
Was the onset of the trouble accompanied by sparks and smoke?
The file you generate is the true, digital image. Once the image goes down the cable to the monitor, the monitor may change the appearance (brightness, hue, contrast, etc). No adjustment of the monitor affects a file you may be viewing.
A screen capture is done in the PC, not actually at the monitor glass.
If you monitor is about to pack it in you may have been compensating for it for a while and this could be giving you the headaches….. no think wafer thin monitor …..
If you’re not seeing the banding when you look at something besides your monitor, not to worry. If you are…see your doc asap.
One thing I’d like to know is how does one get that uniform gray background that shows in Jodi’s screen shot? I’m always working on top of a mess of windows. I’d love to have something to work on like that. Is there a selection of some sort?
Grant, ya, I think I need a new monitor 🙁 ..I did want a larger one anyways …sooooo, I guess i better start saving.
Mark, I only see the banding on the screen and I think Grant is right…my monitor is probably what has been giving me these blasted headaches. I guess i spend too much time behind this XP box. Oh, I don’t know what you mean by my screen….what does yours look like ? I’m curious.
Chuck: I had some banding once, and it turned out to be the video card,
not the monitor. Was much cheaper to buy a generic video card than a new 19" monitor!
Absolutely! In fact, the quality control on an expensive monitor is probably better than the QA on most video cards. I’ve had two video cards go on me one after about 2-1/2 years and the other after about three years. On the other hand, an 8-year-old card is still great.
I have a few monitors around the place, so it was easy for me to verify where the problem was. If you can, borrow another monitor and check first.
Of course you could be REALLY sure and just buy a whole new video subsystem (card and monitor).
Oh yes, if you ARE shopping, make sure there are XP drivers for whatever you buy. This is almost a given these days, but I’d check just in case. And even if there ARE drivers, you might want to think about the source (ie. native to XP or manufacturer-supplied). Some manufacturers seem to release a ‘new and improved’ driver every other week, always tweaking, always correcting. Pain in the butt if you ask me!
Hey, thanks for the heads up on the video card. I will look into it ….does sound alot better than a new monitor at this point…..even though i have been wanting a new monitor for a while now.
Mark, on a mac you can get a plain gray background in system prefs>desktops>solid colors. You can also remove color from window buttons and such by choosing a graphite theme in the appearance pref pane.
As for the windows, nope–apple is very proud of the fact that you can float your programs over the desktop. Messy people like me just keep a folder on the desktop and bung everything in there when not working on it. (Don’t name it anything with "desktop" in the title, though, or there could be trouble).
This is what my work area will look like. Kind of messy. I could hide all my apps but where do you get that nice clean gray background? Is that an option within Elements?
I think Barb answered your question but that’s a heck of an image ya got happenin’ in there ~ where did that come from ? Your work ? Please do tell.
well, got back from checking driver updates for my particular card and there was only one…dated back to 2001 to make a Tiger Woods game look better….sigh. I may just deal with this for now until I figure out what card to get. I know what card to get but will it be compatible with my system ???? How would I know ? Guess i got some research to do….oh bother
that’s a heck of an image ya got happenin’ in there ~ where did that come from ? Your work ? Please do tell.
I took that photo of downtown Seattle during the recent eruption of Mt. Rainier. What a show!!
All this time you’ve spent complaining about the cold weather where you live. Try getting a decent nights sleep with that damn volcano belching all the time. People screaming, car alarms going off…it’s a drag.
Here is another workspace for you Mark, actually there are four shots in the gallery of different workspaces. While those floating programs is something we can’t do I’m afraid I would be lost trying to work in that environment.
You don’t need to put those other programs away. Just command+H to hide them, then click them on the dock and they’ll come back with all your documents right where you left them.
I tried putting my desktop into a folder and placing it on a new clean desktop but very soon it got cluttered. What I found that works is to open a new folder, labeled workspace, colored it gray, and put the folder icon in my desktop. If I click the icon, it fills up my desktop and I work in elements over that. Then, command W to close it. I had hoped there was some auto setting in element but there isn’t.
Jodi, nVidia makes a line of video cards of various prices and power. Mine cost the princely sum of $40 or thereabouts, so it’s obviously not high end. But it does the job… I took my ‘puter to the local electronics store, where they hooked it up to one of their monitors; same symptoms=bad video card. I bought the card from them, they put it in for free, and I walked away relieved….
I think I bought this back in September, if I’m not mistaking it was no longer available on the website after mid November. The version 2 in CS is supposed to be even better. Let me know how you like the upgrade as I am thinking about that as well. There were some legal (transferable) copies for sale on E-Bay but you have to be careful or you will end up with warez and trouble.
Chuck, thanks for the mail…i don’t know if i do to be honest with ya. I would have to look in the phone book. I priced the card i wanted ( chin dropped ) and it’s way more than I want to spend. Found the more compatible ones in nvidia but now i have to go into my computer and see if i have PCI interface or AGP before i can continue on…. oh bother
My question for the experts: how important is the video card in image processing? I’ve been going under the assumption that the choice of video card is motivated largely by whether you do games (which I don’t). But what features of a video card are in play with using Elements?
I am also not an expert on any form of hardware but a friend of mine is. Hs take on it was that the memory of the card was more important than hot shot stuff. He advised me of to get a middle of the road video card with as much onboard memory as I could afford. I also did the same thing with my computer I step down a processor speed and maxed the memory. While I can’t give an A/B comparison I am not the least bit sorry with the performance as the system does exactly what I want.
Grant, thanks. What is considered a good amount of memory on a video card? Mine has 32 MB, I believe, although the card is called a 64 (maybe that’s its max memory…?) I used to have a lot of freezes under Win 98 after doing a lot of image processing; I attributed that to the video card, but I’ve had no problems of that nature since moving to XP Home.
Hi Chuck, When it comes to graphics, the video card and the monitor BOTH are very important items. One renders the items, while the other one allows you to VIEW them is basically is how it works. If you do not have a good video card, then what it renders for your monitor will be a poor example either way, and if you have a crap monitor, it will not matter how good your card is. See the dilemma here? So first off Chuck, you need to determine what you do with your computer, and how important the image IS to you. For instance, if your working on graphics or photos on a professional level, then what you SEE from both would be extremely important..and only the BEST of both would be acceptable to a pro. If however, you just enjoy working with Photoshop, and create images for your own use, then you can go middle of the road with equipment, and be more than happy with it, MOST of the time..see? And lastly..if it is just a hobby for you, I would do what I tell my clients to do. First go to Circuit City, and buy a good monitor that you like at the store..bring it home..try it out..and see how it looks then. If all is good..the monitor is the problem..and you keep the new one..if not..return it. IF it still bands however..then you need a new video card. ( Or as someone else suggested, hook up a different monitor to your computer, or your monitor to someone else’s computer..and see if the problem still exists. If so..it will be easy to figure out which is which.) A GOOD monitor will out last "on average 4 to 5" new computers. Most are usually updated for one reason anyway, because the owner wants a NEWER, BIGGER, monitor..Not because the old one dies on them. Which is why many of us have 3 or 4 other ones sitting around the house.<LAUGH> "Good" quality CRT monitors can be bought for very reasonable money these days however..so if your still looking at a 15" or 17" screen, you may want to take a look at a new 19" model, or even a 21" (Monitors like tv’s..the bigger the better to me.<LAUGH>) But check them out good on line before you make your final decision as to what to buy. I find the SyncMaster NF series from Samsung to be a top of the line monitor, for reasonable money myself. Many love the Sony models. Which ever way you go, flat screen is always better. As for a video card..that is a whole different creature Chuck. Depending on the machine your putting it into, the AGP X factor of the mother board, or even if you have a AGP slot at all, will determine what will be available for your computer. A common misconception is that the memory on the video card is what makes games run "faster". This is not actually true..in the way that most people think of it anyway. The CPU on the mother board is what makes the games run at a good speed, as well as a fast hard drive and lots of system RAM. The memory on the video card is used to "render the screen shots"..so once you have surpassed the image size you normally see in what your working with, it really wont matter to much how much memory you have on your card Chuck. For instance..if your usually looking at one 6 meg image at a time, and NOT looking at video on your machine..just about ANY amount of memory on your video card will do the job you need it for. IF on the other hand..you DO use your machine to render video, then card memory is much more important. As it needs to be able to render FRAMES at a rate of at least 30 per second to be of any use to you. So if it is rendering 30 frames at 40 megs each, then a card with 128 megs of on board RAM would work much better for you than one with only 64 megs of on board RAM. See my point Chuck? Bottom line is..if you let me know what Model computer you are using, cpu speed, hard drive size and speed, and what kind of things you mainly use it for now, and plan to use it for in the future..I can give you a pretty solid recommendation as to what card to buy for your system Chuck. (Where you wont be spending more than you really need to.) One thing more I wish to point out about video cards and monitors however. Is that BOTH can USUALLY be used when you UPGRADE to a new computer. With the monitor that almost always is the case..so I buy the best I can afford at the time I replace mine Chuck. And the Video card can usually be used for a few years, even on a gaming machine. So, on a graphics computer..it is POSSIBLE that you may want to use it on your next new machine as well Chuck. As OEM computers seem to use the most basic video cards available at the time they punch them out for resale. If they will handle the software that they package with the computer, they are happy with it. (Many even use "On Board Video" built right into the mother board, and dont even use a video card at all. Which is by far inferior to almost any video card you can buy today Chuck.) So many times you can swap out the card that comes with your new computer, put in your OLD higher end video card..and have an even BETTER machine than what you just bought. See? I build my own computers Chuck, and those for many of my clients as well. So I mostly work with PC based machines, and not Apple products. But the video cards you are looking at will tell if they are compatible with both systems, which is usually the best way to go. So anyway, if you would like some help choosing a good video card or monitor for your system, let me know, and I will do what I can to help you.<smile> Good luck Chuck.
E. Gary, I appreciate all your expertise on this matter and i learned alot from your post…if you have time …this is what I am currently working with..oh, I do computer graphics…alot…not a pro yet…remaining hopeful and trying to work as much as I can to get there….I don’t need the best ( $$$ 🙁 )…but I don’t want the worst or bottom line either.
My system;
Compaq Presario 5321SR XP Home P4 1.5 ghz 60gb ultra dma hd 896mb sync dram 16mb nVidida Vanta Graphics card
I had been looking into another nvidia since i cant afford the ATI radeon that I wanted but I still haven’t looked into whether i have a PCI interface or AGP….it was l long night last night…trying to get back to this. I appreciate your help and advice ! Thanks, Jodi
Compaq Presario 5321SR XP Home P4 1.5 ghz 60gb ultra dma hd 896mb sync dram 16mb nVidida Vanta Graphics card
I had been looking into another nvidia since i cant afford the ATI radeon that I wanted but I still haven’t looked into whether i have a PCI interface or AGP….it was l long night last night…trying to get back to this. I appreciate your help and advice ! Thanks, Jodi
Thanks Ed, I found and read that page yesterday….’ compaq support’ is a link on my yahoo front page. I appreciate your effort to finding this and trying to help ! Thanks.
Mr. Heaton obviously has more experience in this than I, but ATI was one of those companies that ‘used to’ release driver after driver after driver. It drove me nuts (Q: Hello, tech support, why is this happening? A: Download and install the latest driver. Q: Hello, tech support, why is THIS happening? A: Download… Q: I just DID that, didn’t I? A: That was YESTERDAY, there’s a new driver on our website…)
I have nVidia cards in a couple of my machines here and they are OK, but both of them crapped out after less than three years. For the sake of simplicity and cost, I replaced them with the same model. CHEAP, but poor quality control IMHO.
The nicest (and longest-lived) video card I’ve ever had was a MATROX, but it was purchased in 1996. I don’t know what’s the cat’s pajamas nowadays.
BTW both ATI and MATROX are Canadian. Seems we’ve carved a little high-tech niche for ourselves.
Hi Jodi, As it is a P4 1.5 gig processor you have in your computer, with a 60 gig hard drive..I would find it very hard to believe that they would put a PCI video card in it. (But then Compaq has done dumber things in the past.<LAUGH>) A pretty simple give away is where the card is located on the back of your computer Jodi, if it is in the top slot position where you plug in the monitor in the back, it is almost always a AGP card, (as it is always the top slot on the mobo.) If it is in one of the other slots..odds are it is a PCI card. But before you spend your hard earned money, I would pop it open and check it out anyway.<smile>(If it is a brown slot, it is a AGP slot, if it is White, it is a PCI slot. I am sure you knew this already..just thought I would mention it for anyone else that didnt know.<smile>) Next you need to find out if you have a open slot UNDER the AGP slot. The reason for this Jodi is that on many of the newer, more powerful video cards, they use a heat sink and a fan as well. This can "sometimes" mean that it will have to take up a two slot area. Just because of its size. So if you have any open slots that your not using on the mobo, and it is in fact a AGP card, which most of the information I find on that machine points to, then you should be all set as far as room goes. While a 1.5 gig P4 is nothing to sneeze at, by today’s standards putting a new 9800 pro card or one similar to it, in with that processor would really be a waste of money Jodi. And unless you do a lot of gaming, it is pretty much over kill anyway. A less expensive card such as the G Force4200, 4600, or the 4800 will serve your purposes just as well Jodi, and put off a lot less heat while doing so. AND you wont have to run extra power to most of them as you do the newer high power cards. (Not a big deal, but just one less thing not to have to connect.<smile>) You didn’t mention how much you would like to spend..so I will give you a couple of good choices here, and let you decide what fits your budget best.. My first choice for under $150 would be the MSI G Force4600 card. This is a link to it at newegg.com, who I also highly recommend to buy from on line. Their service is ALWAYS top rate, as is their speed of delivery. I buy from them at least a couple of times per month, and have NEVER had a problem with them in the past. < http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14 -127-077&catalog=48&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1 > This is the specs on the card as well. MSI GeForce4 TI4600-8X Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "G4Ti4600-TD8X" -RETAIL Price: $144.99 Specifications: Chipset/Core Speed: GeForce 4 TI4600-8X/300MHz Memory/Effective Speed: 128MB DDR/650MHz BUS: AGP 1X/2X/4X/8X Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub)+TV-Out(S-Video)+DVI connector Support 3D API: DirectX®8.1, OpenGL®1.3 Cable/Accessories: VGA via DVI Adapter, 2 Cables, 9 CD, Manual Max Retail Box With(see pics for details)
If you wanted to be closer to the $100 range Jodi, I would suggest this card instead. < http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14 -127-113&catalog=48&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1 > MSI GeForce FX 5600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "FX5600XT-TD128" -RETAIL Model# FX5600XT-TD128 Item # N82E16814127113 Price: $109.99 Chipset/Core Speed: GeForce FX 5600XT/235MHz Memory/Effective Speed: 128MB DDR/400MHz BUS: AGP 1X/2X/4X/8X Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub)+TV-Out (S-Video Out)+DVI connector Support 3D API: DirectX®9.0, OpenGL®1.4 Cable/Accessories: 1 Cable, VGA via DVI Adapter, Driver CD, Manual Max Retail Box (See pics for details)
Both of these MSI cards will work in your computer, IF it has a AGP video slot anyway..as they will work in any AGP slot from 1X up to 8X, so you can use it in your next computer as well Jodi. (I would go with the 128 bit Ti4600 myself, rather than the 64 bit card. As in time it will show in your graphics quality.) As with ANY video card I buy new, I would suggest you go to their web site and down load their newest drivers, for which ever card you decide to go with. They come out with new ones it seems almost every other month now. But once you find a set that works the way you like it. I just usually leave it alone.<LAUGH> (Which may be the case right out of the factory box.) Either of these cards would be a good choice, they will both work with CRT or Digital LCD monitors, and with both Direct X and Open GL coding as well. With the processor speed you have now Jodi, either one should do you just fine. Other makers produce the same Cards based on the same chip sets…but I have found over the years that it is hard to beat the MSI cards for quality. I have installed well over 100 of them, and I have never had a bad one from the factory yet. You can of course buy a less expensive card as well Jodi, again, I dont know how much you wish to spend. But for good graphics, and a card that I know would last me at least a few years without being outdated, then I would not go with much less than one of these two. But of course the choice is up to you. Good luck to you, and let me know how it works out for you. Gary~*
Thanks Ed, I found and read that page yesterday….’ compaq support’ is a
link on my yahoo front page. I appreciate your effort to finding this and trying to help ! Thanks.
Jody,
What is the problem you are experiencing? Are you sure the problem is in the video card, rather than in the monitor? I read your posts but don’t understand what the problem looks like.
I would make sure the problem is not elsewhere before investing in a card.
Ed, my discription of my problem was a slight banding on my screen…more visible at times than others. Chuck mentioned he had the same problem and that it was indeed his video card….so that is what I’m going on….unless someone else comes forward and tells me otherwise.
Gary, i opened up the tower and the note is there….’ 1.5 v APG cards only ‘. I admit after reading your post and looking over the site links for cards and looking at the images posted on those sites I’m a little puzzled as to what I’m looking at in my machine. I think perhaps I will take a picture of what I have and post it. I’m not familiar and nowhere near an expert with this stuff at all. Give me a few….
Jodi, You definitely have an AGP video card. I have purchased such cards locally for as little as $15, with 32 MB of Ram. For Elements, a 2D application, the memory used is based on the screen resolution X 3 bytes of memory (RGB) . A 16 MB card has more ram on it than Elements or Photoshop will use. You don’t have to go "high end", but obviously , quality video cards may do better ( with better drivers ) than others. My advice is to buy ( or better, borrow ) a cheap AGP card to see if your video problem disappears , then proceed from there with whatever knowledge you glean.
Ed, my discription of my problem was a slight banding on my screen…more visible at times than others. Chuck mentioned he had the same problem and that it was indeed his video card….so that is what I’m going on….unless someone else comes forward and tells me otherwise.
Gary, i opened up the tower and the note is there….’ 1.5 v APG cards only ‘. I admit after reading your post and looking over the site links for cards and looking at the images posted on those sites I’m a little puzzled as to what I’m looking at in my machine. I think perhaps I will take a picture of what I have and post it. I’m not familiar and nowhere near an expert with this stuff at all. Give me a few….
It is difficult to come forward, because I don’t see what you are describing.
If you take a picture of the inside of computer case, it may help to also take a picture of the banding on the screen.
Ed, the dust is not what it looks like in the picture…I can assure you that I clean inside my tower on a regular basis…..the flash on my kodak point and shoot which can be too bright on macro just picked up the slight haze and made it look worse than what it was or is. I will look into your other ideas. Thanks.
Ed, the dust is not what it looks like in the picture…I can assure you that I clean inside my tower on a regular basis…..the flash on my kodak point and shoot which can be too bright on macro just picked up the slight haze and made it look worse than what it was or is. I will look into your other ideas. Thanks.
A joke! A joke! It was a stupid joke!
Your case is actually very clean compared to the one I opened earlier this morning. I wish I had a picture of that to show you.
Ed, I had occasion to open mine last week to install a USB 2.0 card; it was not a pretty sight…. I wondered where all the dust in my study had gone…I found it….
Ok Jodi not a problem.<smile> That top card in the brown slot, is your AGP video card my friend. (That green thing around the brown slot is just a retaining device Compaq and a few other builders use to keep the card from vibrating loose during shipping is all.) You will have to open the clip on it to get the card out..(it is easy to do, as I am sure you will be able to see how it works easy enough. You just lift that little green lever at the end of the video card to UNLOCK IT. Do NOT try to pull the card out until you do this Jodi. It just would not allow you to do so is all.<smile>) It does not look the same as the ones I posted for you, because this one does not require a heat sink, or a fan to keep it cool Jodi, that is why it looks so different. And also why I said you MAY need a second available open slot for it to fit into that confined area they pack them into.<smile> A 1.5 volt graphics card is fine..If one of the ones I told you about does not work at that voltage, it will have a limiting device with it to make it do so. Again, not a problem. My guess is yours is a 4X AGP slot..so about any modern AGP card will work in it just fine..as will most old ones as well. What I need to know Jodi, and perhaps you can take one more pic from the same side..only at a lower angle, is this. Is there ANOTHER slot BELOW where those other two cards are plugged into the mother board or not?..that is not in use? The white slot on the mother board would look just like where the OTHER two cards plug into the mother board, only it would be empty. And and there would be a blank cover over the slot opening on the back of the case. (In fact if you can take a shot from the back, that shows where the cards exit the back of the case..(where the stuff outside plugs into the cards to the inside) Then I can see for myself if there is a vacant slot or not. Again, the ONLY reason you may need this is because of the size of the newer video cards. The heat sinks and fans they put on them make them thicker than the one in your computer now Jodi. It DOES look to me as if there is a blank one on the bottom, (from what I can see in the photograph anyway Jodi.) IF that is so, then you will be all set with either of the cards I suggested to you. However..you MAY, (and this is just a MAY)..you may need to move those other two cards down a slot to have some extra room around your new video card, for it to breath well. But you will know that when you install the new card. If it is to tight against the card under it..then they would have to be moved down one slot. One other thing Jodi, while you have it open anyway, you MAY want to pick up a new battery for the mother board at Wal-Mart or radio shack, and replace the one on the mother board. You can just pop that one out if it is more than a couple of years old anyway, and take it with you to get a new one. It is not really an important part to worry about Jodi, so if you dont feel like taking it out..dont bother.<smile> While I wait for more pics from you Jodi..I will see if I can find the specs for that computer as well. Compaq was not real good at mapping each model in a series that they put out. They tell you GENERAL information about a 5000 series for instance, but not many specifics. But I am sure if you take those two other pics for me, I will be able to help you out.<smile> I check my mail box from this site a couple of times each day, so I will get back to you as soon as I get your posting notice. Or you can just email me the photos directly at and put in the subject line, Gary My MOBO PHOTOS, and I wont dump it by accident as spam.<LAUGH> Which ever is easier for you is fine with me Jodi.<smile> Gary~*
Hi Jodi, I found this link that shows a view of the inside of your case. < http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?reg=&lc=en&a mp;plc=&cc=us&prodId=compaqpres93214&docName=c00 006864&cat=setup> If this is indeed a relevant photo of your model, it does show your computer as having three expansion slots, and a AGP slot as well..so it will not be a problem using what ever AGP card you decide to buy. Again, you may need to move the other two cards down one slot to make it fit, and to give it air flow..but it will work in your machine. It is now just a matter of deciding on how much you would like to spend on it. As others have posted..you CAN buy video cards ranging anywhere from as little as $8 (for one like you have in your computer now on eBay,) to well over $500 for some of the newer commercial video cards on the market. (And for what I refer to as "Ultra Pro" level cards even much more. But those are seldom seen in private use, mostly in professional video labs dealing with video editing.) I simply suggested two video cards that I think, IMHO, offer both excellent quality and speed for the money they cost. Good luck to you Jodi, and let me know if you need any more assistance. I am always happy to help if I can.<smile> Gary~*
Gary, I was impatient and went to a couple of stores today and ended up with the 64mb Radeon 9000. Install went well. The lines are still there. So now what ? I am in need of your so perfect expert assistance<smile>.
Did you try a different monitor on your computer as suggested before Jodi? To see if that was the problem before you got the video card? If not..that would be the logical step. And as jhjl1 suggested, you would want to check the refresh rate of the monitor as well. To do so, just right click on the desktop, left click on properties, then click the ADVANCED button at the lower right corner. Look up at the top of the next box..and you will see a tab that says monitor. Left click that..and you will see a box that says refresh rate of monitor. It if is set to anything above 70, then I doubt that could be the problem..as most of us can not see it refresh any faster than that. But check the drop down menu, and set it at the highest refresh rate available to you. Mine is currently set at 85, but anything really over 70 is good. (With this new card installed, it should be already have been part of the initial set up probably..but it cant hurt to check anyway.) Usually that does not cause a banding effect on the monitor however..it causes more of a rolling bar effect..or gives you head aches when you look at it for long periods of time. But banding can occur, it depends a lot on the monitor its self. As I stated before..("I would do what I tell my clients to do. First go to Circuit City, and buy a good monitor that you like at the store..bring it home..try it out..and see how it looks then. If all is good..the monitor is the problem..and you keep the new one..if not..return it." Or as someone else suggested, hook up a different monitor to your computer, or your monitor to someone else’s computer..and see if the problem still exists. And checking the power hookups, surge protectors, wall plugs, etc..If so..it will be easy to figure out which is which.) I really can not see it being caused by something other than one of those two hardware items however Jodi. Just a thought, but did you degauss your monitor when this started to happen Jodi? If not..I would give that a try first. On the control settings of your monitor, you will find a option that will say "Degauss" hit that..and the screen image will get all whacky..and make a buzzing sound sometimes as well. Then it will all straighten back out once again. This is mainly to remove any influence that any magnetic fields have had on the imaging of the monitor. (Many people keep unshielded speakers next to their computer monitor..and do not realize that they can cause the image of the monitor to distort.) It does not happen very often, and it is usually a pretty slow process, but it can happen. But if you have changed monitors to test the old one, then this would not be the problem however. If changing to a diff monitor does not cure the problem Jodi, then there is not much else you can do. As nothing else really has any effect on what you see on the computer screen. The video card connects directly into the mother board, and the monitor cable connects directly into the back of the video card. So there is really no other hardware involved Jodi. I have heard rumors of a bad power supply in a computer causing fluctuations in power, and that showing up on the monitor because of the surges to the video cards power input..but I have never seen this to be the case myself. So if a different video card, and swapping monitors does not cure the problem Jodi, I would suggest you take the computer to a Compaq repair center, and see what they have to say about it. (As the problem would more than likely have to be in the mother board itself Jodi.) I am sorry I could not be of more help to you. Gary~*
Gary, ok, I checked the refresh rate and with my particular monitor i cannot set it to higher than 60 when i have the screen resolution set to 768 X 1024….it will go up higher if I use a lower 800 X 600 res but i don’t want to do that. I cannot find any ‘ degauss’ option for my monitor either….I looked high and low. I do not have another monitor handy to check and see if it is actually the monitor that is the problem. I will tell you though….first thing this morning when i logged on the lines were barely visible…almost like they weren’t even there < I got excited > As the time went by the lines became more and more visible…in other words…once the monitor started warming up it when the lines came back. Sound like I’m getting warm yet ? So you know…the lines aren’t really really bad but I’m near sighted and a little too picky when it comes to stuff….my moniotr wasn’t always like this…just over the past month. I suspect help from Compaq at this point would be useless since the box is about three years old. I don’t mind having to buy a new monitor…as long as i know this is where the problem is. I really appreciate all your help in this Gary. Thanks
Jodi our last TV acted in the same manner as it got warmer the lines got more pronounced. I filled an air tank up and used a nozzle to spray the inside of the TV through all of the vents with HIGH pressure air and we got another year out of it without the problems from overheating.
The vacuum did not help the TV, I had to blow Highly compressed (300) air into the vents. You may be shocked at what is dislodged. My wife and I both are neat freaks so it was certainly shocking to see what was blown loose.
jhjl1, would you and your wife consider a visit to the Netherlands? 😉 Unforunately I am a mess freak and I absolutely cannot throw away anything that might be handy some day that probably never comes.
Jodi, What brand name is the monitor you have, and the model number of it? Maybe I can access the users guide on line, and tell you hot to get to the degauss feature. (I have never seen one that didn’t have it, though I suppose it is possible.<LAUGH>) I know people that have never used it, but I have never seen one that was adjustable, that didn’t have that feature on it. Mainly because of the unshielded speakers that come standard with so many computer "systems" that are sold retail. Monitor, computer, printer combos, usually have low end speakers included with them, and they found out long ago that they had bad effects on the monitor when placed near them. Since many have started to shield the speakers..the degauss feature is not used nearly as often as it used to be. But I still pop mine once a month or so anyway, just to be sure..if I remember to do so anyway. Many monitors come with a standard 3 year warranty on them Jodi, so it may be worth it to you to check and see when you bought it, as it may still be under warranty. 3 years is not a very long time for a monitor to last. I have monitors around here that are well over 8 or 9 years old..and they still work perfectly. (I always keep one or two around just to test problems like your having now.) Plus one for each computer I have set up on my network as well. The problem does sound heat related, but if anyone suggests that you use "canned" compressed air to blow though the holes in the back of the monitor..I would be VERY CAREFUL doing so. As they retain a high voltage electrical charge, that can sometimes last up to a mont,h even after they are up plugged..SO, it IS possible you could damage the monitor, as well as your self in the process. Same thing goes for taking the case off it Jodi, and cleaning it out yourself. This is NOT a job for an amateur to attempt..as there are VERY FEW places that are SAFE to touch with the case off. It is always possible the heat problem could be coming from inside the computer as well. However from the photo you posted of the inside of your computer..I highly doubt it would be dust related, so it would have to be a dead case fan causing a heat increase inside of the case. So first check and make sure the case fans are working, as well as the one on the power supply, and the one on the processor, if it has a heat sink fan on it anyway. Some do not. If all your computer fans are working, and the problem is less obvious when the monitor is cold, then I would have to GUESS that the monitor is the culprit. Monitors take a while to reach operating temperature normally anyway. That is why most makers suggest you wait for the monitor to heat up, in the on position for at least 30 to 60 minutes before adjusting the color on it, or anything else. Because the picture does change as it warms up. If it is the monitor, and it is no longer under warranty, buying a new one, or having your old one repaired would be your only options Jodi, as it is NOT something to attempt to work on yourself. But with the cost of new CRT monitors today, repairing one of the old models is really pretty pointless, unless it is a very high end unit. But again Jodi..I would strongly suggest that you either borrow a monitor from a friend, or take your computer to their house..and hook it up to their monitor, and see if you still have the same image. It would answer your question for good, and you would KNOW for certain then if a new monitor would cure your problem. It is really the only way to tell at this point, I am sorry to say. The good news is, good quality CRT monitors have dropped in price a lot with the advent of LCD monitors, and their popularity these days. You can get a good high grad 19" today for what I once paid for a good 14" years ago. Most good stores like Circuit City, or Best Buy, will allow you to return monitors for up to 30 days after you buy one, if you are not satisfied with it Jodi, so if you buy from a good retailer, and know their return policy, you can not lose anything doing so. I like to upgrade every 3 or 4 years anyway, as the quality of the new CRT monitors only gets better, and a bigger screen is always a nice upgrade, especially if you spend a lot of time in front of them. But if you would like to post that information on your monitor, I will be happy to see what I can find out for you about it. Or you can just run a google search, I am sure you will find an operation manual posted on it someplace, that would tell you if it has a degauss function on it, and where to find it. (If all of the above fails, I would strongly suggest a trip to a good optometrist.<LAUGH><LAUGH> Good luck Jodi.) Gary~*
Absolutely, providing the invitation comes with room, board and air fare. By the way I have misspelled colour for you 52 times and have not gotten that second "Leen’s tip of the week" yet. 😉
Gary, I don’t know…you are the pro but ya, the lines really aren’t there until the monitor warms up. I tested this a couple of times today. My monitor is not hot though…just a tad warm < I just felt it 😉 > it’s the compaq MV540. Don’t worry, i wasn’t planning on giving it any kind of cosmetic surgery. I can’t handle the thought of Comapq taking my monitor and having it for 3 months months in repair…I’ll buy another if I have to before i do that. I’ve been pushing it at it’s highest resolution since I’ve had it and re-calibrating every couple of weeks for color correction for Adobe. I’m sure plenty of monitors last longer if they aren’t pushed so much. If I used my computer as a fancy word processor I’m sure it would still be fine. …yes, I’m making excuses…with a little hopeful truth invoved. Ya know, the only time it bugs me is in my photoshop programs….which is like MOST of the time. Anyways, if you can find anything out I would appreciate it. I’ve been spending a couple of hours a day trying to find some info on the net about the problem I’m having with this particular model and so far no such luck. Anyways, I’m getting tired…bed and TV time. Thank you for taking all this time Gary. Appreciate your efforts. 😉
Well Jodi, I found your monitor on line selling now for between $50 and $89 with rebates. The one selling for $50 even included a pair of JBL speakers that attach to the sides of the screen. Which again I do not recommend, because they themselves cause screen problems, because of the magnets in them. But the monitor does have the degauss feature on it..as stated in this spec sheet of the monitor from compaq. Specifications: 15" (13.8" Viewable) 0.28 mm Dot Pitch 1024 x 768 Max Resolution @ 60 Hz One Year Limited Warranty Additional Specifications: Monitor Type: Color, multi-frequency Monitor Chassis: 54 kHz digital controls Picture Tube: 15" flat square, polished Viewable Image Area: 13.8" Dot Pitch: 0.28 mm dot pitch Display Resolutions Refresh Rates: – 1024 x 768 / 60 Hz (maximum resolution) -((( 800 x 600 / 85 Hz (maximum flicker-free resolution) ))) – 800 x 600 / 75 and 60 Hz – 720 x 400 / 70 Hz – 640 x 480 / 85, 75 and 60 Hz – 640 x 400 / 70 Hz
Inrush Current: – 30 Amps at 120 V – 60 Amps at 220 V
Maximum Power Rating: <80 watts
Synch Input: TTL
Signal Cable: 15-pin miniature D-sub
Microphone: Integrated microphone
Power Management: Yes
Energy Star Compliant: Yes
Plug-and-Play: Yes
Quick Setup Poster: Graphical
Power Management States: – On – Green LED color <80 watts – Standby/Suspend – Yellow LED color <15 watts – Sleep – Amber LED color <5 watts Digital On-Screen Display:
Brightness – Adjusts display brightness (white level) Contrast – Adjusts display contrast (black level) ((((Degauss – Demagnetizes screen to reduce color impurities ))))) Exit – Exits the OSD menu Horizontal Position – Shifts display right or left Horizontal Size – Increases and decreases display width Parallelogram – Adjusts the tilt of the display sides to the left or right Pincushion – Adjusts the concave and convex portion of the picture ((((Reset – Resets monitor to factory default values ))))) Trapezoid – Adjusts the top and bottom display widths to make them even Vertical Position – Shifts display up or down Vertical Size – Increases and decreases display height Manufactured by: Compaq Manufacturer Part No: 153721-001"
If you can get into the adjustment area to adjust the brightness and contrast..as well as these other features, then I am sure your just over looking the degauss feature Jodi, as it is there. I would also try the RESET setting as well..that resets it to factor settings..and see if the lines go away as well. As you can see from the above specs..800X600 IS the max resolution for flicker free operation. This flicker can appear to many people in many different ways. To some of us..we see nothing, but we get head aches. Others see things on the screen, and others are fine with a refresh rate of only 60Hz. I however can not stand to look at a monitor for very long with a refresh rate that low. It makes my eyes go buggy in a very short time. But if you have been looking at it for this long with no problems..then I doubt that is your problem now as well. I think you have just hit the limits of what you have to work with Jodi, is the bottom line here. I think you would be much happier with a larger monitor anyway, 15" monitors are pretty small, and not very easy for people like us..(that wear glasses) to work with anyway. I would suggest a good 19" if you can find one at a good price, or at least a 17" monitor Jodi. I think you will be much happier with it in the long run. IF that is the way you decide to go, then I would suggest looking at a number of them in operation in the store. Take a CD in with you with some test images on it, and make them play it for you on different monitors, to see which one you prefer the looks of the best, and which gives you the best detail. And be sure to check the refresh rates as well. As you now have a video card that I am sure the refresh rates will only be limited by the monitor..not the other way around any longer Jodi. The choice is yours to make. I am almost certain it is one of the guns in the tube of your monitor that is out of adjustment, but for what they are selling them for retail now..I would not bother to have it repaired. It is not worth what it would cost you in shipping fees alone to send it into Compaq, even if they did the repairs for free. Not if you had to pay the shipping both ways anyhow..and usually you do. There are many good monitors on the market these days Jodi, I prefer either Samsung, or Sony myself, but many others prefer other models as well. It is really just a matter of personal choice is all it really is. (What looks best to you, for what you wish to spend.) One other thing Jodi, IF you do have speakers on the sides of your monitor as they show it does here on this site from the factory, I would take them off of it. As it is not doing your monitor any good having them that close to it. Good luck to you Jodi. Gary~*
E. Gary Heaton wrote: but if anyone suggests that you use "canned" compressed air to blow though the holes in the back of the monitor..I would be VERY CAREFUL doing so.
James tells Jody: I wasn’t trying to hurt you Jody, that advice came from our TV Repairman and I have used it on my TV’s, PC’s, Printers, Monitors, keyboards and stereo equipment ever since. I actually use an air tank at 300 lbs of pressure, I guess I have just been lucky. I use so much pressure I have to be careful not to blow items off of my desk.
James: 300 pounds!!? If you had a pneumatic nail gun attached to that much pressure, it would drive a nail straight through a 2-by-4 and pretty far through the next one! I would think a few pounds would be enough…..
Chuck I believe I will reconsider my workflow now. You just took all of the fun of cleaning right out from under me! It was just so darn quick and easy.
James, I certainly wasn’t trying to criticize, only watching out for you. I just remember that when I was a young engineer working in an oil refinery one of the pamphlets they handed me during safety orientation was called "Hazards of Compressed Air". Some lessons stick…..
I really should have known that Chuck. I had a friend who spent about a week in the hospital a few years ago after he injected himself with paint and air while cleaning a paint gun. Almost lost his arm.
Hi Gary, meant to get back here sooner… UPDATE; call me Miss Doomass but the degauss option was on the monitor itself….buttons I assumed after all this time were for webrowsing without a mouse ( duh). Anyways, tried the degauss along with all the other options that were in there while I was at it…figured it wouldn’t hurt since the first thing a I tried>>degauss made absolutely no difference. Even tried the reset button but that didn’t work either. I don’t keep my speakers on the monitor so i don’t think that is what did it. Anyways, I’m keeping my eyes open for a 19" CRT Samsung…I think. Thanks so much for all your help over the past week. I’ll keep ya posted…if ya stick around 😉
Actually Beth, the new video card supports a TV screen ‘and’ monitor….weird. Anyways, I’m not going that way…at the moment anyways since i don’t have a spare TV screen….ya maybe I’ll hook up a 50" plasma to it…ya right ha ha 🙂
9:51 pm and screen is getting a blur to it now. 🙁 Lettering is getting fuzzy on webpages. It’s not my eyes….looking at other writing in the room is all fine.
jhjl1, don’t worry. You can still use compressed air for cleaning purposes. On a sunny day open your windows. This way there will be a good draught in the room. Use your compressed air to blow the dust and you room will be cleaner than ever before. 😉
I use canned air all the time myself as well. For keyboards, blowing out filters and air ducts in computer cases, even blowing off the mother boards, video cards, heat sinks, etc..etc.. It is usually not a problem. (I would not use that much pressure however.<LAUGH>) I use the store bought kind of compressed air you can get at Wal-Mart for about a buck a can. The reason I say one should be very careful using it on a monitor, is because of the electrical charge that remains built up in the equipment, even after it has been turned off for long periods of time. That is a lot of voltage stored up in there, and when you use the canned air, it will shoot out moisture after only a few seconds of use. You can unplug your computer equipment, and discharge the capacitors on the mother board just by hitting the power switch with the unit unplugged. Then as long as your sure it is dry before plugging it back in, it should not be a problem. A monitor however stores a lot of power for a VERY long time. That was the only reason for my note of caution.<smile> Gary~*
Since it’s my thread I’m letting it drift for a second…weirdest thing…went into my e-mail and a message was coming in…Norton popped up and quarantined 2 viruses the ‘ Novarg’ .. The mail itself was only one sender and it did not have an attachment…??? subject matter was ‘hello’…can’t remember sender…something stupid. Anyways, what’s up with that ? no attachment viruses ? Anyways, i’m heading to Norton to see what’s up.
Gary, i hope you are still around, I have to tell you something else about this situation with my monitor. My daughter played one of her Reader Rabbit games today and i did not notice any of the horizontal lines. I put a DVD movie in ..’ Minority Report ‘;) and did in fact see the lines on the screen. So, why aren’t they in the Reader Rabbit cartoon game ? …different resolution perhaps ?
I got hit by the "w.32.Novarg" too. For some strange reason, my Norton was caught napping. Took me a large number of hours to revive the system. I didn’t even open any e-mail and/or attachment from anyone I didn’t know. 🙁
Shan, yes it’s a strange one. Norton picked it up twice from one mailing that didn’t even have an attachment. Were you up to date with your Norton ? I guess you downloaded the removal tool from Symantec and it got it out for you ? What were the symptoms of the virus ? So sorry you got caught up in that. I did another full system scan today but all is fine and since Norton picked it up today i do feel a ‘little’ safer. I hope they catch the bugger(s) ! Last one was an 18 year old punk ! Geeze, what a waste of brain !
Shan, i meant to mention this yesterday but totally forgot. If you are using Outlook Express for mail turn off the ‘preview pane or window’ and this way you wont have to worry about getting mail that may have a virus without an attachment to it…re; Novarg. Having the preview pane on will automatically open the virus so if you are having problems trusting your AV these days it’s a good idea to keep it closed. This way you can delete messages without having anything open…just a thought.
oh, anyone out there using a KDS CRT ? Looking for a good monitor at a good price can be very difficult. I’m trying to go by Ray’s standards on reviews…drop the high grades and the low grades and read between the lines. Having a difficult time finding something at this point…in the 200- price range.
Hi jodi, Take a look at this one at newegg.com It is under your $200 spending limit including the shipping, and I think you would like it MUCH more than the KDS monitor. < http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24 -001-020&catalog=19&depa=0 > Good luck with what ever you buy. Gary~*
Samsungs are excellent monitors, Jodi, and for that price it looks like it would be very good for you. And I agree with Barbara about NewEgg – excellent reputation for online sales.
Yes, it looks real good but I need more expert advice on the Samsung’s ‘plug and play’…it says ‘DDC 2B/2Bi’ while if i look up my manual for current monitor it just says ‘yes’ next to ‘plug and play’. Is ‘DDC 2B/2Bi’ typical of any monitor…in other words is it JUST plug and play or am i going to need to tweek ? I appreciate your thoughts on this Gary. Thanks.
Thanks Gary ! I don’t really want to buy off the net if i don’t have to so I will take a ride to Best buy and Circuit City and see if they have it. Albany is nearest city to me but not close enough to go today. Thanks again.
I have a 19" NEC CRT which I absolutely love… even moving from a 17", it was a big jump in screen real estate. Coming from a 15" monitor will be like moving from Coach to First Class!!
The heck with it. I did it. Newegg.com just got my business. 19" Samsung 950B CRT. Thanks all. Now, if i plug it in and the lines are still there that means i kill myself right ? keeping fingers crossed that i wont have to do that. Thanks all !….especially Gary 🙂
Nice call Jodi, I’m jealous now. If the lines are still there just kill the little fellows running around in your head instead, we would all miss you otherwise.
Jodi, If the lines remain..I would try windex.. on your glasses next.<LAUGH> I think you will love the new monitor, and for that price, it is a great machine.<smile> Newegg.com is a super company. I am sure you will get it quickly, and be happy with it. If the lines do not go away with that monitor and your new video card, it would have to be interference coming from something else, or a bad mother board in your computer, one of the two my friend. But my guess is, it was the monitor.<smile> Enjoy it, it will seem like a 50" tv when you first hook it up.<LAUGH> I love getting a new larger monitor. It is one upgrade that has always been worth the money to me. Let us know how you like it Jodi. Gary~*
Norton just picked up 2 ‘my doom’ from one mail sender, subject ‘ Hi’. no attachments. Again, i strongly urge you all to close your preview pane in Outlook.
E. Gary Heaton: If the lines do not go away with that monitor and your
new video card, it would have to be interference coming from something else, or a bad mother board in your computer, one of the two my friend.
I remember doing a tech support call years ago to a company President’s secretary who complained that her monitor image ‘shook’. I removed her $5 mini-fan from on top of it, and the problem disappeared. However, being the PRESIDENT’s secretary, we ended up replacing her monitor with something that was much better shielded (and twice the price) because she refused to change the location of her fan and complained to ‘the boss’. Of course the President was always big on slashing I.T. budgets every year. <Sigh>
On another occasion, a monitor misbehaved when placed in a particular spot on the user’s desk, but not elsewhere. We eventually figured out that it was the proximity to an office wall that was causing it. There must have been something power wires? hidden in the wall.
Be aware that a 19" monitor can be HEAVY, with most of the weight toward the front glass… depending on your own strength, you may want to get help moving it onto your desk so you don’t hurt yourself (or it!).
In Outlook Express, also, go to View>Layout> then un tick the "Show Preview Pane" option at the bottom of that window. This will remove the Previw Pane from view until you change it. I have a Preview button on my toolbar that lets me switch back and forth.
There is nothing wrong with having a preview pane as long as you don’t open (click on) received messages before verifying it is something you want to open. Provided of course you have the split screen with received mail above and preview screen below.
sorry, coming in late on the conversation here…John, geeze, i don’t have a fan or wires in the wall that I can think of. Nothing out of the ordinary anyways. Although, if I had read my monitor manual when i first got it a few years ago I could be better off today. It says to shut off the monitor when not in use to extend it’s life expectency…I never shut it off…of course it would go into hibernation when not in use but that’s not the same. I read this today as well on another site that monitors should be turned off when not in use. I’ll be reading the new Samsung monitor manual when I get it more carefully.
Byron, Thanks, we’ll see.
Ken, glad you got that sorted. Ya that my doom or novarg thingy has the virus built into the code of the note…no attachment needed. Thank goodness my AV is doing it’s job !
all and all it’s really just safer not to have the preview pane open these days. When the preview pane isn’t open you have to right click on the inbox mail and click ‘open’ to open anything whether it has an attachment or not. With this virus you just click ‘delete’ and your done…AFTER Norton has quarantined the bad stuff from it. According to newest Tech tv news there’s alot of my doom infected computers out there right now. Symantec site has the novarg removal tool if you are having any doubts about whether you caught something. The problem is that the punishment doesn’t seem to be enough for these idiots to stop wasting there brain power making viruses. I guess the laws aren’t tough enough yet. That freekin idiot that killed that little girl in florida has already been in trouble with the law on numerous occasions..including attempted abduction which he had gotten away with because he got off by lying his ass off. Then they take an 18 year old punk who got caught with a bag of weed and put him behind bars for five years..ya, that makes sense. I’m rambling…i guess that story of that little girl really upset me when i read that they found her body last night.
You can highlight the message, right click and choose properties and then details and finally message source. This will allow you to read message without opening it. I was told this is a safe way to view any suspicious mail.
Not using the preview screen for mail is probably best. I was thinking about what I was doing, reading posts with outlook Express. There I use a preview screen. regular mail no.
There is also a DOS command to trace the routing of an e mail. I have done this and mailed the route to my ISP and I think once I tried to find the address of the research center in Pittsburgh that researches viruses but with no luck.
Jodi, that atrocious incident in Sarasota has everyone around here very upset and acting not quite themselves.
There’s an alternative to closing the preview pane. You can download a utility that will let you preview the address (and ascii only content) of e-mails, as well as the size. It also acts as a spam remover. The one I use is Mailwasher (as suggested by another member of this forum, several months ago). After a few weeks of training, it targeted 80% of the spam on its own.
You set it up and remove the auto-get-mail in your e-mail client. So all in the incomming mail is filtered before you download it.
I apologize for this delayed reply to your posts #92and #93. My puter was down with the Novarg attack. After a number of tries including system restores, starting in safe mode, booting from disk, and other random, irrational and out-of-desperation tries, I was able get the system running again. The removal tool from Symantec site seem to have done the fix. But after two days, the puter hanged again. But this time, the sytem restore did the trick. I am still keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks also for the tip on OE’s problem and fix. This recent incident reinforces my superstition that the THING is either jinxed by some frustrated tech who put a curse on my machine as he/she built it, or some misguided hackers took me for their intended target. 😉 My computer illiteracy is one big tumbling block to the joy of puttering around learning to use Elements. 🙁
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