I was on the net yesterday, and walked away from my puter for awhile, when I came back there was a blank screen. I turned the monitor off and back on and it came on alright, but what I want to know is my Monitor going out?
I also was playing a video game later in the day and there was a problem with the graphics.
So my question is could the problem be with the Monitor, Video Card, or possibly the cable??
Thanks for any help. I have been using puters for 2 yrs now and it was not the screensaver cause I have it turned off.
Thanks Again

-- Allene (allene7@yahoo.com), February 11, 2000

Answers

I doubt the cable is at fault uless you've been pulling on it. I suppe ct the monitor. I'm in the IT department of a college and usually the monitor goes. I would suggest that you ask a friend if you can try your monitor on their machine or vis,ver. Or check in the local paper for a used one, usually not to expensive. Justthink

-- justthinkin com (justthinkin@monitor.com), February 11, 2000.

Well, mine goes out because it has a powersave feature. Doesn't matter what's on the screen, if I don't key or mouse the thing, it's gonna go blank. When you come back and find it blank, hit a spacebar or jiggle the mouse and see what happens.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), February 11, 2000.

Yes, it could be a power save feature. However, if this is the case, it should be consistent. In other words, if it went blank after 15 minutes of no activity, it should do it after every 15 minutes. Any yes, in this case, moving the mouse should wake it up. I think they still put the "energy star" label on most monitors that do this.

You mentioned a problem with graphics. Can you be more specific? And did you change anything, like the video resolution, or install any new drivers or other updates, since you last used the game?

But if you do have a problem, between cable, card and monitor, I'ld pick monitor. The cable hardly ever goes bad, unless it is physically damaged, like bent or broken pins, or pulled wires. Cards do go bad, but no where near the rate of monitors.

I'ld say keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, which is likely, or if it continues to do other "strange" things, try another monitor first. But try to borrow one, before you buy one, just to be sure. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 11, 2000.

In Win95, click [Start][Settings][Control Panel] DoubleClick [Display] Click tab [Screen Saver].

Set these options to suit yourself. Or disable them. [Low Power Standby] [Shut Off Monitor]

Win98 doubtless has something very similar.

Or -- something else may be wrong.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 11, 2000.

Sysman, this is Kyle. Changed name after NYT article. Was that futile? Anyway, my serious OT question is: Why do people fool with the monitor, tower and the rest when a laptop is so much neater? I had the standard monitor, tower and junk and now have a laptop......I guess a midnight musing question I have had on my mind for a while....care to comment?

-- canthappen (n@ysayer.com), February 12, 2000.

Howdy Kyle, err, canthappen,

Today's laptops are pretty nice. I think cost is the #1 factor. Screen size, and "expandability" are also considerations I guess.

I've collected so much "junk" over the years, ISA cards, hard drives, old motherboards, that I'll be using a desktop, or 2 or 3, for quite a while I imagine.

I do like the LCD displays though. I've been looking at the ViewSonic 18.1 inch flat panel display. Expensive, but really nice. As soon as I figure out where I stand with the tax-man, I think I'm gonna get me one. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 12, 2000.