odd display on My Mac

[MadInMarin]

What does Apple say ?.

I dont have Applecare which means they'll want fifty bucks to take my phone call.

I noted that the monitor metal casing was very warm to to the touch and decided I do a forced cooling to see what that did.
Very recently..I have simply been turning off the monitor every hour or so for a long as it takes to go outside and smoke a cigarette. Thus far this seems to be working.

Im not certain whether the video card "rests" or even gets any current when the monitor is switched off so it may be the card or the monitor.

Thanks

[Rightwing Nutjob]

I'd bet it's something odd with the monitor. I have an old CRT monitor that has this weird creeping black death stuff going on. From your photo, it looks similar. Try plugging another monitor in to see yet?

[MadInMarin]

I'd bet it's something odd with the monitor. I have an old CRT monitor that has this weird creeping black death stuff going on. From your photo, it looks similar. Try plugging another monitor in to see yet?

This is a actual photograph of my monitor during it's last display of the anomalous red lines and dots.


By mrcamera

Turning off the monitor for short periods seems to have worked in eliminating the issue, at least for now.

Im not certain whether turning off the monitor allows the video card to idle and thus alleviate any heat or other problems it may be susceptable to. or whether the problem lies solely with the monitor itself

the monitor an Apple Cinema Display is just barely a year old and JUST out of warranty.

[Spâtha]

Monitors can be calibrated, but I doubt if that's the problem.
Have you tried the monitor on a different system to see if it does the same thing on the different box?

And, sometimes monitors just quit!

Call your BestBuy or Frys... OR

If you have a local computer shop call them.(my preference)
I almost always shop at the little guy's store. Better service, friendly, they answer questions and help you solve problems one-on-one.

When I need a new box, I just usually call my local 'mom and pop' and order what I want, they build it in 2 days and I'm done. Same for monitors.

Good Luck!

[Susanna]

Monitors can be calibrated, but I doubt if that's the problem.
Have you tried the monitor on a different system to see if it does the same thing on the different box?

And, sometimes monitors just quit!

Call your BestBuy or Frys... OR

If you have a local computer shop call them.(my preference)
I almost always shop at the little guy's store. Better service, friendly, they answer questions and help you solve problems one-on-one.

When I need a new box, I just usually call my local 'mom and pop' and order what I want, they build it in 2 days and I'm done. Same for monitors.

Good Luck!

My nephew is "big" on the "mom & pop" places, and we don't have any of the big places like Best Buy around here. I'm having so much trouble with my computer, that I'm going to see if I can get together with him at the place he patronizes and get a custom computer - he claims they're much easier to upgrade, even though they are a little costlier to start with. I can't upgrade my memory without getting a new mother board (the old one won't take any more), and I was told if I get a new mother board, I'd (probably) have to get a new video card, and I suppose with a new video card, I'd have to get a new monitor, so it will be almost as cheap to go with a new computer. Especially since mine is about 7 years old, and my hard disk is full. I just wanted to add memory & a second disc . . .

[Rightwing Nutjob]

You probably won't have to get a new monitor. My last pair of monitors (one of them was doing the creeping black death thing, and the other was doing weird red and blue corner things) were in use for more than 10 years. I just replaced them in January. The one doing red and blue corner things is now in service at my office on a new low-use Vista machine, and it's stopped the corner thing.

So if you want to cut some corners, you could probably put off the monitor for awhile :D

[MadInMarin]

Monitors can be calibrated, but I doubt if that's the problem.
Have you tried the monitor on a different system to see if it does the same thing on the different box?

And, sometimes monitors just quit!

Call your BestBuy or Frys... OR

If you have a local computer shop call them.(my preference)
I almost always shop at the little guy's store. Better service, friendly, they answer questions and help you solve problems one-on-one.

When I need a new box, I just usually call my local 'mom and pop' and order what I want, they build it in 2 days and I'm done. Same for monitors.

Good Luck!

I always buy locally from a mom and pop sort of store. I'm about ready for a full upgrade.

todays visual abberation....which always occurs in the same spot regardless of what sort of type is being display. It is rather intermittent as well.

http://imgcash2.imageshack.us/Himg11...=640&ysize=480

[CWolf]

This is a actual photograph of my monitor during it's last display of the anomalous red lines and dots.

Turning off the monitor for short periods seems to have worked in eliminating the issue, at least for now.

Im not certain whether turning off the monitor allows the video card to idle and thus alleviate any heat or other problems it may be susceptable to. or whether the problem lies solely with the monitor itself

the monitor an Apple Cinema Display is just barely a year old and JUST out of warranty.

Monitors usually either last 2 years or 10+ it's just how it is.
It's not your video card. Turning your monitor off doesn't effect your VC at all. It runs whether you have a monitor connected or not.
And any display problems that grow worse with time would always be your monitor. Your video card reaches peak temperatures in about 5 minutes. From there it remains the same unless you switch tasks to something more or less intense.

I have a monitor from 1991 =O
It's dark as hell and only displays in 640x480 but it still works, and it was used non-stop until last year. My other old monitor was from '92 and died only about 2 years ago. It went through a VERY extended death. First it would slowly grow too bright. After about 2 years it would be unviewable after about 20 minutes. That's when I junked it.

A little known fact if you want to save some money on your next mac. Macs can mostly use IBM compatible parts. Hard drives, disc drives, even video cards and monitors. They aren't apple approved, but they work and they're waaaay cheaper.

Almost forgot, if you really want to get adventureous when you remove the panel and look on the main board, most monitors have internal settings sometimes a nob, sometimes a screw. There can be between 2 and 16 of them, and they control contrast and brightness. Since you're having a red problem, messing with the contrast and turning all three down a little may help a lot.
Of course it also might make things worse :)
Good luck.

[MadInMarin]

ahahaha I'm about to buy another new Canon DSLR camera so the adhustments are out of the question.

I wanted a larger monitor anyway

Thank You

[BOFH]

I was thinking the same thing - but then, I don't care for people always telling me to get firefox.

YOU! Get a PC!!!
And YOU!! (Susanna) Get Firefox!!!