Monitor problems? Blame Bill!




I have a small problem with my video card and monitor. The video card is a Diamond Stealth GT and the monitor is a KTX 15in. When I change resolutions, the screen sometimes goes blank and doesn't show anything even when switching on and off. I have had the computer for a while and this has never occurred until now. I have just added 32Mb EDO memory (swapped 2 x 16Mb EDO for 4 x 8Mb standard). I do not think the memory swap is the problem; I think the problem relates to the refresh rates. I would like to know exactly how I can overcome this problem and to be directed to any software that may be handy. All help will be appreciated.
- B. Johns


I may not be able to solve your problem, but I do know who to blame. He is one of the most powerful people in the world and his name is Bill. Not Gates this time, but Clinton. Yes, the self-proclaimed leader of the free world, the President of the United States, is, I believe, behind your monitor problem. The power-saving features of most modern computers and monitors were developed as a direct result of Bill Clinton's policy for the civil service in America to buy only computers which can automatically shut down during periods of inactivity.
In the old days, if you plugged in your monitor and turned it on, it would come to life. Nowadays, a monitor will usually only come on when it is also receiving a signal from a video card. This is fine in theory -- I have no need for my monitor to be on while the computer is off. However, let me recount some experiences with power-saving monitors. One monitor I saw would come on when you turned on the computer. But if the video cable became unplugged and you reconnected it, the monitor would refuse to come on until the computer was restarted. The monitor on my home computer on one occasion just kept turning itself on and off every few minutes. As this only occurred once, I wrote a letter to the Unsolved Mysteries television show, but otherwise ignored this unexplained event. If it happens again I might write an article on "How to get your computer Exorcised"! Another problem that I have seen from time to time is that the monitor turns itself off during use and does not switch itself back on until the computer is restarted. This latter problem can be solved via Control Panel's Display Properties dialogue box. Under the Screen Saver tab you will see an Energy saving features of monitor section. After unchecking the Low-power standby and Shut off monitor checkboxes the problem should not recur.
In summary, then, turning off the monitor's power-saving features as described above may fix your problem. Also in the Display Properties dialogue, on the Settings tab, you can set the monitor type. OK, I know KTX is not listed as a monitor type in Windows 95, but monitors originate from a small number of manufacturers and the brand name is often a cosmetic addition. Your supplier may be able to tell you what setting you could use instead. As a long shot, try downloading the latest video drivers for your card. If that doesn't work try borrowing a friend's monitor and using it on your computer and plug your monitor into their computer. This will at least tell you if the problem is your monitor or your video card.

Use the Display Properties dialogue box to control the monitor's energy-saving features

- Roy Chambers


Category: Hardware
Issue: Aug 1997
Pages: 155-156

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