Oh dear. A new year but no change to the random unsolvable tech issues that appear from nowhere. The monitor has stopped working for no reason. Powers on, power light stays on as if receiving a signal, screen is black (the "on" black, not the grey "I'm in standby" black), Nvidia Control Panel recognises the display and allows configuration, Windows beeps when it's plugged in, but just nothing to say for itself on show. Main screen is an identical panel, so although I was ruling out drivers, the main one is connected via VGA so shows as "generic" or similar in NVCP, whereas the second (blank) one is connected via DVI and shows as its namesake in NVCP. Only connected via DVI as I thought it might be the VGA socket that had failed, but doesn't seem the case. They're both Samsung Syncmaster SA450s. Googling shows other people have had similar issues, but I cannot find a single solution and I can't think of a reason this would be an issue other than a random guess at "backlight". Suggestions gratefully welcomed, even if they are of the "it's gone, chuck it" variety, so I don't waste any more time trying to make it comply. Thanks in advance!
Hey Noiz! Hope all is well! No, the one that's now not working was the original one (we had a pair, but it was a single screen setup) which, once it bailed, I subbed for the current identical one. I thought then that it may be the VGA was shot, but I've now connected it as a second screen and it seems to all intents to be good, other than no display (ie. system recognises it, power light on etc.). Also no dead/bright spots.
Don't suppose anyone has any suggestions for this? Am struggling to find a solution to what appears to be a working monitor that doesn't want to display anything (ie. actually work).
Poop. I realise I'm probably flogging the proverbial dead horse here (and thanks for your input Noiz, as always), but why would the screen light up and flash the "Cable not connected/check input" floating message around, when the PC detects a connected display? The panel must be working to display anything at all, so is it some sort of signal board (I just made that component up) issue where it doesn't accept incoming information even though the rest of the hardware is working?
Could be. Could be any number of different bits of circuitry that's died, and it might be cheap to fix if you're good at soldering. The time involved though just isn't worth it in my opinion. Plus I think the monitor recognising an input is active is purely voltage related, which will be a different pin to data.
I am categorically terrible at soldering (although I did manage to isolate and re-route a single dodgy 24-pin ATX cable from within the main bunch this weekend, to sidestep a possible break in the wire, which was a victory) so I think you're right. Save time or money but not both. Down to the library recycle pile with it (unless anyone else reading this wants it for postage, of course)! Interesting about the voltage/data signal though...would make sense. I suppose the board/whatever must be shot if it's not displaying a picture on any input at all ie. not just a particular input has gone wonky. Cheers bud
