Can Computer Monitors Be Repaired

Computer Monitor Repair

Repairing a Figurer Monitor

Stuck pixels are probably the most mutual trouble on LCD monitors. A pixel is one of the millions of tiny dots that compose the prototype on your screen, flashing on or off as needed. Sometimes a pixel gets stuck in the off land, leaving a black pinhole in your picture. When a pixel stuck in the on country, a vivid light persists where none should be. Here are some tricks you can endeavour to "jar" a stuck pixel loose:

Run pixel-fixing software such equally JScreenfix, a freeware Java application. It randomly cycles every pixel on your monitor on and off very rapidly, which frequently "jars" a stuck pixel into working again. If that doesn't work, you may demand a hardware solution.

PixelTuneup is a handheld electronic device (US$49.95) that you plug into the VGA port of your monitor for 20 minutes. Information technology generates calibrated electronic signals that stimulate stuck pixels into normal functioning; eliminates ghosting; and improves contrast and colors on your monitor. Used regularly, information technology tin can keep your computer monitor or TV in mint condition.

Another complimentary DIY method seems besides rough to be true: tap the stuck pixel until it unsticks. Display a pure blackness image on your monitor and the stuck pixel should show up every bit a white dot. Using a PDA stylus, or similar pocket-size blunt instrument, tap the screen right on the stuck pixel, gently at first but with increasing force until you see a flash of light around the pixel. Keep tapping with the same pressure until the pixel is unstuck. Equally with all home remedies, your mileage may vary.

If your monitor is not working at all, and yous've tried the obvious things such equally checking the connections on both ends of the power and video cables, you lot're probably going to demand a professional repair job, unless yous're a little bit geeky. Await for a local TV or electronics repair shop to get an estimate for the repairs.

Getting Under The Hood

The backlight in an LCD monitor is another source of failure. Over time, the backlight dims and the epitome loses contrast, brightness, and colour. Eventually the backlight burns out, leaving you with a useless monitor. But for about $twenty you can supplant the backlight yourself, if you have some soldering skills and a fleck of courage. This is hard-core reckoner monitor repair!

This how-to mail service at InventGeek.com walks you through the process of replacing a backlight. Briefly, you'll purchase a common cold cathode tube; open your monitor and remove the declining backlight tube; and solder in the cathode tube. Information technology'due south more complicated than that, and more dangerous because cold cathode tubes contain toxic mercury. But if you lot enjoy a claiming and a bit of risk, you can fix your expressionless monitor.

Fried capacitors are a subconscious source of computer monitor failure. A bad capacitor can be found just by opening the monitor case and looking at the capacitors inside. A bad capacitor'south summit will burl and may even show scorch marks. Capacitors tin can be replaced pretty hands if you know how to handle a soldering iron.

If you take a laptop with a malfunctioning monitor, the problem might be the chapeau switch that's activated when you open or close the laptop. If the laptop appears to be working, simply you can't see the screen, the backlight might not exist turning on due to the faulty hat switch. That happened to me once, and I noticed that the screen was barely readable if I shined a flashlight directly on information technology. Getting the switch replaced solved my monitor trouble.

Go along in mind, if yous don't have a warranty, repairing a monitor can be more expensive than buying a new i. Prices on flat-panel xx-inch monitors have fallen below $100, and then buying new might exist the right choice, especially if you accept an old, clunky CRT monitor that takes upwardly one-half your desk.

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