Screwed up Monitor Pixels...

Ithryndil · 01-21-2009, 05:38 PM

Today I received my new 22" widescreen monitor. The exact monitor is this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145

The monitor is connected via a DVI cable and worked great for around two hours. I then turned my computer off. After turning it back on, my desktop appeared fine for about 2 seconds and then blacked out/flickered and now displays what is attached. I tried to create a custom resolution but failed. It should boot up to its native resolution 1680 X 1050 and looks like it does. Any help is appreciated. I have an 8800GTS 512 MB video card, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Edit: I decided to try a VGA cable. My video card only has DVI inputs, but I have an adapter. The monitor appears to work when I hook up a VGA cable. While I can just be fine with that and use a VGA cable, I want to use a DVI cable. Could the cable be faulty?

Ithryndil · 01-22-2009, 12:00 PM

Anyone have an idea what's going on here? Is it possible I messed with the display settings in the Nvidia control panel in such a way to cause the screen to look like that? I am using the DVI cable with another computer and it seems fine.

Ithryndil · 01-22-2009, 01:12 PM

Alright, well I decided to do some testing. I hooked up another computer monitor to a completely different computer via the DVI cable, everything worked. I then hooked up my monitor to that other computer via the DVI cable. Again, it worked. I then hooked up that other computer's monitor to my computer via the DVI cable, and after about 5 seconds the same problem occurred. So, this means either my video card is crapping out (though I doubt it). The DVI input on my video card is crapping out, again, I doubt that. My video card only has DVI connectors on it. So my VGA cable is hooked up to an adapter which then hooks into the DVI connector on the video card. The last thing, and probably most likely thing, is that I changed some of the settings in the Nvidia control panel in such a way to cause this.

**magnethead** · 01-22-2009, 02:52 PM

If you do a print screen then look at it, i assume the lines are gone?

The first assumption is always vRAM. second is usually cable. vRAM would affect both VGA and DVI. cable/DVI terminals would only affect DVI input. Is the cable single or dual link, and does it have RF choker cores (buldges in the cble at each end) on it?

Ithryndil · 01-22-2009, 03:14 PM

I have not done a print screen so I can't say if the lines disappear. I am currently using VGA and nothing is wrong, so it probably isn't vRAM. I believe the cable is single link...but I am not sure I understand the difference. And yes, there are bulges on the cable at each end...but the cable seemed to work fine on another computer with two different monitors. The cable connectors are similar to the one here:

http://www.datapro.net/products/dvi-d-single-link-digital-cable.html

Ithryndil · 01-23-2009, 03:48 PM

Anyone have any ideas?

01-22-2009, 12:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ithryndil Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 117 OS: Windows XP	Re: Screwed up Monitor Pixels... Anyone have an idea what's going on here? Is it possible I messed with the display settings in the Nvidia control panel in such a way to cause the screen to look like that? I am using the DVI cable with another computer and it seems fine. Last edited by Ithryndil; 01-22-2009 at 12:27 PM.

01-22-2009, 01:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ithryndil Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 117 OS: Windows XP	Re: Screwed up Monitor Pixels... Alright, well I decided to do some testing. I hooked up another computer monitor to a completely different computer via the DVI cable, everything worked. I then hooked up my monitor to that other computer via the DVI cable. Again, it worked. I then hooked up that other computer's monitor to my computer via the DVI cable, and after about 5 seconds the same problem occurred. So, this means either my video card is crapping out (though I doubt it). The DVI input on my video card is crapping out, again, I doubt that. My video card only has DVI connectors on it. So my VGA cable is hooked up to an adapter which then hooks into the DVI connector on the video card. The last thing, and probably most likely thing, is that I changed some of the settings in the Nvidia control panel in such a way to cause this.

01-22-2009, 02:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
magnethead Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 3,570 OS: Vista ultimate 32bit My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Screwed up Monitor Pixels... If you do a print screen then look at it, i assume the lines are gone? The first assumption is always vRAM. second is usually cable. vRAM would affect both VGA and DVI. cable/DVI terminals would only affect DVI input. Is the cable single or dual link, and does it have RF choker cores (buldges in the cble at each end) on it? __________________ For proper support: what are you running? graphics, cpu, m/board, ram, PSU brand wattage PCI-E requires 26 amps at 12 volts. That's a 650W PSU. Power Supply Info and Selection . Info on thermal compounds & application . TEST PSU USING MULTI-METER . Bench Testing Your System

01-22-2009, 03:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ithryndil Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 117 OS: Windows XP	Re: Screwed up Monitor Pixels... I have not done a print screen so I can't say if the lines disappear. I am currently using VGA and nothing is wrong, so it probably isn't vRAM. I believe the cable is single link...but I am not sure I understand the difference. And yes, there are bulges on the cable at each end...but the cable seemed to work fine on another computer with two different monitors. The cable connectors are similar to the one here: http://www.datapro.net/products/dvi-d-single-link-digital-cable.html

01-23-2009, 03:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ithryndil Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 117 OS: Windows XP	Re: Screwed up Monitor Pixels... Anyone have any ideas?