my monitor won't stay on, when I turn it off and back on, it only stays lit for a few seconds before going dark. I've checked the connections and the outlet and everything seems fine. What's going on?
Optional Information: Computer OS: Mac OS X Browser: Safari Already Tried: checking connections and checking outlet
Hello,
My name is XXXXX XXXXX X will tray and assist you with this.
Upon reading what is going on, my first thought is that your video card is having an issue. Try plugging monitor into either another computer or a laptop to see if it works properly.
If so, then that confirms my suspicions.
Please let me know.
Mike
don't have a way to do that because it's a scsi connector and i don't have another machine that it can connect to. And if it is a video card problem, what are my options?
Hi,
Thanks for getting back so to me quickly.
If is is a video card issue, then replacement of the video card is the solution.
This does happen frequently when video cards go bad, and your not the first person to think they have a bad monitor, when it was just the video card not sending the signal required to bring the monitor to life from a standyby mode.
I am a bit confused by the type of connection you use from the computer to monitor though. Are you sure its not DVI?, which is commonly used on the macs.
I don't know what a DVI is. This is a 5-year old Samsung monitor and it connects with one of those rectangular things with the little holes and 2 prongs on either side that screw in. Sorry for not being very eloquent at this late hour. If my memory serves, that is a SCSI connection. They aren't used anymore.
Ok.
How about giving me the model number of that Samsung.
Thanks
SyncMaster 215 TW. I just googled DVI and it does look like the connector I have. The SCSI memory must be from long ago. But I still don't have another machine I can connect it to.
Ok,
I figured it was, but you never know. :)
Your monitor also has a vga plug in also, if you can borrow a cord, you can verify that it works by useing that plug from another computer.
The cord looks like this.
http://cableorganizer.com/outlet/EFL-1282255.html?section=1&catname=Audio+%2F+Video+%2F+Home+Theater+%5D+VGA+Cables+%2F+Adapters&src=shopzilla
Or you can find another computer that utilizes a dvi connection, which most do nowadays.
Now if after all is said and done, and you have confirmed the monitor is fine, you just need to change out your video card. The cost really depends upon what you currently have and what you replace it with.
I am guessing your mac is a G5 tower, but you never really did say what model it was.
If you woudl give me that, I can provide more information.
Your monitor does also have an svideo input, so if you had a portable dvd player, you could test it that route also. Also has composite, so if you had an xbox 360, could test that route also.
Just tossing ideas at you.
It's a Mac Pro. Thanks for the link to the vga plug, we may have one that I can try, but it's getting too late for me to be effective doing anything.
You welcome for the link, was just an example, as there is no way I would spend 50 bucks for one of those.
But I hope you saw the next post showing that you could also use a composite cable from a xbox360 if you happen to have one of those.
Regardless, keep me updated :)
Thanks for your suggestions. The amazing thing is that I bought the monitor at Fry's electronics and I purchased a service contract at that time. It's still good until the end of May, so the video card, and it does seem like that's the problem, could be covered by the service contract (or not), but you know how rare it is for your equipment to malfunction when it's still covered by a service contract or warranty. I'll let you know what happens.
Yeah, though on occasion monitors do go bad, its very rare , specially Samsung.
My bet is the video card needs replaced, but just not before testing via the methods I described to you to be certain.
I look forward to results.
Experience: Certified Dell Tech-8 Years, IS Support- Principal