Cosmetic or Terminal ??? Calling the IT Gurus.

[Bob38S]

Calling the IT gurus.......,

This is not meant to be a Mac v's Windows exercise.........

I have a 2004 eMac [yeah, yeah, I can hear the comments already ranging from blah blah to yuk yuk]. Now that we have that out of the way, I have a problem which I think could be cross platform.

On both sides of my screen, I'm getting blotches of pink and green [a third to half way down from the top] - the RHS is about 75mm in diameter while the LHS is about 50mm. These blotches appear to grow in intensity the longer the machine is on.

My limited knowledge has this indicating a degaussing problem [I believe it is supposed to do it automatically]. There are no speakers/magnetic sources near the machine. I have "zapped the PRAM" which appears to reduce it a little on the next day's restart.

I suspect it is only cosmetic but .......... I'm hoping it is not terminal.

Your thoughts re the above question as well as any suggestions as to how to fix it would be much appreciated.

Regards, and thanks,
Bob

[DavidG]

Colour blotches will gradually expand but your mind will compensate at the same rate.

The only time it will be a problem is when someone else looks at the screen and points the problem out to you.

There again it could be a death throw just before the final..........

[Barry_White]

I've had screens do that, sorry to say they eventually die.

[Mick C.]

It sounds like a degausing prob, all CRT's have an automatic degausing circuit in them, and it is opperated every time the set is switched on, BUT, most modern TV's that are turned on by a remote control rather than the big old power switch on the front, dont actually opperate the degause cct (every time) unless it is powered off at the wall for a lil while enableing the degause cct to cool down and reset ready to perform this function next time it is turned on. Sooooo you could try turning it off at the wall for a lil while, say 10mins or so, and turn it back on, and maybe do this a number of times if the picture quality is really bad, and this may fix your trouble. Simply moving a large CRT can result in the same effect, and changing it's relationship compared to the earths magnetic field can also cause lots of trouble, as silly as this sounds, its very obviouse on large crt's and a degause will more often then not fix it. Or if you are still stuck go see a tv repair place and they can degause it for you.

[old_picker]

Got ur speakers either side of the monitor??
Magnets from speakers can do that to a monitor.
you can try deguass if the monitor has a utility menu that includes it.
then prolly go shopping for new one.

move speakers away
umm those lil halogen desk lamp thingies will do it as well
any thing that emits a goodish emf

[Bob38S]

Thanks,

Mick, I'll try the unplugging routine when I finish this morning.


Old Picker, sorry but no speakers or halogen lights etc to move - only have the built in speakers which have been there since day 1

Bazza, I was afraid of this [is it only the screen which dies or does it take the rest of the machine with it?]

Regards,
Bob

[Cliff Rogers]

Cheap automatic degausing circuits use a thermistor that turns it off as it warms up over a couple of seconds.
The thermistor stays hot for a while so a simple power cycle doesn't help much unless you leave it off for a while (5 to 10 minutes) so the thermistor can cool down enough to give the degausing coils a good thump.

Degausing wands used by TV techs last centuary used to cost about $80, now you will pick one up on eBay for about $10 2nd hand.
You could grab one & try that.

Make sure you have room to move with the power lead, stand in front of the monitor with the monitor on so you can see the screen, press the button on the wand & move it around in slow sweeping circles & back away from the screen antil you can no longer see the picture wobbling & changing colour, then turn it off & chuck it in a drawer or resell it on eBay.

[Barry_White]

Thanks,

Bazza, I was afraid of this [is it only the screen which dies or does it take the rest of the machine with it?]

Regards,
Bob

Usually it is only the screen.

[Bob38S]

Usually it is only the screen.

That's what I prefer to hear. Been using Macs since the early 80's - first problem so I'm a little unsure.

If/When the screen goes I guess I have 2 options......

1 Get it fixed - with the possibility of something else going - 2004 machine

2 Get a new, super beaut, A1, first class machine [Mac of course - not trying to stir the Win owners]

And now the serious bit - Can I then use the "old" machine as basically a remote HD for backups and storage - most of my stuff at this time is backed up to CD or flash drives.

Current situation - after unplugging for some 20 hours - booted great, no blotches, now after about an hour they are back and I presume it will get worse the longer the machine is on. Will need to check out Cliff's option ---- as this sort of stuff is out of my field - I need to ask,

Is there any possibility of a degaussing wand affecting the data on the HD?

Regards, and thanks for the help,
Bob