Monitor Dying?

I have a 22" Viewsonic monitor which I purchased in September 2008. I love this monitor. I have always had it set to go to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity. However, I seldom actually push the button and turn it off. Yesterday it started "going dark" after about 60 seconds of inactivity. It looks different from when the computer shuts it off which is a totally black screen. This just sort of makes the picture go away, but you can see the lighting behind the screen. A movement of the mouse brings the picture right back up. No biggie as long as I'm doing something, but a pain when I was trying to read on my Kindle for PC last night. This behavior also occurs when I switch to my XP computer. Went through all the monitor settings and there is nothing there to cause it to do this. I also did push the button and turn it off last night - same thing this morning.

I hate to pull the trigger to order a new monitor as my wireless Logitech keyboard just died too, so say it isn't so!!

Sorry ,Drac

But I had the same monitor "Viewsonic" It started with a not so bright screen ,then it just got darker, then nothing at all...

These monitors are non repairable as I was told..They just burn out after so many hours of use...

Mine has been bright, bright, bright. In fact, I have had to turn the brightness down. When I use the mouse to get the screen back, it's just as bright as it ever was. I know it's been almost 3 years, but I LOVE this monitor!

If the problem isn't due to a power-saving feature, it sounds like something in the electronics has gone bad. The fact that it happens on two different computers suggests it isn't due to a change in Windows settings, so it must be in the monitor. If I had a monitor that did that I'd replace it as soon as I had the money. I don't know how to fix things like that.

Check the monitor settings using buttons on the monitor. Then check the settings via your video card software and perhaps Power Options if a Windows system. Maybe even your BIOS settings.

It is possible that a setting became changed and the monitor is still OK. You must eliminate all other possibilities before you can assume the monitor is dying.

If you are lucky enough to have another computer, yours or a friends, test the monitor on a different system. Or do the inverse if possible, test your computer on a different monitor.
Depending on the results, you will find out if your monitor is dying or something else is wrong.

Just to check...
You aren't using a KVM switch to switch between computers, are you? If you are, the problem could be in the KVM.

Good point, Jenny. I do have one, but no, I'm not using it to switch between computers. This monitor has both VGA and DVI ports. One of the monitor buttons switches between the two ports. I also booted up into the XP computer so I wasn't switching between the two and the same thing still happened.

Thanks for all the good suggestions, Robert. I went through every setting on the monitor with no change on both my computers. I have the monitor connected to two different computers - a Windows 7 desktop and an XP desktop. I've tested it on both computers by using the button which switches between the VGA and DVI ports and as I said to Jenny, booted into the XP computer - same behavior.

Draclvr remember my Viewsonic went out also? I bought it in 2007 (I think) and it went out in 2010, just went black one day, no warning. I was shocked as it was perfect up to that time. So this time, just in case I bought an Asus though I really like the Viewsonics.

You might want to check around to see if there were any Recalls on your monitor, you never know.

Good luck
Ray

That sure sounds like a power setting Drac - have you installed an update that could have affected them?

Does hitting a key on the keyboard also restore the brightness?

I've tried every power setting there is - this is different from when the power settings shut down the monitor which goes black when that happens. You can still see the backlighting when this happens. When I tap a key or click the mouse,the screen restores the picture as if there was nothing wrong complete with the brightness I have it set to. Been in the Nvidia settings too with no luck.

I tried something when I got home today. I disconnected the DVI cable and booted up into the XP computer which is using the VGA port. Hmmm... the XP computer picture stayed on for as long as I set the power settings - an hour this last time. I'm going to grab a DVI cable at Wal Mart tomorrow and see it that's the problem.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Nope, no recalls, Ray. Yes, I remember when your ViewSonic just gave up the ghost one day, Hawka! I'm sure hoping mine doesn't...

I would try unplugging the monitor from the computer and power source. In fact unplug the computer from the power source also. Wait about 10 minutes and plug everything back in. I do that anyway every couple of months. It gets rid of any built up static electricity that can cause problems. Also my monitor (Dell) has a "button" that can be selected to fix any image issues. Don't know if VS does.

Thanks, cazziejoe. I had actually done that the day before to do some cleaning.

I found an extra DVI cable, but that didn't help. So, I tried a System Restore this morning. Guess what... it worked. So some update caused this. Now I'll have to narrow it down to which one. Must say, an update was the last thing I thought of...

Whew!! My monitor lives!!

As a matter of curiosity, Draclvr, what makes you love this Viewsonic monitor so much?

Gil.

Good to hear Drac

Gil,I know it's 3 years old and there is 'newer and bigger and better' out there. But it's got a gorgeous picture; three different millisecond response times; I can adjust it a gazillion different ways; it has a setting to allow me to play a game in 800 x 600 resolution and then when I quit, it goes back to the native resolution of 1680 x 1050; the 22" is perfect for me and my desk... In short, I like my old stuff if it works great!

It makes me squirm a little to think that anything 3 years old is aged. (When I think how much older I am than 3...ook.) I guess I was asking against the day I need a new monitor. Do all Viewsonics wrap their users around their buttons or is it just that you got really lucky with this one?

Gil.

In the electronics world, 3 years is positively doddering! Since I'm well over 60, 3 seems young to me too! I've recently set up computers with 2 Acer monitors and an Asus monitor - both looked absolutely great. Don't know what I would get if they one had indeed gone to the monitor graveyard. The ViewSonics are a bit pricey, but this one sure has been great for me.

Word of mouth beats every other type of recommendation as far as I'm concerned, Draclvr, especially when it comes from someone I trust. Now I have three brands to put in my 'someday' folder.

Thanks!

Gil.
Doddering right along with you

Was this the problem with both computers?

(Glad to hear your monitor is OK)

It did happen at least once on the XP computer when I booted it up. That's what made me assume it was the monitor. When I unplugged the DVI cable (which goes to the Windows 7 computer) and booted into XP and the picture stayed on was when I was going to assume it was the cable. So, now the monitor is working on the XP computer, but not on the Windows 7.

But another DVI cable didn't make any difference. Then I tried a System Restore to the day before the last update. Suddenly all was well. When I have time, I'm going to install the updates one at a time and see what happens.

I'm still not convinced there isn't something going with the monitor, but the System Restore seems to have worked for now. Go figure...

So the update on the Windows 7 computer affected the monitor even while you were using the monitor for XP?

I have no idea, Jenny. Doesn't make any sense to me. All I know is that the monitor did the same thin on both computers when I was using the switch on the monitor to change from DVI to VGA. When I unplugged the DVI cable and booted in XP with the VGA cable, my XP screen started staying put. However, the screen would still go away after about 60 seconds on the Windows 7 computer even with a different DVI cable. It wasn't until I did a System Restore on the Windows 7 computer that it started staying put there.

All I know is that the screen is staying put on both computers now. As I said, go figure....

Hope you got it fixed now Drac.

Well, given the behavior of it doing the same thing on both computers and then the System Restore on the Windows 7 making that computer work and booting up the XP computer with the DVI unplugged making that one work, I don't know if I'd call it fixed or not! All I know is that it's working perfectly on both computers now.