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Copyright © 1994-2007
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the
following conditions are satisfied:
1.This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.
Don't arbitrarily attach the monitor cable to a socket just because they
physically mate or have the same number of pins!
It can be very risky to experiment with scan rate settings either because you
have no idea of what is valid or to 'explore the envelope'. Either of these
could result in expensive repairs. The only hint you may get just before the
smoke comes out are unusually poor geometry or instability but it would be
foolish to depend on these possible warnings.
Although flat panel monitors based on LCD and other discrete technology
are increasing in popularity, their higher cost and spotty performance,
especially when not used at their native resolution, means that CRT monitors
will continue to be important for several years to come. And many of these
tests apply to flat panel displays as well.
WARNING: No monitor is perfect. Running these tests on your monitor or
one you are considering may make you aware of deficiencies you never
realized were even possible. You may never be happy with any monitor
for the rest of your life!
Note: the intent of these tests is **not** to evaluate or calibrate a monitor
for photometric accuracy. Rather they are for functional testing of the
monitor's performance.
Obviously, the ideal situation is to be able to perform these sorts of
tests before purchase. With a small customer oriented store, this may
be possible. However, the best that can be done when ordering by mail
is to examine a similar model in a store for gross characteristics and
then do a thorough test when your monitor arrives.
As with every piece of machinery built in mass production, monitors have
performance specifications which define tolerances on performance, as well as
operational limits. This has always been the case for monitors, and, in fact,
front of screen performance specifications have not changed appreciably over
the last ten years. Other items, such as for video & scan rate capabilities
have changed, but those items do not appreciably affect the front of screen
issues which most users find disappointing.
Most users never see the detailed specifications which the manufacturer works
to, but may see a sub-set intended to "feature" the product's strong and/or
competitive points. There are some variables which may be compensated for with
more sophisticated circuits, but that usually results in higher product cost
(*not* necessarily sales price; see below). There are other variables which
are subject to normal state of the art production tolerances, and because of
this, some units will actually come off the line looking better than others,
even though they all meet spec.
For an example, misconvergence is a variable subject to production tolerances,
and practically all monitors have similar spec's, even though most people
would not like to settle for a unit which is at the limit of the spec. The
typical spec. is 0.3 mm in the area within a circle equal to the height of the
image, and 0.4 mm outside that area. That is actually more than the
theoretical pixel size on a 14" monitor, and hardly anyone will want to use a
display with that performance. However, the spec. allows such variations to
exist.
An example of a feature which can be affected by additional circuit
sophistication is Geometry, or line straightness - each manufacturer has
specifications to meet, but here some units may allow as much as 6 mm of
non-straightness, where other units may have the ability of being adjusted to
a straightness of less than 1mm.
So, what the user runs into are variations of two kinds:
Furthermore, digital scan converters need to be built into autoscan (SVGA type)
flat screen monitors since they are basically fixed format devices. These are
needed to accommodate the multiple scan rates and resolutions produced by PC
based video cards when used with DOS/Windows or any situation where
the resolution does not match the native resolution (number of pixels and
lines) of the physical display device. Problems can arise from less than
optimal resampling or inadequate conversion speed where motion is involved.
These include: reduced sharpness, Moire, flicker or limited frame rate of
changing/moving images, stability, and more.
Therefore, much of the testing information provided below can still be used
to at least provide guidelines as to what to look out for when selecting a
flat screen display, and evaluating and comparing sample units side-by-side.
So, don't base your decision only on the contrast specifications. Check out
the monitors personally if possible and determine which you like best
under a variety of viewing conditions and screen material (e.g., text,
photos, graphics).
There are additional issues like maximum brightness and viewing angle
which may be equally or more important.
A monitor with high brightness may also end up with a bright "black screen".
Those with best contrast specs may have a mediocre viewing angle.
The contrast ratio spec may only apply at maximum brightness.
One of the things I dislike about all LCDs is that remaining illumination
even for a totally black display. Compared to a properly adjusted CRT,
displays like the "Flowerbox" screen saver really look bad, especially
in a dark room.
Note: we use the term 'auto-scan' to describe a monitor which accepts a wide
(and possibly continuous) range of scan rates. Usually, this refers mostly
to the horizontal frequency as the vertical refresh rate is quite flexible on
many monitors of all types. Fixed scan or fixed frequency monitors are
designed to work with a single scan rate (though a 5% or so variation may
actually be accepted). Multi-scan monitors sync at two or more distinct
scan rates. While not very common anymore, multi-scan monitors may still
be found in some specific applications.
CAUTION: since there is no risk-free way of evaluating the actual scan
rate limits of a monitor, this is not an objective of these tests. It
is assumed that the specifications of both the video source/card and the
monitor are known and that supported scan rates are not exceeded. Some
monitors will operate perfectly happily at well beyond the specified range
or will shut down without damage. Others will simply blow up instantly and
require expensive repairs.
Note: throughout this document, the term 'raster' is used to refer to the
entire extent of the scanned portion of the screen and the terms 'picture',
'image'. or 'display', to refer to the actual presentation content.
For computer monitors, software programs are available to conveniently
generate the required test patterns. However, an application like Windows
MSPAINT in conjunction with a picture with vibrant colors can be used to
create anything that is needed. It just will not be quite as easy to
switch between patterns. Video cards like those from ATI come with a
software Install program which provides a bounding box pattern and at all
(PC DOS/Windows) resolutions and scan rates.
Test pattern generators for TV monitors are readily available and relatively
inexpensive. However, a camcorder viewing appropriate printed material
or a prerecorded tape can be used in a pinch.
Before starting the series of tests, allow the monitor to warm up for at
least 1/2 hour and make sure it is completely degaussed (see the document:
Notes on the
Troubleshooting and Repair of Computer and Video Monitors
for details on degaussing techniques. Power the monitor up in the physical
orientation you will be using it (front-back facing North-South if you do
not know how your setup will be arranged) and don't rotate it on its tilt
swivel base after degaussing and for the duration of these tests. Make
sure the monitor is not near any sources of electromagnetic interference
(i.e., other powered monitors, loudspeakers, motors, transformers, etc.).
Subdued lighting is best.
Use only the original video cable that came with the monitor or high
quality BNC cables as appropriate. If you have a choice, opt for a
BNC cable - the quality at higher scan rates will be noticeably better.
Do not use any extension cables, any video switch boxes, or excessively
long BNC cables.
Obviously, if you can do any of this in a store at all, then you may not
quite have the luxury to fully control your environment!
Note that for an auto-scan monitor, all tests should ideally be performed
at several points including the extremes upper and lower limits of each
scan range. Most aspects of a auto-scan monitor's performance are affected
by scan rate.
Unless otherwise noted, all controls are those available to the user.
For each test, adjust the size and position controls so that the raster fills
as much of the screen as possible or as appropriate for the particular test.
So you thought you were buying a 17 inch monitor, right? Wrong. A monitor
that is advertised as 17" (or 15" or 21") will rarely give you anything near
that viewable size. The specification is of the CRT - including what is
covered up by the front bezel and not considering the actual maximum size
picture that may be possible in all scan modes.
Easily, 1.5 to 2 inches of your valuable diagonal screen real estate may
be lost to marketing hype. As a result, you might find as much as a 20%
difference in usable screen area between monitors which claim to be the same
size. This is like buying a 17" monitor and getting one that is only 15"!
At certain scan rates, it may not be possible to get a picture corner to
corner so even more usable area will be lost. Check out the section:
Size and Position Control Range.
Some advertisements now include actual viewable screen size. Hopefully,
this will become a universal practice but I will not hold my breath.
Other aspects of the monitor to check out:
The raster should be of uniform intensity and neutral gray. If it is
not of uniform intensity or has hum bars - full width areas of varying
brightness - or full height vertical rippled areas, the monitor's power
supplies may be defective or of poor design. The only way to be sure is
to compare several samples of the same model.
If the raster is not a neutral gray but has a tint, the color balance
may need to be adjusted. See the section: Brightness and
Screen Uniformity, Purity and Color Saturation.
Make sure you can actually set the brightness for total black (turn out
the lights and check). If not, you will never have truly dark shadow
areas in your display. Blacks will never be black and the display will
always look a washed out. This may be adjustable internally.
However, inability or difficulty in adjusting for a totally or nearly black
raster and vibrant bright display - or if the background brightness
shifts as the picture content changes - may indicate a deficiency or defect
in the black level retention circuitry. Since video signals are usually AC
coupled, a clamping circuit is needed to set the black reference. If this
does not work correctly or is poorly designed, the black level may shift
depending on the picture content. Modern monitors should be nearly perfect
in this regard. This problem is still seen in some cheap TVs, however.
Now set brightness to make the raster just disappear. Set the contrast
control all the way up. Display a pure red (R) full intensity raster.
The entire screen should be a pure, fairly uniform fully saturated red.
There should not be any areas that are not pure red. Repeat with the
other two primaries - green (G) and blue (B). Follow this up with tests of
pairs of primaries resulting in yellow (R+G), cyan (G+B). and magenta (R+B).
Again, these should result in pure vibrant colors.
Finally, display a pure white full intensity screen. The raster should be
pure white. There should be no patches of discoloration. It may be a warm
white (somewhat redish) or a cool white (somewhat bluish) but not
objectionably so. Some monitors permit this color 'temperature' to be
adjusted by the user (e.g., NEC AccuColor models like the 4FG or 5FG). If
the screen is noticeably colored and there are no user adjustments, then
the internal video gain controls need attention - see the section:
Brightness and Screen Uniformity, Purity and Color
Saturation.
Note that the term 'vibrant' here is a subjective term but relates to
the boldness, saturation, and, well, zappiness! However, this is
affected both by the choice of spectral output of the primary color
phosphors and to your perception. For a given CRT, the phosphors set
the spectral characteristics of the display. Expensive studio monitors
can be ordered with a specific CRT to suit the needs of the video standard.
This is rarely an option with computer monitors. You probably do not have
control over your visual perception (but do take off those autocompensating
sun glasses!) In other words, your mileage may vary.
If any of these tests detect a problem, the color purity may need to be
adjusted. (By you or by a professional as appropriate). A brand new
monitor should not have purity problems unless it is near a source of
magnetic fields like a loudspeaker or MRI scanner.
The pure white screen can also be used to evaluate the brightness
uniformity of the CRT. Don't expect perfection. The actual quantitative
measured brightness may vary quite a bit even with a high quality
monitor. The corners and edges may be noticeably darker than the center
even on the low deflection angle CRTs used in high performance monitors.
With the high deflection angle CRTs in TVs and cheap monitors, this may
be even worse.
However, local significantly darker or brighter areas could indicate defects
in the CRT dot/slot mask or aperture grille or phosphor screen which should
not be tolerated.
Should you see color or uniformity problems at full intensity, try
turning down the contrast control. If the uniformity improves after a
few seconds, the shadowmask in the CRT may be heating and deforming. This
is not unusual with color monitors. One of the advantages of an InVar
shadowmask is that it is less prone to these problems, however.
Also note if there is a brightness limiter circuit that is kicking in
with the full white screen. As you turn up the contrast, is there a point
where further increase has no effect on the intensity of the display or
where the intensity actually decreases? These brightness limiters are
designed to maintain the beam current at supposedly safe levels to minimize
X-ray generation and/or to mimize the shadowmask heating effects. Is the
maximum brightness adequate for you needs and viewing enjoyment?
Using the full white screen, adjust the contrast and brightness controls
through their full range. The size of the raster should not change
noticeably. A significant change in size - more than 1 or 2 percent - would
indicate poor power supply regulation.
Examine the entire screen closely for blemishes both in the surface finish
and for dead spots.
If you see any dead or darker spots, confirm that these are not due to the
video source: if they are CRT defects, they will not move as you adjust
the position controls.
There is a specification for the number and size of acceptable CRT blemishes
so you may have to whine a bit to convince the vendor to provide a replacement
monitor under warranty. Defects in the corners will likely only be noticed if
if you are looking for them. However, dead spots in the central area of the
screen will always be a distraction. Before the purchase is the time to find
these.
(From: Jamie Carter (jacarter3@onebox.com).)
The specification for display brightness has always been subject to
specsmanship. For example, a CRT or CRT based display will quote
lux or lumens/m2 based on a 10% white field
which is a small square in the display set at maximum output. A CRT display
cannot achieve the same current density on the phosphor with the whole
screen being white and thus the full white screen will give a
significantly smaller value not to mention that the
resolution suffers significantly with the high electron beam density.
These effects are obviated for the most part with LCD or DMD displays
because the brightness engine is decoupled from the resolution engine.
But even in these cases, the color temperature of the white field, the
color purity (saturation) of the color channels and gain of the screen
(distribution of the luminous flux) all factor into the perception of
display quality and image "goodness" (a very subjective quality at
best). Your best bet is to compare the actual display units under your
specific viewing conditions and intended display content. Note that
the "Compu-Hut" will line up a whole bunch of displays for your
comparison but only display photographic images with rather limited
spatial bandwidth. This gives no indication of display quality when
viewing 1 pixel wide strokes for desktop and application fonts. Make
the sales ape show some of the GUI windows and a text file before you buy.
Then there's an industry term: "Market Comparable Lumens". I am sure that
the real basis for this is to create a metric that cannot be disputed or
independently tested by the buyer. :)
At refresh rates beyond 70-75 Hz, even a very bright display should appear
rock solid. Turn off any fluorescent lights (whose possible flicker at
twice the power line frequency can confuse the test) and examine the screen
closely. There should be no shimmering, wiggling, jittering, or dark or light
flashes. Any of these would indicate either (1) external electromagnetic
interference or (2) a poorly designed or defective power supply in the
monitor. It is also possible, though less likely, that the incoming AC
power is noisy but modern monitors generally do a decent job of filtering
the power lines to eliminate most of this.
Display a white crosshatch pattern with boxes about 1/2 inch square. IF
you do not have this, use a white-on-black graphics or text screen with
a lot of fine detail - small fonts or intricate patterns.
The lines should appear white without excessive color fringing. The
individual primary colors should not be visible at a normal viewing
distance. First, examine the center. This should be nearly perfect. If
your monitor has any user adjustable convergence controls, set these
for best center convergence. Convergence will be worst in the corners
but even there, it should not be objectionable.
A serious convergence problem in the center of the screen is definitely an
indication of a defective monitor or one that needs internal adjustments.
Slightly poorer convergence at the corners may be within specifications.
A new monitor with significant convergence problems should be rejected.
Adjust any user pincushion controls (amplitude and phase) for minimum
distortion along the vertical edges. Amplitude moves the sides in and out.
Phase sets where, vertically, this effect takes place. If there are any
other user controls that affect raster shape, optimize these for a perfectly
rectangular display.
Now, examine all edges for curves, wiggles, dips, keystoning, or trapezoidal
deviations from a perfect rectangle. These are all considered defects
in the geometry of the raster. These will likely be more pronounced at
high scan rates - near the limits of the specifications for the monitor.
In particular, you may see a wiggle or wave on the left and right edges near
the top of the screen which will be come more pronounced as you approach
the highest scan rate (this is a deflection problem, however, not strictly
a CRT geometry problem).
During manufacture, various magnets are strategically glued around the
CRT or carefully positioned on rotating swivels on the deflection yoke
frame or elsewhere. You need to decide if any remaining errors in geometry
are acceptable or not because improving upon these settings is not something
that is easy or fun to do - by you or a professional! As noted, if the
geometry becomes noticeably inferior at high scan rates, this indicates
a problem in the deflection circuitry - adjustments will probably not help.
Consider another monitor if you intend to run at these rates.
Linearity may or may not be adjustable.
For computer monitors, these tests may need to be done in conjunction with
the video card you will be using and the software setup program for that
video card. Ideally, all size and position adjustments can be done in
software with the monitor's controls left at their center (default) setting.
However, this is not always the case.
Some people want their computer monitors to extend to or past the edges
of the CRT. Many monitors may leave a large border around the picture
particularly at higher scan rates. Test at the resolutions and scan
rates you expect to use. Obviously, a monitor that will not fill
the screen is shortchanging you in terms of how much screen size
you purchased!
Often, slightly reducing the scan rate at a given resolution will allow
for a larger picture. This is one alternative if the flicker is not
objectionable.
Vertical edges should be crisp and clear. Examine these for smearing,
ghosting, or trailing darker or lighter lines. Any deficiencies will
be most evident at high scan rates since these require the most bandwidth
from the video card, cables, and monitor. Also, any ringing, undershoot, or
overshoot, will extend for a longer space following the edge.
Without substituting video cards, cables, and monitors, it is not
usually possible to determine which is the limiting factor.
The most common cause of these types of problems are inferior, defective,
or excessively long cables; use of cable extensions or video switch boxes;
or improper termination if there are termination options on the monitor.
Full brightness vertical edges should not smear or bloom to the right -
possibly with a color change. This is due to the internal video gain
controls being set too high and may be correctable but possibly with a
reduction in maximum brightness.
There should also be no trailing lines to the right of long bright or
dark horizontal areas. Similarly, the edges of the raster should not
bulge out where the picture is very bright. These types of problems
would indicate problems with the power supplies or just poor design.
Display a fine dot pattern. The individual dots should be tiny, crisp,
and fairly symmetric. If the spot size changes drastically with brightness,
focus may need to be adjusted or the monitor's power supplies or CRT may
be mediocre or defective.
Note that it is not always best to have super sharp focus as long as
the spot size is small enough. A slightly defocused spot will result
in a smoother display and less likelihood of Moire effects.
There are several causes of Moire. The following will address two of these:
scan line Moire and pixel Moire.
Try these tests with any 'Moire reducing modes' both off and on. However,
the use of such 'features' may reduce the quality of the display in other
ways like reducing sharpness or stability.
Display a solid white screen at mid brightness. Look for patterns that
look similar to contour lines on topographic maps. Adjust the vertical
size and position controls to see if these move around or change their
severity and spacing. Repeat with a display of alternating black and
white horizontal lines.
Now, display a pattern consisting of alternating black and white vertical
lines at the maximum possibly frequency (alternating dark and light pixels
for a computer display - make sure your software is not doing any dithering).
Look for serious contour lines in this display. Adjust the horizontal size
and position controls to see how these affect any Moire.
Try these tests at multiple resolutions including the highest you will ever
use. However, the highest may not necessarily be the worst with respect
to Moire.
Other than using any 'Moire reducing mode' provided by the monitor, there may
not be anything you can do to reduce the severity of Moire other than running
at resolutions which do not exhibit a serious problem.
Nonetheless, I think it is ironic that some people will end up returning
otherwise superb monitors because of moire - when in many cases this is an
indication of most excellent focus - something many people strive for! You
can always get rid of it - the converse is not necessarily true!
Note: there have been some monitors that blow up - fail completely and require
expensive repairs - simply as a result of the video card initialization at
boot time due to its power on self test when the video signal may be
unspecificed and driving the monitor at an invalid scan rate. However, this
is not likely to be a problem with any modern auto-scan monitor.
Listen carefully through the grille in the cover for any indication - even
momentary - of annoying sounds. Try all scan rates - very often various
resonances will only occur at particular horizontal or vertical scan
frequencies. Even with high quality monitors, these problems sometimes
occur erratically and no quick test will identify such faults. Obviously,
doing this in a quiet location is best.
Note that any decreasing hum or buzz that may be heard at power-on is due
to the internal degaussing coil and is usually normal and unavoidable.
(From: Andy Cuffe (baltimora@psu.edu).)
The best way to tell is to look at the picture quality. There is no way to
tell the exact number of hours. Also, the life of CRTs varies quite a bit.
some will go down hill much faster than others.
(Portions from: Jerry G. (jerryg50@hotmail.com).)
You cannot tell the hours used by just looking or even measuring a tube. A
tube can go at any time. There are no hour counters!
Turn on the unit and see if there is any unusual bleeding of the image in the
picture at high contrast levels. When turning the brightness up and down,
the color temperature should not change, only the brightness. When turning
the contrast up and down, the focus at the center should also be very stable.
It may change only a little bit. When turning on the set, the color
temperature should be stable within about 3 to 5 minutes.
Look at the colors in the corners to see if the purity is good. Bad purity
can be attributed to a miss-adjusted yoke assembly, to a bad shadow mask.
To know the manufacture date of the unit, it us usually on the back with the
model and serial number. Most TV sets are on about 5 to 8 hours a day if
it is a family TV. If it is a bedroom TV the hours may be 1/2 that amount.
Monitors may be on 24 hours a day - or much less.
A good way to know if the emission of the CRT is up to specs is to get a
CRT analyzer and measure the gun emission. Some service centers own one.
When buying a used monitors, particularly sight unseen (as on eBay), asking
the proper questions will be most important. Age alone isn't necessarily a
reliable indication of performance or future reliability. I'm typing this on
a 10 year old NEC 5FG which I still consider to be as good as any monitor
sold today. However, a 2 year monitor run 24 hours a day could be ready
for the dumpster. It's probably best to stay with a major brand name. If
possible, ask about most of the items listed above, but particularly the
brightness, focus, convergence, geometry, and overall picture quality.
Here are a few pointers:
(From: Mark E. Nikl (markn3@infoave.net).)
In the download section of the Web site, there is a file called monitors.
It will give you all the test patterns and setups for gray scales, HV
regulation, tell you about you video card and much more. I just ran across
it the other day. You can even set up the pincushion and lots more.
A demo version with a few test patterns, more information on their products,
and some video tech tips, and some test patters are available at:
-- end V1.46 --
All Rights Reserved
2.There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying.
WARNING and DISCLAIMER
Attaching an incompatible video source to a monitor (i.e. the signals do not
have the proper voltages as with digital or analog levels) or using the wrong
scan rate are both potentially risky to the monitor.
We will not be responsible for any damage to your monitor or ego that may
result from such experiments!
Introduction
Scope and Purpose of This Document
This document provides a guide to the testing of computer and video monitors
for functional characteristics like color purity, convergence, geometry, focus,
resolution, Moire, switching between scan rates (where applicable), and
acoustic noise. A subset of these tests apply to television sets as well.
Comments on Monitor Performance and Sample-to-Sample
Variations
(From: Will Nott (bnott@barngate.compaq.com).)
Of course, this probably has very little correlation with the price at which
the product is being offered, because of other competing factors in the
marketing game, so it's not really fair (although we all are likely to do it)
to expect a more expensive product to perform better - maybe that company is
doing better at "charging what the traffic will bear". That's why it's always
advisable (within practical limits) to try and understand the spec's, and to
try and examine the actual unit which you will be taking home, not a showroom
example.
What About the New Flat Panel Displays?
The information in this document applies directly to the vast majority of CRT
(picture tube) based equipment. However, what may be surprising, is that much
of it also applies to the new generation of flat screen SVGA monitors based
on LCD, plasma, or other discrete pixel based technology. Why? While these
devices cannot suffer from some of the problems inherent with CRTs (like
imperfect geometry, convergence, or non-linearity), many characteristics can
still be quite variable from one design or even one sample to another. These
include brightness, brightness uniformity, range of viewing angle), color
rendition, flicker, and ghosting (if analog interface).
Comments on Selecting an LCD Monitor
As with virtually everything else, there is a lot of hype and specsmanship
with respect to flat panel monitors. After screen size, native resolution,
maximum refresh rate, the specification that many people consider most
important is contrast ratio, loosely defined as the ratio of the brightest
white to blackest black. Or, perhaps contrast ratio is the #1 consideration.
All else being equal, a higher contrast ratio should result in better
rendition of continuous tone (i.e., photographic) images. Photos without
black blacks tend to look washed out or muddy. However, for much of what
one does on a computer, this may not really matter.
Basic Monitor Performance Criteria
The following are among those characteristics of a monitor that should be
evaluated:
For monochrome monitors, use the appropriate subset of these tests. The
descriptions below usually assume an auto-scan SVGA type of monitor. Modify
accordingly for fixed scan computer monitors and studio video monitors.
Test Patterns
Three kinds of test patterns will be needed:
Testing a New or Used Monitor
Screen Size and General Appearance
Screen dimensions are normally measured diagonally - corner to corner.
Brightness and Screen Uniformity, Purity and Color
Saturation
Display a black - totally blank screen (but don't just pull the video cable
as the monitor will be running with the normal voltages and signals) so that
the raster is just barely visible. This adjustment should be possible
but as noted below, not all monitors have totally independent brightness
and contrast controls - you may need to bring up contrast a bit also.
Stability
Display a picture having a complete range of colors and intensities.
Convergence
Ideally, all three electron beams in a color CRT should be precisely
coincident at every point on the screen. While this is never quite
achieved, the degree of convergence even at the corners is generally
quite impressive - less than .5 mm for many moderately priced monitors.
Edge Geometry
Display a bounding box image - one that extends to the very edge of the
raster on all sides.
Linearity
Display a crosshatch pattern of roughly 1/2" spaced lines. Take a tape
measure and compare the exact spacing of vertical lines in the left, middle,
and right areas of the screen. Do the same for the horizontal lines in the
top, middle, and bottom of the screen. Modern monitors should have very
little variation - probably undetectable using a tape measure.
Tilt
Inspect the bounding box for tilt - is it perfectly aligned with the
cosmetic bezel of the CRT? If the monitor has a tilt control, see if
it will compensate. Few do. The only way to correct tilt on monitors
without a tilt adjustment is to rotate the deflection yoke or entire
CRT - not recommended. If the degree of tilt bothers you in the slightest
and you are a perfectionist, reject the monitor or insist that the tilt be
corrected - and be present if possible to make sure that the adjustment is
done to your satisfaction.
Size and Position Control Range
Determine if the size and position controls have enough of an range to
fill the screen totally (for computer monitors) or (possibly in conjunction
with an underscan switch) allow for a suitable reduced raster size (studio
video monitors).
Ghosting or Trailing Streaks
Display a picture with a large number of high contrast vertical edges - a
Windows desktop with many open folders, for example.
Sharpness
Display a white screen at the highest resolution and scan rate your
system is capable of (or the highest you ever anticipate using). See
if you are able to make out the individual scan lines. Turn down the
brightness - this will decrease the effective spot size and make the
scan lines more visible.
Moire
Moire is caused by interference - beating - between the picture or raster
and the phosphor dots or lines that make up the display. Technically,
it is an aliasing artifact due to the relative sampling rates of these
two structures.
Scan Rate Switching
When running Windows or DOS with a auto-scan monitor, switching scan rates
may be done quite frequently. Some monitors take longer than others to
perform this switchover. There may be clicks (due to relays) and other
sounds. Better monitors will blank the video until the new scan rate has
stabilized. On cheaper monitors, you may see the image as it locks in.
Some monitors are very quick. Others can take several seconds - an eternity
if you are doing this frequently. Try switching between scan rates at the
limits of each scan range as this will be the toughest situation. While it
is hard to pin down what makes for a suitable outcome of this test (unless
there is an actual failure to properly sync), a monitor that appears to be
struggling or which doesn't always make it may be trying to tell you something.
Acoustic Noise
Ideally, a monitor is seen and not heard. However, there are a variety of
components inside that can vibrate and this may be quite annoying in a quiet
room or late at night. A buzz may originate from the switching power supply
or vertical deflection components. A high pitched whine, squeal, or twittering
may originate from the switching power supply, flyback (LOPT) transformer, or
horizontal deflection components. Some people aren't bothered by these sounds
at all or cannot hear them. Others will be driven stark raving bonkers.
Checking the Age of the CRT
This doesn't (or shouldn't) apply to a new monitor, but suppose you found this
great deal on a used TV or monitor. How can you tell if the picture tube is
about to die on you?
Apart form that, if the overall picture is good the CRT is fine. CRTs usually
fail very slowly. Even if it's starting to show it's age it probably has
several years left.
Specifically for Used Monitor Purchases
In addition to the previous tests, general condition may be a good indication
of the future holds for the monitor. Aside from obvious damage from being
dropped off a 10 story building, there can be scuffing, dings, and dents
which may not affect performance but look bad. Equipment operated in dirty
or dusty locations, among heavy smokers, or in or near greasy kitchens,
may become coated and this can be difficult or impossible to clean up
completely. The inside may be clogged as well which may ultimately
affect reliability. Such monitors may also always smell bad.
Final Evaluation
If after these tests, you determine that your monitor or the one you
are considering is perfect - let me know as this is extremely unlikely.
More likely is that you found a number of deficiencies. If this is a
monitor you are considering purchasing, you need to decide if the benefits
outweight the defects. For certain problems like color balance, the vendor
may work with you to tweak the needed internal controls. Alternatively, using
the information contained in the document:
Notes on the
Troubleshooting and Repair of Computer and Video Monitors, you may
decide that you will be able to take care of the problem yourself. However,
for problems like severe misconvergence, uncorrectable pincushioning, serious
Moire, or audible buzz, there may be no easy solution and searching for
another monitor may be the only option. If you inherited the monitor or
are getting a really good deal, then many of these problems can prboably
be dealt with but with some risk that significant improvement may not be
possible.
Monitor Testing Programs
There are a variety of PC compatible software programs for testing of SVGA
computer monitors. These display various test patterns and color charts
which are appropriate for the procedures discussed in this document.