My LCD is Starting to Flicker!

[Conan]

Let's see my AOC LCD should be around 3 years old now. I bought it when I still had my old HP Celeron PC. The monitor started flickering since yesterday. I thought it was a software glitch so I removed the Omega Driver I was using, and went with the latest 4.7 Catalyst Drivers. It seemed to improve a bit. Today I removed my video card and cleaned out the fans and checked all power connections, no change. Right now I'm using my Dad's LG Flatron LCD and there's absolutely no flicker so this points to my monitor. Damn is 3 years the lifespan of LCD's? :(

[joshsiao]

Well, I know that the life span of LCDs are shorter than CTRs but 3 years?! My LCD on the Gateway is 4 years old. Its a Fujitsu Model.

Its flickering as in what sort of flickering? The refresh rate flickering or the flourcent lamp type of flickering. If its the former, its possibly the LCD transitors really is burnt out. If its the latter, then the backlight is about to go. Changing the backlight is as good as replacing the monitor with a better one like those Ultrasharp ones.

[Conan]

Well, I know that the life span of LCDs are shorter than CTRs but 3 years?! My LCD on the Gateway is 4 years old. Its a Fujitsu Model.

Its flickering as in what sort of flickering? The refresh rate flickering or the flourcent lamp type of flickering. If its the former, its possibly the LCD transitors really is burnt out. If its the latter, then the backlight is about to go. Changing the backlight is as good as replacing the monitor with a better one like those Ultrasharp ones.

I guess it's more of the fluorecent lamp flicker. I read my manual and it says that the lamp is good for 20,000 hours. I calculated that over 3 years, I would have to be using my PC for 18 hours everyday to reach that figure!

My cousin who works in a computer store chain told me that LCD's aren't repaired here, (you just junk it when the lamp acts up! :eek: ) I'll have to check though with the AOC distributor here in my country. I hope they can repair it as I can't afford a new LCD at the moment.

[rik]

Did you try it on different refresh rates?

[joshsiao]

I guess it's more of the fluorecent lamp flicker. I read my manual and it says that the lamp is good for 20,000 hours. I calculated that over 3 years, I would have to be using my PC for 18 hours everyday to reach that figure!

My cousin who works in a computer store chain told me that LCD's aren't repaired here, (you just junk it when the lamp acts up! :eek: ) I'll have to check though with the AOC distributor here in my country. I hope they can repair it as I can't afford a new LCD at the moment.
Ya about 20,000 hours and it'll kaput. But I think 20,000 hours would mean optimal conditions only? Here, they'll say: We can repair it for you but its gonna cost almost as much as a new monitor or whatever other excuses to get you to buy a new one.

[Conan]

Did you try it on different refresh rates?

Haven't tried that yet, will try it now.

[rik]

Haven't tried that yet, will try it now.


so...??

[Conan]

I changed it from 75 to 72 hz, seems to have a mild improvement but I need more time to tell. I don't want to go much lower as 60 hz would give me dizzy spells.

[Conan]

I just checked the manual that came with my monitor, it only says 10,000 hours lamp life! Yesterday I downloaded a PDF manual from AOC's site that said 20,000 hours. I may be in luck though, my manual says 3 year limited warranty and I bought it in December of 2001. I'll call up the store where I bought it from in a while.

[Big Booger]

You might be indeed in luck. Keep us updated.

[Conan]

You might be indeed in luck. Keep us updated.

I just called the store, they said that they were only given a 1 year warranty but they will send it to the distributor for service. It doesn't sound too good. :(

[Big Booger]

They'll charge you for it? If so, you might as well pitch it and get a new one.. :D Unless the service fee is cheap.. :)

[rik]

Conan be sure and try the different refresh rates just to see what they do.

[Conan]

The monitor is in the shop now. All I have to do now is wait.

[Conan]

So I picked up my monitor from the store, they essentially did nothing to it except "adjust it" so I wasn't charged for anything. I was a bit ticked off to find this out, but when I tested it in the store I couldn't get the flicker to show up and so far it hasn't flickered on my PC either. :confused: I'm using an older ATI driver 4.5 just to make sure that the newer drivers didn't cause this problem.

[Big Booger]

Interesting. I'd keep a careful eye on it..

[SupaStar]

And so the waiting game begins...