Cell phone signals interrupting moniter

FearTheTerp · Jul 1, 2005, 05:52 PM

I have noticed something when some when friends come over. When someone calls, I get weird interference with the speakers but also the moniter. Is this normal or is it happening because my case is open. Can it damage my card?

MousePotato · Jul 1, 2005, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearTheTerp

I have noticed something when some when friends come over. When someone calls, I get weird interference with the speakers but also the moniter. Is this normal or is it happening because my case is open. Can it damage my card?

yes, i've heard other say their cell phones cause speaker interference, and some have caused monitor distortion , as do some cordless phones.

- as for daming effects, i have not heard of any issues.

FearTheTerp · Jul 1, 2005, 09:59 PM

Yeah, it seems like it's only my friend's cingular phones that act up. Mines, verizon doesn't seem to have that problem. Verizon all the way!!!!!! But I really hope it isn't hurting my graphics card.

Tipstaff · Jul 2, 2005, 01:36 AM

Generally, cellphones that use CDMA services, like Verizon, Telus, Bell Canada, Sprint PCS don't put out as much magnetic interferrence that other cellphone services do, such as ones based on GSM/TDMA.

The other thing is that when a call first comes in the EM (electro-magnetic) field a cellphone gives off is higher than during the call itself (this is what's interferring with your monitor). This is because cellphones tend to boost the signal inorder to get a better connection, and depending on that connection will start to lower or raise the power required to keep it (you probably noticed the noise/interferrence being reduced during the call). Some cellphones also have a higher "on-demand" signal that they broadcast to let their service know that the phone is active, and ready to receive calls. Not only that but depending on your location the cellphone might be communitcating with multiple towers in order to get the best signal, especially if it needs to use both towers to talk with, and keep connnections. Again, the cellphone will boost it's signal causing a larger EM field inorder to keep contact with multiple towers.

While I doubt this is effecting your video card, it's obvious that it's effect speakers and your CRT monitor. Of those 2 devices, your CRT is the only one that it can do permanent damage to if exposed for a long period of time. This is why they tell you not to use unshield speakers near a CRT.

ReDGuiTaR · Jul 2, 2005, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

Generally, cellphones that use CDMA services, like Verizon, Telus, Bell Canada, Sprint PCS don't put out as much magnetic interferrence that other cellphone services do, such as ones based on GSM/TDMA.

The other thing is that when a call first comes in the EM (electro-magnetic) field a cellphone gives off is higher than during the call itself (this is what's interferring with your monitor). This is because cellphones tend to boost the signal inorder to get a better connection, and depending on that connection will start to lower or raise the power required to keep it (you probably noticed the noise/interferrence being reduced during the call). Some cellphones also have a higher "on-demand" signal that they broadcast to let their service know that the phone is active, and ready to receive calls. Not only that but depending on your location the cellphone might be communitcating with multiple towers in order to get the best signal, especially if it needs to use both towers to talk with, and keep connnections. Again, the cellphone will boost it's signal causing a larger EM field inorder to keep contact with multiple towers.

While I doubt this is effecting your video card, it's obvious that it's effect speakers and your CRT monitor. Of those 2 devices, your CRT is the only one that it can do permanent damage to if exposed for a long period of time. This is why they tell you not to use unshield speakers near a CRT.

Ok, im working for a Canadian cellular company... the worst interference dont come from GSM or TDMA but from IDEN ( ok it is really close to TDMA .. i know )... IDEN is the network used by Nextel and Mike ( Telus subdivision ) ... i personnaly own a IDEN based handset and when i sit beside my computer / radio / sound system ( television seem to be unaffected by this ) i can tell i'll receive a call few second before it really happen cuz the sound of speaker and computer monitor are clipping a lot and it goes all the way until the call is done or i go away from my computer ... anyway, from my experience it does not harm the devices ...

Sandok · Jul 2, 2005, 02:26 AM

I've heard about speakers and not much u can do in either speaker or sreen...

Tipstaff · Jul 2, 2005, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReDGuiTaR

.. the worst interference dont come from GSM or TDMA buit form IDEN ( ok it is really close to TDMA .. i know ).

Never said it was the worst, just that the phones using those services seem to put out more interferrence. I can't tell you why, but if you look at the ones running in the Toronto area, like Rogers and Fido, those services cause more interferrence than those based on CDMA such as Bell or Telus. This isn't to say that it's limited to GSM/TDMA service. I've seen this same thing happen to ones on CDMA too. In all cases it's not the service itself exactly, but a combination of the service and the phone. The phones are responsible for the interferrence due to the EM fields they produce, but they are setup that way based on design, and the service they run on.

Like I said, while it's not limited to just one service, it's just that some are more prone to causing interferrence than others.