my monitors makeing a whistleing noise...

Dark Lord · Aug 30, 2004, 02:04 PM

topic basicly says it all. its got a high pitched whistle thats comeing from someplace in the back of the monitor, just started last night. whent on for about 3 hours last night before i turned my comp off. then this morning the whistleing has been comeing and going, its finaly stoped for now. any ideas what might be causeing it, or what it could mean about the monitors health? i know this monitor isnt new by any means, but i hope i dont have to buy a new one any time soon.

NEC MultiSync 6FGp 21" ive had it for the last 5-6 years with about 8 hours of use each day, and i got this thing used. i have no idea how much time was spent on it before i got it.

***Zardon*** · Aug 30, 2004, 02:50 PM

it doesnt sound too good to be honest, the monitor might be nearing the end of its life.

I suggest you drop "swimtech" a PM or email, a user on this forum, he is a monitor technican, might be able to help you out in more detail.

Logla · Aug 30, 2004, 03:02 PM

Yeah definately sounds like new monitor time.

My monitor is only a year old and makes these noises as does my television.

Its not normally a problem but due to the age of your monitor it may pose a problem.

Geminiwave · Aug 30, 2004, 11:38 PM

one of our monitors did that for awhile...the trick is to change the refresh rate. Some monitors have refresh rates that they "support" but the monitor doesnt agree with. since its old, you cant exactly RMA it but its not as if the poor thing is dead yet.

Vampyromaniac · Aug 30, 2004, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

it doesnt sound too good to be honest, the monitor might be nearing the end of its life.

I suggest you drop "swimtech" a PM or email, a user on this forum, he is a monitor technican, might be able to help you out in more detail.

I agree

GutterPunk · Aug 31, 2004, 11:29 AM

Aight man, i once had a whistling monitor, Did you try to move it around or give it a little tap. At school i sat next to a whistler and it would require changing its position a little bit, mine at home required a little tap on the top. i suggest moving it before you abuse your monitor

Judas · Aug 31, 2004, 11:48 AM

what's the word? flyback?

what refresh you running at .... usually the lower the longer the wavelengths and they generally will cause "whistling"... also it's not hard to repair if it's doing it off and on even at higher refresh rates (some monitors whistle out of the box at 59/60hz....and 70)

the monitor has had a good life.... but i have my doubts that it's packing it in.....

BTW, try a different power source.. move it to another room and plug it in quick and see what happens.... sometimes interference can effect it oddly...

pr0digal jenius · Aug 31, 2004, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

what's the word? flyback?

FEEDback

swimtech · Aug 31, 2004, 04:01 PM

Flyback is actually right...as usual Judas...

It's the transformer that makes the high voltage for the picture tube, and can vibrate if the coils of wire inside loosen a little. What you're hearing is a harmonic of the output frequency from a coil of wire that has loosened just a bit or the harmonic of the body (usually made of plastic) of the transformer vibrating.

The fix requires stopping the vibration. A lot of the transformers (and some capacitors too) are not just soldered to the circuit board, but glued down as well. That's why, if you look closely, you can see this goop looking stuff on capacitors, transformers, and coils in a monitor - they're glued down to prevent vibration which can cause microfine cracks to occur in the solder connections of the device on the circuit board.

There are a bunch of transformers and coils in a monitor that handle the horizontal deflection component of the signal inside - any of them can be causing the noise. Other than removing the back of the monitor to expose the guts, and physically touching/pressing on (DON'T DO IT THOUGH - you can get harmfully or fatally shocked if you don't know how and where to touch!) each transformer while the whining noise is happening to find the offending transformer (which is what I would do in finding the transformer to replace it), you can just move the unit, change the refresh rate, or tilt the monitor a little on folded paper placed beneath the base on one corner to change the position of the internal components - any of which change how the transformer or coil will mechanically vibrate. What you are hearing is a mechanical vibration - like a speaker does - but it sure ain't music is it?

Other than those suggestions, if it still is just too annoying, take it to a shop...

Judas · Aug 31, 2004, 05:33 PM

....so i am correct about the refresh rate though?... i mean, the lower the refresh rate.... the longer the wave lengths in the vibrations... making it low enough to make noticeable vibrations for us humans to hear (some monitors i've played around with would drive either the cats or the dogs nutz depending on the refresh rate ... quite interesting)

I knew it was flyback.. but i kept thinking to myself that "gaud... what an odd word"