Benq FP241W(Z) blackout problem

fenix123

n00b
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
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Hi, this is my first post to this forum, but I have been lurking around about a year or so.
Recently I have bought Benq FP241WZ monitor. I am very satisfied with it, only thing that bugs me is the blackout problem.
I have connected it to DVI port at ATI Radeon 8500 (flashed with 9100 firmware). The blackout lasts 1-2 secs and occurs few times a day. I am planning to upgrade my hardware and so the graphic card also. So I am wondering with what graphic cards there is no blackout problem? I have gone through FP241W and Z threads and as I can figure there is no problem with NVIDIA cards?
So please if you don't have blackout problem could you post your graphic card model? Also if someone was able to fix this problem with changing DVI cable could you post exactly brand and type of third party cable?
 
I'm running a BFG 8800GTX and don't have this issue.
It seems to me most that do, own ATi cards.
 
Are you using the cable included with the monitor?
Some people reported that the problem went away with a different ("better") cable.
 
Is there a message when the screen blacks out? "DVI connection lost" or something like that? I was testing the FP241VW monitor at the store and it did that a few times.
 
i have a ati x800xt card and i dont have this problem, im using the DVI cable that came with my dell 2005FPW monitor.

a few people are saying it could be a driver/cable isse in that large thread for people who do suffer from it
 
Tnx guys for some feedback. I have started new thread because I was looking for a solution in "main" threads for these monitors and I couldn't find one. There are just to many posts there.
So I imagined we could post here graphic card and dvi cable configuration and state if we have or don't have blackout problem. This could maybe help us to isolate this problem to specific graphic cards and/or dvi cable combination.

Here are my specs:

monitor: FP241WZ
graphic card: ATI Radeon 8500 (flashed with 9100 firmware)
dvi cable: original, included with monitor
blackout: occurs few times a day
 
I have the blackout problem. It has also been referred to as the signal loss or flicker problem. Whatever you want to call it, it's when the screen blacks out for about 2 seconds then goes back to normal. This only occurs in DVI-D mode when connected to a computer.

This problem is indeed a great conundrum as even I, despite my greatest efforts, have been unable to solve it. It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that I have come to you today to post my account on this horrible problem and ask for help from the community that is located on this internet forum at hardforum.com.

Does anyone have a solution that definitely fixes it? In other words, has anyone had the problem, applied some solution or combination of solutions, and has not seen a single recurrence for a significant amount of time (i.e. more than 200 hours)?

Has anyone with the 1:1 firmware update had the blackout problem in DVI mode, or is this problem limited to the original firmware?

I should mention that I'm using an ATI graphics card, have the original FP241W firmware and original DVI cable, and experience the blackout problem randomly about once every 24 hours for 2 seconds.
 
I'm running a BFG 8800GTX and don't have this issue.
It seems to me most that do, own ATi cards.

True

Are you using the cable included with the monitor?
Some people reported that the problem went away with a different ("better") cable.

False

I have the blackout problem. It has also been referred to as the signal loss or flicker problem. Whatever you want to call it, it's when the screen blacks out for about 2 seconds then goes back to normal. This only occurs in DVI-D mode when connected to a computer.

This problem is indeed a great conundrum as even I, despite my greatest efforts, have been unable to solve it. It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that I have come to you today to post my account on this horrible problem and ask for help from the community that is located on this internet forum at hardforum.com.

Does anyone have a solution that definitely fixes it? In other words, has anyone had the problem, applied some solution or combination of solutions, and has not seen a single recurrence for a significant amount of time (i.e. more than 200 hours)?

Has anyone with the 1:1 firmware update had the blackout problem in DVI mode, or is this problem limited to the original firmware?

I should mention that I'm using an ATI graphics card, have the original FP241W firmware and original DVI cable, and experience the blackout problem randomly about once every 24 hours for 2 seconds.

I had the same problem with my 9600Pro, RMA the monitor, currently looking for a new one. The question is, is this problem related to old ati or new ones two?
 
I also encountered the blackout problem, but only after switching to a better quality DVI cable. The blackout would occur randomly but about once a day and would last for 1 to 2 seconds as others have described. I tried different drivers, tried the "changing sync polarities to positive" thing that someone else posted in another thread, and reset the screen back to factory settings thinking maybe it was something that I changed in one of the menus that was causing it and it didn't go away. I then tried the only other thing I could think of which was to remove the high quality Monster DVI cable and go back to the original cable that was shipped with the monitor and I haven't had the problem since. For 3 days I've been testing and making adjustments and whatnot and the problem still has not occurred to my knowledge. I'm not in front of my monitor for the entire period it's on however, so the blackout problem may have occurred when I was away and I just wasn't there to see it. So, as far as I know it's not happening anymore.

I'm using a 8800GTS with 97.92 drivers on Windows XP.

Ya, just watch though, now that I've said that it's going to get worse.... that would just be my luck.
 
I have this blackout problem with my Samsung 20inch LCD with ATI 1900XT card.
 
At Benq "monster" thread Sinister Crayon posted nice template for gathering information about blackout problem. So please could everyone post their specs, especially if you don't have this problem. Help us resolving this.

Ok so here are mine specs:
Problem Present: yes
Monitor: FP241WZ
GFX card: ATI Radeon 8500 (flashed with 9100 firmware)
GFX Driver Version: 8.252.0.0
Operating System(s): Windows XP SP2
DVI cable used: the one included with the monitor
Power source: hooked into wall (220V)
Monitor backlight setting: 30%
Problem occurs when: from time to time, i guess once a day
Temporary fixes/treatments: don't know
Permanent fixes: don'know
Other: other

Also here is empty formated template that you can easily copy&paste:

HTML:
[QUOTE]
[B]Problem Present:[/B]
[B]Monitor:[/B]
[B]GFX card:[/B]
[B]GFX Driver Version:[/B]
[B]Operating System(s):[/B]
[B]DVI/VGA/etc cable used:[/B]
[B]Power source:[/B]
[B]Monitor backlight setting:[/B]
[B]Problem occurs when:[/B]
[B]Temporary fixes/treatments:[/B]
[B]Permanent fixes:[/B]
[B]Other:[/B]
[/QUOTE]
 
I shall join this cause to help provide a solution for myself and the community.

Problem Present: Yes
Monitor: FP241W
GFX card: ATI Mobility Raedeon X800
GFX Driver Version: 7.2
Operating System(s): Windows Vista
DVI/VGA/etc cable used: Original
Power source: Surge protector
Monitor backlight setting: 80 or 90 (how is this relevant?)
Problem occurs when: i see it about once per day
Temporary fixes/treatments: nope
Permanent fixes: nope
Other: none
 
Problem Present:Yes
Monitor:FP241W
GFX card:Nvidia 7800 GTX
GFX Driver Version:91.36 (I've changed versions at least once with the issue remaining)
Operating System(s):XP Home SP2
DVI/VGA/etc cable used:DVI cable that came with my old Dell display, that never had any blackout issues in over 2 years of use. I'll try switching to the Benq cable as a test.
Power source:UPS
Monitor backlight setting:40
Problem occurs when:Could happen at any time. I notice it 1-2 times a week.
Temporary fixes/treatments:none
Permanent fixes:none
Other:Hi mom. This display was purchased from NCIX with the firmware update.

This happens just enough to remind me it happens, but not enough to piss me off yet. The first time it does it while playing an action game will probably change that view. Other than that, I love the display quality, it looks a lot better than my old 2005FPW.
 
Hmmm, this is not looking good....

Out of the few posts we do have... I see no correlations....

Maybe its a certain panel batch..... gahhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Problem Present: Blacks out randomly for a few seconds.
Monitor: Benq FP241W
GFX card: XFX 7600 GS
GFX Driver Version: 6.14.11.6371
Operating System(s): Windows XP SP1
DVI/VGA/etc cable used: DVI -D The one that came with it.
Power source: surge / battery backup
Monitor backlight setting: 90
Problem occurs when:More likely to black out if I power off the monitor & start it everyday. Has blacked out right after starting. Also blacks out when opening web pages in new tabs using middle scroll mouse button in Firefox. Never blacked out in Fear or UT Demo.
Temporary fixes/treatments: Pray
Permanent fixes:Pray
Other: Benq Support sucks ass. If you need help with there products you will be screwed. JAN 07 manufacture date purchased from NCIX.
 
for the record, my monitor went haywire once when hooked up to my 360. Here's a video I shot.:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3UrVxtIxfu4

It only happened once and it hasn't happened since.

It does also suffer from the typical DVD-D blackout problem, although it's not too bad; it only happens once in a great while. In fact, I think I've only had it blackout on me 5 or 6 times since I got it earlier this year.
 
for the record, my monitor went haywire once when hooked up to my 360. Here's a video I shot.:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3UrVxtIxfu4

It only happened once and it hasn't happened since.

It does also suffer from the typical DVD-D blackout problem, although it's not too bad; it only happens once in a great while. In fact, I think I've only had it blackout on me 5 or 6 times since I got it earlier this year.

Problem Present:
Monitor:
GFX card:
GFX Driver Version:
Operating System(s):
DVI/VGA/etc cable used:
Power source:
Monitor backlight setting:
Problem occurs when:
Temporary fixes/treatments:
Permanent fixes:
Other:
Can you give us more details?
 
I have a FP241WZ and used to have blackout problem a few times before. Well, that was when I hooked up to an Apple Macbook in my bedroom. The blackout problem at first started on the 2nd or third day after I got this monitor.

Now I hooked up my FP241WZ to eVGA 8800 Ultra, no more blackout problem at least for 2 weeks now (knock on wood...).

So I figure this blackout problem could be due to video card or power usage, where Macbook with a DVI adapter is single-link and power wise is not as stable as a direct dual-link hookup from 8800 Ultra with 620W power supply.

PS: The guy who has his FP241 gone haywire video, that is not blackout problem! Did you guys see he got some yellow triangle warning sign on the screen right before it blinked out. That is some sort of error somewhere and it is not a typical blackout problem.
 
Any updates on the damm black out issue? I am thinking to buy the EVGA 88800GT SSC. Does anybody think that will fix it?
 
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