24" Widescreen CRT (FW900) From Ebay arrived,Comments.

PM me about the WinDAS situation. I'm curious to know where you downloaded it, the version you're using, etc.
 
Alright - I also took apart my NEC monitor too. This is one I got for free as well off Craigslist. It's got a Mitsubishi tube in it, and it's very similar to aperture grille monitors (it even has a couple of stabilization wires too). It's a classic case of worn crt: unstable image when you bring up a new white window on a dark background (classic worn flyback symptom), green cast that you can't seem to get rid of, and black levels that are just pathetic. The only thing it has on any LCD screen I have is good motion clarity - at least it would if it didn't have longer image persistence (ghosting). Anyhow...

I took it apart and man, it's a different show under there than the Philips or Sony. There's no metallic shield around the components - none whatsoever. Looks very cheap under there. I also played around with the convergence rings and actually got the convergence aligned on it - so that's a score for me. I'll probably try that on the Phillips monitor too. The Phillips is actually a classic case of little-used CRT. Has zero brightness issues, no focus issues, fires up immediately, and has no flyback distortion (big white box on black background does NOTHING to the image - I've never seen this before!). I'll post some pics for those who are interested. But it is possible to recalibrate your monitor if it's not a Sony (and obviously won't find any use from WinDAS).

In one video, the author constantly says how scared he is to touch the inside of the monitor while adjusting the focus, brightness, etc. The video had me a little scared too. But seriously, once you take it apart, it's not all that bad. Just don't do anything stupid, like touching the anode cap or any capacitors on the board. In fact, just don't touch anything but the controls you intend to mess with. Simple really. No shocks here. I had both monitors plugged in and turned on when doing the adjustments.
 
Anyone know what this is all about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w_MHrvtaxQ

Not that I think it's something I'm capable of fixing...

I have a 'spare' FW900 in the garage but the anti-glare coating is really messed up and I'm not sure it even works after all this time. If it does, I'd like to remove the coating but the pictures in the guides in this thread are all gone.
 
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AG Coating Guide

pics all work for me, i'd say try out the spare one?
The one in the video looks pretty bad, probably not worth (or even possible at all) to get replacement parts
 
AG Coating Guide

pics all work for me, i'd say try out the spare one?
The one in the video looks pretty bad, probably not worth (or even possible at all) to get replacement parts

Ah yep, those are loading now. This bit here from another post worries me though

EDIT: Added pics.. Note the second pic. The only place that you have to worry about getting killed touching by taking the back side off is that area i marked in the second pic. Thats the area that one would touch with a tool to drain the power from the caps. If you touch that you'll most likely have a large hole blown through your heart! hehe.

Any idea what part he's talking about?
 

My uneducated guess would be that it might be an ABL (automatic brightness limiter) issue. This is a setting that turns the monitor off when the brightness is too much (it's to protect the phosphors I think). So perhaps your ABL is set to too low a threshold, or your guns are emitting too much (either due to too much drive, too extreme a G2, or something else). I really don't know, but if I HAD to guess, this would be my first guess.

Try turning your brightness and contrast way down and see if problem persists. Also, does it appear really bright when you turn it on?
 
My uneducated guess would be that it might be an ABL (automatic brightness limiter) issue. This is a setting that turns the monitor off when the brightness is too much (it's to protect the phosphors I think). So perhaps your ABL is set to too low a threshold, or your guns are emitting too much (either due to too much drive, too extreme a G2, or something else). I really don't know, but if I HAD to guess, this would be my first guess.

Try turning your brightness and contrast way down and see if problem persists. Also, does it appear really bright when you turn it on?

It looks totally normal other than the flashes of red that then turn into a constant screen of red.

Leading up to the other day when I reached this point, the screen would flash red every once in a while during normal use (maybe once every other day) or it would do a lot of flashing when turning it on after it being off for an extended period of time. When I've had this problem before I could usually circumvent it by running at a lower resolution and refresh rate while it warms up but in that video I'm running at 640x480 at 60hz and it still refuses to stay on longer than a few seconds.

Messing with the brightness/contrast didn't help at all.
 
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My winDAS cabled arrived today. Just curious how long did it take you guys to connect it? I've been at it few about an hour and a half now and it's so extremely tedious to get them in there.
 
On my ibm p275 it was easy - haven't tried the fw900 yet.


edit: have u removed the chassis?
 
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It looks totally normal other than the flashes of red that then turn into a constant screen of red.

Leading up to the other day when I reached this point, the screen would flash red every once in a while during normal use (maybe once every other day) or it would do a lot of flashing when turning it on after it being off for an extended period of time. When I've had this problem before I could usually circumvent it by running at a lower resolution and refresh rate while it warms up but in that video I'm running at 640x480 at 60hz and it still refuses to stay on longer than a few seconds.

Messing with the brightness/contrast didn't help at all.

I am having the exact same issue with my IBM P260 monitor (its a Trinitron). My WinDas failure log showed an ABL error:


** SHUTDOWN_LOG_0 **
1-No H pulse : Normal
1-No V pulse : Normal
1-HV Stop : Normal
1-HV OVP : Normal
1-ABL : Error
1-No PW Supply : Normal
1-+B OVP : Normal
1-ThermalDetect: Normal


So, something is failing in both our monitors. What it is, I have not yet figured out, although some older posts about Sony televisions have mentioned failed resistors in the circuit controlling the G2 levels. The G2 level is, interestingly, what you adjust down using WinDas to correct a too bright monitor.
 
I am having the exact same issue with my IBM P260 monitor (its a Trinitron). My WinDas failure log showed an ABL error:


** SHUTDOWN_LOG_0 **
1-No H pulse : Normal
1-No V pulse : Normal
1-HV Stop : Normal
1-HV OVP : Normal
1-ABL : Error
1-No PW Supply : Normal
1-+B OVP : Normal
1-ThermalDetect: Normal


So, something is failing in both our monitors. What it is, I have not yet figured out, although some older posts about Sony televisions have mentioned failed resistors in the circuit controlling the G2 levels. The G2 level is, interestingly, what you adjust down using WinDas to correct a too bright monitor.

Run WinDAS/WinCAT white balance adjustment to Sony factory specs and that will solve all the issues you are having with these two monitors.

Hope this helps...

Unkle Vito!
 
Thanks everyone. I taped all the wires together and finally manged to get them in. My defualt G2 value was 143 I changed it to 120 and it looks amazing compare to what it was before. It also let's me do the image restoration process.
 
Thanks everyone. I taped all the wires together and finally manged to get them in. My defualt G2 value was 143 I changed it to 120 and it looks amazing compare to what it was before. It also let's me do the image restoration process.

How's it look after the restoration procedure?
 
The colors seem kind of dull and whites are sort of greyish. I wonder if the tube is just worn out or if I just have to calibrate it better. I might play with the drive_max setting.
 
The colors seem kind of dull and whites are sort of greyish. I wonder if the tube is just worn out or if I just have to calibrate it better. I might play with the drive_max setting.

I wouldn't just start playing around. Mess with the controls on the OSD first before you start playing with the settings internally.
 
I wouldn't just start playing around. Mess with the controls on the OSD first before you start playing with the settings internally.

Yes, this times one-thousand. If you do decide to play around in WinDas, absolutely make sure to back up your monitor settings. "Save Data To File" is your friend. :)
 
Run WinDAS/WinCAT white balance adjustment to Sony factory specs and that will solve all the issues you are having with these two monitors.

Hope this helps...

Unkle Vito!

Not possible to do, or do safely, without color calibration hardware (I did try). Unfortunately, a colorimeter is not in my budget this month. :)
 
Not possible to do, or do safely, without color calibration hardware (I did try). Unfortunately, a colorimeter is not in my budget this month. :)

No, which is why if you want it done right you leave it to the professionals. AKA - Unkle Vito. ;)
 
Hi all,

Hope someone with some insight could help me out, i recently bought a AMD 290 none pro, and have just realised that they no longer come with dvi-i connections ><

I currently use dvi-i to bnc connection, however also have a VGA to BNC cable.

Would the following display port to VGA active converter allow me to run 1920x1200 @ 85hz?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Accell-B101B-003B-UltraAV-Display-Adapter/dp/B003HC85D2

I tried researching online however cannot find any facts as to whether these devices are capped at 60hz or able to run 85hz+

If there is another product item that will allow me to achieve the above please let me know :)

Kamz
 
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Hi all,

Hope someone with some insight could help me out, i recently bought a AMD 290 none pro, and have just realised that they no longer come with dvi-i connections ><

I currently use dvi-i to bnc connection, however also have a VGA to BNC cable.

Would the following display port to VGA active converter allow me to run 1920x1200 @ 85hz?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Accell-B101B-003B-UltraAV-Display-Adapter/dp/B003HC85D2

I tried researching online however cannot find any facts as to whether these devices are capped at 60hz or able to run 85hz+

If there is another product item that will allow me to achieve the above please let me know :)

Kamz

My graphics card default for that resolution is 281.4765 MHz.

The product you mention is "162 MHz Video DAC". So unfortunately the answer is no.

If you see a digital to analog converter capable of high resolution, please let us know. I have not seen one yet. (HD Fury 3 is better at 225 MHz, but that's still short.)

AMD's decision to eliminate the DAC is a real problem for some of us. I very much hope that NVIDIA does not follow suite...
 
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I was going to grab a 290 but this very reason stopped me.

The trend is looking dire. Nvidia GTX6xx and prior all had 2 DVI-I ports. The latest GTX7xx series have dropped to just 1 DVI-I port.
 
I was going to grab a 290 but this very reason stopped me.

The trend is looking dire. Nvidia GTX6xx and prior all had 2 DVI-I ports. The latest GTX7xx series have dropped to just 1 DVI-I port.

Guess we need to get them while they're hot huh? :( Sad day. Most people would say "it's about fucking time." And while I'd agree with them (sort of), at least give us an OPTION.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, yeah sadly gonna have to return my 290, and look into getting a card that will last me a few years, guess a 780gtx will have to do now

Whats the chances of a future dp/vga converter with 300+MHz? Im guessing slim....

****Edit Just seen hdfury4 firmware update claiming 1080p @96 could this be viable?

http://www.hdfury.com/products/hdfury4-specs/

Kamz
 
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Don't know. You'd have to try and report back to us.

Vito - what do you personally use to set the focus of a monitor? I know there are two pots on the FW900 (and the Phillips too), but how do you personally make sure they're set to optimal?
 
Thanks for the responses guys, yeah sadly gonna have to return my 290, and look into getting a card that will last me a few years, guess a 780gtx will have to do now

Whats the chances of a future dp/vga converter with 300+MHz? Im guessing slim....

****Edit Just seen hdfury4 firmware update claiming 1080p @96 could this be viable?

http://www.hdfury.com/products/hdfury4-specs/

Kamz

Their 1080P at 96 Hz suggests a 1080P setting might work by manipulating the signal to get it at or under their 225 MHz limit for HDFury3 and 4. But I don't have this device and can not say definitively...

From the connectors...looks like the GTX 780 TI still has the DAC...first thing I looked for...FWIW...as a harbinger of the future...
 
No, which is why if you want it done right you leave it to the professionals. AKA - Unkle Vito. ;)

No offense to Unkle, a guy's got to make a living somehow, but the cost for his services, including shipping to and from for a 90+ pound monitor, certainly exceeds the cost for an entry level to mid-level colorimeter purchased off ebay and is absolutely more, way more, than I paid for the monitor, which I found on Craigslist.
 
If and when I master WinDAS, i'll probably make a solid tutorial for doing white point balance adjustment, using a colorimeter/spectro and HCFR. Right now the bottleneck is buying a laptop. I'm looking to get a refurbished one and install XP on it. Just haven't gotten around to doing research.
 
No offense to Unkle, a guy's got to make a living somehow, but the cost for his services, including shipping to and from for a 90+ pound monitor, certainly exceeds the cost for an entry level to mid-level colorimeter purchased off ebay and is absolutely more, way more, than I paid for the monitor, which I found on Craigslist.

That's totally understandable. And in that case, you should get a DP-94 as your weapon of choice. Just please be careful with your screen and backup your settings before doing anything in WinDAS.
 
If and when I master WinDAS, i'll probably make a solid tutorial for doing white point balance adjustment, using a colorimeter/spectro and HCFR. Right now the bottleneck is buying a laptop. I'm looking to get a refurbished one and install XP on it. Just haven't gotten around to doing research.

For computers, I would assume just about anything that powers on and stays on (with the obvious USB port) should work.
 
Don't know. You'd have to try and report back to us.

Vito - what do you personally use to set the focus of a monitor? I know there are two pots on the FW900 (and the Phillips too), but how do you personally make sure they're set to optimal?

Set WinDAS for focus adjustment, then run a MEME pattern at the resolution/dot clock/polarity and bandwidth that WinDAS calls for. Adjust the FBT pods until ALL the MEME pattern is on focus.

That is procedure we perform.

Hope this helps...

Sincerely,

Unkle Vito!
 
No offense to Unkle, a guy's got to make a living somehow, but the cost for his services, including shipping to and from for a 90+ pound monitor, certainly exceeds the cost for an entry level to mid-level colorimeter purchased off ebay and is absolutely more, way more, than I paid for the monitor, which I found on Craigslist.

Unfortunately, that is the determination that anyone needs to make and assess. We do calibration services and repairs for business that make $ with their monitors. For them, is an operating cost to give their units regular maintenance, proper calibration and adjustment, very affordable and practical.

For the enthusiast and regular users, this may not be the case. You need to stop, think, ask and answer these questions: How much valuable is your monitor to you? How long would last if left uncalibrated and without proper maintenance? Is your monitor a integral and key piece of equipment in your workflow? Can it be replaced with something equally (not similarly) effective?

Until then, you will know if is economically viable to pursue the professional way to adjust/calibrate your monitor, or heavily invest in the proper equipment then venture into the world of WinDAS/WinCATs and try adjusting the unit to Sony factory specs without rendering it useless.

Hope this helps...

Sincerely,

Unkle Vito!
 
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