Dark spots forming on LCDs

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fishrule

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
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I tried to take photos to illustrate the thread title, but I can't really get a decent shot to show what I am seeing. I have two 22 inch LCDs, one from Asus and one from Gateway. As far as I know both are TN panel displays with a native 1680x1050 display. Their color accuracy is pretty abysmal but I mostly use both of them for games so I have tolerated that.

My Asus and Gateway display have both started to form "dark spots" in the display area, mostly around the center. Strangely they seem to be growing. What I mean by dark spots is an area that has no dead pixels in it, but rather a large cluster of pixels that are noticably dimmer than the rest of the display. Basically it looks like a giant oil smudge that can't come off. Any ideas whats causing this? I haven't been cleaning my displays with anything caustic (I rarely clean them anyways).
 
What's extremely curious is how two entirely different monitors began forming the same problem at the same time.

A part of me suspects improper storage (face down) or even sabotage, meaning someone placing strong steady pressure on the screen with their hand or object, which would leave a similar mark btw. And once that mark begins it can spread (spill) into surrounding areas a tad.
 
Sabotage would be highly unlikely, I live alone. Perhaps when I was moving the monitors I could have bumped them and not noticed, but I am usually very careful when I move things. Is this problem irreversible?
 
SJetski71 said:
What's extremely curious is how two entirely different monitors began forming the same problem at the same time.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Thats why I'd bet on the graphic card. Strange things can happen if they start to overheat (possible reasons for it recently starting to overheat could be dust or that the cooling is becoming a bit loose).

Best way to check this is of course to try it with another computer/laptop.
 
Colud be mould or something growing on the screen behind the platic coating? Have you made sure theres nothing on the screen, as mould can grow in dark patches, especially if you have a damp house, or live by the coast/humid area.
 
I've never heard of mold growing inside monitors but it is a possibility. I live in Jamaica and both PCs are in a non air conditioned room that regularly goes to over a 100f during the day if I close the windows. High humidity is a given, its nearly always past 90 percent. I have to keep my camera gear in plastic containers with dehumidifiers just to keep mold from growing in my lenses.
 
SJetski71 said:
What's extremely curious is how two entirely different monitors began forming the same problem at the same time.
Click to expand...
Maybe they both have the same panel and are suffering from the same design flaw. It's not unheard of.
 
brumwald said:
Exactly. Thats why I'd bet on the graphic card. Strange things can happen if they start to overheat (possible reasons for it recently starting to overheat could be dust or that the cooling is becoming a bit loose).

Best way to check this is of course to try it with another computer/laptop.
Click to expand...
Didn't even think of that, the graphics card, hmm.

OP do you have another PC to test those monitors with?

ToastyX said:
Maybe they both have the same panel and are suffering from the same design flaw. It's not unheard of.
Click to expand...
I did think of that for a second, but then i thought about how this issue seemed to have happened at roughly the same time, another coincidence that didn't seem likely but who knows? Both monitors are under the same heat/humidity conditions after all.
 
I've pulled apart the Gateway and put it back together. As far as I can tell there was no fungus growing it. I have tried both displays on two laptops and two desktops, even consoles attached. The defects are blatantly obvious no matter what input source I use. I think I will just buy two new LCDs and move on, I am out of ideas with how to resolve this problem and Gateway offers no local tech support. I think I will buy a Dell since Fujitsu of Jamaica handles Dell RMAs.
 
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