Question

Dell S2209W LCD Monitor - flickering horizontal lines

Asked by: rjsteffes39

Hello,

I just purchased a new Dell S2209W LCD Flat Panel Monitor.  It is full HD 1920x1080 resolution.  I am using it as an external monitor to my Dell Inspiron 5150 laptop (with an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics card).  The monitor is connected to my laptop using VGA input.

The problem is that horizontal flickering lines are showing up on the external LCD.  Everything else looks fine, and the picture is extremely sharp, as I would expect.  It's just that these horizontal lines flicker across the entire length of the screen, and move from the bottom of the screen to the top, with about an inch between each of them.  They are fuzzy and hard to see on a white background, but easy to see on darker backgrounds.  They look similar to the kind of horizontal lines you might see moving vertically on a TV whose signal is a little bit off.

My graphics card drivers are fully up to date.  Also, I checked my display settings, and this particular monitor requires a 60Hz refresh rate - it makes this explicitly clear when trying to change this setting.  So it is set to 60Hz, and cannot be changed from this.  Finally, the actual laptop LCD display does not show the horizontal lines, and displays perfectly fine.  I also tested on an external CRT monitor, and this does not show any lines either.  Only the new external LCD monitor has the horizontal lines.

Please let me know if you have any ideas.  Thanks.

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Asked On
2009-06-18 at 20:25:28ID24504702
Tags

LCD

,

Monitor

,

flickering

,

dell

,

graphics

Topics

Computer Displays / Monitors

,

LCD & Plasma

,

Video Cards

Participating Experts
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-06-19 at 00:49:24ID: 24664457

try updating the video driver

 

by: rjsteffes39Posted on 2009-06-19 at 01:45:58ID: 24664695

I just updated all the drivers associated with the display, which included the monitor driver and the graphics/video card driver.  However, I still seem to be having the same issue with the flickering horizontal lines.

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-06-19 at 04:01:31ID: 24665256

then i think it is a problem with the external LCD; if possible, try another one to confirm.
if so, have a warranty repair/replacement !

 

by: BlackbirdtgPosted on 2009-06-19 at 06:19:57ID: 24666039

may be  stupid but,  what connector are you using
a VGA  or  DVI  connector ...

if you use a VGA connector please change it  do a DVI  connector

just wondering ...


greetings
  Thierry Germonpre


 

by: CallandorPosted on 2009-06-19 at 07:52:23ID: 24666871

That sounds like a ground loop problem, or RF interference.  Plug the monitor into the same outlet that the laptop is in, or isolate the ground with a three prong to two prong adapter.  Also try a different video cable (hopefully better quality and more resistant to RF).

 

by: rjsteffes39Posted on 2009-06-19 at 23:09:33ID: 24672647

Thanks all for the feedback.  My laptop only has VGA out, so I was unable to test the DVI with my laptop.  However, I did test the external monitor's DVI using a separate desktop machine that has DVI output, and in that case I did not get any horizontal lines.  In fact, the picture was flawless.  So this issue only seems to be happening with the VGA signal.

As far as the plug, the monitor and laptop are both plugged into the same power strip.

The monitor is designed to take either VGA or DVI input, so I would think that it could handle the VGA just as well as the DVI.  

My laptop is a bit older - Dell Inspiron 5150 from 2003.  It has a 64 MB ATI Radeon 9000 graphics card.  So I am wondering if this might have something to do with my laptop?  Any other ideas of what this could be?

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-06-20 at 00:02:51ID: 24672776

could be a bad contac in the plug, or cable ?

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2009-06-20 at 06:14:05ID: 24673592

If your laptop is old, something may be failing in output circuit, or expanding on what nobus said, your contacts may need cleaning, due to oxidation.  If it's oxidation, an emery board may help when rubbed against the pins.

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-06-20 at 08:57:19ID: 24674204

or a bit of contact spray

 

by: laguayoiiiPosted on 2009-06-25 at 13:05:40ID: 24715438

Sounds like there is interfearance from a external source, powered speakers? lamp?

 

by: rjsteffes39Posted on 2009-06-25 at 13:47:19ID: 31594247

Thanks for your input, and sorry for the delay in my response.  I ended up testing the VGA with another (newer) laptop, and the signal was fine.  So it must be my specific laptop that is the problem.  I would imagine either the contacts or the video card.  Any idea, given this information?

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2009-06-25 at 13:51:15ID: 24715908

>I would imagine either the contacts or the video card. Any idea, given this information?

It still could be either.  The only way to tell is to try cleaning the contacts on the old laptop.

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-06-25 at 23:46:14ID: 24718523

what was the solution ?

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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