I just bought a used monitor. When I checked it out at the place, there were two lines across the screen, but there were lines on all of the monitors. I just assumed it was something to do with the splitter as they were in the exact same places. But now at home, the lines are still there. I doubt it's a screen burn, because they came from different places. It's a Sony monitor. Any ideas? Fixable? Thanks

If they are two very thin lines that roughly divide the screen into a top, middle and bottom section, that is part of the way the screen is designed... I believe it has something to do with the Trinitron technology, but I am not sure about that. It is due to very thin wires that run across the screen and the screen would not work without them if you figured out a way to remove them... Let your eyes adjust to the fact that they are always there and let them fade from your awareness....

If they are not what I am describing, it could be a bad monitor...

Yes- What Budfred describes, (and what Sony uses) is called an Aperture Grill Monitor.

The two lines you see are called horizontal damper wires...They actual hold the "grill" in place.

I have a Viewsonic that's also an Aperture Grill type design. After a while, you won't even notice the two "support wires" are there.

Perfectly normal and part of the design. (It's most noticable when the background is very light, but you train yourself to ignore it over time)

Without doing too much searching, link below explaining a bit more:

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question406.htm

Ice I would sudgest you simplyfy the matter by looking for a monitor that does not have the AGM Syndrome, RELISYS FOR EXAMPLE. If it was on your TV Screen you would dump it. I appreciate what has hereto been said previously.

Perfectly normal and part of the design. (It's most noticable when the background is very light, but you train yourself to ignore it over time)


Let your eyes adjust to the fact that they are always there and let them fade from your awareness....
I am still of the opinion that you should obtain another one.What you see is what you get :D

Stefanus

Hehe, so many opinions on Aperture Grille! :D

Generally speaking, displays should look good to you since you're going to stare at them for hours on your computer! I don't care if you spent $4000 on a new Plasma TV/monitor - if you don't like it, don't use it.

Same with aperture grille - if it bugs you too much, get a shadow mask (they're cheaper). If not, keep it.

It's funny-
If those lines drove anyone crazy (after I bought my first aperture grill), it was me!... I had to keep reading the great reviews it got to convince myself it was the right choice. Just couldn't get those "Lines" out of my head. I think I was even dreaming about them!

Even though it was "Top Rated" by the "pros", I came close several times to bringing it back...But the Graphics, Rich Color and clarity of the one I had at the time was just so much nicer than any other CRT's I had compared it to, I decided to keep it for a while and see if I'd get used to it.

Well, I did. In fact I forgot the damper wires even existed until you guys just brought it up again. :mad: :p

I have several Monitors now, but this old Viewsonic still has one of the nicest displays of all of them- even though it's a bit of an "old timer" now. :p

It's true what stefanus and saphalline say though...if it drives you nuts, go with something else.

I'm just here to tell you that this "Nut" ended up liking his a lot...And we're talking some serious OCD here when it comes to this sort of thing. :D

(edit) I just had a "funny" thought...Be something after all of this talk about Monitor types, if ice really does have a different problem other than the damper wires! :eek:

My Mitsubishi Diamondtron has the aperture grill system too, the two horizontal lines caused a little concern at first but the brightness and long term lessening of eye strain make it a very minor issue for me.

I had a MAG Innovision monitor that use the trinitron tube and show these two lines. I found them very useful when doing precise desktop layout and graphics work -- on-screen straightedges! I miss them now :)

Thank you all for your help. I imagine that was what it was, because they all came from different places, and it was on all of those monitors.