Mag monitor - funky colors - repairable?

[ms-fixit]

I have a MAG DX715T that got dumped off my desk onto the floor. The monitor still works but......the colors are a little wonky.....in the bottom left corner area of the screen the colors are normal.....but in the rest of the screen the color is way off for all images. This monitor used to flicker the colors to wonky and normal, until a thump in the top at the back would stabilize the display. Now it seems a portion of the screen is locked onto the weird colors but the one corner of the screen shows the normal ones....do you think this is repairable? Is it a problem with how the electron gun is aligned to display the image? Any suggestions?

Other monitors are fine on this computer, and this monitor has the wonky color problem on other computers. The monitor automatically degausses on startup. All cables appear tight and secure, jiggling or moving them has no effect whatsoever.

[PrntRhd]

That used to be a nice diamondtron monitor until it got dropped, technology that normally is not MAG's specialty. I am guessing it had the yoke support on the neck of the CRT tube broken by the force of the accident. I would start looking for replacement with a new monitor. No user serviceable parts are inside a CRT and the energy stored inside might just kill you if you tried.

[Jason1971]

Just to add to PrntRhd post, it might be cheaper & faster to buy a new monitor...



Jason

[ms-fixit]

Thanks for your input. I do have an electronics technician friend who can do the repair correctly and safely (if it is possible). She repairs monitors, printers, computers, etc. for a living. It would just have to wait until I return home during Christmas.

I know the wonky colours could have been fixed by simply replacing or resoldering the chips, pre-fall. Because of the effect on the monitor now - I was more curious as to IF it was still repairable. Money is tight you know? Since one corner of the screen shows the correct colours, I had hoped that maybe it was just mis-aligned somewhere because of the fall.

It is a very nice monitor, I did buy it because of the DiamondTron, as a discounted FRU directly from Mag, when my old 15" one died in warranty. I do like this monitor, but MAGs are getting harder to find nowadays. It has served me well despite the fact I constantly smoke right next to my computer ...

Any suggestions for which brand of new monitor? I live in Ontario, Canada so can likely get anything sold here, I am very close to Toronto.
:)

[PrntRhd]

I am currently using a Mitsubishi DiamondTron 17" CRT on my Win98SE box, it is very bright for a CRT, but you have to get used to the two little lines across the screen.
Viewsonic and Samsung are two good names for monitors. I also like NEC, and some older Phillips (.21 dot pitch!) monitors.
Of course LCD displays are also hot because they save space.

[ms-fixit]

Yea the aperature grill support wires - they always confuse newbies, but I feel they are far superior to the shadow mask monitors. I thought Viewsonic were OK, but then my old roommate has one that got real dark real quick - was very disappointed in it - was one of their higher end models too for graphics work supposedly. A lot of the Samsung monitors were junk in the past, but some of the newer ones are nice - making sure you get the higher end series not the cheaper line. I have always heard good about NEC MultiSync monitors, but they never impressed me. If I have to get a used one I'll check out the Phillips. If I go new I'll check out the Mitsubishi too. Thanks for all the suggestions :)

[Whyzman]

17" monitors are quite inexpensive now-a-days.

Just a thought, since your close to a major city, you might want to see if there are any lease-back companies nearby. I've been purchasing 21" Hitachi monitors that are a couple of years old for around $125.00 US, some for under $100.00 depending on the companies inventory. These monitors are leased to major corporations and then sold by the lease company as the corporations upgrade their systems...