DELL P1110 monitor too bright

S

slipkid

Geek Trainee
a friend of mine just gave me his old DELL P1110 21 inch flat screen monitor

when trying to use it though, i see that it has a MAJOR problem with being WAYYYY to bright :-(

i've tried adjusting the brightness & contrast settings to no avail

even with the brightness set all the way down to 0, it's terrible

the problem has nothing to do with windoze or the driver being used in windoze, the problem is immediately apparent even without plugging the monitor into my PC, you can see it in the bootup phase where the memory countsup on what is *normall* a black background

on this monitor though, what SHOULD be a black background is all washed out gray, like if you turn the brightness control up on your TV all the way - which only carries over & skews everything once you get into windows (blacks are not true blacks, light backgrounds blaze into my eyeballs like staring ito the sun, etc)

i am researching this now on the 'net, trying to find out if there is any way to adjust this, and i am learning that possibly:

(1) all flat screen displays (like this one) are "too bright" (?)

(2) some monitors have "hidden" controls to turn this down via screws inside the cases that you have to know where they are what to adjust (haven't found the info i need for this one yet)

(3) some workarounds involve replacing resistors in the unit (??)


does anyone have any clues they can give me how to fix this problem on the dell p1110??? it's a really nice unit except for the overly bright display

any responses greatly appreciated, THANKS!!!!!!
 
LCD's can be rather bright, but it does sound like something is severely off.

2.)Quite possible, but I haven't really researched LCD's

3.)While that is possible, you'll need some very good soldering skills to do this. Additionally, any warranty on the unit will be voided by doing so.

I don't know if you've gotten ahold of Dell, but I'd touch base with them and see what's up.
 
If you do try the resistor fix, make sure and let your monitor sit out for at least a day or so and unplugged from AC power. The capacitors in them store enough juice that can be rather hazardous to your health, so it's best to make sure you minimize the risk of it.

Flat screen CRT's aren't all overly bright, as I have a couple of Dell branded Trinitron 17" CRTs that are still pulling strong.
 
I dont think LCDs need to sit unplugged for a day. They dont require nearly as much power as CRTs do. But its still prolly a good idea. Good luck and welcome to the forums!
 
extreme4377 said:
I dont think LCDs need to sit unplugged for a day. They dont require nearly as much power as CRTs do. But its still prolly a good idea. Good luck and welcome to the forums!
Click to expand...

thanks to all for the feedback

i posted my same question to 3 different forums and i think you guys have given me the exact fix, and in less than an hour :)

i do want to note that this is a CRT based monitor, not an LCD

it is a "flat screen" huge behemoth, sony trinitron, not a "flat panel" LCD (if i am understanding things right)

i do understand that there are some risks involved with opening up monitors, possibly getting zapped by a capacitor or exposed to x-rays or somehting

isn't there a safe way to discharge the capacitors in some way b4 working on the thing? or is just leaving it unplugged for a few days enough to do that?

thanks again!
 
n/p

I think people do tend to get confused with flat panel and flat screen...but anyway, Big B suggested leaving it unplugged for a day or so!
 
slipkid said:
i do understand that there are some risks involved with opening up monitors, possibly getting zapped by a capacitor or exposed to x-rays or somehting

isn't there a safe way to discharge the capacitors in some way b4 working on the thing? or is just leaving it unplugged for a few days enough to do that?
Click to expand...

Yeah, pretty much leave it unplugged for a few days is really the best way to avoid problems. If you have some mechanical ability, soldering isn't too hard, but if you haven't done so for awhile or at all, I'd practice before hand. A 21" monitor is an awfully expensive and heavy paperweight.

However, I'd first try option C that Sniper listed first. No sense breaking open the unit and doing unnecessary soldering if you don't have to.
 
Big B said:
However, I'd first try option C that Sniper listed first. No sense breaking open the unit and doing unnecessary soldering if you don't have to.
Click to expand...

thanks, i did read through that linnk (option C) at
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=87612&messageid=1062229659

but it seemed to me that they were talking about a "HP P1110 // Nokia 445N" rather than my DELL/COMPAQ P1110 (god this is so confusing)

i will take a look at it again & see if i can follow along with any of those steps though


another question, possibly of interest to you folks, is that i found several webpages with monitor repair issues like these links below that all make mention of something called "SONY DAS SOFTWARE" that might be able to fix my monitor (in addition to the resistor replacement idea)

http://www.anatekcorp.com/faq/archmntr.htm
http://www.adrian-smith31.clara.co.uk/pctips/monitor_tips.htm

supposedly this SONY DAS SOFTWARE can be used to adjust the faulty "G2 voltage" to fix the overly bright display (??)

my quest now has shifted to finding out what "SONY DAS SOFTWARE" is, how it "runs", where can you get it, etc???? has anyone here heard of it??

this is amazingly complex!

thanks again for the helpful advice
 
I tried to find that software but not had any luck! Doing a search on [google]sony das software[/google] doesnt bring up any valid results. I can only assume it’s used at their service centre?
 
Sniper said:
I tried to find that software but not had any luck! Doing a search on [google]sony das software[/google] doesnt bring up any valid results. I can only assume it’s used at their service centre?
Click to expand...

yes, me too, i was thinking it is something sony technicians have/use

i've seen it referred to on several different pages but can't find any actual direction to it - i did email one of the guys who mentioned it on his webpage & am hoping he will get back to me

i tried several different searches of combinations for DAS, sony, trinitron, p1110, dell, etc but i get too many off track hits back, nothing concrete yet

when/if i eventually get any of this figured out i'll post more info up here

i'm guessing now that my options are probably to try the resistor replacement route, or take the monitor to an "authorized" sony/dell repair place who might have access to the sony "DAS" software or whatever & pay them to fix it

i dunno....i may just put it out on the curb for the trashmen & let them decide what to do with it!
 
I'd call up a authorized repair place first, to ask them how much it might cost or you can try the local shop maybe they can fix it?!
 
Sniper said:
I'd call up a authorized repair place first, to ask them how much it might cost or you can try you'r local shop maybe they can fix it?!
Click to expand...

yes, i might do that, except that i've found in my experience with these kinds of things that repair places will tell you to bring the unit in for them to look at, but charge you a fixed "estimate fee" for doing that, which then gets applied to the repair cost if you decided to get it fixed, or you foreit that $$ if you say you don't want them to fix iit

i jsut went through this earlier this year when my same friend did me another "favor" and gave me his old VCR which i didn't really need (like this monitor), where the tuner didn't work, and it cost me $30 to find out that it would cost me $240 to fix it !!!!! forget that

i've learned alot today about monitor problems in general and this one in specific so i don't consider my time wasted spent on this, but at some point i may exceed the amount of time i am willing to spend on this - already i am having second thoughts....
 
Sniper said:
I tried to find that software but not had any luck! Doing a search on [google]sony das software[/google] doesnt bring up any valid results. I can only assume it’s used at their service centre?
Click to expand...

more on this, i spoke (email) to one of the guys who made mention of the DAS software on his webpage, and asked him what it was, how to get it etc

and he said this:
"The Sony DAS software is only available to Sony authorised service centres
and is not available anywhere on the Internet as far as I know. Even if you
did get the software, there is a hardware interface between the PC and the
monitor that converts the serial port data into the I2C bus data the monitor
uses. The software uses 'plugins' - one for each monitor model."

so, that is a dead-end as far as a way of possibly fixing this myself; it can only be done via an authorised sony service center with specialized equipment
 
thanks for the update slipkid!

I guess thats the best thing you can do! do you know how much it would cost if you get it fixed from the service center? if you mention the DAS software maybe they will know the problem and advice you!
 
Sniper said:
thanks for the update slipkid!
I guess thats the best thing you can do! do you know how much it would cost if you get it fixed from the service center? if you mention the DAS software maybe they will know the problem and advice you!
Click to expand...

no, i have not gone that route (finding & contacting a sony service center) & don't think i will bother

in my experience with getting a sony DAT deck serviced, the sony service centers have a fixed fee that they charge based on what your equipment is, they do some sort of "standard" tweaking to get a unit back to factory "specs", regardless of what you tell them what is wrong with it

i got this monitor for free & that is really all it is worth to me, i'm not looking to sink any $$ into it at all - brand new i think they go for around $150 (?) - i am guessing but i bet the service center will charge something in that same neighborhood

i may still try the resistor "fix" if i can find any around here of the correct specifications

cheers :)
 
SAME PROBLEM!

I have a Samsung LCD display and I STILL am not used to how bright it is. Keep in mind I had a Sony CRT before which are quite bright for CRT's... It feels like my vision is deteriorating using this LCD and I can't dim it or the colours go along with it!

If i'm not mistaken i think Dell are just samsung in disguise.
 
Emu said:
SAME PROBLEM!

I have a Samsung LCD display and I STILL am not used to how bright it is. Keep in mind I had a Sony CRT before which are quite bright for CRT's... It feels like my vision is deteriorating using this LCD and I can't dim it or the colours go along with it!

If i'm not mistaken i think Dell are just samsung in disguise.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you can’t change the brightness? Which Samsung LCD is it?
 
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