low electromagnetic monitor

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tiger lily

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Jul 30, 2014
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I am seeking a basic flat-screen display monitor that is low in electromagnetic emissions and that does not magnify ambient wireless radio frequencies.

I have an old flat-screen metal ViewSonic with the TCO3 certification, but it gives me headaches to use it more than a few minutes. The monitor is housed in a metal casing to the back and sides. I think this may be part of the problem as I sense it is reflecting ambient radiation (I experience similar but lesser effects when standing in front of a mirror for a period of time).

I plan to use this with a to be purchased Fit PC (CompuLab), from which I plan to have the wireless capacity removed in advance, as the salesperson noted they can do.

I appreciate any advice anyone can offer.





 
Solution
hunter315
Almost all power bricks are AC-DC converters, and any power brick for a monitor will convert it to DC. Generally the power bricks exist just to let the monitor be thinner. Regardless of if it is in the monitor or in a power brick the circuitry is the same.

If you are prone to eyestrain(plausible) i would suggest going for an LED based monitor over a standard LCD, though you still need to pick carefully some LED backlights do show flicker when at certain dim levels. I have been pleased with every ASUS screen I have used, I haven't seen any flicker on ones i have gotten for home or work so that may be your best bet. The cheaper screens tend to be cheaper for a reason.

I also wouldn't worry about the metal, most of it is structural...
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Pinhedd

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Aug 7, 2007
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RF radiation and microwave radiation emitted from displays and wireless access points cannot cause headaches, I assure you of this. It would be a violation of the laws of physics. If you think that wireless transmitters give you headaches you probably don't want to know what the sun does.

However, old and/or poorly tuned projection /CRT displays can go out of focus. Even a slight loss of focus can cause eye strain which most certainly can cause headaches. LCD and Plasma displays are not susceptible to this as they have a fixed field.
Myopia/Hyperopia are also common causes of headaches; even a slight difference in focus between your eyes can cause headaches when viewing an image at a fixed distance for a period of time.

TL;DR: Go see an eye doctor and/or get your TV tuned
 
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hunter315

hunter315

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May 12, 2009
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Turn down the brightness on your screen and set the foil hat to the side. Everything has a reasonable explanation and as soon as you go to radiation you have left reasonable and are shouting "Zebra!" because you heard hoof beats near a stable. Refer to Occam's razor.

Improper lighting and viewing angles cause a great deal of eyestrain, if you have a super bright monitor it will tire your eyes out quicker, as will poor lighting in the surrounding area. Having the monitor set to the wrong height such that you have to tilt your head to look at it can result in headaches due to neck muscle strain.

Overall the only source of "radiation" from a modern screen is the light that comes out the front, there is no other notable radiation at any measurable power level.
 
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Onus

Onus

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Jan 27, 2006
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Two corrections; one is that LCD monitors set to other than their native resolution will also appear blurry, possibly causing eyestrain and/or headaches. The second one is that I do believe research has suggested that some people are indeed very sensitive to the 60Hz (or 50Hz) flicker common to fluorescent lighting. This might well be present from the backlights in cheap LCD monitors. I know I had a really old one I could not use for extended periods of time, I suspect for that reason.
 
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tiger lily

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Thank you all for your voices of reason and helpful information. I admit I can't know the exact source or sources of my reactions but you have given me further possibilities to consider.

The ViewSonic I have been using is an LCD (at least it's not CRT). Still it is quite old so perhaps lights have worn out and eyestrain may be a factor. I am able to use a Dell flat screen at work (I think it is 1407 something; certified TCO3)without too much trouble but do get some headaches. At work, I have everything plugged directly into the wall rather than using an AC power strip, which seems to help. I may be affected by the flicker of 50-60 Hz as mentioned by Onus (and maybe the dirty electricity of an old house). I am now thinking to try a DC-powered monitor (will I be able to plug directly into the wall?).

Can anyone recommend a DC-powered LCD or LED monitor (still would like to avoid too much metal in the casing)?

I really appreciate your technical expertise and rational answers. I hadn't expected philosophy too, but have to smile at the reference to Occam's razor :)
 
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Onus

Onus

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Jan 27, 2006
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Some monitors use a "brick;" their power supply is outside the monitor, but I could not tell you offhand if their output is DC or low-voltage AC. I suspect it is DC, but don't know the answer; I have such a monitor at home, and I need to check it.

 
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Pinhedd

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All displays use DC power. They convert it either externally or internally. Power strips won't do anything either, they are just extensions of the wall circuit occasionally combined with surge protection and fault protection.
 
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hunter315

hunter315

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May 12, 2009
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Almost all power bricks are AC-DC converters, and any power brick for a monitor will convert it to DC. Generally the power bricks exist just to let the monitor be thinner. Regardless of if it is in the monitor or in a power brick the circuitry is the same.

If you are prone to eyestrain(plausible) i would suggest going for an LED based monitor over a standard LCD, though you still need to pick carefully some LED backlights do show flicker when at certain dim levels. I have been pleased with every ASUS screen I have used, I haven't seen any flicker on ones i have gotten for home or work so that may be your best bet. The cheaper screens tend to be cheaper for a reason.

I also wouldn't worry about the metal, most of it is structural so that you can mount the monitor on a VESA mount, you want a steel plate in the back rather than plastic. Plus, any modern monitor is going to be quite a bit lighter. The 24" ASUS screens I picked up last year are ~9 pounds and about 6 pounds of that is the weighted base plate so there isn't much metal in a modern screen.
 
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Solution
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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Mar 25, 2010
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When was the last time you had your eyesight checked? Standing in front of a mirror and using a properly configured monitor with the right refresh rate and resolution set should not cause any headaches unless you have a medical issue.
 
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