Monitor Malfunction

I have a Dell flat panel monitor that will turn on and display the appropriate image, for about 2 seconds then it will shut off. It won't even let me change settings before turning back off. How do I fix this?

Yeah, make sure you RMA that sucker back ASAP. I bought a 2707 last spring and it quit working after 10 days - picture would go screwy after it warmed up for a minute or two. Called Dell and they shipped me a new one without waiting for the defective one to be returned.

Most of dell's monitors are made in mainland China so besides food poisoning, lead paint, pesticides, etc. their electronics quality control tends to be shoddy as well.

Dell was very interested in getting the defective 2707 back ASAP - apparently mine wasn't the only one with problems. Even got emails from their QC lab asking me specifics about the problems. They were in a hurry to nail down the problem and thus spot defect trends.

I would guess Dell and other companies bid out their manufacturing/assembling contracts, so it would likely be the Chinese manufacturer trying to lowball the competition that is the reason they make so little.

In southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam) Chinese goods are known for their cheap price and poor reliability. For example, a decent Honda motorscooter might sell new for $2K, whereas a cheap Chinese knockoff will sell new for $500. Of course, Honda has a reputation for quality to keep up, so their scooters last years and years whereas the Chinese scooters usually fail in a couple of years. Of course, if you don't have $2K to buy a new Honda, then you're pretty much stuck with buying another Chinese scooter. Sometimes I think this is the Chinese business model