help! is this monitor or video card problem?

[subbot]

Hello,

I have "trails to the right" problem with my new CRT monitor.

Racently I have purchased a brand new monitor - Samsung SyncMaster 957 DF, and with my GF 4MX, I have "trails to the right" (on 19" monitor about 1 milimeter long trails, most visible with dark things on bright backgounds, in, for example 1280*1024 at 85hz, wich is resolution I use most)
Some people already told me It`s graphics card related, so here`s what I have:
An "Eagle" (cheapest, no name brand) GeForce 4 MX440-SE, AGP 4x, 64MB DDR, integrated RAMDAC, S-video TV out.

Monitor have one common VGA connector, 5x BNC and USB.
Can VGA to BNC cable help?
How much BNC cables can improve image quality on common vga cards?
I have connected monitor and card with supplied 1,8m vga cable.

Trails are shown from left to right, higher resolution and refresh rate - more noticable trails.
For example, in 1024*768 @ 85hz, trails are hard to notice, but there are trails.
In 1280*1024 at 85hz (wich is resolution I use most), there are slight trails, but enough to be disturbing!

I heard that image quality is pretty much RAMDAC and card manufacturer related.

Now, does anyone have or seen of such "trails to the right" problem?

I am going to switch to an ATI card, because I heard that they have better image quality than nVIDIA.
("eagle" (if anyone heard of that) is crap "brand", I think, because it`s cheapest, so I`m going to buy an value card, but branded...)

Since I can`t try any other card on this monitor, before bying new card I want to be sure that "trails to the right" problem is graphics card related.

So is anyone sure that this problem is with card and not monitor?

I like to say that "trails to the right" problem is not dramatic, but enough to be disturbing!
I`m not asking for best picture in the world, but I need clear, normal picture!

Does anyone heard of problem like this?



Thank you in advance!

 

[jrosenst]

It’s hard to say. One thing I would try is a different VGA Cable. Yes, ATI has better image quality then Nvidia, but it’s not all that noticeable. You will see a equal amount of difference (all be it a different kind) using a VGA to BNC cable.

So, if it was me I would go out and get a VGA to BNC cable first, being that I would want one anyway. If that doesn’t fix the problem I would tend to think it’s the monitor. Not due to any real technical reason, but just because it sounds like your video card worked fine on your last monitor and as soon as you tried this one you get the problem. If you got the monitor at a local store just take it in and ask if you can hook it up to any of there PC’s to check it out.

SO technical is does sound like either a cable or card issue, but my gut feeling say’s monitor. That’s why I satarted with “It’s hard to say”

Good luck to you.

 

[subbot]

Hello jrosenst,

First, thanks for reply.

Story goes like this:

For past 6-7 years I have been working on an 14" Philips 14B monitor.
And on that monitor with this ("Eagle" GeForce 4 MX440-SE) video card, which I still have, there was no way to notice any of cards' bad things with monitors' maximum capabilities (1024*768@60hz).

Since I'm doing 3d graphics on computer, it was time to buy an better and bigger monitor.

So I purchased an used one - 21" Philips BRILLIANCE 201P (used to be professional).
And, on that (BRILLIANCE 201P) monitor, first thing I have noticed (with this "Eagle" GeForce 4 MX440-SE video card, which I still have) was "trails to the right".
I thinked it was monitor failure, so I returned it.
Then I have purchased an brand new monitor - 19" Samsung SyncMaster 957 DF (which I have right now) and I have same problem!
I have never dreamed of problem ("trails to the right") like that!

So now I have SyncMaster 957 DF and "Eagle" GeForce 4 MX440-SE.

I have contacted professional technician, and all in all, he told me that he think that problem is in video card.

So, I'm pretty convinced that "trails to the right" problem is video card issue, because:

I've tried two different monitors (21" Philips BRILLIANCE 201P, and 19" Samsung SyncMaster 957 DF) on this same card, and problem was same.

On this (SyncMaster 957 DF) monitor, in 1024*768 (which is resolution I have used on old 14" monitor) everything is fine, but when I switch to 1280*1024@85hz (which is pretty much higher compared to 1024*768@60hz on Philips 14B), there is mentioned "trails to the right" problem.
It seems like card doesn't have enough "2d power" for higher resolutions...
I heard it's RAMDAC related, and I'm convinced that this "Eagle" GeForce 4 MX440-SE is of worstest quality (PARTICULARY IN PCB QUALITY AND "2D POWER")... It has "standard" d3d and ogl capabilities, but when it comes to 2d..

All in all, I'm asking all this about "trails to the right", because I want to know if anybody had direct expirience regarding bad 2d with no name cards, before I buy new card.

I'm doing 3d graphics on computer, so for me, good, clear, normal picture is essential.

Let's put aside all this I said, I need to know DID YOU HAVE ANY DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH NO NAME, BAD QUALITY CARDS? (let's say again that I think that "Eagle" is worstest "brand", PARTICULARY IN PCB QUALITY, and until now, I didn't noticed that)

Regarding BNC to VGA cable, people told me otherwise, that they didn't noticed any visible differences between BNC to VGA and common VGA cable!

Have you tried both BNC to VGA and common VGA cable on same card and monitor, and noticed any difference?

 

[sparks219]

There is nothing wrong with your monitor or video card.

With the aperature grill design, they need two cables to tie up the wires. You will not even notices those wires in a few days...

 

[subbot]

hello sparks291,

I don't understand you.
Who are "they"?
What two cables?
To tie up what wires?
I'm still noticing "trails to the right" after two weeks of use, but don't noticing any wires?
What wires?
Are you saying that monitor has "trails to the right"?
Both BRILLIANCE 201P and SyncMaster 957 DF have "trails to the right"...

 

[Guest]

Its a cable problem. I switched to a stronger connection cable to from the monitor to the computer and it fixed the trails. WORKS PEFECT!

 

[aford10]

This topic has been closed by Aford10