Arcade monitor Flash - Please read

[marcopolo]

Does anyone know what would cause a WG D9200 or similar arcade monitor to sort of flash (brightness increases 15-20% for a brief moment) every 2-3 seconds.  It's NOT a full blow white light, just a subtle flicker in the brightness.  It's very noticable in the black borders on vertical games - something catches your eye every few seconds.

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Marco

[Sasquatch!]

Epilepsy?

[RandyT]

Just a guess, as there's no way to be certain, but it sounds like something in the high-voltage section is about to start acting up.  Could be a capacitor starting to dry out, the flyback arcing or any number of other things.

Do you hear any faint snapping noises when it happens?  How old is the monitor?

RandyT

[marcopolo]

No real snapping noises.  Monitor is making a normal hum though.  The monitor is brand new (less than 30 days old).  
What to do next?

Just a guess, as there's no way to be certain, but it sounds like something in the high-voltage section is about to start acting up.  Could be a capacitor starting to dry out, the flyback arcing or any number of other things.

Do you hear any faint snapping noises when it happens?  How old is the monitor?

RandyT

[BobA]

Try to isolate the problem.   You could provide the monitor with a different signal source then you are currently using.  If the problem continues it is the monitor and I'd be getting it repaired under warranty.

If a different signal source clears up the problem then it is time to check out your computer and video combination.

If you haven't got another source of signal then find someone with a monitor test pattern generator.  Many TV shops will have them that check TVs, RGB Monitors and Computer monitors.  Some computer shops have them as well.  

BobA

[hyiu]

I might be talking non-sense.... but my $0.02 cents...

try using another monitor and see if it causes the same thing to the other monitor..... (thus... see if the video output has any pblm....)

then double check to make sure the power supply has no other heavy load stuffs on it..... (power tools... washing machine.... sometimes even if you put something like a fan very close by... it might affect it....)

well.... sometimes, check these simple input /output pblms first might help solve a pblm.....

if you have already checked, then never mind....
good luck to you....

[Birdtales]

Flouresent light in your marquee causing interference?

[SNAAAKE]

i am having similer problem too..would it matter if the monitor is in a cold place ..its pretty cold in NYC and the cab is in the hallway and no heat there(its a long hallway).

mine just flicker a little .

[SirPoonga]

If it is new call the manufacturer.  Should have a warranty, riht?

[Rahzel]

My brand new TV used to do the same thing a while ago. I just assumed it was because I had it in the cab on an angle and it was normal? But it's gone now and I have no idea why. But another weird problem, only sometimes happens, when there are white parts on the screen it buzzes really loud and flashes all of these distorted colors! Only when there is white on the screen though  

[marcopolo]

More on my continuing saga.  Last night I was looking at the back of my WG D9200 and checking all the wire connections (also trying not to die from touching the high voltage parts).  I noticed when I moved a set of small ribbon cables (they connect to the screen adjustment board and a few other unknown monitor parts) the picture on the monitor went in and out.  I moved the cables a few moments then I went back around to the front of my machine.  The picture was totally out of focus???  Not sure what caused this.... so I moved the focus screen VERY slowly (this monitor is sensitive) .  I go the screen in focus and ..... Low and behold after fiddling with the cables and adjusting the focus know the screen twitch has gone away.  

What the heck did I do?  My worst fear is that the problem returns.  

Marco

[Dave_K.]

Sounds like you have some loose connections.  I wouldn't be surprised if you bumbp the cabinet and something else changed.  If it stays in focus without the flashing for now, consider yourself lucky.  If it starts acting up again, follow the monitor discharding method, and reseat all the cables/connectors.

[marcopolo]

Sorry to keep this post alive but the problem that I thought had gone away is BACK!! ACK.   The Good News - - I now know what is happening.  It's the focus...  The monitor starts off sharp, then in the span of about 2-3 seconds it begins to blur, then "pops" back into focus.  The other night when I thought I had fixed the problem I was messing with the focus knob.  It must have knocked something back into place, but it's back out of wack.  Has anyone ever seen this issue with a Wells Gardner???

Any monitor experts / electricians out there, please let me know if you have any ideas on how to solve this.  

Happy Holidays,
Marco

[SNAAAKE]

hmm....no expert but you can have some tv repair guy take a look if you are too afraid to touch something that you are not sure of(i am scared all the time) and they will be able to fix it.i know returning and getting another one is not an opition(these things are monsters,even my 25")

[RandyT]

Sorry to keep this post alive but the problem that I thought had gone away is BACK!! ACK.   The Good News - - I now know what is happening.  It's the focus...  The monitor starts off sharp, then in the span of about 2-3 seconds it begins to blur, then "pops" back into focus.  The other night when I thought I had fixed the problem I was messing with the focus knob.  It must have knocked something back into place, but it's back out of wack.  Has anyone ever seen this issue with a Wells Gardner???

Any monitor experts / electricians out there, please let me know if you have any ideas on how to solve this.  

Not an "expert" nor an electrician, but like I said before, it sounds like a bad component in the high-voltage section of the unit.  If you look at where the focus control is located, it's usually on the back of this big black plastic-looking thing with a heavy gauge red wire coming out of it.  This is the flyback, and is the source of the HV going to the CRT.  Usually, the high-voltage control is right above (or below) the focus control.  As a side note, one should probably never mess with the high-voltage control, as this has been adjusted at the factory to minimize X-ray radiation.

Unless your unit has a digital focus control, I'm going to guess that since your unit is fairly new, something is physically wrong in that area.  If you weren't very careful when mounting the unit, you may have put a fracture in the circuit board somewhere.  The flybacks are usually pretty heavy and might even have caused the PCB to crack during shipping.  It could also be a bad solder joint.   Or, you might have just got a bad unit.  Either way, you are going to need to get it fixed.  Continuing to run it that way could cause more damage to it and worse problems than you are currently experiencing.

RandyT