Troubleshooting a 27/29" Makvision w/ black screen - please help! - SOLVED!

[dekar24k]

Ok so I got a Makvision 29" (27") tri-mode arcade monitor from xgaming back in 2012 and used it in my cab for about a month or two before it went completely black. The model specification sticker on the back says M3129DF-TS.

Since it went black I have just been storing it in my basement, but today I figured I'd have a second look at it to (hopefully) figure out what's wrong.

What happens is that when I connect it to the outlet I can hear it powers on, I can also hear the usual "CRT spark" and a hizzing noise, which should indicate that it's getting power. The screen though, is completely black. No image whatsoever, not even a small glimpse..

One thing I noticed, with the neckboard, was that it didn't look completely attached to the tube neck (if that's what it's called) (please see the attached image). You can clearly see that there is a gap between the neck and the attached PCB, also you can see the pins from the neck connection. May this be what's causing the problem? That the PCB has become loose and is no longer correctly attached to the tube?

I am a complete noob when it comes to monitor repair and I have no idea where to start looking. CRT/arcade repair shops are nowhere to be found here in Norway and the shipping costs to send it to the US would be close to 5 digits.

Any advice is highly appreciated. Thank you guys!

[dekar24k]

Added info: I can also see a faint glow in the tube neck when I power the monitor on.

[grantspain]

yeah you want to push the neck card on fully,just be gentle with it
if you get heaters and high voltage then in general the monitor is running

you can also turn up the screen volts to see if you get a raster

[dekar24k]

yeah you want to push the neck card on fully,just be gentle with it
if you get heaters and high voltage then in general the monitor is running

you can also turn up the screen volts to see if you get a raster

Thanks for the advice. So I pushed the neck card in fully and kinda had my hopes up, but no, it's still pitch black.

Still, I can hear the monitor powering up and the neck tube is glowing faintly.

Is there anything else I can check? Any fuses etc?

[dekar24k]

I just noticed that when I unlug the monitor, the screen flashes (like a CRT does when it turns off). I'm pretty sure this is a simple task for a monitor-savvy person to fix, it's just too bad there are no such people here in Norway (at least that I know of).

So; the neck tube glows, I can hear the monitor powers on and it also flashes when I disconnect it from the outlet.

Heeelp!!!!!  

[ed12]

from everyting u are saying.?
it if? has heaters >glow in the neck<
i would feed it a singal from my lappie or main tower
to see if indeed it is another problem
just rember to set the 2 switch's on the rear of it right.
and go into the 15 pin header
with your lappie or main tower singal
this will tell us alot

ed

[dekar24k]

from everyting u are saying.?
it if? has heaters >glow in the neck<
i would feed it a singal from my lappie or main tower
to see if indeed it is another problem
just rember to set the 2 switch's on the rear of it right.
and go into the 15 pin header
with your lappie or main tower singal
this will tell us alot

ed

Ok, I will try to give it signal from another PC to see if anything happens. By the 2 switches on the rear, do you mean the 15khz/31khz switch? Thanks.

[ed12]

ya
1 is the res
the other should be for rgb/vga

ed

[dekar24k]

ya
1 is the res
the other should be for rgb/vga

ed

Thanks again, will report back.

[ed12]

here this or may not help ?

ed

[dekar24k]

HOLY SCHMOLY IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!

I noticed that the RGB cable (the VGA cable) on the board was a little loose, so I took it off and re-connected it.

Hooked the monitor up to my cab and IT WORKED! I almost got a heart attack!

I'm so happy right now. With shipping and taxes this monitor cost me more than $1,000 USD and I'm so happy it works again.

It must have been a combination of the neck tube not properly connected and this cable. Thanks everyone for your advice!

One last thing, I notice that almost every resolution has a slight shaking. This has been a problem from the very beginning with this monitor. Is there a pot I can adjust to perhaps fix this issue?