"Troubleshooting" names for monitor problems...?

[Lamune_Baba]

Hello,

I'm quite new to the arcade world, basically trying to learn as I go. (And trying not to touch anything that might try to kill me in the process.   )

Anyway, does anyone know of a good reference (preferably online...) that explains the various "troubleshooting" terms when refering to a monitor display?

Things like "overscanning" and "tearing" etc...  (just two of the words I've noticed while reading some of the posts here...)  Any good place to go to find out what all these mean?

I figure it'll also be good to know just in general- it'll be easier to diagnose my own future problems if I know what problem actually is.  

Thanks in advance...!

[MameFan]

Browse most of the threads on this forum. A lot has been talked about.

Check out google for Sci.Electronics FAQ  tons of TV/Monitor repair tech info there.

Overscan = the process of drawing the picture outside of the visible area of the tube, "overscanning" it too tall and/or too wide.  Generally some overscan is perferable (since otherwise your actual picture is too smal AND you see the hard edges of the scan lines), but too much and you of course end up with a stretched picture and clipped, especially in the rounded corners.

Tearing = the picture (typically at the top of the tube in a normal TV horizontal layout) that is angled to the right or left for the first inch or so of the screen.  Caused on TV by things like Macrovision protection, but on game usualy by dry capacitors, AC line interference/dirty connections, magnetism, or other monitor problems.

[Lamune_Baba]

Easy enough to find that FAQ. Quite a bit of information there, beyond just montors. That'll definately keep me buisy for quite a few evenings.

And, just from what I've read so far has already answered a number of questions.

Thanks again!