Explain the NeXTStation "dim monitor" problem, etc...

From: Peter C. Wallace <pcw_at_mesanet.com>
Date: Tue Apr 16 13:28:53 2002

On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, Douglas H. Quebbeman wrote:

> > First off -- can somebody explain the common problem with the
> > monitors going dim? Can I fix it? (How?) Is there an internal
> > "intensity" pot that I can adjust to get more life out of the
> > monitor? It is just bright enough not to strain your eyes at
> > the highest brightness setting right now... (It's B&W)
>
> I have always assumed that the electrons just kick the sh*t
> out of the phosphor, and the the phosphor just dies... but I
> hope that's wrong, and that something can indeed be adjusted
> or replaced (other than the daggone tube itself).

        Phosphors do lose efficiency but I dont think that is the main
problem. I think mainly the cathode loses emission. This can temporarily be
improved by CRT rejuvinators or raising the heater voltage (I'm old enough to
remember the old cylindrical autotranformer picture tube brightenters that you
stacked on the old B-W TV CRTS: they basically raised the heater voltage a
little bit, squeezing a little more life out of the CRT)

>
> -Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (DougQ at ixnayamspayIgLou.com) [Call me "Doug"]
> Surgically excise the pig-latin from my e-mail address in order to reply
> "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away." -Tom Waits
>

Peter Wallace
Received on Tue Apr 16 2002 - 13:28:53 BST