ViewSonic CRT VGA Monitor slight vertical size wander.
 

Hey gang! I know this forum is more for TV's but I doubt CRT monitors are much different.

I have a 1997 ViewSonic 17PS CRT computer monitor that tends to have wandering picture adjustments, particularly in the vertical size. It tends to squish a little after being on for over an hour and I usually compensate with menu controls. What could be causing the problem and how can I keep it from doing it?

The most likely cause is one or more electrolytic capacitors going bad. When they go bad in newer equipment like that monitor, they often bulge at their tops.

Ugh. Now this monitor is spazing periodically. It flashes and the picture blows up. Then it returns to normal. What could cause this?!

The spazzing could be a cold solder joint.

Any solder joints in particular that might cause the problem?:scratch2::sigh: Just today it started doing it every 15-20 minutes or so. Before, it might only do it once or twice a week. I can hear what sounds like a sparking sound or relay click when it does it.

Maybe somebody else could offer some specific insight. If it were me, I would just look for ring-cracks in the solder joints until I found one, hehe.

Get inside and look for bulging top caps or any that have spilled their guts. Do that first and then track down the intermittent if there is one. Relay click sounds like power supply. Look there especially. Wiggle wires, poke with a plastic or wood stick flexing the board slightly.

I definitely know now it's not a relay click sound. When I power down the monitor, it makes the clicking/sparking noise like crazy. It sort of sounds like after you turn a car off and you can hear the hot metal parts pinging and popping. I'll open 'er up here soon and I'll post my observations.