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//e Monitor Screeching incessantly when on

hmbrew

Experienced Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2009
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98
Location
Western NY State
I have been using an old tv for a display, but the low-res just won't cut it anymore. I have an "Apple Composite Monitor //e" that works pretty well. Unfortunately, it screeches quite loudly. (Constantly when turned on)

I have heard of various solutions such as blowing the dust out of it with compressed air, replacing caps, and more. I just wanted to ask here for some more opinions before I do anything to it.

I have also heard that adjusting the refresh rate on a modern monitor can solve this. Is there a way to do this on my //e monitor? (probably not, but it can't hurt to ask)

It makes me want to rip out my hair, and that's just not worth the superior video quality.
 
I have been using an old tv for a display, but the low-res just won't cut it anymore. I have an "Apple Composite Monitor //e" that works pretty well. Unfortunately, it screeches quite loudly. (Constantly when turned on)

Sounds like you have it connected to the TV with an RF modulator. You might be better off using a TV with composite inputs, since there's no functional difference between that and a color composite one.

I have also heard that adjusting the refresh rate on a modern monitor can solve this. Is there a way to do this on my //e monitor? (probably not, but it can't hurt to ask)

No. That monitor is just a TV with no tuner, so it runs at 60Hz only.

It makes me want to rip out my hair, and that's just not worth the superior video quality.[/QUOTE]
 
No, I'm not using a modulator. The composite monitor really does have better quality than my tv. The screen itself is smaller, but many more pixels.
 
You're probably right, the Color Composite is superior to a regular NTSC TV, if only because the phosophor dot pitch is matched to the IIe, and the IIe itself doesn't output in an exactly 100% "legal" NTSC signal and only looks right on a TV if you're TV's input processing fudges the standard enough. (some do, some don't)

Anyways, the screech does some from a mis-aligned synch. This happens when an electrolytic capacitor goes out somewhere inside of the display. Your best bet would seriously be to replace the capacitors in the monitor, which is totally worth it if the tube is in good shape because a properly recapped monitor will look great and last a long time if properly cared for.

I just happened to pick up a really good looking repair and service manual for the II+ and IIe at the library today, and I'll look to see if there is some kind of an adjustment mentioned there. However, I haven't looked yet at whether the book covers monitors, which it might not.
 
Well, thanks. I guess I'll need to look up proper safety precautions for doing such a thing.

The TV really just has big pixels (and too few of them) and the 80 column mode is completely unreadable. It looks like little squiggles instead of correctly formed letters. (But the composite monitor looks awesome)

I can't actually open it though. When I remove all 6 screws from the back, the two halves separate by about an inch, but not nearly enough for maintenance. (it seems like a cable might be connecting the halves or something, maybe even a loose latch of some kind) Do you (or anyone else) know the proper way to open this thing? I spent about an hour total trying to figure it out and gave up last time I tried to open it. (I'm afraid to break it)

The difficulty of getting it open might be intentional. The stickers say lots of stuff about "not user serviceable" (yeah, right) and "do not open".
Also, any idea how many caps I might need to replace?
 
Well, if it's like my IIgs RGB monitor, you'll have cables running to and fro inside which could be hanging you up. As for the number of caps, or values therof, I can't say since I have never fixed something like that before. Your best bet on that would be to find someone you trust who does recaps on arcade machine monitors and have him take a look at it.
 
I can't actually open it though. When I remove all 6 screws from the back, the two halves separate by about an inch, but not nearly enough for maintenance. (it seems like a cable might be connecting the halves or something, maybe even a loose latch of some kind) Do you (or anyone else) know the proper way to open this thing? I spent about an hour total trying to figure it out and gave up last time I tried to open it. (I'm afraid to break it)

I have the same monitor. I'm sure I needed to undo more than 6 screws when I opened it. Check again. If I remember rightly some of the screws were hidden by small rubber caps I had to prise off. I think I also had to undo some of the connectors at the back too? I'm just going for memory here so don't take it as gospel.

Next time I open it up, I'll document the process.

Tez
 
I looked again, and I can only find 6 screws. (all on the back)

Are there some hidden under the adhesive rubber feet or something? Otherwise, I just don't see how there could be any more screws and I'd hate to remove the rubber feet if I didn't have to. (They are like stickers)
 
I do seem to recall opening mine once long ago too. I used to have one of those, a long time ago. As I recall, the pcb is mounted in such a way that it's supported on both the front and back shell halves, but I don't recall. I don't remember having issues with opening it. I would suggest that when opening this, pace it face down on a padded surface so you don't damage the neck of the tube.

And use a bright flashlight to look through the gap and see what you can see that's preventing opening it. Once open, don't touch the contacts on the tube itself, and avoid the inverter circuit too. Read up on discharging a CRT before playing about inside too.
 
Ok.

It's an AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe, correct?

Check on the bottom of the monitor. The screws are not under the feet. They are under small white rubber covers which need to be prised up. In total I count 4 screws in the back of the case (two on the top and two in lower=centre either side), then a total of seven (with covers) on the bottom. Two near the front, then 5 towards the rear. Maybe your two near the front are missing the covers which is why you get a total of 6?

Tez
 
Ahh, thanks Tezza. I think I was remembering my old Apple /// monitor for the whole PCB mounting thing...
 
When viewing the monitor from behind, I see two screws near the top (on either side of a vent) and two screws near the middle (on the boxy part that sticks out by about 6" from the surface that the other two screws are on.

That makes four.

On the bottom of the monitor, I see 2 more screws. Their heads point towards the back of the monitor and the ends point towards the screen end of the monitor. (They are parallel to the others)
They are near the front end of the monitor when viewed from the bottom.

Now, a total of six. I used a screwdriver to carefully pry up every surface I could find on the bottom of the monitor and could find no screws.

I did not see any removable covers.

Maybe I should post a picture or something?
 
Hmm..maybe your monitor is different.

Anyway, here is a picture of the bottom of mine showing the location of those 5 other "covered" screws on the bottom. You can see the front two also have covers.\

apple color composite monitor screws.jpg

Hope this helps.

Tez
 
On the bottom of the monitor, I see 2 more screws. Their heads point towards the back of the monitor and the ends point towards the screen end of the monitor. (They are parallel to the others)
They are near the front end of the monitor when viewed from the bottom.

Actually on re-reading this, maybe your monitor is different after all. My front bottom screws go straight up. Perhaps there were variations on the case for this monitor?

Tez
 
Yep, mine is different. It looks very similar, but it has fewer vents and the channels where your covered screws are are much narrower.

The model number on mine is A2M6021

It is dated September 1988 and it is labeled "Applecolor (TM) Composite Monitor IIe"

There are actually more differences than that, but the two designs are very similar in appearance.

What is the model number on yours?
 
You're probably right, the Color Composite is superior to a regular NTSC TV, if only because the phosophor dot pitch is matched to the IIe, and the IIe itself doesn't output in an exactly 100% "legal" NTSC signal and only looks right on a TV if you're TV's input processing fudges the standard enough. (some do, some don't)

After making my earlier post, I thought about it for a few moments and concluded that the monitor probably did have a finer dot pitch than a TV. The main problem with the Apple II is that it has a chroma amplitude higher than what TV broadcasts use. BTW, here's a little video of an Apple II running on a HD LCD set. A lot of them will choke on the Apple's nonstandard video signal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60QGaz3PSw8
 
Label says the same as yours i.e "Applecolor (TM) Composite Monitor IIe". Model Number is A2M6021X. No date I can see.

I guess that X at the end of the model number makes all the difference in this case. Sorry I couldn't help you with the case opening issue.

Tez
 
Have you tried getting a mirror and a flashlight to see if you are hanging up on anything? If you can open it at least an inch or so, it sounds like you've removed all of the screws. My recommendation would be to look in there as best you can and see what's going on. Good luck!

Kyle
 
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