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Sony Trinitron 17" CRT G200 problems

robbo007

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
287
Location
Iberian Peninsula
Hi all,
I've got a Sony Trinity G200 CRT monitor and when its connected via VGA cable to my IBM AT and the power button is pressed on it turns on automatically. When I try and connect this to my PII clone PC via the same cable there is no way to turn it on. Even by pressing the power button on the monitor. Seems if there is no VGA single the monitor does not turn on. Any ideas?

Here is the original thread for more info: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=66248&p=747559#p747559

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Rob
 
Our both computers on? Yes, some monitors will only come on if they see a signal from the computer. If it works on one computer, but not another, I would think the problem is likely to be with the computer that isn't working. If it has a removable adapter, try swapping it for another.
 
Removable adapter? Do you mean the graphics card? The computer that does not come on has a AGP Matrox G400. The one that works is an IBM 5151 with a Oak technologies graphics card.
 
Try removing and re-installing the AGP adapter. If it isn't fully seated in the slot it will cause it not to work. If I remember AGP correctly, there is a locking mechanism at the back of the slot that can be a little difficult to get the adapter to seat into.
 
I've tried the computer that does not start the CRT monitor with another TFT monitor and it works fine. I've tried re-seating the AGP graphics card and still no go with the CRT monitor. ITs so strange. The Sony monitor works fine but for some reason only the IBM 5151 can start it. LOL. Could it be a power thing? Are there any devices to jump start monitors like this? Has anyone got a Sony G200 to see if this is normal behaviour?
 
It could be that either the card isn't putting out sufficient power on whatever pin is used to detect the signal or the monitor is touchy about the voltages. Another possibility is that the AGP card is putting out a signal outside the range the monitor is able to sync to. You might try changing video resolution and refresh while hooked up to the monitor that works and then changing back to the Sony. Try something very mild like 640 X 480 at 60 Hz.
 
Monitor is not in power save mode. I can have the second PC connected to INPUT 2 and then turn off the IBM 5151 (connected to input 1) then the monitor turns off. INPUT 1 is hardwired to the monitor and the cable can't be changed. I've even tried another computer a Dell. Same symptoms. I've tried different resolutions DOS and then Windows 98. I must be related to power somehow as you have mentioned. Because the green light on the power button does not come on with the second PC. Only with the IBM 5151.
 
This does sound like a rather odd problem.

Does this sony monitor have an on screen menu, and if it does, does it have any settings related to sync?

It would be good to sanity test with another CRT or computer.

Although, it might me a more basic problem. Check the pins on the VGA plug and the connector on the VGA card. Make sure they are clean and making good contact. Perhaps try with a VGA extension cable.

I seem to recall a VGA monitor doing something like that once, where it would work on one machine but not another. It turned out the pins on the plug were a hair shorter than typcial and not making contact.
 
The plot thickens.... I just did the following:
Plugged the IBM 5160 to the input 2. I turned on the IBM 5160 and the monitor works. I then disconnect the VGA cable from the IBM 5160 and the monitor responds how it should do. No signal on the screen and the power button turns on and off the monitor (nothing connected) with the power button in amber then switched on waiting for a signal.

I then connect the PII clone to input 1 and turn it on and it works. I then turn off the PII clone and the monitor then turns off. Reacting like before, there is no way to turn it on again unless I connect the IBM 5160. Something is screwed with the monitor for sure. But its just strange the IBM has the power to turn it on :) Oh well.. Time to find another CRT.
 
Have you scoped the monitor ID and SDA pins?

I don't have an oscilloscope unfortunately. I have been in touch with a local repair guy who deals with CRTs and mentioned he does not touch Sony Monitors because the "software" on board always fails and is a real bitch to get fixed. This could be a software problem?
 
Well, if the video works when hot swapped, at least that rules out a connection problem. If the image looks clear and solid, that probably rules out any power or noise issues.

The most likely thing is the auto-sensing used for plug and play.

When you start up the PII machine with another monitor, what resolution is it using during the BIOS boot? I have a couple of cards that try to get fancy and start up at some obscenely high resolution emulating text mode, rather than proper "720×400", during BIOS/boot and my CRT does not always like that. The problem with automatically querying the monitor for the highest possible resolution is that they can't always actually do what they claim. Still, it should do something different once the Windows GUI loads.

Have you tried a different AGP video card?
 
The PII resolution is standard. And when Windows 98 kicks in its set to 1024x768 and that does not force it to turn on either. I think the problem comes from the power maybe? Do VGA cables have power running through them? As soon as I flip the switch on my 5170 (Sorry, in posts above mentioned 5160) the monitor turns on. Like as if it was jolting power through the VGA cable to wake it up or flip it on. And to test this If I have both computers switched on and then I turn iff the IBM 5170 the screen turns off.
 
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