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View Full Version : Screen occasionally gets darker for a while.


Miku
05-01-2009, 09:18 AM
This problem has been bugging the hell out of me for the past few months. I've been playing WoW, and I'm not sure if it happened before I started playing, but I don't see how it can be related, because it happens regardless of whether or not WoW is running.

The problem is this:

Every 5-20 minutes or so, the screen will fade to about 2/3rds or 3/4s its original brightness. This permeates the desktop and any programs I might be running. After anywhere from a matter of seconds to several minutes later, it will brighten back to normal.

I am not using a laptop or anything. I have an Emachines desktop http://emachines.com/support/product_support.html?cat=Desktops&subcat=T%20Series&model=T6410 with built in ATI Radeon Xpress 200, connected to a Sony Trinitron Multiscan G200 crt monitor.

CPU: AMD Athlon™ 64 3200+ Processor (512KB L2 cache, 2.2GHz, 1600MHz FSB)
Operating System: Genuine (http://emachines.com/support/product_support.html?cat=Desktops&subcat=T%20Series&model=T6410#) Microsoft® Windows® XP Home SP2
Chipset: ATI RS480
Memory: 512MB DDR (400MHz)
Expandable to 2GB
Hard Drive: 160GB
Optical Drive: 16x DVD±RW multi-format double layer
Media Reader: 8-in-1 digital media manager
Secure Digital™ (SD), Smart Media, Compact Flash, Micro Drive, Memory Stick®, Memory Stick PRO, Multimedia Card, USB 2.0
Video: ATI Radeon™® Xpress 200 (PCI-Express® )
128MB DDR shared video memory
Sound: AC '97 audio, Dolby 5.1 (6-channel)
Network: 10/100Mbps Integrated Ethernet LAN
Modem: 56K ITU V.92-ready Fax/Modem
Peripherals: Standard multimedia keyboard, 2-Button wheel mouse, amplified stereo speakers
Ports/Other: 7 USB 2.0 (2 in front; 4 in back; 1 in Media Reader), 1 IEEE 1394 port (in back), 1 VGA external connector, 1 Parallel, 2 PS/2 (keyboard and mouse)
Dimensions: 14.125"H x 7.25"W x 16"D
Weight: 22.5 lbs (CPU only, no packaging)
Warranty: 1 year parts and labor

(copied from link)


I tried about 30 dozen different Google searches, and have not been able to find anything like my problem on the internet.

Anyone have any clue what's going on?

Gollgagh
05-01-2009, 12:16 PM
How old is your monitor?

It sounds like it's starting on its spiraling path to oblivion like all CRT's eventually do.

Miku
05-01-2009, 12:22 PM
No idea. Based on when this particular model came out, a maximum of 10 years.

I'll try to find a different monitor to test out, but as of this moment I don't have any lying around.

prophetik
05-01-2009, 02:32 PM
when the tubes in cathode ray tube monitors starts to crap out, it does this.

there's a possibility it's something else (like power fluctuations in the wall socket), but i'm fairly sure your monitor is just ready to poop out.