This is mildly annoying, but...

[ScottyK]

...when I power up my GameKing, the monitor, while powered, does not display.  It's easily remedied by opening the door, sliding the monitor out a bit, then reseating it, and then the screen comes to life.


This usually occurs a little more than 50% of the time.  I know the screen is getting power initially because there is that soft "glow" when the start up takes place, and also, when I open the door, the green LED is lit.


Not a big deal, certainly, and it's very simple to get it going, but still, it's mildly annoying.


Any thoughts on what this might be?

[jay]

Sounds like a dirty connector.


Next time remove the monitor. Its a socket, take a white eraser and give each of the pins a good rub.
An emery board might also work....

[ScottyK]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.  With the age of the thing, and the condition it was in when I got it, I wouldn't be surprised that was the case.

[Tilt]

I had one that would intermittently lose a color and you could pull it out, re-seat it, and it would be fine.  I bought some contact cleaner and sprayed both sets of pins sliding the monitor in and out a couple of times while they were still wet.  Hasn't done that again.

[ScottyK]

I bought some contact cleaner and sprayed both sets of pins sliding the monitor in and out a couple of times while they were still wet.

Actually, just before you posted this, I remembered that I had a can of contact cleaner that I used to use on old amplifiers.  I gave the pins a good scrape, as jay suggested, and then for good measure, I sprayed the pins and sockets on the connectors.  Now it came on right away, but the real test will be after I shut it down tonight and I fire it up tomorrow.  However, what you are saying here gives me confidence that the cleaner will help.


We'll see.  I let ya know tomorrow...

[ScottyK]

Well, I fired it up this morning, and.... it did the same thing as before; no screen.


So, I figured I'd spray it up again, but instead I would do it with the method that you have suggested, Tilt, of sliding it in and out a couple of times while it was still wet.


We'll try again tomorrow and see.

[rickhunter]

Is this a CRT or an LCD?  If it is an LCD, you could have a cap issue in the AD board or power supply.

[ScottyK]

It is indeed an LCD, so I guess the cap issue or power supply could come into play here.


I'll see how it goes tomorrow when I start 'er up.  I don't mind the cap, if that's what it is.  I'm kinda getting bored around here, and that would give me something to do!


On a good note, I did manage to pull this today:

[rickhunter]

Damn, I've NEVER had a royal flush! 

[ScottyK]

Well, I started it up today, and the screen kicked right in this time, and while giving it the ol' in-and-out yesterday may have helped, I'm still not entirely convinced this has been fully rectified (as I had said initially, I had about a 50% chance that it would work before).


I'll keep trying for a couple of days and see how it goes to get a more accurate measure.


Thanks to all with your suggestions. 

[Tilt]

Keep your fingers crossed.  With my disappearing color just spraying the contacts and putting the monitor didn't resolve the problem for very long.  I guess sliding it in and out a few times helped scrape some of the oxidation off of the contacts and it's worked fine since. 

[Stayouttadabunker]

Get a can of "De-Oxit","CRC Contact Cleaner" or something like these - solves all de-oxidation problems.

[Tilt]

I like living dangerously so I use this stuff.  Works good.

[jay]

So glad there is context in this thread...... that comment could really take this discussion in a different direction 

[rickhunter]

Gotta love the stuff with the huge jolly roger label on them. I always get a kick out that for some reason.

[ScottyK]

Gotta love the stuff with the huge jolly roger label on them. I always get a kick out that for some reason.

That and the huge EXTREME DANGER! lettering; instills a great deal of confidence!


Well, today makes it 2-for-2; she started right up again this morning!  I think the next step is to see if I can get a couple of more consecutive days of this, and then I can declare this as solved.


Thanks for the recommendations; you guys have been a great help!