From: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com (Dances With Bikers)
Subject: Re: Not! (was Re: Display enhancer output + NEC 5FG == tilted video... help?)
Reply-To: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 15:27:35 GMT

barrett@snoopy.cs.umass.edu (Daniel Barrett) writes:

>	Never mind!  I just called NEC tech support and was told that
>"5 millimeters or less" is an "acceptable" amount of tilt according to
>their internal standards.  To me, it looks plain silly, but the tech
>support guy said that "any" monitor displays "some" tilt when you use
>full overscan, and that NEC's standards are "more strict than most other
>manufacturers'."

In general, monitor specs are rather loose, but the vast majority of any
given monitor is MUCH better than its specs. I've seen hundreds, if not
thousands, of monitors from a number of different vendors, and most were
nearly perfect. A small percentage had visible flaws that were within
spec, so we had to keep the monitor even though the flaws were sometimes
annoying. And an even smaller percentage had flaws that were out of
spec, and those were returned for repair/replacement. It is theoretically
possible to have a completely disgusting looking monitor that meets all
it's specs. But I've rarely seen one that was on the edge of the spec in
more than one area. (Things like purity, convergence, linearity, phospor
flaws, etc., etc.)

You see a wide range of prices for monitors, and other than price
gouging, that's accounted for by both the "raw" materials (if you can
call a CRT "raw materials" :-), and how tight the specs are. Obviously a
monitor with a .48 dot pitch is going to be a lot cheaper than a monitor
with a .28 dot pitch. But what if you've got two monitors with similar
specs, why does one cost more? Perhaps Brand X is paying for a tighter
spec than Brand Y. The Matshushita (parent company of Panasonic, etc.)
19" CRT is used by a number of display vendors. You can get it with a
tighter spec but you WILL pay more. Since the consumer market is very
price sensitive, expect to have parts with looser specs, and just plain
cheap parts in some displays. (Look at almost every monitor sold under
the CBM name, and compare their specs with a Sony or NEC or such.)

Since there is quite a bit of variation in monitors, it's best to look
at them before you buy. It's best if you can see the ones you're
interested in side-by-side. When you find one you like, buy THAT one.
Don't assume that the one in the box in the back looks just like the one
you've seen. Having said that, I must confess that I bought my Sony
CPD-1302 mail-order. :-) But having seen a number of Sonys, I figured it
was a fairly safe gamble.

Then again, if you can't see the difference between an A1080 or A1950
and a Sony, don't worry about it, just buy whatever is cheapest. But
working with monitors has spoiled me for the nicer stuff.

>	So I got the answer, but it isn't the answer I wanted to hear.
>There's really no way to fix the tilt.  Sigh.

There is one possibility, and I've used it a few times. Loosen the
hardware that secures the CRT to the chassis, and rotate the entire CRT
assembly. You may have enough play in the mounting hardware to
compensate for the twist.

If you are caught or killed by high voltage, the secretary will disavow
all knowledge of this posting.
-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland        580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com  uunet!javelin.sim.es.com!blgardne  BIX: blaine_g
Dumper of Dirtbikes #46       My other motorcycle is a Quadracer.      FJ1200