LCD display problems
Problems related to TFT monitors can be nightmarish. Following are the common TFT troubles and their solutions:
No display or white screen:
If your computer is newly installed or you have recently installed a new video card in your computer, you should ensure that the refresh rate is not set very high. In case of Windows, restart the computer, use the F8 key while it reboots and select safe mode to alter the refresh rate under display properties to 60Hz or set it at Default. Now restart the computer and the monitor should turn on. The Maximum mode on 15" TFT monitors is 1024x768 while the maximum mode on 17" and 19" TFT is 1280 x1024. You should also make sure that the green light with the external power adapter is on. Also check if all plugs are secure and the video cable is properly connected to the system.
Thick text:
TFT Liquid Crystal Display monitors perform best in their native modes and therefore the reproduction of text varies in thickness according to the mode in which the monitor is. For best text reproduction configure the monitor to run in the native mode.
Wavy lines on the screen:
Sometimes you may also encounter wavy lines on the monitor, which are commonly 1/4" thick and move in a vertical motion. You should go to display properties and alter your vertical refresh rate to 75Hz to fix the problem.
Faint or unseen text:
TFT Liquid Crystal Display monitors are meant to perform in a GUI environment such as Windows, Linux (X) and Macintosh. They are so bright that sometimes text in a DOS program goes very faint and is hardly visible. To make the text visible, you should reduce the contrast level and set it at a level at which the text is visible.
Dark screen in games:
TFT Liquid Crystal Display monitors provide stupendous picture clarity and reproduction in a native mode. However, outside the native mode graphics are displayed darker, fine lines and text becomes thicker. In case of 15" TFT panels, native mode is 1024 x 768 whereas in case of 19" TFT panels, native mode is 1280 x1024. If the monitor goes dark while playing games, it can be configured to run at 1024 x 768 and it should improve the clarity of graphics.
Small dot on screen:
TFT monitors are complex devices and therefore involve intricacies in manufacturing. Display suppliers guarantee the display to be 99.99% free from pixel defect, which works out to around 8 broken pixels in a 15" LCD display and which is considered “acceptable”. Defected pixels are stuck on, off, or as one particular color. It depends on their location and intensity that they are next to invisible or obvious. Monitor manufacturer do not consider it to be a defect as it is common to all TFT monitors.
Dark areas:
TFT LCD screens uses a single TFT backlight which is responsible for delivering full edge to edge brightness across the screen. Sometimes the screen may not be as bright in the center or edges as other areas. This occurs when the panel manufacture adopts certain design to cut down the cost and make TFT panel affordable for the retail environment. Therefore the prices of TFT monitors vary according to the added features and according to the number of backlight present in the panel.
