Expression 2x Monitors

Zrakki, I'm pretty sure that I've had rentals delivered with LCD monitors, but it's not a recent memory. Does the monitor MENU have a branch that leads to "AUTO-ADJUST"? That usually works. Most monitors are backward-compatible.

AFICR, the most common fault is overscan, with the first or last column (for example) of characters cut off, not "all distorted". And I've found that AUTO-ADJUST usually fixes that.  Are you confident that you have good video cables and that none of the male pins at any connector are bent or broken?

Another stab in the dark would be to try reducing vertical size and horizontal size until there are 1" margins, and evaluate the level of distortion.

Sorry not to be more specific.

I've tried the auto-adjust on these monitors, but to no avail.

I apologize for not being clearer with my description of my problem. The image is there on the monitors but all of the text and everything has like a shadow right near it, and with all of these one both monitors it makes everything intolerable to work with, sure its legible but its strenuous. 

Also, these monitors work perfectly fine when put on the other side of a 50' cable that is attached to a VGA splitter (which I always keep plugged in) and they seem to work fine.

I don't know what causes this problem, but I have the same thing (shadows) on an Acer monitor attached to my EOS RPU, It's never really bothered me since I only look at the monitor when I turn the RPU on or off.

Zrakki said:

Also, these monitors work perfectly fine when put on the other side of a 50' cable that is attached to a VGA splitter (which I always keep plugged in) and they seem to work fine.

Wait, you're saying the monitor works fine when connected to the console with a 50' cable, or when connected to another device with a 50' cable?  I'm a little curious why you even thought to try that.... although I guess I could see it as sort of a simplified RVI.

At any rate, if the 50' cable fixes it, then it's possible the video output of the console is higher than what the Acer monitor knows how to handle.  The added cable then attenuates the signal enough that the Acer monitor is no longer overwhelmed by it.  Your options are to just keep using the long cable, to try another monitor, or to send the console in to see if it can be adjusted.  As someone who used to repair those consoles, I've never encountered this problem before.  I'm not sure whether it's really the console or the monitor that's at fault . 

Expression consoles are very frequently used with LCD monitors, so it's definitely not a CRT vs LCD issue, just something specific to this combination of console and LCD.

The splitter is in the expression console and we use both the monitors similtaneously sometimes.

When I get a chance I'll post a picture of the screen with the problem occuring.

MPenisten said:

Your options are to just keep using the long cable, to try another monitor, or to send the console in to see if it can be adjusted.  As someone who used to repair those consoles, I've never encountered this problem before.

How long would repairs like this take/ would it be costly?

The standard turnaround time is two weeks from the time we receive it.  I'm not sure what the cost would be, since this is kind of an odd problem.

I'm curious about the different possible combinations here.  I'm assuuming you've got the splitter plugged directly into the console, one monitor local, and one at the other end of the 50' cable. 

• Is the splitter passive or active? (Active would require a power supply.)
• Do both monitors work when everything is connected, or just the far one?
• Does the far one still work when the close one is disconnected?
• Does the close one still work when the far one is disconnected?
• Do either work when both are plugged directly into the splitter with no additional cable?
• How about when only one is plugged into the splitter?

The standard turnaround time is two weeks from the time we receive it.  I'm not sure what the cost would be, since this is kind of an odd problem.

I'm curious about the different possible combinations here.  I'm assuuming you've got the splitter plugged directly into the console, one monitor local, and one at the other end of the 50' cable. 

• Is the splitter passive or active? (Active would require a power supply.)
• Do both monitors work when everything is connected, or just the far one?
• Does the far one still work when the close one is disconnected?
• Does the close one still work when the far one is disconnected?
• Do either work when both are plugged directly into the splitter with no additional cable?
• How about when only one is plugged into the splitter?

So today I had some down time and i plugged in the monitors and everything worked fine, i even switched them, cables etc and i couldn't recreate the problem.

So now i'm really confused/relived that they work.

thanks for all your help, though