Laptop monitor is blurry

17 years ago

I searched the forum before posting but I could not find anything, so I am posting in the hopes that you all can help me "think" on this problem.

I have a HP Pavilion ze4900 notebook computer. I have Windows XP Home, fully updated. My machine has 2 GB of RAM. It is virus and spyware free (thanks to Avira and Spybot). It is in excellent condition. I use Firefox 3 (fully updated) and the only extension I use for it is AdBlock.

A couple of months ago, I began experiencing monitor problems. My monitor is blurry at times, making it almost impossible to read what is on it. At other times it is crystal clear. This blurriness will come and go during the course of use.

I updated my Intel drivers. I also rolled back the drivers to the original one. No difference- still the same problem.

There are no red lines across the monitor, and other than the intermittent blurriness, there are no problems at all with the monitor. It never fails to come on, etc. Nothing at all to indicate the monitor itself is playing out (none of the "usual" symptoms as I understand them). I have Googled this problem, and I have come up with nothing that sounds like what I am experiencing. I did see some suggestions that it could be caused by interference. I do know that it isn't caused by overheating as it does it whether it is on my Belkin laptop cooling pad or not.

I connect to the internet wirelessly. We have satellite internet and I am on our home network. We have a Vonage wireless router.

I appreciate any help or suggestions.

Susan

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Comments (11)

genes
17 years ago
Is it possibly a resolution adjustment. When you say monitor, do you mean the laptop LCD screen, or have you hooked it up to an external monitor
sriston
Original Author
17 years ago
I mean the laptop LCD screen. Sorry about the confusing lingo.
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Since HDMI uses digital RGB or YUV signals over three separate conductors to carry the video information, a break in one of those conductors within the HDMI cable can cause problems like you describe. First thing is to try another HDMI cable. If the problem is still there, do you have another laptop, or another HDMI source, to try on your display using the original cable? Do you have another display with HDMI input that your can connect your laptop to, again using the original cable? The picture settings menus usually only affect the individual input that you have set them to. I'd say chances are the cable since it sounds like it gets a little more flexing from connecting/disconnecting to your laptop.
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bpgreen
17 years ago
Do you have a monitor you can hook it up to? If it works well with a monitor, the laptop display may be going. If the monitor gets blurry, it's more likely a problem with the onboard video.
sriston
Original Author
17 years ago
I don't have another monitor to hook it up to.
daylilydayzed
17 years ago
It may be the graphics on board getting ready to fail.
sriston
Original Author
17 years ago
So I guess I should invest in a new graphics card for it?

Susan
fredferrell
17 years ago
I would recommend that you make sure the connection from the board to the screen is securely fastened. This is between the pivoting points and requires that you take the top around your keyboard off. You should be able to get the directions from HP.

Also, since this is a notebook, you most likely can't replace the graphics card since it is built into the main board. Usually the only things you can change out are the processor, memory, and wireless NIC. Get a backup of all your files incase your computer fails and you can't see what you are doing.
sriston
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you. I will check to make sure the connection from the board to the secure is securely fastened as you suggested. Hopefully that is the problem. Thankfully, my display has been clear as a bell for the past two days, but as I said sometimes it is blurry and sometimes it isn't. It just takes it in spells that last anywhere from 2-30 minutes.
sriston
Original Author
17 years ago
Posting this as a follow up just for informational purposes. The problem seemed to be that for some reason there are two video adapters and two monitors (both identical) that show up in the device manager. Why? I have no idea. If I uninstall the "extra" set, they just re-appear. If I simply disable them, they stay disabled and I do not experience the blurry display. I spent months trying to track down the problem as I just had a gut feeling that the problem was not with the LCD display itself- I upgraded drivers, downgraded drivers, etc. I am not sure what made me notice the two entries in the Device Manager, but I think I have solved my problem.
genes
17 years ago
Thanks for the feedback
patmanes25_yahoo_com
15 years ago
May be you can check the flex cable or the light inverter.
When you are experiencing a total black on your screen, that's something with the LCD.

Laptop monitor is blurry

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genes

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Laptop monitor is blurry

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genes

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