Ghosting in LCD monitor with extension cable.

[Ausatco]

Mrs AA surprised me yesterday with a beaut new home office suite - desk, return, bookshelves, desklamp. Very spiffo.

As part of the reorganisation, my CPU and LCD monitor are now well separated and I had to install a 2 metre (6ft) monitor extension cable.

P4, XP Home SP1, fully updated, nvidia GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X card, Hyundai ImageQuest Q17 analogue LCD monitor.

All ok, except that now there is slight ghosting on my monitor and a slight interference pattern consisting of diagonal ripples on the right half of the screen, mostly noticeable on dark colours. I CAN live with this, but it has detracted from the previously pristine performance of the monitor, particularly the ghosting.

The extn cable is routed in a duct with one mains power cable, a couple of output leads (low voltage rectified) from plug packs and the audio cable for my Logitech speakers.

I tried the obvious - taking the monitor cable out of the duct and routing it clear of likely sources of interference. Absolutely no difference, and the patterns didn't move as I moved the cable about, so I think the problem lies with reflection or whatever WITHIN the cable extension.

Are there various breeds of monitor extension cables? Should I look for a particular type with chokes, filters, shields etc?

Re-arranging the equipment to eliminate the monitor extension is not an option at this stage.

Cheers

AA

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Ausatco,

The problem could also be power related. Did you change from one wall socket to another due to this move? If you have a UPS Battery Backup, try plugging in there.

Take Care,

Richard

[Ausatco]

Richard,

Same wall outlet as before - there is only one in the room. Everything runs off an industrial strength power conditioner (it came from my telco's local exchange - I knew the senior tech there and he overordered... ) It's just a conditioner, not a UPS, and plugs into that sole wall outlet.

The conditioner is about half the size of a shoebox and has two switched outlets on it, from which I run a number of multi-outlet powerboards and I plug all my gear into those.

I tried different outlets for the monitor (ie the two on the conditioner, and also a double adapter onto the wall outlet), but no joy.

I have reduced my monitor freq setting from 72Hz to 60Hz and there's been a small improvement.

I bought this, which is causing the problem. (Type X2603 into the search field. It doesn't seem to stick when calling the page from outside the DSE website.) I don't know how the cable is constructed - there's no technical blurb available, but it wasn't expensive, so I assume it's basic.

Should I have bought something like this - more sophisticated with triple coax and twisted pair with ferrite core, etc. I'd have to source an equivalent here, and I only need 2 metres, but do you think that's the technology I need?

This is my monitor and you can link to the specs. Would Mr Bix's SVGA extension cable suit my SXGA monitor?

Thanks in advance,

AA

(Edited to add the search stuff for the first link.)

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Ausatco,

It sounds like you need to try a different monitor extension cable. From everything you said, you have everything setup correctly, it is just the cable that is not up to the job.

Take Care,

Richard

[Ausatco]

Yep, just went and bought a high quality local version of Bix's cable "on approval" - a 5 metre full-length replacement, so no in-line joins, and for the same price as Dick Smith's (link in my last post) short "cheapie". Can take it back if it doesn't do the job.

As I write this it is evident that I don't need to take it back. The picture is perfect.

Mr Smith will get his back, though

Cheers from dunnunda

AA

[PPRuNe Towers]

Ausatco, very glad to see that you're sorted out.

This note is to compliment you on the clarity with which you presented the problem - a model to all using the forum

Cabling and the quality of it is becoming more and more important as we hurl increasing amounts, both analog and digital, of data around our homes.

Regards
Rob

[Ausatco]

Good heavens, Towers, Thank you. A lucid moment, apparently. Must save them for work

Thanks are due to the regular respondents in this forum who provide the answers or show the way to them. They make this place on the 'net what it is.

Cheers all

AA

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Ausatco,

I am glad to hear you are all set and viewing your monitor in the same crystal clarity in which you posted your problem in this thread.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. Rob, right on!