Do Monitors wear out??

[Mlope]

So we have these nice big 20" NEC monitors at work that we use for CAD drafting. They were $2000.00 monitors in 1995 & have been working hard evey day since.
Now nobody is complaining, but I can't help but notice that the new flat screen jobs look just great!! A fellow told me that the Phosphorus gets thin or worn or some such on the old monitors & they loose their edge.
Is this so or have monitors improved in the last few years??


!!

[OuTpaTienT]

I think a little of both is true. Monitors (and everything else) have improved over the years, no doubt about that.

And I can't confirm if phosphorus wears thin or not but the monitor's components do age and show it. You can lose sharpness (focus), brightness, color/tint can be off, etc.

[DanU]

Yup, phosphors do eventually burn out, but normally it takes a few years. If you had screensavers and monitor power saving modes on, I doubt the phosphors in your monitors are bad.

Most likely the focus or brightness is off. This is a natrual consequence of aging. Take the monitors to a technician and he or she and readjust the focus, brightness, convergence, etc...

[Rat]

just as dan said, the monitors are due for a tune-up. monitors are like t.v.'s, they do get dull after 10-15 years. a monitor will likely die from a board problem before it dies from a tube problem or phosphor wear-out. turning the unit on and off every day and spikes from your electric company takes it's toll. the flyback, transformers and solder joints take a beating.

rat...

[camaro]

My friends monitor is really hazy and unclear now. Does this mean it's dead?