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dark monitor
Posted: Apr-18-2011 9:51 PM
Join Date:Apr-18-2011
Post: 3

One of my arcade machines has a dark monitor. Is this something a cap kit could fix? I've attached a picture. I may upgrade to an LCD for it. My kid loves this stupid thing and the monitor looks terrible.


Click on the image to zoom in
Posted: Apr-29-2011 4:36 PM
Join Date:Jul-9-2012
Post: 140

If that is a 19" I would try a cap kit just to see what would happen, there easy to put in.


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Posted: May-2-2011 12:42 PM
Join Date:May-2-2011
Post: 2

Could also be that your flyback is starting to go. Easy and cheap to replace.

Posted: May-10-2011 7:32 AM
Join Date:Apr-18-2011
Post: 3

Any idea if it's more likely to be a cap kit or a fly back? I'm curious where I should start.

I measured it, and it is a 19" monitor.

Posted: May-10-2011 12:10 PM
Join Date:May-10-2011
Post: 24

Usualy a dark picture is due to aging of the crt itselfe. Is the focus good. If so set the screen control up on the back of the flyback. just a scoch it is sensitive. that will briten the picture. Do you see retrace lines now. if so bump screen down a little. what coloe predominates on a gray background. set the bias son the neck board to creat a grey back ground. Caps ususly exibit themselves as a distorted virtivle picture virtical nois bars on the left side of the screen or as in the case of the toshiba that the flyback was needlesly changed a humbar rolling horizontaly across the screen

Posted: May-11-2011 7:03 AM
Join Date:Apr-18-2011
Post: 3

I adjusted the settings and I could not get it any brighter. I'd say the monitor has a dark blue-ish tinge to it. You're probably right. The CRT is probably dying.

Posted: May-11-2011 10:51 AM
Join Date:May-10-2011
Post: 24

Crt are primarily a machanicle chore to change. Obtaining one is ususly haard. I am surprised to see that this site advertises tubes for a reasonable price.

They are literaly bombs to handle. Wear safety googles when ever handling the tube. DO NOT GRAB THE THING BY THE NECK or use it to handle the tube.

Set up is a skill but is not technicaly difficult. The more time you have to fiddle with it the less skill it takes. I will post detailed instructions on how to do it if you do decide to exchane the CRT.

At any rate you will have to dispose of the old tube when it is removed from the cabinet. Do not leave it around without doing this.

Get a long handeled stright screwdriver and a couple of feet of wire . Attach the wire to the screwdriver blade and to the metal frame around the crt. if the crt is not in the frame press the wir agienst the black paint on the outside of the tube (the dag coating) place the screwdiver blade on the button the button on the bell thst conects to the post accelarator anode.

carfully remove the plASTic cap on the nech where the pins come out
that will reveal a short glass stem that was used to evacuate the tube origenaly. crush this with a pair of pliers. you will here a sucking noise as air rushes into the tube. it is now a large lead glass jar.

Posted: May-18-2012 3:46 PM
Join Date:May-18-2012
Post: 3

You could try a few things.

first see about finding someone with a rejuvanator and check your crt. this item can sometimes fix problems in a crt. sometime it is a short lived repair but I have also seen it work for many years to come.

second, Try replacing your capacitors most video issues come from not have a cap in the right range. a leaky cap can cause a lot of problems.

third. the flyback transformer (the big block with one wire going into the crt at the top with a suction cup) when these go bad you can lose focus. A flyback isnt very expensive but please note when you need to replace you are dealing with very high voltage. the crt is like a big charged battery it holds massive voltage and the flyback is what feeds the high voltage to the crt. this high voltage can kill you. please be very careful. get a HV probe to connect to the ground of the chasis. using the probe with the ground connected to the chasis push the probe under the suction cup on crt (with the power off. and unplugged) when you hit the metal under the suction cup it will pop this is how you discharge the crtand remove the cup from the crt. Please be very careful !

Posted: Sep-19-2012 10:13 PM
Join Date:Jul-9-2012
Post: 140

This is awesome information everybody! Thanks for helping out johnnyg5646


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