Display help, please!

  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 16:08:40 16 posts
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    Hi

    I'm at my in-laws and their Dell PC, hooked up to an LG screen keeps going blank for a couple of seconds and sometimes less. It's done this as I'm typing this but during the blank screen the characters are being registered.

    It's done this on two separate monitors and two different hdmi cables.

    So essentially, what could be the cause of this?

    Many thanks,

    Richard
  • THFourteen 10 Jun 2018 16:14:12 54,987 posts
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    Clearly your in-laws have it in for you

    Get the fuck out of there NOW
  • neems 10 Jun 2018 16:28:59 5,635 posts
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    Is it the only screen hooked up? If i have my 2nd screen (Sony tv) enabled but turned off while I'm using my main monitor it will go blank for a couple of seconds every now and then, although it's fine if running a full screen application.

    Deactivating either screen with Win+P sorts it out. I assume it's some kind of hdcp handshake thing. Or Windows being shit.
  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 16:37:01 16 posts
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    @neems

    I did check using the windows + p combo and the setting is correct for the single monitor hooked up.

    Searching the net, there seem to be so many possible reasons!
  • Deleted user 10 June 2018 16:42:12
    If it's an Nvida GPU go into the drivers settings/adjust desktop colour settings and then scroll down to content type reported to display. Then pick either desktop programs or Video and see if it stops.

    Mine does the same whenever it switches modes, which it often does because of an ad or embedded video,etc.
  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 16:50:57 16 posts
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    I should have mentioned it's not Nvidia but Intel.

    Cheers though.
  • Tomo 10 Jun 2018 16:51:03 19,565 posts
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    Any chance the PC has an additional display port? ie: DVI/VGA/etc? Could try one of those cables instead in case the HDMI port is dodgy.
  • Deleted user 10 June 2018 16:55:07
    MondoWray wrote:
    I should have mentioned it's not Nvidia but Intel.

    Cheers though.
    I've never used an Intel graphics chip but it could be worth looking if it has a similar option.

    If you have the latest driver for it installed try an older one. If you are on an old one try one that is newer.

    Edited by Spectral at 16:57:03 10-06-2018
  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 16:55:41 16 posts
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    I think they've only got HDMI cables but that's a good point about the actual hdmi port.
  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 16:57:07 16 posts
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    @Spectral

    Yeah, I did try to carry out what you suggested but the Intel settings don't seem to have that option.
  • BigOrkWaaagh 10 Jun 2018 17:06:04 10,554 posts
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    Drop the resolution/refresh rate and see if you still get it, I had a similar problem on my TV with cables that are fine at 1080p but don't work at 4k.

    Also try a different HDMI lead.

    Edited by BigOrkWaaagh at 17:08:48 10-06-2018
  • Fake_Blood 10 Jun 2018 17:06:54 11,093 posts
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    It's my professional opinion that it's fucked, and you will probably need to put in a new gpu, which can be found very cheaply if it's just a kitchen and garden pc that only needs to browse the net and stuff.
    Like srsly, if it's not the cable or the screen it has to be the intel gpu which is on the actual cpu chip these days, more likely just the hdmi port that has en intermittent fault, but I'm 99% sure it only has hdmi out.
    So unless they've been playing around with settings and display timings I think you need a cheap pci-express gpu, you only have to check if the case is normal or half width.
  • MondoWray 10 Jun 2018 17:11:42 16 posts
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    @Fake_Blood

    Cheers, this does seem likely.

    They haven't played with any settings and it appears the drivers are working correctly.
  • Deleted user 10 June 2018 17:16:05
    Have you tried not turning it off and on?
  • Dirtbox 10 Jun 2018 18:16:02 92,595 posts
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    Try a different cable type. VGA or DVI for example.
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