BS: Help my computer's gone dark

Subject: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 06:28 AM

Now, our Kate was fiddling around with shifting some stuff and suddenly the screen's gone a bit too dark. And we cannot for the life of us find anything that will lighten it. I've found a "control panel" and it offers all kinds of stuff about appearance, but none of the options are lighten/darken. Anybody got any bright ideas(ha ha)? I've rung around but nobody seems to be in. And I've got a rush job to finish and it's hurting my eyes peering at the screen.

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 06:37 AM

What type of computer?
Laptop?
Do you have a keyboard with a picture of a light bulb in an odd color and an 'Fn' key somewhere you'd have to hold down at the same time?
Desktop?
Do you have buttons on your monitor you can fiddle with?

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 06:58 AM

No it's not a laptop, it sits on my desk on a little stand.Afraid I don't much about this stuff. The screen says DGM on it, don't know what that means. No pictures of lightbulbs or Fn button that I can see on the keyboard. Only one button on monitor, seems to turn it on and off. If it's any help, Kate was leaning over the keyboard and picking up the monitor when it happened, so something presumably got pressed by accident

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 07:16 AM

It sounds like she might have touched one of the controls on the monitor itself - on mine they are tucked away out of sighteound the side, and I forget where they are - in fact I had to have a look just now to remind myself.

So have a look round the bottom and the side and see if there are any knobs or buttons or whatever. If so one of them woudl be for turning up and down the brightness, like on a TV.

If you can't find anything give the details of what make and model computer and monitor it is here and some helpful soul will probabaly be able to suggest something.

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 07:59 AM

Cracked it. Thanks McGrath. No buttons at all, but you kind of press up underneath and things happen.

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:03 AM

The "DGM" on the monitor may mean Digimate who are a TV and monitor maker selling, apparently, only in the UK and Australia.

There are other "possibles" but that seems the most likely of common icon/acronym/logo usages.

Better identification of the monitor would likely help, and on the monitor case there should be a manufacturer and model number that you could pop into Google. These bits of information are mandatory for products sold in the US, so they're likely there for UK/AUS products as well - likely on the back of the monitor itself or on the stand. Sometimes they'll be on the bottom of the "foot" that the monitor sits on.

If Google can find a maker's site, look for a "support" area at the site, and you should find what you need to know, except - - -

The only "helpful" information I found at Digimate was "see your manual for instructions." Unlike most, they do not appear to offer downloadable manuals/setup instructions for those who've misplaced theirs.

I looked at the UK site. Their separate AUS site might have something more helpful.

The Digimate site does indicate that most adjustments are "on screen" so their monitors apparently come with a program of some sort, probably in monitor BIOS(?); but they don't say anything about how to turn it on.

There likely are some switches, knobs, or other gizmos somewhere on the back or edges of the monitor, and if you can find them the technical method known as "twiddling with them" may offer some improvement. One of the buttons - assuming you can find them - likely will turn on the "on screen adjuster" but methods for using these programs are quite variable, so the advanced method of "poke, twiddle and tweak" probably will needed.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:47 AM

In case anyone else has this problem another time, I had a darkened screen for awhile that turned out to be a broken-off pin in the extension cable connector. Since my sister gave me a widescreen to "fix" that problem, I now have a nice big old wide monitor (which fits only in a deep corner), that I am not sure what to do with! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 05:11 AM

"but you kind of press up underneath and things happen."

Sort of instructions for life really....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 09:47 AM

I was thinking the same thing, Liz.

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:03 PM

"You kind of press up underneath and things happen..."

So much brilliance in so few words. I am going to have to make sure that Shane is told about that. It might help.

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Nov 07 - 01:24 AM

But in the interest full technical disclosure, is it necessary to find a particular (G)ood spot to press up upon?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Help my computer's gone dark
From: EBarnacle
Date: 23 Nov 07 - 06:07 PM

Now that your system is working again, go to the manufacturer's web site and look up your unit. There ought to be a downloadable manual available. It's nice to have the information available when you wish to do work or adjustments.