SOLVED: Stoopid Dell monitor

[vishnu]

No need for anyone to reply to this, it is just a rant!

So the cathode ray tube on my (admittedly fairly ancient) Sun X7136A has been getting pretty blurry so I decided to try using one of my innumerable 13W3 -> VGA converters to hook my Octane up to my Dell U2412M (which is the monitor I use daily with my main Linux workstation). So, I hook that up, flip the power to my Octane on and hey, the bootup screen looks perfect! No SOG fail green tint, and now (obviously over optimistically) I'm thinking this might actually work! But as soon as it gets to the login screen it starts blinking, pitch dark for about two seconds then the login screen shows up for maybe a tenth of a second, then dark again for two seconds, on and on. Okay, so much for that, I'll switch back to the DVI input (by which my Linux box is connected to the same monitor), telnet into the octane and shut it down via 'shutdown -y -p'. But when I push the menu button on the monitor nothing happens; whatever the V12 is doing to confuse the monitor has obliterated it's ability to put it's system menu on the screen.

And disclaimer-wise, before I tried this (miserable failure of an experiment) I made sure my Octane was set to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz, which is the way I run it from my Linux box. So the only question on my lips now is what 24-inch flat screen do I need to buy that will cooperate with a V12 equipped SGI...

[Raion-Fox]

Well, AOC and ASUS in my experience work almost everytime with SOG systems

[vishnu]

And that's with a 13W3 to VGA converter? I'll have to check that out. I was kind of hoping the buy an HP LP2465, we've got a bunch of those at work but of course I have no idea if it will work with a V12. When it comes to hardware I'm kind of a bonehead. Dammit Jim I'm a doctor not a computer scientist!

[Raion-Fox]

Yep! I could even give the model of the ASUS I've used before.

[vishnu]

Cool, thanks! Somewhere in the wiki there's a hardware aggregator of flat screens that work with SOG, which is to say, flat screens that work with SOG without the green tint issue. But IIRC the list is a bit out of date and I (at least last time I looked) didn't see any that could do 1920x1200. Probably I should look again...

[jwhat]

Hi ranters & ravers

Quick google on res & SOG

https://www.viewsonic.com/au/products/a ... 2435wm.php

Had to go to google due particular resolution.

Or avoid SOG get DCD


Cheers

jwhat.

[vishnu]

As it happens I've got a DCD in my Octane, never been able to get it working though: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=16727126

[jwhat]

Hi Vishnu,

Octane/V12/DCD/DM2/VBOB/DM5 know this setup well, as I did lot of investigation on it X years ago.

Will read full thread ....

I got my setup going in increments, now doing similar thing but with O350/DM3 but same VBOB/DM5.

Sorry for slight tangent, but thread link covered multiple things

Cheers from Oz,

jwhat.

[JacquesT]

Well, a Dell 2407wfp should work at 1920x1200@60. Several users have them and it works well on my SSI at 1600x1200 (SSI won't do 1920x1200). It's SOG as well with a boatload of inputs. They are good PVA panels, I bought a second hand one for £50, like new.

Have you tried compiling a VFO file for your Dell using the panels EDID information? I'd try that first before looking for another display. You should be able to restore the default X resolution by login in via single user ('type 'single' at maintenance command prompt) and run 'setmon -x 1280x1024_72' or 'setmon -x 1280x1024_60' if you're not sure your monitor will sync at 72Hz and then reboot.

[Jack Luminous]

FWIW, I recently bought a cheap 32'' ips monitor : https://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00229400.html

It's sold in the US too on amazon : https://www.amazon.com/RAEAN-Tech-REX-32-QHD-2560x1440/dp/B075GGJGKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515682856&sr=8-1&keywords=RAEAN+tech+REX+QHD

It's a QHD resolution, 2560x1440, and has display port, hdmi and VGA inputs. It works perfectly with my V12 Octane at 1920x1080 with a 13W3 to VGA adapter. Image quality is very good for the price.

[vishnu]

I've never been able to successfully compile a custom vfo file, not even with the aid of recondas' very fine tutorial.

But if I do decide to get a new monitor I'll just run down to the corner Best Buy and pick one up, this being Minnesota you can't go more than a few blocks without stumbling across yet another Best Buy...

[GRudolf94]

While you're at it, open the Sun CRT and see if you can find a "Focus" trimpot. It's usually on the side of the flyback transformer (which usually has a red cable coming out of it into the tube)

Standard CRT disclaimer: a mishandled CRT *WILL KILL YOU*
Don't poke any bits with your fingers or uninsulated tools while monitor is on, be mindful those things store a charge even when off, yadda yadda yadda. Adjusting the focus should be easy to do, though.

[vishnu]

While you're at it, open the Sun CRT and see if you can find a "Focus" trimpot. It's usually on the side of the flyback transformer (which usually has a red cable coming out of it into the tube)

Standard CRT disclaimer: a mishandled CRT *WILL KILL YOU*
Don't poke any bits with your fingers or uninsulated tools while monitor is on, be mindful those things store a charge even when off, yadda yadda yadda. Adjusting the focus should be easy to do, though.

Actually I was trying to crack into the back of it to do just that, but the f-in thing's like a five room puzzle, the only way to "solve" it is to break it...

[GRudolf94]

...but the f-in thing's like a five room puzzle, the only way to "solve" it is to break it...

Today I gained another tidbit of interesting trivia: what a five-room puzzle is. Man, I love the internet

Went after a service manual for that monitor, and I've only found diagrams with no disassembly instructions. Whack at it with a screwdriver until it gives way, I guess? No, don't do that, I did that just 3h ago to fix mom's freezer before the food defrosted because the bezel had no obvious catches and I mangled the corners of it quite a bit.

[vishnu]

I suppose it doesn't really matter if I break it since it's getting too blurry to be useful anymore. Other than the blur the thing is mint though. Plus I excel at breaking home appliances, my dishwasher's thermal fuse blew, and not having a replacement I jumpered around it with an alligator clip, it worked fine for a couple of years and then foof!