# About moniter cords

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 27, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983 "2002-04-27T17:54:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![High\_Deity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9a140/32.png) [@High\_Deity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/High_Deity)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983/1 "2002-04-27T17:54:50Z")

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Something I’ve always wondered about moniter cords… What is that piece of whatever inside VGA moniter cords, usually near 1 end, that makes the cord twice as thick for a short stretch? What is it there for?

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983/2 "2002-04-27T18:34:38Z")

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Many cables have those, not only monitor cables. They are ferrite filters to keep noise at bay.

Welcome to the board.

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983/3 "2002-04-27T21:16:24Z")

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  - 
    - Most monitor cables have them, but other stuff may too. The power cord on ma Zip250 gots one. It is normally a transformer-arrangement to filter out high-frequency noise, as sailor says.

- Or maybe someone is after you: [www.keyghost.com](http://www.keyghost.com)

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**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2002, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-moniter-cords/105983/4 "2002-04-28T08:13:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by High Deity \*  
> \*\*Something I’ve always wondered about moniter cords… What is that piece of whatever inside VGA moniter cords, usually near 1 end, that makes the cord twice as thick for a short stretch? What is it there for? \*\*

And the lump is on the end near the computer. It keeps the high-frequency trash from running down the cable and spewing out into space.

I suspect that the purpose is more for FCC class-15 approval than to keep noise out of your VGA image.

PS

If your monitor doesn’t have one of these already, you can buy the snap-on version at Radio Shack. It might let you listen to weak radio stations when your computer is on.