# dark computer screen

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-computer-screen/245461>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-computer-screen/245461 "2004-05-16T19:25:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-computer-screen/245461/1 "2004-05-16T19:25:40Z")

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my computer video seems to run dark. as in my monitor is adjust to the highest brightness and its only just about right, i cant play alot of games due to the fact that i cant see the backgrounds and such. i’ve swapped monitors and installed the latest drivers for my ati rage 128 video card. is it possible the card is dying a slow painful death or is there some means of fixing this through software/firmware?

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**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-computer-screen/245461/2 "2004-05-17T14:14:52Z")

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I’ve got a similar problem, but I attributed it to my monitor fading out. You said you switched monitors and the problem persists? I’d be interested to hear what your system is (motherboard, graphics card, and power supply).

As for solving the problem, I use [AGC](http://www.iomagic.org/fsc/agc.htm) (Advanced Gamma Corrector) to tweak my display outside the parameters WinXP allows. You have to run it at startup, and it helps to have some calibration pages bookmarked (although the program has some calibration stills, too). It uses very little memory and hasn’t caused any conflicts that I’ve been able to see.

Hope this helps!

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**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-computer-screen/245461/3 "2004-05-18T04:47:35Z")

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Thank you, **Jurph** , for that link! My monitor _is_ going and I’ve been watching for replies to the OP. Thanks to that program I can now see my digital pics as they should be without opening a photo editor.