# What's Wrong With My Monitor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041 "2003-01-16T19:45:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/1 "2003-01-16T19:45:09Z")
Here’s the deal: it’s a 19" Dell CRT, set to 1280 x 960, 32-bit True Color. Whenever I have a light-colored window or background up (as I do now) it makes a rather noticeable buzz/hum noise, rather like an aquarium pump. However, if I bring up a dark window (say, [Dark Horizons](http://www.darkhorizons.com/news.htm) or such), it goes silent. What is making my monitor buzz? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/2 "2003-01-16T19:50:36Z")
Try the manual Degausse button. [More info](http://support.ap.dell.com/docs/monitors/p990/controls.htm). ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/3 "2003-01-16T20:06:42Z")
No luck with the Degauss…or with changing the resolution or level of color…if I turn the contrast down to about 87 or so, it stops, but then my screen seems pretty dim. It’s an M991, btw. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/4 "2003-01-16T20:14:48Z")
Some of Sam G.'s notes on [monitor noises.](http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/monfaq.htm#monmuzzm) The easiest thing to check is the refresh rate change. I _strongly_ advise against doing anything that requires taking the cover off, even unplugged. A monitor is by far the most dangerous to service part of your PC. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/5 "2003-01-16T20:16:18Z")
Thinking some more about this, double check all your connections. Unplug and plug back in _everything_ relating to your monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/6 "2003-01-16T20:29:42Z")
Try moving speakers, the CPU and any other electronic devices away from the monitor. Sounds like you may have some magnetic interference going there. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/7 "2003-01-16T20:41:32Z")
Ah-ha! my speakers…stupid speakers…thanks for all the suggestions everyone, and thanks to **Cillasi** for guessing right… ahh, sweet silence… ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/8 "2003-01-16T21:14:17Z")
Yep, EMF at it again. It can also cause discolorations on the screen, kind of neat. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-monitor/149041/9 "2003-01-16T22:26:19Z")
I once had a user call the help desk, complaining that the image on her monitor was sort of “pulsating.” We went down to look. There, not ten inches from her monitor, was a little electric fan. Duh.