Revision as of 12:24, 9 January 2007

This HowTo describes how to burn-in monitors for long-term use.

THE SHORT VERSION aka QUICK CHECK LIST

After the monitor is powered up, go into the Menu Settings & select in this order:

the Recall or Reset function (it may be a separate button or it may not exist)
Color Temperature to 9300K
Degauss
Adjust Color and Brightness to a maximum of 85
- if the Color or Brightness need to be higher than 85 to meet "Keeper" standards, then RECYCLE IT

  If the picture is looking good (can you see the 3 black/gray bars in the middle?) then let the monitor burn-in for AT LEAST AN HOUR (longer is better)

  If the picture is not looking good, RECYCLE IT

THE LONG

(1) Double check for initial quality

Recycle if...

Monitor is ugly (i.e. dirty, covered in stickers, dingy, yellowed, etc.)
Plastic case is cracked or damaged
Year on back is 1998 or before
The base is missing, leaving a round unstable bottom
Monitor is 17" or less AND is manufactured before 2000

 Note:
 For recycled monitors, if it has a detachable cable then remove it (otherwise, leave the cable attached)

(2) Testing

Put monitor on testing shelf
Plug in a power cord to the back of the monitor
Plug the monitor's signal cable into one of the nearby signal sockets
Power up the monitor
In the Menu setting, select in this order:
- the Recall or Reset function (it may be a separate button or it may not exist)
- Color Temperature to 9300K
- Degauss
- Adjust Color and Brightness to a maximum of 85

 Note:
 If the Brightness or Contrast must be set above 85, then recycle it

(3) When to Recycle a Monitor

After adjusting the Menu Settings listed above, look for the following:

Picture clicks or jerks around
You cannot clearly differentiate between the 3 black/gray stripes in the middle
Picture is darker than the reference monitor even when brightness/contrast turned up to 85
Picture is black or doesn't show the Linux desktop
Picture is blurry and text is difficult to read (wipe dirt off screen with cloth to be sure)
Color is uneven across the screen
You are unable to center the picture properly with the controls
The picture is warped and not fixable with the controls
You smell BURNING or hear SQUEALING

 Note: If any of the monitors fail while setting them up (see criteria above) recycle them & replace them with potentially good monitors until there are 8 on the shelf worth testing.  Make sure to safely stack the monitors in the Recycle Gaylord.

(4) Burning in the Potential Keepers

 Note: Monitors must "burn in" for AT LEAST AN HOUR (although longer is better)!!!!!!!!!

If you are not going to stick around for the whole burn in process, record the time you set up each Monitor on the clipboard so the next person knows how long they've been running.

What to do with KEEPERS: After 1 hour, if the monitor picture is still good, bright and not jerking around, and you do NOT smell BURNING or hear SQUEALING:
- Put an orange sticker on the front of the monitor (NOT on the screen).
- Put the monitor on the shelf and continue with another.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This HowTo describes how to burn-in monitors for long-term use.
-===Inspect monitor and recycle if:===
+=THE SHORT VERSION aka QUICK CHECK LIST=
+After the monitor is powered up, go into the Menu Settings & select in this order:
+# the Recall or Reset function (it may be a separate button or it may not exist)
+# Color Temperature to 9300K
+# Degauss
+# Adjust Color and Brightness to a maximum of 85
+#*if the Color or Brightness need to be higher than 85 to meet "Keeper" standards, then RECYCLE IT
+   If the picture is looking good (can you see the 3 black/gray bars in the middle?) then let the monitor burn-in for AT LEAST AN HOUR (longer is better)
+   If the picture is not looking good, RECYCLE IT
+=THE LONG=
+==(1) Double check for initial quality==
+Recycle if...
+* Monitor is ugly (i.e. dirty, covered in stickers, dingy, yellowed, etc.)
 * Plastic case is cracked or damaged
 * Year on back is 1998 or before
@@ Line 10: / Line 28: @@
    For recycled monitors, if it has a detachable cable then remove it (otherwise, leave the cable attached)
-===TO TEST===
+==(2) Testing==
 # Put monitor on testing shelf
@@ Line 16: / Line 34: @@
 # Plug the monitor's signal cable into one of the nearby signal sockets
 # Power up the monitor
-# In the Menu setting
+# In the Menu setting, select in this order:
-#* select Reset (this feature may not exist)
+#* the Recall or Reset function (it may be a separate button or it may not exist)
-#* select Degauss
+#* Color Temperature to 9300K
-#* make sure the color temperature is at 9300K
+#* Degauss
-#* adjust the Brightness & Contrast to 80
+#* Adjust Color and Brightness to a maximum of 85
    Note:
-   If the Brightness or Contrast must be set above 80, then recycle it
+   If the Brightness or Contrast must be set above 85, then recycle it
-===Mark the monitor recycle if:===
+==(3) When to Recycle a Monitor==
+After adjusting the Menu Settings listed above, look for the following:
 * Picture clicks or jerks around
 * You cannot clearly differentiate between the 3 black/gray stripes in the middle
-* Picture is darker than the reference monitor even when brightness/contrast turned up to 80
+* Picture is darker than the reference monitor even when brightness/contrast turned up to 85
-* Picture is black or doesn't show the Linux desktop(check power and brightness/contrast)
+* Picture is black or doesn't show the Linux desktop
 * Picture is blurry and text is difficult to read (wipe dirt off screen with cloth to be sure)
 * Color is uneven across the screen
@@ Line 37: / Line 56: @@
 * You smell BURNING or hear SQUEALING
-===Burning in:===
+  Note: If any of the monitors fail while setting them up (see criteria above) recycle them & replace them with potentially good monitors until there are 8 on the shelf worth testing.  Make sure to safely stack the monitors in the Recycle Gaylord.
+==(4) Burning in the Potential Keepers==
+  Note: Monitors must "burn in" for AT LEAST AN HOUR (although longer is better)!!!!!!!!!
+* If you are not going to stick around for the whole burn in process, record the time you set up each Monitor on the clipboard so the next person knows how long they've been running.
-* Record the date on the Burn-In sheet.
-* Write the current time as shown in the lower right corner of the Reference Monitor in the Burn-In sheet's TIME STARTED column along with the Gizmo IDs of all the monitors you will be birning in.
-* During this time, you can plug in and check up to 8 monitors at once. It is a good idea to test all 8 at one time, or it gets confusing.
-* Leave the monitors running on the shelf at least an hour (longer is better).
-* If any of the monitors fail while setting them up (see criteria above) process them as recyclers and replace them with potentially good monitors until there are 8 on the shelf worth testing.
-* When finished, write the current time as shown in the lower right corner of the Reference Monitor in the Burn-In sheet's TIME ENDED column. Write your name in the column on the far right of the Burn-In sheet.
 * What to do with KEEPERS: After 1 hour, if the monitor picture is still good, bright and not jerking around, and you do NOT smell BURNING or hear SQUEALING:
 **Put an orange sticker on the front of the monitor (NOT on the screen).
 **Put the monitor on the shelf and continue with another.
-* What to do with RECYCLERS: Put it in the Recycle Gaylord, making sure to stack it safely
 [[Category:Howto]]
 [[Category:Hardware Testing]]
 [[Category:Monitors]]

Difference between revisions of "Monitor Burn-in HOWTO"