Monitor says - "No Signal"

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Monitor says - "No Signal"

My G3 has been connected to a 21" Dell (really a Sony Trinitron CRT flat-screen) for over 6-1/2 years, and worked flawlessly. One day, on start-up, I get a blank screen with a terse message… "NO SIGNAL." (!!) Checked all the connectors, pulled & reseated the video card (an ATI Rage 128 of 16MB, rev. 1- #661-2190, with the extra MPEG-2, DVD decoder- #661-2109); after two days of non-sense, took it to the shop… where it worked flawlessly on THEIR service counter! The battery needed to be changed, and was. Took it home, and it was "s-o-s." "NO SIGNAL."

Out of desperation, I connected a spare 20" Apple Multi-scan CRT (also a Sony Trinitron), and everything worked… 1-2-3 and we were on the desktop. Over the next two weeks, the Apple Multi-scan never failed to work.

Thinking that I had a +monitor issue,+ I acquired a Sony 20" TFT flat-screen. Connecting it up, I got the same results… a blank screen with the terse message… "NO SIGNAL !!" Unsavory language followed. Sooooo, I acquired another video card. Inserted it and connected up the flat screen. Again… NO SIGNAL !! The G3 was on the counter four times and worked like there never had been a problem. Even when I took the G3 in with the Sony TFT flat-screen. They said to hold down the Command-Option-P & R keys on start-up. This will bring the flat-screen up, but on start-up later, itz back to business as usual. IF my video card were the problem, the flat-screen would NOT work at all; once up & running, I've made changes to all the monitor settings- to my satisfaction. I've run it for three hours. Re-setting the P-RAM has not changed the blank screen & NO SIGNAL problem.

So, for now, itz the G3, Multi-scan and me. The flat-screen sits. Appearantly, there seems to be BOTH a hardware and software problem. But I'm leaning more towards the software. However, my brainbox DOES know what monitor is connected to it, viz the DISPLAYS pane.

WHAT say you– Grand Wizards?

G3/450MHz, Mac OS X (10.3.x), 2 hard drives, I GB Memory & a 320GB external Western Digital

Posted on Jul 16, 2010 3:44 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 16, 2010 10:21 PM in response to amacguytoo

Hi, amacguytoo -

Does the flat-screen monitor happen to have dual-input capability? Many do, often with a selector switch/button labelled A/B or perhaps 1/2. If yours has that capability, might it have been mis-set?

It's rare, but sometimes if two cables are running alongside each other for a distance there can be some interference.

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Answer 2

Jeff

Level 6

12,058 points

Jul 17, 2010 8:49 AM in response to amacguytoo

What graphics card are you using now?

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Answer 3

amacguytoo Author

Level 1

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Jul 20, 2010 7:56 PM in response to Don Archibald

Hi! and THX for your reply . The Sony TFT LED flat-screen has 2 RGB analog inputs (J15 & J16) and 1 DVI-D (J17); the flat-screen knows which input is connected to the G3. In the downloaded Sony TFT LED Computer Display manual, on page 15 - under the "INPUT SENSING ON/OFF menu," the monitor automatically detects an input signal to an input terminal and changes the input automatically. While there are no specific "switches," there is the menu. Apparently, I can turn off the *automatic sensing* and manually set the input. I haven't " tried"that just yet. When I rise to the chore of moving things all around again, I'll try manually setting the input. However, I doubt that this will have any effect on things.

Not to throw more dust into the air and further confuse matters, I am begining to suspect my original OS X 10.3 install disk; the one I acquired was for/from a 12" PowerBook G4… @ the time, brilliant me said… "So itz for a 12" PowerBook, so what? Itz Panther, right??" After the original install, there followed 2 updates,the last one being 10.3.9; up until recently, there have been absolutely no glitches on start-up. ALWAYS full-screen… until about a week ago. NOW, the last half dozen start-ups, have been with the reduced screen (the gray "bite-of-the-Apple) for the 12" PowerBook (!!). In any event, I am acquiring a "regular" version of the Panther install disk.

I find it strange that what triggered this whole mess (apparently) was failure of the PRAM battery. Or perhaps, that was just coincidental? REGARDS.

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Answer 4

amacguytoo Author

Level 1

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Jul 21, 2010 4:10 PM in response to Jeff

Hello, and THX for your response Jeff;

My grafix card remains to be the original ATI Rage 128– 16MB, revision 1, #661-2150, with the added MPEG-2 DVD Decoder, card/model #661-2109. The replacement card I obtained was basically the same as my original, but without the DVD Decoder card; there was also an additional difference between the two boards. On my card, the chip below the Decoder has a heavy black heatsink. I could not just transfer (plug-in) the Decoder to the replacement card.

Another question becomes… is there an alternative to my ATI Rage 128?

Another concern is the version of Panther I installed originally, to begin with; see my response back to Don Archibald.

I have been told that the original card won't support the Sony TFT LED flat-screen. However, IF I use the bothersome PRAM keystrokes, and the flat-screen comes up, it'll run all day long. So the video card apparently WILL support the Sony TFT LED flat-screen. Again, my suspicions are that it is a software problem. REGARDS

Message was edited by: amacguytoo

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Answer 5

Jul 21, 2010 5:34 PM in response to amacguytoo

If your settings got clobbered, maybe the display resolution is set to something out of range of the display..

Booting to an Installer CD or Safe Mode tends to put everything in "lowest common denominator" mode, with simple, easy settings that any monitor can use. That may give you the assurance that everything could work. Then its just a matter of getting the display settings back to normal.

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Answer 6

amacguytoo Author

Level 1

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Jul 21, 2010 6:38 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

HI! and THX for joining this discussion, Grant.

When the Sony TFT LED flat screen runs, in the "displays" pane, all the display resolutions are displayed; there are many higher and lower. The setting I've selected is well within range, for the Sony.

However, I am getting the proper Panther installer disk. IF, after all this fails, then I'm out of options. For the time being, the 20" Apple Multi-scan (CRT) works well enough. It gives me an eye into soul of my G3. IF I do find a solution, I will be sure to post it.

BTW, my first name is Richard, to you all.

REGARDS

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