One more thing. With the component input as the main video, bringing up the PC in the DVI as a PIP exacerbates the problem on the component video immediately and noticeably. I don't see how that could have anything to do with anything but the monitor.

I see two possible reasons:

1. it is a temperature problem as is occures after a time and disappears if you swich off for a time

2. the descaler chip which is responsibe for the video inputs and upscaling to native resolution runs at the limit of it's computing power. Doing PIP need more CPU power which worsens the effect.

It could be also a combination of this.

I think you only can return it and see if the next monitor solves this. If not Dell has to take it back.

I read another peep who had the same issue and also thinks it is heat related. Without a doubt, every test I did showed this problem only after the monitor was on for a bit, and turning it off in a well A/C'd room for a period of time lessened the effect, though it would come right back once the monitor warmed up again.

I did call and am having a replacement sent. The basic Dell phone support really has no good knowledge of this monitor (or seemingly monitors in general) other than the script they read off the screen. The two people I spoke with really had no ability to comprehend the technical aspect of my issue. Both went through and insisted on asking if I tried plugging the monitor into a Dell PC even though the problem persisted if ONLY the component inputs were in use and attached. (I have had zero problems with the DVI input signal). Trying to explain the differences in the inputs was a waste.

The first guy spoke at length with his supervisor and then insisted I DEGAUSS the monitor (which, to my knowledge, is only something you can do to a CRT). I challenged him to show me in the online manual any menu screen showing a Degauss option. After 10 minutes, he gave up. He agreed to send me a new one, but he needed the serial # of the existing, which I did not have since I was at work at the time. He said ALL I needed to do would be call back with my case # and serial # and the new one would be shipped. After waiting on hold 2x longer then the first call even took to go from start to finish, I got a 2nd Dell person. The second woman really didn't understand much about the different inputs on the monitor. She stumbled through running me up and down the same gamut of questions the first guy went through, even though I said she was wasting time for both of us. She clearly didn't know much at all about the monitor and had a lot of trouble understanding what I was talking about. Anyway, I do suppose that they get a LOT of questions from people who are equally unknowledgeable who do stupid things like fail to plug in the monitor's power or turn it on, etc. I wasn't too surprised by the level of support, but I had hoped they at least knew of the monitor I was talking about and/or knew about the different inputs on it.

i'm not surprised with the amount of heat those suc-kers generate. you'd think they'd have a better design. i have 2x 2405 (got them about 2-3 days apart) and didn't realize they would create so much heat.

All monitors and LCD TVs of these sizes consume about 100 watts or more. That's a lot of heat. Can you recognize any differences if you reduce the brightness of the the monitor?

Message Edited by drew-and-not-u on 06-27-2005 12:19 PM

i will try reducing the brightness b/w max and min and see if i notice a difference.

I also have this problem, just noticed it today and havent done much testing but I don't think its heat related - the image is fine even when I've been running on DVI for a while and switch to component, but then slowly degrades. I guess it could be heat related but it would have to be specifically related to the analog to digital converter chip.

My theory at the moment is improper grounding on the signals on one or both ends, but thats only because i've seen similiar effects on improperly grounded video cables on my home theater.

Anyway its late so I'll test it more tomorrow.

I am using DVI and S-Video and measured the consumed power.

Using DVI at brightness 0 the monitor consumes about 50 watts.

Using S-Video I need to set brightness to about 50 to have decent colors. The monitor consumes about 80 watts. It definitly gets much hotter in this mode.

Please note: the issue I had with my monitor WAS fully resolved in the replacement monitor. I have changed NOTHING else about my setup. Others have reported the same issue fully resolved by a 2nd monitor.

I too ORIGINALLY thought it may be a grounding issue of some kind but if it was, it was nothing I could control. Given that I've had the replacement for some time now and have yet to see the problem reoccur, my suggestion to ANYONE with the same issue is to get it replaced as soon as you can. Do note that they will likely ship you a 'refurbished' monitor. My new one was marked as such. Since the monitor is so new, the replacement 'refurb' was actually from a later manufacturing date. The only 'issue' I ever have with it is the (-) key can be finicky, but I'd sooner live with that (which I hardly use in day to day operation) than a messed up picture.