When I go into Display properties the monitor windows only ever displays "Not Connected". With the TV i do get the option, but nothing for the monitor.
As for Fn-F4, isn't that just to suspend the LCD screen?
OK, TV is now in color - I purchased a small S-VHS to RCA adaptor plug and then plugges a standard video RCA cable into this. Picture is perfect.
Monitor is still a no go. This definitely worked on a monitor in Canada a couple of months ago. As i said I have tried 2 different monitors back here in Australia. I'm wondering if the monitor frequency's are slightly different in Australia and maybe the radeon card isn't detecting it?
or
The VGA adaptor is somehow broken. I ran the Dell diagnostic CD and everything passed?
Any ideas would be welcome, but I think I'm screwed.
I've just started having the same problem with US monitors. It was working fine for a couple days. I move my desk across the room and now it won't work. Actually it will work.. if i jiggle the connection i get about 1 second worth of video on my external before it goes blank again. The monitor works fine on other computers so it's not the cable for it. I've been working with PCs for years and i know i wasn't rought with anything when i moved my desk across the room. The whole back end of my smartstep has been slowly falling apart. :( First i had a USB port go bad, now this.
I've given up getting an external monitor to work on my Smartstep. This is what I think has happened:
Somehow the VGA prot on the back of the machine has in someway become damaged. a bit of a shame as I have plugged an external monitor into it about 3 times. I did use this machine as a laptop, which means taking it to and from work for 5 days a week for 6 months.
I was hoping it was something to do with different monitor but I'm about 99% sure there isn't much difference between the monitors in the world, they're all coming out of the same factory.
The Dell diagnostics CD tells me the entire video system on the Laptop is working fine.
And, because I purchased in another country, even though I was living there at the time, it looks as though I get no type of warranty repair in Australia.
I think I now know why the Dells were so much cheaper than any other equivalent laptop.
I have a lovely , barely used Dell 19" Trinitron Monitor, that is quickly becoming a doorstop..........
So after talking to dell support over the phone they had me send my laptop in. got it back and they fixed it. Apparently they replaced the video card and the port. I'll let you know if it keeps working or goes bad on me again.
The laptop is now several months out of warranty. I got so annoyed with no external monitor that I downloaded the smartstep disassembly manual from dells website and started to pull apart the laptop to see if I could see the problem.
I could see the problem alright.
the external vga adaptor had lifted off the system board, shearing the solder connection.
at closer inspection i saw that the external vga port is just mounted on the plastic outer casing of the laptop. Every time you would plug in an external monitor this casing flexes putting stress on the solder joint until finally the solder gives and your vga port is severed from the motherboard. I tried resoldering it but it lasted about a month before the problem returned.
I believe this to be another design flaw. I am returning to Canada for a month but I'm pretty sure Dell won't replace the system board for free, even though I think they should. Anyone know how much in $CAN a smartstep system board is?
PS: I am a fan of dell but the smartstep is a lemon.
I responded to your similar comment about the broken VGA connection in my thread that you responded to. Anyway, I am curious to see if my VGA connection failure is due to a break in the solder joint. You mentioned that you downloaded a disassembly manual/directions from Dell's website. I have not been able to find that yet. Do you have the link handy? I would like to see if my connector has lifted from the motherboard and possibly do a little work to see if I can get the connection back. If I can, I can probably have a local computer house do a professional re-solder job on it to make it permanent.
I am surprised more people haven't had this same problem. Seems like most are having the power failure issue. I haven't had that...yet (knock on wood).
3dot14
13 Posts
0
July 13th, 2003 15:00
You have turned the Monitor on in the Display Properties?
and maybe try the Fn-F4 switch?
erinday
8 Posts
0
July 13th, 2003 19:00
When I go into Display properties the monitor windows only ever displays "Not Connected". With the TV i do get the option, but nothing for the monitor.
As for Fn-F4, isn't that just to suspend the LCD screen?
ikks
1 Message
0
July 14th, 2003 00:00
Make sure you plug to the monitor connector =)
erinday
8 Posts
0
July 14th, 2003 03:00
OK, TV is now in color - I purchased a small S-VHS to RCA adaptor plug and then plugges a standard video RCA cable into this. Picture is perfect.
Monitor is still a no go. This definitely worked on a monitor in Canada a couple of months ago. As i said I have tried 2 different monitors back here in Australia. I'm wondering if the monitor frequency's are slightly different in Australia and maybe the radeon card isn't detecting it?
or
The VGA adaptor is somehow broken. I ran the Dell diagnostic CD and everything passed?
Any ideas would be welcome, but I think I'm screwed.
3dot14
13 Posts
0
July 14th, 2003 22:00
Sorry, ikks was rights, I meant FnF3.
and sorry again, I am out of ideas, short of getting a Canadian monitor into Australia. :(
oluckboy
2 Posts
0
July 30th, 2003 03:00
erinday
8 Posts
0
August 5th, 2003 21:00
I've given up getting an external monitor to work on my Smartstep. This is what I think has happened:
Somehow the VGA prot on the back of the machine has in someway become damaged. a bit of a shame as I have plugged an external monitor into it about 3 times. I did use this machine as a laptop, which means taking it to and from work for 5 days a week for 6 months.
I was hoping it was something to do with different monitor but I'm about 99% sure there isn't much difference between the monitors in the world, they're all coming out of the same factory.
The Dell diagnostics CD tells me the entire video system on the Laptop is working fine.
And, because I purchased in another country, even though I was living there at the time, it looks as though I get no type of warranty repair in Australia.
I think I now know why the Dells were so much cheaper than any other equivalent laptop.
I have a lovely , barely used Dell 19" Trinitron Monitor, that is quickly becoming a doorstop..........
oluckboy
2 Posts
0
August 19th, 2003 02:00
erinday
8 Posts
0
January 24th, 2004 04:00
Update on my external monitor issues:
The laptop is now several months out of warranty. I got so annoyed with no external monitor that I downloaded the smartstep disassembly manual from dells website and started to pull apart the laptop to see if I could see the problem.
I could see the problem alright.
the external vga adaptor had lifted off the system board, shearing the solder connection.
at closer inspection i saw that the external vga port is just mounted on the plastic outer casing of the laptop. Every time you would plug in an external monitor this casing flexes putting stress on the solder joint until finally the solder gives and your vga port is severed from the motherboard. I tried resoldering it but it lasted about a month before the problem returned.
I believe this to be another design flaw. I am returning to Canada for a month but I'm pretty sure Dell won't replace the system board for free, even though I think they should. Anyone know how much in $CAN a smartstep system board is?
PS: I am a fan of dell but the smartstep is a lemon.
ngburnerman
8 Posts
0
January 25th, 2004 08:00
erinday
I responded to your similar comment about the broken VGA connection in my thread that you responded to. Anyway, I am curious to see if my VGA connection failure is due to a break in the solder joint. You mentioned that you downloaded a disassembly manual/directions from Dell's website. I have not been able to find that yet. Do you have the link handy? I would like to see if my connector has lifted from the motherboard and possibly do a little work to see if I can get the connection back. If I can, I can probably have a local computer house do a professional re-solder job on it to make it permanent.
I am surprised more people haven't had this same problem. Seems like most are having the power failure issue. I haven't had that...yet (knock on wood).
Thanks,
ngburnerman