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Noisy LCD Monitors (high-pitched backlight whining)

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:15 am
by StanF
I recently purchased (and returned!) a Westinghouse 24" monitor. It had a terrible high pitched whine when the backlight was turned down. It shipped at 100%, and started whining at about 98%.

So I bought a Dell 22" monitor...guess what...yes, it whines too! An older Dell 22" does not whine. Is it just bad luck for me or is this a common problem?

My computer is pretty darn quiet (thanks to a lot of reading on this site!), so a noisy monitor is unacceptable!

Thanks,

Stan

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:26 am
by Matzon
I have a similar problem with my 22" samsung 226bw. I have now received a replacement - that makes even more noise.
Is this a hit or miss thing?
Is it possible to encase the back (and use a fan to remove the hot air) ?

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:54 am
by jhhoffma
What usually makes the noise is the power inverter for the backlight. If it's excessively loud, it usually means it's failing. But I've had 3 Dell LCDs (will have my fourth next week) and never had any problems with them, even the entry level one.

Westinghouse was always a cheap K-Mart brand to me, like Sanyo. I would never buy anything that wasn't disposable from them.

LG, JVC, and Samsung FTW!!

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:41 am
by sitalchauhan
I have also got a Samsung SM-226BW and my brightness is at 75%. My monitor does not emit any whining noise at all, I even just put my ear right up against it and there was no noise. I guess its just luck if you get a noisy inverter or not.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:51 am
by Das_Saunamies
My Viewsonic VP171s has no whine when on but the inverter does whine when it's off, even on standby. Bloody annoying when I notice it.

It's always had the whine, and this unit is four years old! I think it's not a new thing, just a feature of some models.

For reference: monitor is a pro-series 17" one that cost 550€ when new.

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:44 pm
by simmy2
I have the same problem with a Hanns G 19" HC194D. It has developed a whine which gets progressively louder the lower the OSD brightness is. At brightness 50% it can't be heard.

I then had to tweak my video settings to compensate, but its not quite the same :/

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:19 pm
by Longbow
i have the problem with my samsung 931bw (made in maylasia)

bright lvl currently set at 50%. i might try 100% if OP is suggesting lower bright lvl causing the whine noise.

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:44 pm
by SoopahMan
That means it's broken. Send it back for a replacement.

I had a TV that didn't whine for a year and a half. I moved it without padding it well enough and it got smashed about. Then it whined.

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 6:00 pm
by Longbow
Longbow wrote:i have the problem with my samsung 931bw (made in maylasia)

bright lvl currently set at 50%. i might try 100% if OP is suggesting lower bright lvl causing the whine noise.
OK just tested it

my monitor WILL produce the humming noise if bright level turned below 85%

this is rather surprising for me because i thought higher brightness would cause the noise.

for now i'll settle for 85% although it might be a bit too biright for me i get rid of the annoying sound.

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:39 pm
by elec999
My Dell 22 makes that high pitch whinning when its off. When its on, no noise.
Thanks

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:55 pm
by Das_Saunamies
Without knowing much about the electrical devices involved, I'd be inclined to say that the higher brightness puts more power through the device and makes the vibrations producing the noise too high for the human ear to hear. Once you drop the power signal, the whine returns to hearable levels.

My TFT shipped with brightness at 90% and haven't moved it since.

Samsung Syncmaster 245BW

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:54 pm
by ivan2006
When I was looking for the Samsung Syncmaster 245BW on the internet I found out that it makes those sounds too. It is 24 inch with HD resolution and costs below 500 euro so I think it will gain much interest.

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:29 am
by samuelmorris
My Dell 3007WFP makes that noise at a reasonable volume (i'd guess above 25dB), but only at maximum brightness, down it just one level and the noise pretty much disappears.
it also makes a different noise when you change resolutions (a hissing noise, kind of like a gas leak!) and when you turn it off, it has a high pitch whine, quite a pure tone, but high pitched. it steadily drops in frequency, the longer the monitor has been on. Turn the mains power off and the noise rises until it suddenly disappears at what must be, I dunno, maybe 4Khz.

buzzing on 931BW

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:27 pm
by yaler
Don't know why I haven't brought this up yet. I thought I had...

I bought the 931BW before Mike reviewed it, but I still think he dropped the ball. Generally I consider the reviews here to be the most technically objective and solid on the whole Internet.

While I still have a PSU (going to be replaced within the next few months) that is probably technically louder, the whine from my monitor is 10x more annoying. Keeping brightness above 80 is a shitty way of fixing it too. Blindingly bright. Wahhhhh :roll:

Anyway, just wanted to express my desire for more manufacturers to produce quality silent pannels. I don't get how little coverage it seems to get here. More SPCR monitors reviews too! Besides Apple I don't think I have much choice for a large, silent monitor with a decent panel. Hope to spend between 400-600 in the next 1-2 years for a 24" at least.

Re: buzzing on 931BW

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:54 am
by jhhoffma
yaler wrote:I don't get how little coverage it seems to get here. More SPCR monitors reviews too!
I'm sure it's for many reasons:

Cost - these are generally high-ticket items, so unless the manufacturers send Mike and the crew samples, there's nothing to test.

Consistency/Repeatability - Many manufacturers will source components from multiple vendors and assemble elsewhere, which makes it impossible to really say Brand 'A' Model 'B' is the best as a batch made this month may be different from a batch made next month. This is especially true with the noisiest components in LCDs, the inverter.

Volume of work - there's only so much time in the day and there are a lot of products to test!!

Level of audibility - In general, LCD monitors are way down on the list of noisy components in a system, particularly if one is upgrading from a CRT.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:42 am
by sw
Does anyone on here know of a silent LCD monitor (i.e. one that doesn't buzz when its brightness is reduced)? I started a thread in another section of this forum, but no one could give me a satisfactory answer. I have bought several new monitors to try and find one, but they all buzz except an old Dell one which is no use because it can't be dimmed dark enough.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:51 am
by lm
I own the HP LP3065 30" LCD, and it makes a buzz all the time except with 100% brightness.

Also it seems to TICK when it's in power saving mode, every couple of seconds, and nowhere near quietly.

What's nice is that the power light only stays on for a couple seconds after screen init, so there's no annoying LED bothering you when you try to watch a movie in a darkened room.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:31 pm
by jhhoffma
lm wrote:I own the HP LP3065 30" LCD, and it makes a buzz all the time except with 100% brightness.

Also it seems to TICK when it's in power saving mode, every couple of seconds, and nowhere near quietly.

What's nice is that the power light only stays on for a couple seconds after screen init, so there's no annoying LED bothering you when you try to watch a movie in a darkened room.
Is the tick, the sound of the LED blinking?

My Dell SP2208WFP is pretty damn quiet. I only hear a slight buzz from with my ear directly on the back side 3" of the monitor. Brightness/Contrast is at 40/60.