So, how does this work? Do I need to buy a chassis? Any old chassis, or are they tube specific? Is the neckboard a separate entity, or is it part of the chassis?
Clearly, I know roughly nothing and could use a primer
Idiot's Guide to Monitors?
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johnwroachiii
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 1:40 am
- Location: Canton, GA, USA
Idiot's Guide to Monitors?
Hey guys, I'm about to inherit a whole bunch of cabs, but the some of the monitors aren't working. I'm told, however, that the tubes are probably good.
So, how does this work? Do I need to buy a chassis? Any old chassis, or are they tube specific? Is the neckboard a separate entity, or is it part of the chassis?
Clearly, I know roughly nothing and could use a primer
So, how does this work? Do I need to buy a chassis? Any old chassis, or are they tube specific? Is the neckboard a separate entity, or is it part of the chassis?
Clearly, I know roughly nothing and could use a primer
Re: Idiot's Guide to Monitors?
If you don't understand monitor electronics then I'd think twice about trying to do any work on them. Aside from the risk of damaging the tubes monitors contain lethal voltages.
Your local TV repair guy might be able to fix them anyway. Often it's just a blown capacitor or something similarly easy to fix.
If not then you need to do some research to find out what you need. Tubes and controller PCBs are not generic and usually have quite specific requirements.
Your local TV repair guy might be able to fix them anyway. Often it's just a blown capacitor or something similarly easy to fix.
If not then you need to do some research to find out what you need. Tubes and controller PCBs are not generic and usually have quite specific requirements.
Re: Idiot's Guide to Monitors?
The tubes probably are ok (hideous burn in aside), the fault is usually the chassis. Sadly there is no way to confirm they work without fixing or replacing the chassis.
Neckboards - these come with the chassis, they are part of the chassis despite being a separate board.
Tube pinouts - there are 4 or 5 "standards", different neck pin numbers (8/9/10/11) , layouts, keys etc etc.
You need the right chassis for the specific tube, not only do you need the right chassis you need it set up to work with that tube. People selling "universal" chassis are not actually only selling one type. They just advertise that way to avoid scaring people with lots of if/then/therefores in the advert. You buy a chassis from them, they match one to your tube and you usually have to take some reistance measurements from the deflection coils so they can adjust the tweaks on the new chassis to work correctly with your tube.
Also there seems to be a cut off with tube size, anything over a 24" requires a much gruntier chassis to drive it, therefore more $$ to buy.
Bear in mind that there are tens of thousands of volts on a chassis when its running, more than enough to kill you, and people do die mucking around with these things, when its off some charge does remain. The tube is actually a giant capacitor so will retain enough charge to give you a very nasty belt even when its turned off.
Neckboards - these come with the chassis, they are part of the chassis despite being a separate board.
Tube pinouts - there are 4 or 5 "standards", different neck pin numbers (8/9/10/11) , layouts, keys etc etc.
You need the right chassis for the specific tube, not only do you need the right chassis you need it set up to work with that tube. People selling "universal" chassis are not actually only selling one type. They just advertise that way to avoid scaring people with lots of if/then/therefores in the advert. You buy a chassis from them, they match one to your tube and you usually have to take some reistance measurements from the deflection coils so they can adjust the tweaks on the new chassis to work correctly with your tube.
Also there seems to be a cut off with tube size, anything over a 24" requires a much gruntier chassis to drive it, therefore more $$ to buy.
Bear in mind that there are tens of thousands of volts on a chassis when its running, more than enough to kill you, and people do die mucking around with these things, when its off some charge does remain. The tube is actually a giant capacitor so will retain enough charge to give you a very nasty belt even when its turned off.
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johnwroachiii
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 1:40 am
- Location: Canton, GA, USA
Re: Idiot's Guide to Monitors?
Thanks for your help, guys.
I grew up in the arcade where all this is coming from. I've de-zapped (as we called it), denecked, and imploded a lot of monitors over the years, which I now regret. If only I'd learned to fix one.
I grew up in the arcade where all this is coming from. I've de-zapped (as we called it), denecked, and imploded a lot of monitors over the years, which I now regret. If only I'd learned to fix one.