How frustrating

[L.A.T.]

My Benq FP91G+ monitor died as I watched. The screen went blank and that was
the end of it. Judicious percussive maintenance made no difference and
telling God all about it didn't help either. None of the smoke escaped, so I
am led to believe that such a failure is likely to be the power supply. The
frustrating bit is that there is someone, somewhere, who might be able to
replace something small and resurrect the thing, but he is not within
shouting distance. To the tip it goes, to join a thousand other bits of
shiny technology, many of them, no doubt, repairable by the right person.
Sigh.

[Doug Jewell]

Aye, but when a 19" monitor can be had for less than $200
(I've seen some deals for $99 after cashback), how much
would you be prepared to pay "the right person" to fix it?

I know it seems like a waste, but the fact of the matter is,
a technician trying to earn a living in Australia, can't
compete with a production line in China. Consequently, the
number of competent technicians has dramatically declined,
as they have found it harder and harder to make a living.
>
>

--
What is the difference between a duck?

[Clocky]

"Doug Jewell" <a...@and.maybe.ill.tell.you> wrote in message
news:FdSdnVzSfdmclPTW...@westnet.com.au...

I fix my own gear and yes, it's usually a simple repair once the fault has
been isolated but to do it for other people (except for love) is just not
economically viable anymore.

[me here]

Clocky wrote:

Take it out to the rifle range and teach it a lesson.

My 15 year old Hitachi CRT is till going strong.

So much for new technology.

[Sandgroper]

"L.A.T." <tt...@ispdr.net.au> wrote in message
news:Xv7an.5333$pv....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

Shine a torch onto the screen and if you see a dim version of your normal
desktop , then you have blown a backlight and it may be repairable and
cheaper to fix than buying a new monitor.

But then again , with the price of monitors these days , you may as well
throw it out and get a brand new monitor for about $220.

--

Sandgroper
----------------------------------------------
Save planet Earth !
It is the only place that has Pizza and Beer !

[Doug Jewell]

The other drama is parts. You'll spend an hour or two to
track the fault down to some proprietary IC or a wierd-arse
transistor that has super-dooper characteristics, and then
you just can't get a replacement. Even board level
replacements are difficult with a lot of gear. You find the
manufacturers will refuse to sell the spare parts except to
their repairer network, and the repairer will refuse to
supply the part unless he does the repair job. Before you
know it, what should be an easy repair is an economic write-off.

[L.A.T.]

"Doug Jewell" <a...@and.maybe.ill.tell.you> wrote in message

news:MfKdnfdVV_uZyPTW...@westnet.com.au...

I realise that it isn't economical to repair most things. That is the
subtext of my little rant and the reason it is headed "How Frustrating".
I have a stove/oven that has all its switches on a membrane panel. One of
the switches has failed and it would cost more than the thing is worth to
replace the panel.
The microwave LED display is too faint to read but not worth fixing. The
fridge door sags. And so on.
On the other hand, if I ever added up the buckets of money I have thrown at
my Moke (worth at best about $5000) I would never be able to defend myself.

[me here]

L.A.T. wrote:

And if you pranged the moke money bucket, it would be worth stuff all
on a comprehensive insurance policy and written off. Crying shame when
it's probably still a good little unit.

I hope you only have third party property on it?

[keithr]

Come on fixing a Moke is worth any amount. I even learned how to use a
sewing machine to make a new hood :)

[Rob]

Does making a new hood lining for the Cooper count as worth any amount?

Isn't there only one body panel thats curved on a moke?

[annily]

Getting back on topic, how old was the monitor which failed, and what is
the typical lifetime or MTBF of an LCD monitor?

--
Long-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia,
which may or may not influence my opinions.

[L.A.T.]

"snip>

> Getting back on topic, how old was the monitor which failed, and what is
> the typical lifetime or MTBF of an LCD monitor?
>
> --

The monitor was old enough that it didn't owe me anything.
As to their expected life, I have no idea.

[son of a bitch]

Odd, the "normal" fault with Benq/Dell are the screen comes on for a
fraction of a second and then goes off. And "Usually" happens after
2 - 3 years, not that saying I'm Benq/Dell are totally Predictable,
but nearly every Benq/Dell will get this problem it's just a matter of
time.

By the time you crack it open, root around try to find parts and
re-assemble....well it's not worth the hassle. Believe me.
Unless you have a whole warehouse of faulty ones for parts and pay a
Chinese bloke $2 day, it ain't worth it.