Flickering screen on a A1200
Jonny Fransson
My A1200 starts flickering at 2-5 seconds interval sometimes and a crash
is to be expected soon thereafter. Is this a known problem and if so how
can I fix it?
Jonny
Adam J
You Wrote About "Flickering screen on a A1200". on Thursday 22-Mar-01 at 07:57:25
below is what i saw on aminet
try this on aminet flickfix.lha hard/hack
Short: A1200 Screen flicker fix V1.0
Author: Ingulf Hetland
Uploader: ihaa...@netpower.no (Ingvald Haaland)
Type: hard/hack
The first A1200 released by Commodore Amiga had a screen flicker
bug, when the CPU loaded the screen started flicking, this fix
will remove the bug.
cya
--
Adam James
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{adam....@eidosnet.co.uk}
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ToasterKing
<Yam2NN.AmigaOS...@host213-122-52-53.btinternet.com>, Adam
J <Adam....@NOSPAMeidosnet.co.uk> wrote:
>Hello Jonny
>
>You Wrote About "Flickering screen on a A1200". on Thursday 22-Mar-01 at
>07:57:25
>
>> Hi
>>
>> My A1200 starts flickering at 2-5 seconds interval sometimes and a
>> crash is to be expected soon thereafter. Is this a known problem
>> and if so how can I fix it?
>
>below is what i saw on aminet
>
>try this on aminet flickfix.lha hard/hack
>
>Short: A1200 Screen flicker fix V1.0
>Author: Ingulf Hetland
>Uploader: ihaa...@netpower.no (Ingvald Haaland)
>Type: hard/hack
>
>The first A1200 released by Commodore Amiga had a screen flicker
>bug, when the CPU loaded the screen started flicking, this fix
>will remove the bug.
>
>cya
I suppose this could also be a problem with the power supply? Over
time the electrolytic capacitors in power supply units can dry up,
causing either a decrease in output voltage, or a jagged, spikey output
voltage, or both. This will be most noticeable when the most current
is being pulled from the supply, but can also be temperature-affected.
It can cause problems like the one you describe above (flickering and
crashing), and those are usually the most noticeable effects.
Start by unplugging cards, drives, anything consuming a lot of power,
from your system, but leave any hardware you need to reproduce the
problem (like enough hardware to run the program(s) in which you
usually experience the problem). Use the computer for 20-30 minutes or
so. If it doesn't happen again, the problem is probably your power
supply.
If it turns out to be the power supply, usually all you will have to
replace will be the main filter capacitor, and possibly the B+ filter
capacitor on the line with the rectified voltage (you'll need soldering
skills, and a source for parts!). If you don't feel 100% confident in
replacing these, a local computer shop can probably repair the power
supply unit for you.
Hope this helps!
--
I'm only human. Corrections to any technical info I give are welcome.
<<Please remove the word "SPLAT" from either below address to use it.>>
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Jonny Fransson
>
> In article
> <Yam2NN.AmigaOS...@host213-122-52-53.btinternet.com>, Adam
> J <Adam....@NOSPAMeidosnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Hello Jonny
> >
> >You Wrote About "Flickering screen on a A1200". on Thursday 22-Mar-01 at
> >07:57:25
> >
> >> Hi
> >>
> >> My A1200 starts flickering at 2-5 seconds interval sometimes and a
> >> crash is to be expected soon thereafter. Is this a known problem
> >> and if so how can I fix it?
> >
> >below is what i saw on aminet
> >
> >try this on aminet flickfix.lha hard/hack
> >
> >Short: A1200 Screen flicker fix V1.0
> >Author: Ingulf Hetland
> >Uploader: ihaa...@netpower.no (Ingvald Haaland)
> >Type: hard/hack
> >
> >The first A1200 released by Commodore Amiga had a screen flicker
> >bug, when the CPU loaded the screen started flicking, this fix
> >will remove the bug.
> >
> >cya
>
> I suppose this could also be a problem with the power supply? Over
> time the electrolytic capacitors in power supply units can dry up,
> causing either a decrease in output voltage, or a jagged, spikey output
> voltage, or both.
My A1200 is mounted in a pc tower and the powersupply is a pc type.
> Start by unplugging cards, drives, anything consuming a lot of power,
> from your system, ...
> Use the computer for 20-30 minutes or
> so. If it doesn't happen again, the problem is probably your power
> supply.
I can use the computer for several hours, and sometimes the problem
never shows.
> Hope this helps!
I am on the move now and will as as possible check the motherbord for
the flickerbug
mention previosly. And as you said old capacitors dries out. I will
surely keep this
in mind if it does not help with the first fix.
Great thanks.
Jonny
ToasterKing
<jonny.fra...@student.lu.se> wrote:
>I am on the move now and will as as possible check the motherbord for
>the flickerbug
>mention previosly. And as you said old capacitors dries out. I will
>surely keep this
>in mind if it does not help with the first fix.
Good luck to you, and be sure to report your successes to the group!
I'd be interested to know what the problem was. I myself don't know as
much about Amiga hardware as I think I should... but always learning...
A newer (age-wise) power supply doesn't mean it can't be failing.
Things are only getting cheaper, and made shoddier. *sigh*
It might also be some component on the motherboard such as an
integrated circuit or semiconductor that is about to fail and is
functioning only marginally... does it seem to be affected at all by
big changes in room temperature, or by electrical interference
(electric mixer, drill, carving knife, etc. on same AC circuit)? Even
this doesn't mean anything definite though... best bet is extensive
knowledge, intuition, and an oscilloscope and lots of patience ;-)