Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    
    I've read numerous messages describing this problem on PLINK.
    Apparently the monitor's yoke will gradually build up a charge that
    will eventually jump to either a plastic projection within the
    enclosure or some metal part.
    
    Other than being annoying, it doesn't seem to cause any failures.
    Perhaps your dealer can exchange it for a different one.
    

I had that problem with the first 1084 I had so I brought it back to the Memory 
Location and they exchanged it with no problems.

Dave

    	Maybe the have forgotten to ground something on some of the
    monitors?
    
     - Chris
    

    For a brief time I had a 2002 and it had the same problem.

    FWIW, I've got similar problems with my C2002 (essentially a 1084,
    if I'm correct) on my 128. D-Five Associates in Bedford says its 
    common & they'll take a look at it for ~$40 + parts, but right now, 
    I can't afford to be without the system for any given length of time. 

    A C2002 at Electronics Boutique was doing similar things though not as 
    often as mine (which pops once every 3-4 minutes). They also said 
    its common & suggested I first try an anti-static mat (methinks they were 
    just trying to make a sale, but I'll probably take their suggestion and 
    get one in the near future). I've got a surge suppressor, but it doesn't 
    seem to have helped the monitor popping problem. Curious if any one out 
    there has had luck with an anti-static mat to cure the popping problem 
    (probably a good investment anyway).
						-Dom

    My son just went thru his second 1084S last night. This is the second
    time that he left it powered up all night (accidently). Both times,
    by morning, there was that sickly electronic burning odor. No display!
    
    While it's still only warranty and I plan on taking it back, is
    anyone else out there aware of similar occurences? I noticed in
    my last visit to the store that there was a slightly redesigned
    1084S on display.
    
      Al

    
    Al, are you using a screen blanking program like QMouse or Mach?
    These background programs replace the current screen with a single
    plane black screen.  This not only prevents phosphor burn-in, but
    lets the monitor run a bit cooler as well.
    
    Ed.

    re: .6
    
    Try to get them to replace it with the "slightly redesigned" monitor.
    It looks like CBM changed vendors, the "new" 1084S is much better
    than the "old" 1084S.  Mine hasn't popped at all.  I even left it
    on overnight.
    
    -dave

    I am told by the local dealer that Commodore uses two suppliers
    of monitors. There was a "newer looking" monitor on display that
    had the various controls accessed via wheels located just under
    the display tube. My current/previous monitors have the small "stems"
    sticking our that you use to adjust sound, picture quality, etc.

    the "wheels" monitor is the new one.  The 1080 also had
    the "wheels".  Did the dealer mention the name of the two suppliers?
    I checked the back of my "wheels" monitor, it just says made in
    Korea for Commodore.  The 1080 had made in Japan.  I suspect the
    "stems" monitor is made by Goldstar, I have no idea who makes the
    "wheels" monitor.
    
    -Dave

    Re: .10

    Dave,

    My 2002 (a "wheels" type monitor) which I believe is essentially the
    same (except for labels) as the original 1084 is made in Japan by Fujitsu.
						-Dom

    re:.11
    
    Interesting, I never really looked at the 2002 since I wasn't hunting
    for a monitor back then.  I thought, based on rumors on usenet,
    that the reason CBM switched from the 2002 to the 1084 was because
    of complaints that the dot pitch wasn't as good as the 1080.  Something
    about .42 vs. .39.  Or maybe it was just because they wanted to
    sell a cheaper monitor.  Could be the second reason, since I've never
    heard of 2002 monitors poping.
    
    I'm just glad that by the time I had to buy one, CBM had "done"
    something about the poping (i.e., changed to another monitor vendor)
    
    -Dave

    My 1084s is still in the ship. Commodore advised the dealer to install
    a "fly away" (?) as the one supplied from factory "is not capaple
    of handling all the voltage". The guy installed one and it blew.
    Installed a second, adjust colors, and then one of the RBG guns
    went. Now, he's waiting to talk to Commodore again early next week
    as to what to do next. Oh yes, he said that he's had a total of
    3 monitors to do this on.
    
      Al

>  a "fly away" (?) 

That's probably "Fly Back".  It's a transformer that [along with a doubler
or tripler] pumps the voltage up for the second anode (25-?? Kvolts!)

John

    That's it..fly back. In any case, it's reportedly undersized for
    the 1084S. I hope to learn more tomorrow.

    I'm now waiting on "fix #99" from Commodore. They have sent the
    dealer "some additional resistors" to add to the fly back. At least
    this time they are loaning me one of their display monitors until
    mine is finally fixed. I can only narrow this down to the 1084S
    model with the "stems" for adjustments. The other units the dealer
    had fail were the same type (no reports of the thumb wheel type
    failing).
    
    I think I'm encouraged as I was told Commodore didn't even offer
    a fix for known problems on the model 2002 monitor.
    
      Al

	Mine blew out last week after I had left it on for most of the
day.  I bought it in October of '88, so I guess the warranty is about 
up - or is there an extension due to the design weakness refered to in 
earlier replies ?

	Symptoms:  Seems to be no EHT, no static crackle.  I can't 
hear the line oscilator either, though that could be quiet enough - I 
may never have heard it.  The 3 amp fuse in the vertical card of the 
right side (facing) is OK.

	I'd like to know where to take it for repair, preferably 
extended warranty, somewhere close to Greater Maynard Area or southern 
New Hampshire.

	Reg

    For anyone who has a popping C2002, 1084,... monitor, it appears that
    the popping problem *might* eventually cause problems with your system.
    My C=2002 which I bought 3 years ago for use with a 128D began exhibiting
    the occasional pop back in autumn of '88. Notes in this conference and
    the Commodore conference seemed to indicate that it was only a minor
    annoyance; calls to Commodore service centers indicated the same thing
    "Bring it in when it really starts to annoy you").
    
    I sold the 128 and bought my 500 nearly a year ago. After 6 months of 
    nearly troublefree service, I began experiencing write errors on my 
    external floppy drive, an AIR drive (noted elsewhere in this conference).
    DiskSalv and I were becoming *very* good friends. I sent it back under 
    warranty, received a new one which started exhibiting similar problems 
    after a month. Sent that one back, received another - write errors as soon 
    as I hooked it up. Contacted AIR directly, I returned drive #3 which they 
    tested and couldn't find any faults with. To be on the safe side, they 
    sent me another brand new drive which they tested before sending. Of 
    course it gave me trouble.

    Over the phone diagnosis was a marginal A500 power supply. Had mine tested
    at Memory Location - passed with flying colors. I also brought my AIR drive
    with me and hooked it up to their A500 and ran DiskSpeed for awhile - no 
    errors encountered where on my system it would have died in a similar time 
    period.

    I did one last test which was to run DiskSpeed with the monitor powered
    off - test ran to completion, which at medium intensity takes about 6
    hours. Running with the monitor powered up causes almost immediate write
    errors. (Running with the monitor off is not exactly the ideal solution).
    I also noticed one night that I was getting random drive light flickers
    (3 in ~10 minutes) when there should have been no i/o going on. The 
    flickering stopped when I turned the monitor off.

    Brought the 2002 down to TML to get the popping problem fixed. I can now
    run DiskSpeed to my heart's content with the monitor on! Where I was
    blaming the AIR drive all this time it turned out to be my C2002.

    Moral: Don't let a popping monitor go untreated. I got away with mine for
    almost 2 years before it came back and bit me.

    -Dom

Re. .18

Thanks for the information. I personally had a very bad experience with CBM
1084 (returned the second day because completely dead) and Philips 8833 (I
returned 3 popping monitors and my actual fourth still pops sometimes).
I'm really an Amiga fan but I have great reserves about its professional use
because of the hardware quality (well, the keyboard is not bad ..). Really sad
for a computer/operating system with outstanding design which is in danger to
remain just a home computer. And the new Macs may replace the Amigas even as a
home computer (fine prices).
I still like very much my Ami but if it was to choose between a A3000/Un*x and
a 68030 Mac/Un*x (with the new prices), I should look with more attention to
the Mac.

Sorin

>>a 68030 Mac/Un*x (with the new prices), I should look with more attention to
>>the Mac.

And if you did you'd find the Mac to still be more expensive by the
time you get everything you need and their version of Unix to be very
outdated.  UNIX is not a reason to buy a Mac over an A3000 unless you
need it immediately.  Even then I'd still try to get an A3000 through
developer channels.  There are valid reasons to buy a Mac over an A3000
but seriously UNIX is NOT one of them.

Another OPINION...

steve - a probably biased a3000/25 owner

    This is getting a little off the subject of this note, but my recent
    problems with my system did cause me to look rather seriously at the
    new Macs. Anyone who has experienced any sort of hardware problems
    and loses confidence in their system knows exactly what I'm talking
    about. Going through four different disk drives in less than a year
    and playing "Mr. Diagnostic" isn't my idea of a fun time. Fortunately,
    my confidence is now restored in my system. FWIW, my 500 has been
    incredibly solid.

    I occasionally use a Mac here in our department for project scheduling.
    Yes, they're nice systems, but no, I still can't afford one
    (wouldn't even consider a b&w Classic) despite the new "low" prices. 
    And I'd more than likely be trading in one set of problems for a whole 
    set of new, more expensive problems. My 500 fits my home computing needs 
    more than adequately and will for some time. 

    -Dom

Re. .20,.21

I am an Amiga enthusiast since I have read back in 1985 (or 84 ?) in Byte about
the Amiga Lorraine machine (at that time it belonged not to CBM). I still
believe that at this date the Amiga deserves more recognition as one of the
most advanced personal computers (A500 beeing *the* home computer).
But my enthusiasm is undermined by the many problems I experienced. Just this
weekend, my A500 started at power-up to blink once a second the CAPS LOCK key
and my keyboard went locked. I rebooted, re-powered,.. no result. I let the 
Amiga off for 10 mins and restarted it. This worked well but I present now that
one of these days the problem will occur again. So, you see, there are too many
things happening to one configuration. And I agree the A3000 is fine but the 
price here is 3-4 times my A500/A501/A590 (3MB total). I'll check, but I think
there are new MACs (and surely 80386 PC clones) costing less than A3000.
So, I'll keep my A500 as long as it works ok and after I'll look for an A3000
but I'll take in consideration also other offerings in the same price range.
(the A3000 is still on the first place at this time).

Sorin (who likes the Ami but not the problems).

PS. I've seen a mention about the A3500, a tower mounted A3000 with up to 18MB 
of memory.

    I glad to know that your 500 lasted this long.  Mine is not as old as
    yours, but experienced the same problem.  It has been a long time and
    is discussed waaaaaaay back in here somewhere.  The problem is with one
    of the major chips working loose on the motherboard.  You can open your
    case and reseat the chips.  I solved mine by bouncing my baby Amiga on
    my knee a couple of times (roughly!)
    
    

>Note 1712.23                  1084 monitor popping                      23 of 23
>GOBAMA::WILSONTL "Lead Trumpet (Read that...LEED!)"   8 lines   5-NOV-1990 08:29
.
.
>    I glad to know that your 500 lasted this long.  Mine is not as old as

Initially it lasted very little. This is the second incident (after 2 years).

>    case and reseat the chips.  I solved mine by bouncing my baby Amiga on
>    my knee a couple of times (roughly!)

Yes, this is a classic method which works with anything (TVs, radios, computers,
refrigerators etc).

Sorin (who feels he's not alone against the problems)

If anyone has replaced the flyback transformer in the 1084 Monitor, could
you help me out with the name of a suitable part number or equiv. part -
preferably a BETTER part!

Looking to repair ami...

Thanks,
-Dave