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The displayed image is too bright or dim

Explanation: The viewed image appears too bright or appears too dim.

Diagnosis: The obvious thing to check of course is the brightness setting on the front of the monitor. Some monitors are just naturally brighter than others. In addition, monitors tend over time to lose their brightness as the CRT wears out.

Recommendation:

  • Check the brightness control on the monitor and adjust it. You may need to adjust the contrast control as well.
  • The monitor may need adjustment. In some cases a repair shop can adjust the controls to improve the brightness of the display, especially on older monitors.
  • If possible, try changing the lighting in the room. A darker room can compensate somewhat for a dimmer image. Overhead lights in particular can make a monitor seem dimmer than it actually is.
  • If the monitor is new and the brightness seems poor, it may be a defective monitor. If the monitor was inexpensive this may just be how the monitor is.
  • If the monitor is a few years old and it still appears dim even after turning the brightness all the way up, then the CRT may just be fading due to wear. There is not much that can be done about this, other than turning the CRT off when it is not in use.

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