Extensa 4420-5239 VGA out problem

I just picked up a Extensa 4420-5239 from Office Depot last week. The specs and price are sweet, but I encounter a VGA out problem.

When I connect my 22" LCD monitor to the laptop's VGA port, the ATI driver do shows the desktop at the external monitor. Then I found the external screen flickers (keeps showing some horizontal lines with fast refreshing rate). It is quite obvious in mid-range grayscale background but not in complete black or white background.

I have tried to connect this laptop to other LCD monitor, the same flicker. But when I use another laptop connect to the first 22" LCD, the flicker disappeared.
As such, I think the problem comes from the laptop itself. I recheck the VGA port, suddenly realize the dc power jack is right next to it. So maybe the dc power has too much interference to the analog VGA signals. I unplug the dc jack, the flicker disappear immediately.

This is my first Acer laptop, the last one I used is HP dv6000z. I don't quite understand why Acer make this port arrangement (dc jack next to VGA) specially on Extensa 4xxx series, all other Acer series are fine to set apart these two ports. I am writing this to ask if anybody else encounter the similar problem or it's just a minor case at my laptop. Any reply or comments would be appreciate.

 

I had the same problem. I fixed it by connecting the vga out to the monitor first, then going to Display Settings in vista, and changing the refresh rate to the correct value.

 

i was going to suggest changing the REFRESH RATE to 60Hz

 

I tried both 60 and 75 Hz refresh rate, but none of them fixed the prob.
Finally I used a additional plug to isolate the power cable of monitor with laptop, then the flickers gone!

 

so it was due to a cheap plug w/o proper shielding??

well atleast you got it working! congrats

 

I think it could possibly be the one of the reasons, cause the outlet in my room only has two pins, no ground.
But compared with other laptops, I still think making dc power jack next to vga is not a very good design.

 

the lack of ground probably played into the severity of the flicker,,, but you are right... IMO power control sections should be far away from other INPUT/OUTPUT sections.

i bet they were thinking that not many people would be using the VGA out.
i can almost see thier logic,, but still not the best design IMO

 

i find the recent 8.9" aspire one netbook has the similar port arrangement as well. it should have much more possibility to use the VGA out than my 14.1", right? bless the aspire one users...

 

My compaq works just fine with external monitor and it's
VGA & power port are real close together. That's with a three
prong plug. Might find a two prong one at my mothers
house and try it next time I'm there. Suppose I could find
two three to two prong adapters when I get home to try.
Might not tell us anything about an acer.

You might have one of them flakey acer power supplies, you
know the ones that hum and die sooner or later.

From my experience the problem is a grounding problem, has
little if anything to do with notebook. You might try plugging
them into a power strip. Use to do a lot of video stuff in my
Amiga 3000 days. Had a few grounding problems, always was
something other than computer causing the problem.

Also, do you have real old outlets that you can turn the plug over in ?
If so try that, might solve the problem.

Last idea, put a thick peice of metal between plugs and see if it solves problem.

James

 

I know this thread has been dead for awhile, but I just purchased an ACER X213W 21.6" LCD monitor and when I hooked it up I encountered the same problem. duping812, I noticed you said you remedied the problem by isolating the power cable of the monitor with the laptop. What do you mean by that?

Also, does anyone know if a higher quality VGA cable might better block out the interference better?


Thanks,

Adam