CS3 and monitor noise - DPChallenge Forums

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

07/21/2007 03:53:35 AM · #1

K so I just installed a CS3 Extended trial (been running CS2 since its release) and now my monitor's acting funky. I get these random (sometimes intense) hot pixels all over my screen, most often when I'm using Bridge CS3. I also get them (but not as often) when neither Bridge nor CS is running. I can make the hot pixels go away by opening a browser window over it or dragging the window, but they either relocate or come back later when they're done whatever they were doing when they left.

*so far I've tried:

-rebooting and leaving extraneous programs closed

-restoring windows to earlier date

-downloading and updating graphics drivers and software

-pounding the monitor with my left hand while shaking the puter with my right

*what I don't need

-a new monitor (i don't think)

-someone to tell me to upgrade to OSX (that joke is old and not that funny to begin with - I use and will continue to use a PC and windows)

my current config is something like this

AMD Athlon 64 3200+
2Ghz 2GB RAM
ATI ALL in wonder x600 TV Pro
Window XP Pro SP2, all updates installed

it all started with the CS3 installation so I'm pretty sure they're related. I left CS2 installed since i'm not sure i'm purchasing the trial.

any useful input is hugely appreciated. I really don't feel like rebuilding at the moment which is my usual MO when I get conflicts. This machine has been solid for the entire year I've owned it and I'd like it to stay that way.

thanks, y'all.

P

Olyuzi

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

07/21/2007 09:34:09 AM · #2

Have you tried?
1) recalibrating and profiling the monitor,
2) doing a clean install of CS3 (not upgrading over the existing CS2 version but removing it completely before installing CS3).

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

07/21/2007 09:38:51 AM · #3

Originally posted by Pedro:

-pounding the monitor with my left hand while shaking the puter with my right

*what I don't need

-a new monitor (i don't think)

Those two lines, by themselves, seem contradictory. If it was a software problem, I can't think of any way a physical action (hitting the monitor) could have any effect.

But if it was a physical problem (the monitor going out), then I suspect the upgrade to CS3 was just coincidental timing.

Rompy

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/21/2007 10:06:34 AM · #4

Originally posted by Olyuzi:

Have you tried?
1) recalibrating and profiling the monitor,
2) doing a clean install of CS3 (not upgrading over the existing CS2 version but removing it completely before installing CS3).

I would try # 2 for sure

darnok

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

07/21/2007 10:16:49 AM · #5

I have an ATI Radeon 9800XT (ASUS version) and I would always get lots of white (sometimes red) hot pixels when playing graphics intensive games. Seems it has something to do with parts of the card overheating, the solution is to under-clock the card slightly. I installed ASUS SmartDoctor and under-clocked both the engine and memory speed by 10MHz each. That solved my problem. Maybe you have a similar problem.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

07/21/2007 11:21:05 AM · #6

Originally posted by Olyuzi:

Have you tried?
1) recalibrating and profiling the monitor,
2) doing a clean install of CS3 (not upgrading over the existing CS2 version but removing it completely before installing CS3).

@Oly - I did a software recalibration (don't have a hardware tool) with no luck. The CS3 seems to be a completely separate program, not an upgrade (just guessing since CS2 is still installed and functional). the two may be conflicting, I'm just reluctant to uninstall CS2 since I may be needing it again soon.

@ David - I didn't really hit the monitor...I just wanted to :) (though I did check connections which is apparently the reason hitting things works sometimes)

@Konrad - that's exactly what I'm seeing (mostly white, and some red) and I'm also on an Asus MoBo...I will try the SmartDoctor and see what happens.

thanks y'all - I love this place sometimes :)

LanndonKane

Nikon D800

07/21/2007 11:44:54 AM · #7

Maybe it's time to upgrade to OSX?

Originally posted by Pedro:

Message edited by author 2007-07-21 11:47:25.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/21/2007 11:58:07 AM · #8

..and then other times I don't love it so much ;)

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

07/21/2007 12:09:53 PM · #9

OK, so buying a new monitor isn't an option. How about borrowing one?

Try borrowing a CRT or something nobody is likely to miss.

Then try using your monitor on somebody else's computer.

I agree that it sounds like a monitor issue.

What you *might* need is a new monitor. Hot pixels are usually a hardware thing.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

07/21/2007 12:13:35 PM · #10

Originally posted by eschelar:

I will test this monitor using my laptop, but I don't think that's the issue. They're not hot pixels per se; they're not permanent, and move or disappear when the display changes. it's more like 'noise'. Unfortunately SmartDoctor doesn't work for my vid card, so I'm still out of luck. the noise is definitely worse when I have more graphically intense programs running in addition to CS3.

darnok

Nikon D850

07/21/2007 12:27:54 PM · #11

Originally posted by Pedro:

Originally posted by eschelar:
OK, so buying a new monitor isn't an option. How about borrowing one?

Try borrowing a CRT or something nobody is likely to miss.

Then try using your monitor on somebody else's computer.

I agree that it sounds like a monitor issue.

What you *might* need is a new monitor. Hot pixels are usually a hardware thing.

I will test this monitor using my laptop, but I don't think that's the issue. They're not hot pixels per se; they're not permanent, and move or disappear when the display changes. it's more like 'noise'. Unfortunately SmartDoctor doesn't work for my vid card, so I'm still out of luck. the noise is definitely worse when I have more graphically intense programs running in addition to CS3.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

07/21/2007 12:35:24 PM · #12

Try runnng the monitor at a different resolution or re-sizing the window you're viewing the pictures in -- I know I get a lot of display artifacts (from a variety of programs) when the monitor resolution and the image's magnification just don't "line up" properly.

FireBird

07/21/2007 12:42:04 PM · #13

Pedro, does the noise appear when you run CS2 now?

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

07/21/2007 12:47:00 PM · #14

Originally posted by Raziel:

Is your video card an ASUS card? SmartDoctor will only work with ASUS cards. You should maybe try to find another program that will under-clock the card, check the CDs the card shipped with or the manufacturers website. Your problem sounds just like the one I had. Since the pixels move I don't think the monitor is faulty. [/quote]

no, it's not an Asus card - that was my problem. I'll check the video card utilities and see if there's an equivalent program. ATI's website didn't yield any results for utilities.

of course all of this will happen tomorrow since now I'm taking my boy camping...far more important than any of this work crap :)

No, Walt - it doesn't seem like CS2 causes the problem. Though I'm getting random ones on my desktop now even when neither are running. I think Raziel's got it pegged...will report back if I can figure the underclocking issue out.

thanks again all.

Bobster

Canon EOS-20D

07/22/2007 05:54:16 PM · #15

get some heatsinks for your RAM on the Radeon - sounds like an overheat problem - is the fan on the graphics card still working? does it need a clean?

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

07/22/2007 06:13:05 PM · #16

I've seen this when I started using DVI in my monitor. There is an onption in the driver somewhere to fix this. I'll try to look up what it is called.

If you can find it try to set the frequency to 60hz and see if that will fix it.

Nick

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

07/22/2007 06:14:52 PM · #17

does noise mostly appear in dark areas?

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/23/2007 11:12:51 AM · #18

Originally posted by Pedro:

They're not hot pixels per se; they're not permanent, and move or disappear when the display changes. it's more like 'noise'.[...] the noise is definitely worse when I have more graphically intense programs running in addition to CS3.

important information. I would agree then that this does not sound like a 'new monitor' issue then.

Sorry I couldn't help.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

07/23/2007 09:03:59 PM · #19

a while back the vid card fan was making funny noises, but those noises have stopped...hmm...perhaps the fan has stopped also. have to check that later this eve.

I've noticed the noise in everything from blacks to mid-greys...its mostly white so it'd be hard to tell if it's in the whites as well.

MK hooked me up with a utility to monitor the temperature of the vid card and can manipulate the clock speed - will try to figure that out later as well.

fanks again :)

pawdrix

Nikon D700

07/23/2007 09:18:17 PM · #20

Have you tried Banana Beer?

Won't solve your problem but it's damn good.

I may have missed something but why don't you uninstall the trial program and see if things return to normal?

...and then have some Banana Beer.

Message edited by author 2007-07-23 21:20:04.

kazeen

07/24/2007 03:57:42 AM · #21

My two cents on all the basics

If you tried restoring to an earlier time (as in before CS3 was installed) and it made no difference then I agree with dwterry that it was most likely a coincidental thing.
It points toward hardware.

I didn't see if you have a CRT or a LCD monitor.
Lots of LCD's are flakey and can go at any time.
A monitor swap (like eschelar said) with a friend is a good idea.
Thats what a shop would do.

If the monitor checks out fine then its on to the video card.
The PCI Express slot on the motherboard may be starting to go, but thats somewhat rare and usually it either works or it doesn't.

And I agree with Raziel about further exploring the overheating issue. You said you had the computer for over a year. That is enough time for dust to accumulate in the video cards heatsink. If I recall that series of video card has a shallow L shape heatsink that can get clogged up.
I would take a can of air and make sure the heatsink is clean.

Video card fans are prone to failure.
The bearings start to go and even though the fan blades seem to be turning they may be turning much slower than their original spec.

Heat causes things to expand and it never hurts to check that your video card is seated properly. And undo and redo your monitor cable connections

This time of year it is hot all over north america and some areas are breaking records. An abnormally hot room is sometimes all that is needed to push components over the edge and cause them to overheat. If your computer is on the floor make sure it isn't on a rug as they suck air from the bottom. Instead of on a rug you can place a board under it. If it is in an enclosed computer desk make sure there is adequate airflow (front and rear)

As to having to underclock a video card to do a required task I'm a little hesitant. If it came to that I'd sooner try an aftermarket heatsink/fan and run the card at factory spec. That is just a personal preference. There is nothing wrong with underclocking.
On the flip side of this is the age of the card. The All-in-Wonder X600 Pro was released about feb 2005. Considering the short (as far as gamers go) lifecycle of a video card (about 6 months). If it turns out to be a video card problem buying a newer model may be money well spent.
Adobe recommends the ATI 1000 Series or higher.

07/24/2007 12:09:04 PM · #22

Originally posted by kazeen:

My two cents on all the basics

@Steve - yeah i tried banana beer in a few ways. first it just made the keys all sticky, then it made me fall of my chair. neither of which helped.

@Kazeen - for your first post on DP in 5 months, you sure didn't screw around...I appreciate the effort :)

tested monitor on my laptop - works perfectly.

opened the box and used a half a can of air on it - all clean now.

there are 7 fans in total, 5 of which run silently from startup. after running the machine for about 5 minutes, a tiny little fan on the MoBo with an ASUS logo on it started up (that was my noisy fan - it sounds like a wounded seal). The Vid Card fan isn't working at all, and i could barely even get it to spin with the compressed air. The airflow is good and my house has central air so no issue there, but with zero fan activity I'm sure that's the issue.

are the fans on those things repairable or is the video card a disposable item? I chose this card because of the TV tuner, but ever since I got my laptop with a TV tuner I don't use it as much. What I'd really like is a vid card that enabled dual monitors AND had a TV tuner, but when I built this one there wasn't really a viable option that did both. I have a USB TV Tuner that I could use, but the quality is below average.

So there's where I'm at now. Am I buying a new vid card this afternoon?

*edited to add another question - should the vid card fan run 100% of the time or only when it heats up enough to need it?

**edited again to add: he he...just gave the little ASUS fan a solid flick in the nose and it quieted right down. Just like my dog. :)

Message edited by author 2007-07-24 13:50:18.

kazeen

07/24/2007 04:12:20 PM · #23

"The Vid Card fan isn't working at all"

Then that is most likely all that is wrong with your system.
Most video card fans run all the time, but there are many makes and models and like most things I am sure there is an exception. Bottom line though, the fan should be turning.

There are aftermarket solutions for Video card fan failure.
Which also address the concerns of the video card overclocking crowd.
The manufacturers take a different approach to the problem.
The size of the heatsinks and fans have to fit your situation.
For example; many take up two slots, so you would need the very next slot to your PCI-E slot to be empty.

The card you have now is great for video capture and I sure wouldn't trash it. So I would just try fixing the video card cooling situation. That would be the cheapest thing to do.
I looked at your profile page and it said Canada.
In BC a good place is NCIX.com
In Alberta memory Express is the best place.
memoryexpress.com
These are real computer shops.
(You may have a good computer shop that you use already)

I would take the video card with me and ask them what they might have to replace the fan. I say this as they MIGHT just have the exact replacement fan. That would be the easiest.

If not they usually have things like these two:

Zalman VF700-AlCu
review here:
www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1982
At memory express this one is $29.99

or a

Arctic Cooling ATI Silencer 1
Review here:
www.rage3d.com/reviews/cooling/atisilencers/?p=2
At memory express this one is $24.95

These are only a couple of examples of video card coolers.
I have not used them myself.
I have used zalman CPU coolers and I am very happy with them.

Please read the reviews or google for more info to make sure you know about how much room each cooling solution needs.
And or the difficulty in the installation.

If you do decide to get a new video card I would make sure it is Vista capable. Most new ones are vista capable now but for a quick check here is the ati-vista page
ati.amd.com/technology/windowsvista/Products.html

These are only my suggestions
Like everything take them with a grain of salt.