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What does it mean?

MacTCP

6502
My Indigo Slot-loading iMac G3's CRT tint changes from normal to reddish like every two minutes or less. This has been happening for about a month. Does this mean something is failing?

 
I won't pretend to be an expert, but I'd say something is definitely wrong with the monitor. You need to replace/fix it quickly, because CRT's are dangerous if cracked or damaged. Shine a flashlight through the casing and make sure the CRT is in good shape before continuing.

-Apostrophe

P.S. That red tint thing also happened to my old TV.

 
I think you're right. I heard something about it being unwise to store these upside down.

I'm not sure there's a way to fix this without getting into the CRT itself, which is potentially harmful unless you know what you're doing. Maybe you could use another monitor?

-Apostrophe

 
If the change in hue is abrupt, rather than gradual, then the most likely cause is a loose connection or dirty potentiometer. There are several potentiometers for adjusting the gun bias currents. Over time, they can get erratic (you may have encountered something similar, with scratchy audio volume controls). Sometimes, simply rotating them back and forth a few times will fix things (for a time, at least). Similarly, disconnecting and reconnecting connectors will frequently fix problems due to oxidation.

If the hue changes slowly from normal to abnormal, and then slowly back again, then that's a more complicated problem.

And you don't have to worry about what Apostrophe said. A cracked CRT does not display anything. You would only see sparks and hear frightening hisses as the HV circuitry worked its magic on the air that has filled the broken CRT. Furthermore, it is essentially impossible to crack a CRT without knowing you've done so.

 
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