Do you use a TFT? Maybe it doesn't get the color phase right when converting the analog signal.
Tried already a different monitor?

I'm using a big Lacie CRT. I've been using this monitor for a few months with this pc, but only just noticed this problem.

You say you reseated the card, but you may want to try pulling it out and cleaning all the contacts... take a pencil eraser to the ISA fingers, and also pull any socketed chips and clean the pins on those.

Ok I'll have a go at that next time I dig the machine out from under/behind the others, thanks.

you said you're using a KVM... have you tried plugging the monitor directly into the computer? my experience with KVMs is that they always cause weird issues

it's obvious what you're using is signal degradation/noise... so I'd eliminate any of the possibilities first... take KVM out of the chain, use a shorter/better quality cable, keep your things away from strong magnetic fields, etc

Not to panic you but my Voodoo 2 boards always do that just before they croak. However there are lots of possible reasons, trying it without the kvm would be the best thing to do.

Hmm now you mention Voodoo2 I remember I have box with V5 and V2 in it that was giving "crawlies" on the desktop. I thought I tracked that down to being on at the same time as my Phenom box next to it [or maybe it went away when it warmed up; or maybe it was the desktop resolution .... yeah maybe I didn't track it down 😜]. But there's no problem with the voodoo box today so I wonder if the crawlies went away when I re-arranged these kvm's. I'll try two things - a different card in my 386, and if that doesn't work I'll shift it to the monitor on our family PC in the other room.

Edit: got same effects with another video card.

I'd be looking at the VGA cables. Make sure they are thick ones of good quality!

Nothing powered or magnetic, like speakers, or another PC, thats near the monitor, particularly around the back? My CRT's get an effect similar to what you are describing if I have my powered speakers too close to the monitor.

Just to add another suggestion, could this somehow be related to the screen itself?

Hmm well... the screen is used for 4-5 pc's wired up like spaghetti . Usually they are ok, it's just the 386 that's having the trouble.

The phenom is on input 1 [direct to screen] and the other 4 are on belkin 2-pc kvm cables attached to an old fashioned kvm switch which is on input 2. Always been surprised this setup works works, but until now it's been fine. It basically means I can use 3 pc's at once on the monitor [i think i should not flick the old-style switch between kvm cables when anything is on, to be on the safe side]. There is a sony powered speaker behind the monitor and the usual reams of network and power cables... the pc's are stood 2-high, a few inches apart. Nothing else magnetic/etc anywhere nearby.

This second card in the 386 makes it look like the screen is made of water, constant rippling across it.

edit - swapped the 386 to the other belkin kvm cable, all fine. Put the 386 direct to the old kvm switch that the suspect one was routed into, no problem. tried 386 in either position on the suspect belkin kvm cable, both give problems. conclusion - belkin kvm is not working. and yes i fully disentangled it from all othe cables first.

These belkin cables are more than just connectors as you use scroll-lock-up-up or scroll-lock-down-down to switch between pc's on them. I guess something inside is bust or breaking down. I'm guessing this is not repairable but if anyone has advice to offer feel free. I wonder if I can get another ps/2-based one these days even.

I'll swap the 386 with a pc on the other belkin cable, see if that shows anything.

conclusion - belkin kvm is not working.

Oh... yeah, that's pretty much the norm for Belkin KVMs, in my experience at least.

You can get PS/2 KVMs dirt cheap on eBay these days, as long as you don't want DVI or USB or anything in addition. Even the higher-end multiport rackmount ones can be had for $30 or less if you watch. A lot of them don't come with cables, but those can be had fairly cheap from some of the Chinese eBay sellers.

Having said that, only the 386 and maybe my voodoo5 box seem to be affected by this cable. A gf2 gts system on the suspect cable seems fine. Different signal strengths maybe?

I'd suspect that the GF2 might be the outlier. Those cards tend to have overzealous filtering on the output, which is normally a bad thing because it causes a blurry picture, but in this case, it might be filtering out whatever frequencies are causing interference in the KVM's circuitry, thereby covering up the problem.

I've noticed blurred graphics on Belkin KVMs at high resolutions myself in the past. Aten ones seem a bit better.

ratfink wrote:

I wonder if I can get another ps/2-based one these days even.

I can vouch for IOGEAR's ps/2 version. Same switching by tapping Scroll-Lock twice. Absolutely no troubles on my daily machines, for I guess what must be five years now? Image quality is identical to without, and it's nearly as cheap as the pot-luck Chinese ones floating around.

Looks just like this one.
http://www.iogear.com/product/GCS62/

Very minor detail - it doesn't like being hung in free space. Which is fair enough. Mine is wired to a plate to keep from being jiggled loose in the cable mess.

Oh, I have one of those IOGear things as well. Yeah, it's pretty decent. I personally don't really care for the permanently attached cables, though, since it makes wire management kind of a pain.