A "must have" link for "fixers": http://www.ccl-la.com/blog/ (Corporate Computer Repair Blog)
The long story:
I had a trusty 21" Samsung SyncMaster 215TW (with no fade) that I used as a second monitor and it started to cut in and out, take longer to warm up and turn on etc. Moved it to the kids (and scavenged a 24" from my PinMAME <- that HP ZR24w gives me a sunburn! )....finally the 21" died altogether.
So it dawned on me that it might need to be capped, but I haven't really worked on LCDs yet, so I put it aside with the intention to pay the obligatory $90+ to some Samsung tech.
In anycase I finally got around to trying to call for a service centre. Samsung's site couldn't seem to get me a correct place, so I decided to Google it. And lo and behold the Corporat Computer Blog came up ... and voila! there it was, complete tutorials that let me see "inside" the monitor (which was keeping me from hacking it in the first place).
Re-capped the monitor and boom, it works like Pum'kin Pie at Thanksgiving! The ultimate "recycle."
Turns out, just like pinballs (and vids), the heat of the power supplies ends up bloating the capacitors, bringing them to a steady and early demise.
So if you have an LCD monitor on the fritz, I highly recommend the procedure and the site. If you're not handy with electronics and feel like dropping one off to me, I can always try re-capping it for you for a case of beer or some other small consideration.
Link to Fixing LCD Monitors
Re: Link to Fixing LCD Monitors
Nice link. LCD monitor manufacturers often put in underated capacitors that will fail after a few years, typically not too long after the warranty is out. I re-capped a Viewsonic last week and it came back to life. At work we deal with SD, HD & 3G video and use LCD's to monitor signals. Every week a couple monitors go down and the IT department 'upgrades' the capacitors to ones with a higher voltage rating.
Pins - http://www.pinballowners.com/snazzy81
Vids - Centipede, Mame Cabinet, Megatouch Double Platinum, Sea Wolf, 1256in1 NBA Jam cabinet, Space Invaders, Asteroids Cocktail, GT2K5
Misc - Pachinko, Pashislo, Roberto Foosball, 1939 Bally Variety Sequence Game, Royal Hawaiian Bowler, The Grappler, CC Hockey Champ, CC TV Baseball, Super Hang-On
Vids - Centipede, Mame Cabinet, Megatouch Double Platinum, Sea Wolf, 1256in1 NBA Jam cabinet, Space Invaders, Asteroids Cocktail, GT2K5
Misc - Pachinko, Pashislo, Roberto Foosball, 1939 Bally Variety Sequence Game, Royal Hawaiian Bowler, The Grappler, CC Hockey Champ, CC TV Baseball, Super Hang-On