Skip to Main Content

Technophobe?

Posted by putsimply on 29th October 2007

Not me or I would not be working at EML, would I?

So when my daughter purchased a new computer at the weekend, and decided to have a flash 19” flat screen to go with it, I was quite happy to say I would put it all together with her.

Now, I know that there is a firm belief that nobody ever reads a manual that comes with any technology, and if one is produced it is usually unintelligible anyway, but there is a certain security in having one to turn to if needed.

What did we get? Computer assembly by pictures from the school of IKEA – all manuals available as pdfs on the computer when you have it up and running.   Which is all well and good if you can get it up and running.

Being an orderly sort I followed the whole procedure step by step, opening each box in turn and putting plugs in where plugs were meant to go. (I did like the comment about checking that you had all the pieces you were meant to have with no list to check against.) It all plugged in beautifully… but not a flicker on the screen except “No signal input, screen going to sleep”.  I looked and looked.  A scart lead with a blue end came ready fixed to the screen, the graphics showed blue to blue or white to white, so blue to blue it was.  White was DVI and nowhere did it show that the computer was DVI.

Called in reinforcements in shape of ‘man of the house’. Took all leads off, checked for bent pins, put them all back.  Still not working and could not turn the computer off as you need a screen to do that.  Turned the power off at the socket (sharp intake of breath) and went for supper.  Came back an hour later – still not working.  Then, tucked in the corner of a box I found a scart converter that turned a blue scart into a white one.  Eureka.

putsimply