Samsung SyncMaster 204B 20.1" LCD Monitor Logo
Posted on Jul 09, 2008
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Samsung Syncmaster 204B

Alright my monitor is just showing a pale gray screen not really sure whats wrong. I've plugged it into my laptop an I've plugged it into my dell desktop it still doesn' t seem to be working.The pale gray screen is pretty current it flickers a tiny bit every once in awhile but not enough to mean anything. I've tried multiple monitor connections an multiple power cords still the same thing. Does anybody have any idea whats wrong?

  • mikeb0515 Jul 23, 2008

    My syncmaster 204 has been in constant use for 2 years, attached to a Dell desktop. Now when power on in the morning, sometimes get a grey screen, sometimes a grey screen that transitions to black, and then starts to flicker.



    Never does work properly, unless pull the power on the display wait a coupld of minutes and reattach power. Then after the flicker and black screen, within 2 minutes I get a good picture and everything works okay.



    Same issue when I come in the following morning. I do turn off the power switch on front of display before leaving every evening. Now I have taken to also pulling the plug.



    Any ideas would be really helpful. I have a colleague with a similar problem, except he cannot get his LCD to work at all.

  • Anonymous Apr 05, 2009

    followed the directions in the PDF file...violla! Thanks!!!

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  • Posted on Jan 06, 2009
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Try to replace C110 and C111 in the power supply circuit. These are 820uF caps and are in parallel. I had slow start and a flicker on this same monitor. Replacing the caps fixed it. Good luck, Ryan

  • Anonymous Dec 08, 2011

    Mine is a 204T and the cure was exactly what cutman91 described above. Replacing the two 820 uf, 25V caps did the trick. Thurs., 08.DEC.2011

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  • Posted on Mar 12, 2009
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I've had at least 4 Samsung SyncMaster 204T monitors with flicker problems. Up till now Samsung has replace under warranty. But the new ones only last a year and then develop the same problem. n7qj's solution worked great for me. Thanks. While I performed n7qj's fix, I documented the process and created a .pdf set of instructions so others can benefit. I wish you the same success.

  • Bryan Mar 02, 2011

    When an associate left the company, he gave me his old monitor. And he even left me his 'dead' Sync 204B. Since I needed 2 monitors I took them both. There were a couple of snickers when I said that I would give it a shot at fixing it; better than the janitors throwing in the dumpster. Found this site and djonce instructions. Took mine apart and found the same 2 820uF and the 330uF were all 'vented'. Replaced them all with same uF but at 35V. Tested it before putting it back together and it is awesome!!! I can't wait to tell them it cost me more in shipping than the actual cost of the caps!!! And of course I will snicker as I say it.....

    I used Mouser.com
    820uF 647-UPM1V821MHD $1.71 each
    330uF 647-UPM1V331MHD6TO $0.21 each

    $3.63 for a new monitor!!!! snickering as I type this.....
    THANKS djonce. Awesome instructions.

  • Jensen Lum Sep 29, 2011

    Fix worked perfectly on my 204T (flickering on start-up). Thank you very much for spending the time to write it up. The only thing I can say is to not be impatient like I was, and not measure the capacitor size before ordering. I soldered them in a bit sideways just to make sure I didn't hit the top.

    Note: I used low ESR and 105C temp rated Panasonic "FC" caps.

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  • Posted on Jun 14, 2009
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Hi, this problem is the same with the 204B and the 204T. The 204T is the one described in the PDF. The 204B is the same circuit inside (slight difference in the connectors, but everything else the same). The only issue in the 204B is there is no place to "start" the separate of the front plastic from the back plastic. I just started with a Swiss Army Knife using the blade to carefully pry in the "crack" starting at the same place (bottom of the monitor). Just use the knife carefully and the front bezel will "pop" out fo the hooks on the back one, and you can remove the back cover and proceed exactly as the PDF indicates. I used 1000 and 680 uF 35V caps (they fit, and they give the circuit maybe some more tolerance). 204B and 204T worked like new (i repaired both). Great repair description! N3CKF

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  • Posted on Mar 21, 2009
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Hi, I just wanted to take a moment and thank n7qj and djonce for the solution to fixing my Samsung SyncMaster 204B monitor.
I saw djonce's reply last night, download his PDF (Thank You very much! With absolutely no previous soldering experience, your fantastic PDF instructions allowed this noob to breath new life into my secondary monitor... IT IS FIXED!!!).

Once I knew what was broken, I googled a bit, went to RadioShack which had both capacitors for $3.18. Including the soldering iron, solder, braided copper for un-soldering and all... this fix still cost me less than $20 for everything. Yes, I'm thrilled!

djonce, check the link to your PDF, right now, it's a 404... but I was able to find it thankfully ;).

Thanks again guys.

P.S. I'll register at this site just to be able to post my thanks.

Buddy Mcsparrin

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  • Samsung Master 1,684 Answers
  • Posted on Nov 12, 2009
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Hello,

Check our web site at www.ccl-la.com/badcaps.htm We have a free step by step dis-assembly and repair guide posted. The pictures and part number are available to help you get going. By the way there are several versions of the 204B / 204T power supply and our guide covers both.

Buddy
Corporate Computer
www.ccl-la.com
[email protected]

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Hello,
just a few hours ago, I experienced similar problems with my SyncMaster 204Ts. Yesterday, it was working great and today the backlight refused to work. So when I powered it on, the screen remained black. After a few minutes of running, I could see very dim graphics. I then found this website and the linked PDF.
I did exactly what was described. Instead of two 820uF @ 25V I put in a 1000uF and a 680uF @ 25V, replaced the other three capacitors for convenience and it WORKS.
Thank you very much for your effort!

Regards
Maik

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I have a Samsung Syncmaster 204B that had slow start and flicker problems as well as being much dimmer than when it was new.
To n7qj and djonce..THANK YOU!
I brought my monitor to a tv repair guy and gave him the information posted here on the site and he replaced the capicitors and it works like new now and it cost me $75.00 total which is half the price of a new monitor.....I am happy.

Many Thanks,

Rick

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  • Posted on Nov 01, 2009
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To n7qj and djonce..

THANK YOU!

With the fix provided by n7qj, along with the well documented procedure djonce kindly provided, I was able to easily repair my 204T. Note that there was no 'flicker' involved in my case; there was a 'pop' and the panel went blank.

Upon disassembly, I noticed that c110/111 were clearly failed. one of them had actually pushed the rubber plug all of the way out of the bottom of the can and let out the magic black smoke that makes these things work :-)~

I noticed that all the electrolytic caps on the circuit board were from the same manufacturer. Most showed suspicious signs of bulging, so I went ahead and replaced them all. ~$12.00 from Digi-Key, including spares and shipping. Problem solved. I think I paid close to $500 for this thing when new, so NOT BAD.

cmiller6259
BSEET, DeVry Institute of Technology, 1994


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