My PC monitor is just over 5 years old and has worked fine up to now. In the last day or so, however, I've been getting shimmering and dark illumination of the screen after switching on and booting up. Although it subsequently settles down is this an early warning that the monitor is about to pack up?
Grateful for any advice.

sounds like the CRT tube is starting to struggle... It settles down after a while because it warms up, but when its cold, its obiously having problems firing. Sorry, but it does indeed seem like its on its way out. On the plus side, monitors are a lot cheaper now than they were... :)

Thanks djeglin. I was planning to replace my whole PC in the next six months or so - so I'll need to decide whether to bring that forward or get a new monitor separately. :huh:

leave it until it breaks, then get a new one

meanwhile turn the monitor on, go make a cuppa, return and it should have warmed up .... or gone bang ;)

put it this way - you should be safe leaving it for now. If a monitor is going to go bang, it will. My housemate's just startes smoking one day, for example. If the CRT tube isnt firing properly, one day it will just not light up. Then you have to replace it. Other than that, it poses no danger to anyone, so i say cary on using it for as long as you can, and save yourself the money for now!

Do flat screen monitors go BANG? What is the life of a flat panel screen as opposed to an old CRT?

N, flatrscreens dont go "bang"... They should, in theory, last longer than CRTs, but it depends on the alty of equipment. I would expect a decent quality flascreen to last for 8 or so years... give or take.

Do flat screen monitors go BANG? What is the life of a flat panel screen as opposed to an old CRT?Dont know the life Expectancy of a tft monitor but ours which is eight months old has got the internet browser burnt into the screen.Although we do spend a lot of time on the information super highway you wouldn't expect that after eight months.:mad: