[SOLVED] Can black bars damage your monitor?

[dunkirkman]

Hey guys, I'm using the ultra wide 21:9 Alienware aw3418dw. It's 1440p and 34". Now, I downloaded a game that doesn't support 21:9 so I have black bars on each side. There isn't a fix...iv looked but I was wondering if I played with black bars, and since there's no image, can it burn into my monitor? All I know is it's an ips panel but I don't know if this is an LED or LCD display so would I be okay if I only had the middle of my screen moving?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

Burn In happens much less with LCDs than with the old CRTs, so I wouldn't worry about it too much, it would have to be on the same image for months at a time to burn an ips screen, compared with the ~1 day of an old CRT

 

[cryoburner]

Burn-in is not likely to be an issue on just about any modern monitor. Some IPS screens can potentially show a bit of temporary image retention under certain conditions, but are unlikely to experience permanent burn-in. Among common display technologies, OLED is the only kind of panel that can be prone to suffering from permanent burn-in, and you currently don't find that screen technology used in PC monitors, in part due to that reason. I would not be concerned about black borders any more than having the Windows taskbar on your screen for hours at a time every day. It shouldn't be a problem.

As for whether your screen is an "LED or LCD" display, it's both, as are just about all recent monitors. IPS, VA and TN are all types of LCD panels. LED refers to the backlight, and monitors switched over to LED backlighting from flourescent backlighting years ago. OLED, plasma and some other screen technologies are a bit different, in that each pixel is its own light source, rather than shining a backlight through an LCD panel, but again, you currently won't be finding those used in PC monitors (unless one is using a television as a PC display).

 

[dunkirkman]

Thanks guys for the reply. I only played metal gear for 1hr and 20min before un installing. I can't stand those black side bars and there isn't a patch that's currently working to fix it. Plus, I didn't play it that long to have any effect on my monitor...but as you guys said, it's really only retention I have to worry about..or leaving it on, days on end.

 

[Karmazyn83]

Thanks guys for the reply. I only played metal gear for 1hr and 20min before un installing. I can't stand those black side bars and there isn't a patch that's currently working to fix it. Plus, I didn't play it that long to have any effect on my monitor...but as you guys said, it's really only retention I have to worry about..or leaving it on, days on end.

I also have alienware 3418DW and stopped playing MGS V the moment I got this monitor. Black bars are my enemy. So I have decided that I will keep my old 16:9 monitor and mounted it next to my alienware. I can play indie games and Metal Gear Solid now. Its a win win.

 

[dunkirkman]

I also have alienware 3418DW and stopped playing MGS V the moment I got this monitor. Black bars are my enemy. So I have decided that I will keep my old 16:9 monitor and mounted it next to my alienware. I can play indie games and Metal Gear Solid now. Its a win win.

It's a shame because that games beginning was intense as hell. Oh well.