[SOLVED] What could be causing my display to flicker?

[Frooby]

Hi all. Youtube clip of fault:

View: https://youtu.be/S-StNTmu1-c


This refers to an MSI B75MA-E33 motherboard PC with an i5 CPU. I had it running for the past year with a GTX 750Ti graphics card in it, and had started to get some screen flickering which had become progressively worse. The PC was still completely usable, but the flickering was getting more and more annoying.

I had suspected the graphics card, which never had a successful HDMI output (I had to use DVI) so when I transferred all of the PC's components in to a much smarter case recently, I thought I'd try and tackle the flickering issue too, starting by leaving the GPU out and using the HDMI socket on the MOBO - expecting it to be fine. Blimey, the flickering was MUCH worse - truly awful as you can see.

I suspect now that the 750Ti is/was actually fine, but that it was receiving the flickering signal from somewhere else.

As well as the flickering image, the audio playback - via the HDMI to my TV - is also very intermittent, with only the odd stuttering sound coming through every 10 seconds or so. I have updated the Intel HD graphics and audio drivers. (I don't know if the audio output via the 750Ti's HDMI was working before since the HDMI-video signal never did so I used DVI instead!)

The PC is otherwise working, seemingly perfectly fine.

Can anyone suggest what could be causing this, or how to approach tracing the cause?

Many thanks.

 

[Phaaze88]

If it flickers regardless of which graphics solution you use, then I'd suggest testing with a different cable.

If not that, then check for any firmware updates for the monitor you're currently using.

 

[Frooby]

Thanks.

More than one cable tried, and they all work perfectly in other situations.

The monitor is a Panasonic Plasma TV and works perfectly with another PC.

The flickering began a good few months ago, but was then pretty intermittent and didn't interfere with the use of the PC too much (this was outputting from the DVI of the 750Ti). It gradually became worse to the point of it being darned annoying. Throughout this I just lazily suspected it was the graphics card.

I have removed the GPU card (when I moved all the parts in to a new case) and the flickering is now as bad as shown in the clip - much worse than before. Both the audio and video are affected.

I will try replacing the graphics card at some point to see if it reverts back to 'just annoying'...

Thanks for your help.

(I will also try the PC on a newer LCD TV just to eliminate the possibility of it being a lack of compatibility with the older plasma set.)

 

[Frooby]

AAaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAaaaaaaarrggghhhh! It works perfectly from the MOBO's HDMI on my other TV!

Now to refit the 750Ti... :-(

Thanks for the prompt, Phaaze, as I doubt I'd have considered this as a possibility.

 

[Phaaze88]

It's something that's sometimes overlooked - due to how inconspicuous it is, I guess.
Let us know if it worked with the gpu.

 

[Frooby]

I've tried different Hz outputs from the Intel HD graphics, but the Plasma TV isn't happy with any of it - either serious flicker or a black screen.

I tried refitting the 750Ti in the new case (which is an old Coolermaster), but it's a double-width card and the HDMI and DP sockets lie so close to the edge of the case slots that I can't get a plug in there! I'm loath to trim the slot just for this test, so this will remain a bit of a mystery I'm afraid.

Anyhoo, thanks for the suggestion, and I can do everything I need to do with the PC by connecting it up to the other TV.

 

[Phaaze88]

I've tried different Hz outputs from the Intel HD graphics, but the Plasma TV isn't happy with any of it - either serious flicker or a black screen.

I tried refitting the 750Ti in the new case (which is an old Coolermaster), but it's a double-width card and the HDMI and DP sockets lie so close to the edge of the case slots that I can't get a plug in there! I'm loath to trim the slot just for this test, so this will remain a bit of a mystery I'm afraid.

Anyhoo, thanks for the suggestion, and I can do everything I need to do with the PC by connecting it up to the other TV.

OH, it's a plasma TV! I haven't seen one around in a minute, but if I recall correctly, don't those TVs have stupidly high advertised refresh rates? Like 500hz or something?
If so, that's far higher than what your cpu and gpu are capable of outputting, thus causing the flicker.

 

[Frooby]

Ooooh, now that makes sense 🆒

Cheers.

 

[boju]

Those plasma TVs use subfield drive done internally. I still have a Viera TV 600Hz but raw input is still limited to 60Hz.

Do you have a console or dvd player you can try on it? If it's not the card or cable then possibly the TV is starting to fail.

There should be TV repair shops that still deal with plasmas if you end up needing it fixed.