ISO: Sony "WATCHman"

[Don]

John Foust wrote:
> At 08:51 PM 8/16/2006, you wrote:
>> Really?  I hadn't realized that there was such a "common
>> failure mode".  But, I am unsure of what you are describing...
>> Is the lower third of the display a "solid white band"?
>> Or, is the *retrace* visible on the lower third of the
> 
> Like one or two scan lines that are always white.  A few years ago
> when I researched (probably on Usenet or repair webs) there were 
> several others with the same problem.  I interpolate.

And the rest of the display is "correct"?
Are these really *scan* lines or *retrace* lines
(scan lines are at a very shallow angle; retrace is typically
much steeper)?
Are they always on the same place in the picture?

Can you suggest search criteria to find these other
comments (not that I am *doubting* you; rather, looking
for other descriptions to guesstimate what is happening)?

*Or*, can you email me a photo of a screen shot?  :>

>> I was hoping to find a monochrome CRT instead of an LCD.
>> Color isn't a requirement.  Monochrome LCD's are poor quality.
> 
> Poor quality or low res?  I once had a tiny handheld mono LCD TV from 

Both.  Most monochrome LCD's are blue-green, low contrast
and require a backlight (think "power" + more electronics)
to drive them.  They aren't the sort of thing you can *glance*
at and read (I'm thinking of displays in PDA's, etc.)

> Radio Shack made by Casio.  But have you told us what's driving this display?  
> I would think that would quickly reduce or expand your options.

I'll drive it with whatever I need to in order to get the
images I want on the display.  I would prefer NOT going in
through the front end (RF) but can probably bypass that.
(I'll have to look through my Sony docs to see if I have
a Watchman service manual or if that is just too old for
my collection  :< )

> VGA?  Composite from VGA?  Many folks don't realize how low-res
> is composite.  Mounted on your arm or your eye?

Mounted in my *pocket*!  :>  It is only an interim solution...
sort of a backup "console" that I can glance at when/if things
aren't working properly.  The watchman package pushes the limit
of what I can stuff in my pocket comfortably...