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Subject:Monitor-compass direction From:Richard Dimock <red -at- ELSEGUNDOCA -dot- ATTGIS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 15 Aug 1995 14:02:07 PDT
RE monitor direction, Don K. asks:
The second one says, "If possible, position the monitor
to face east."
Does anyone know whether the direction a monitor faces
will affect its performance?
And does anyone know whether the face of the monitor should face
east or whether the back of the monitor should face east, the latter
choice causing the user to face east?
_____________________________________________
First, I must state that I have never observed any effect from
monitor orientation. But I am a rather casual observer.
Certainly there is an effect from the Earth's magnetic field, and
in some monitor designs, this effect may become apparent.
The directions given mean to face the monitor so that it is "looking"
east and the viewer is facing west.
Here is how I reason out why the manual has this suggestion.
The earth's magnetic field distorts the path of electrons as they
move toward your screen layer.
The magnetic field line direction has a vertical component and a
horizontal component.
The vertical component deflects the electron path to the
right or left on the screen. In the northern hemisphere it shifts the
image to your right as you view it. In the southern hemisphere it
shifts the image to the left as you view it. You can easily adjust
the horizontal position control to compensate.
The horizontal component deflects the field up or down. If you
face the monitor so the screen "looks" east, the image will be raised
slightly. Face it west and the image will drop. Cool. Fix with the
vertical adjustment. (This will be the same in both hemispheres.)
In the middle latitudes, far from the magnetic poles, the horizontal
component of the magnetic field is stronger than the vertical
component. There is more upward/downward distortion. The majority
of the customers are in the middle latitudes.
However, comma, if you turn the screen to "look" north or south, a
different problem comes into play. The electrons are travelling along
the stronger horizontal component of the magnetic lines of force,
and their path tries to spiral around the line of force. This would
produce a tilted picture, and maybe more pincushion effect. To correct
this, you have to dig inside the monitor and twist the deflection
coils, and Manufacturer doesn't want that.
Near the magnetic poles, you should orient the screen to "look"
north or south.
I can't see any difference between the monitor screen "looking" east
or west. Perhaps the manufacturer has adjusted the monitor to more
easily compensate in one way in the northern hemisphere and the other
way in the southern hemisphere.
Wrung that topic dry.
Dick Dimock Massaging sprained left hand after overworking
the "Left-hand Screw Rule," at
AT&T GIS Massively Paralleling Processors in
El Segundo, CA Where decisions are clouded and indistinct,
due to fog, smog and refinery exhaust. Relatively
bright day today. Maybe.
