Ok guys, I know NOTHING about Mac. I have always been a PC person so I'm lost when it comes to MAC. I have a G4 at home with a flat screen monitor. EVery time I am on the computer now the monitor flashes on and off. It won't stay on. Do I need a new monitor? Or could it be a wiring problem? ANy suggestions?

Thanks!

Try to figure out if it is a loose connection problem.. notice if it has to do with shaking.

It could also be a bad cable rather than a loose connection - you might try wiggling the cable & see if that causes the flashing.

You're sure it's the monitor and your Mac isn't going into sleep mode? Does it flash and come back on again right away, or does it stay off until you move the mouse? If the latter, you might check your Energy Saver settings in System Preferences in the Apple menu.

It could also be a bad cable rather than a loose connection - you might try wiggling the cable & see if that causes the flashing.

You're sure it's the monitor and your Mac isn't going into sleep mode? Does it flash and come back on again right away, or does it stay off until you move the mouse? If the latter, you might check your Energy Saver settings in System Preferences in the Apple menu.


It's not sleep mode... It's odd, when it flashes off the light on the monitor turns on as it does when it is in sleep mode.
I disconnected the keyboard and mose from the back of the monitor and plugged them into the computer instead, and it seems to be a bit better... but it still happens.
Should I buy new cables?

It could be the cable connecting the monitor to the G4, or it could be something in the monitor itself. I take it you have an Apple monitor with the USB and Firewire hubs built in? Presumably there's a USB cable going from the monitor to the G4... what happens if the only cable going between the G4 and the monitor is the video cable? That would eliminate some interaction with the USB hub as a problem. If you have a Firewire device going into the monitor, disconnect that, too.

If you have a computer store nearby that works on Macs or ideally an Apple store, you might take the G4 and monitor over there and ask them to see if a different video cable and/or adapter (if you're using one) makes the problem go away. I'd hate to suggest spending the money on a cable or adapter only to find that the monitor itself has a problem.

By the way, you don't need an Apple monitor with your Mac - most monitors will be compatible, though some will require an adapter. You can get a Mac-compatible replacement LCD monitor if it comes to that at Best Buy, Walmart, etc. much cheaper than the Apple monitor if you're not a graphic or video artist who needs a high end monitor to do your work.