Acer Predator XB271HU Black screen flash

schoolofmonkey
schoolofmonkey Member Posts: 5 New User
edited February 14 in 2020 Archives

Ok I'm going out of my brain here.

Over the last 2 weeks I've been having issues where the screen will go black for a split second then turn back on, this originally started just on the desktop, there is no Windows disconnect/reconnect sound when it happens, just the blue led goes on then off (I have it set to power saving).
At first it wasn't happening in games, the last 3 days it's happening when gaming, at least 6 – 10 times a day.
https://youtu.be/S5uD0zGKh0Q
https://youtu.be/HJfTM3tfkBg

I did the usual, brand new DP cable, rolled back drivers, reset monitor settings, lowered the frame rate to 120Hz from 144Hhz, disabled G-SYNC, all still the same thing.

Wiggling the cables DP or Power won't recreate the issues, it's just intermittent, pretty much happens when it wants.

I tried another monitor (27" Benq 1080p 144Hz) on my system with no problems.

I'm running a RTX 2080 ti, 9900k, z390 Apex XI, Windows 10 1909, 441.66/441.41 NVIDIA Driver

I've also tested under Ubuntu Mate, it happens there too, so it's no a Windows problem.

It doesn't happen when the NVIDIA driver isn't installed, but it's also only running at 59Hz.

I disconnected all external USB devices besides my keyboard and mouse, as I run a USB Dac, Xbox One Wireless controller adapter, just stuff like that, to eliminate any sort of interference, but it still continued to happen.

I've plugged the monitor into various power points in the house to check if it wasn't anything to do with the power point, also plugged it into my sons 7700k/GTX 1050ti, which still had the same problem, but it only happened twice in a 12 hour periods, so very intermittent. 

Setting the monitors overclock to 165Hz (never used since day one until now) lessens the black screen flicker.

I still have 6 months of Acer warranty left (July), but I highly doubt the RMA department will use the monitor all day waiting for the problem to appear.

I had zero issues until now with this monitor, nothing has changed in my setup, it just started happening one day.

Any ideas?

Answers

  • schoolofmonkey
    schoolofmonkey Member Posts: 5 New User
    I see I've got the Acer forums stumped too.

    Get this, every time I sit at my desk, even without touching it, just sit in my chair, I get the black screen flash, don't need to touch anything.
    Seems after a bit of Googling, there's other people suffering the same problem.
  • schoolofmonkey
    schoolofmonkey Member Posts: 5 New User
    edited January 2020
    Just so you don't think I'm imagining this, here's 2 videos recorded one after another of me sitting down.


  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer
    Do you get it if the computer isn't turned on but the monitor is? How about if they're both turned on but the monitor is set to a different source? I'm trying to help pin down whether it's the monitor or the computer.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • schoolofmonkey
    schoolofmonkey Member Posts: 5 New User
    It was ESD from my newly purchased gaming chair.
    I'm not joking, the moment I put a rubber mat under my chair, the black screen flicker and speaker clicks when I stand up/sit down stopped.

    It seems it's not a isolated thing either.
    https://youtu.be/r-V_Z3bD_PA
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer
    That was quite interesting! Not completely unexpected, though I was thinking more of a ground loop than induced static. I wonder if the cable has it's shield grounded at both ends instead of just on one end?
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • schoolofmonkey
    schoolofmonkey Member Posts: 5 New User
    billsey said:
    That was quite interesting! Not completely unexpected, though I was thinking more of a ground loop than induced static. I wonder if the cable has it's shield grounded at both ends instead of just on one end?
    Don't know, what I do know I've tried 5 different DP cables, one that costed me $50au (DP 1.4), and that didn't make a difference.
    Sticking a mat under my chair stopped it completely, 4 days and counting without a single flicker.

    Its interesting because like in the video some monitors it happens on other it doesn't, hence why the 2 other monitors didn't suffer the same black screen.

    I dismissed it being my chair when a few people told me it's impossible, but it was the only new piece of equipment introduced when the problem started happening, finding this video from EEVBlog helped.

    Hope this helps others.

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