Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

[stj]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

now you just need to find out what spyware just got installed, because there is no way it takes 30meg to flash a couple of megs at most over a serial bus.

[JonathanAlstad]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Huzzah! After multiple attempts, I finally found the right secret sauce on this one. For any of you still suffering through a life of using these monitors, here's how I got them to bring back the image:

I started by hooking up one computer to a functional monitor and got Google Chrome Remote Desktop set up on it. I had to do this because I didn't have ANY Windows computers laying around that had both a VGA and another port so that I could dual screen (for purposes of monitoring the upgrade process via the working monitor). SO instead, I set up CRD and got logged in to the first computer (running Windows 7, not sure if that was necessary, but it was an older OS so that may have helped, I don't know). Before I disconnected the working monitor from computer 1, I disabled User Account Control (UAC) so that I wouldn't get stuck as remote desktop software doesn't let you click through a UAC popup (which comes up on the Samsung Firmware Updater software).

Once I had UAC disabled and I was logged in to computer 1 using CRD on computer 2, I then connected computer 1 to the first non-working Syncmaster monitor using the VGA. Once that was tightly in there and the "Check Signal Cable" was just bouncing around on it, I went to computer 2 and pulled up computer 1's desktop via CRD. I right clicked the desktop and went in to Adjust Screen Resolution and then clicked "Detect" to make sure that it recognized the non-working monitor as the one that was currently plugged in). I suspect if you skip that step, you may run into the "All monitors are up to date" error.

SO then I ran Samsung's automated firmware updating software, which is pretty easy to find on Samsung's website (just search for the 30MB+ EXE file under Syncmaster on their site or Google your model number and "Firmware"). After about 2 minutes of updating (a green bar gives you progress update), it will shut off the previously non-working monitor, and you can simply press the power button (Red LED comes back on) and VOILA, working monitor.

I then repeated the same process for the second monitor (again, just making sure to "Detect" in the screen resolution settings to make sure it updated as it didn't do it automatically either time). Boom. 2 monitors back up and running and several hundred dollars saved for my company.

Now, that's probably a lot more work than is absolutely necessary, as many people likely still have laptops with VGA ports (which would be ideal, I suspect) or graphic's cards with VGA ports and an additional working port for the second monitor, but I did not have any of that stuff, so I was rather thankful to be able to figure out another way to make this process work (after working on it a couple different times before with no success).

I hope this in some way helps somebody else. Of course, none of it was hardware related, so I understand if it's relevant to this particular forum, but I figure it's always best to try to figure things out from a software/firmware side first instead of starting a teardown on the hardware right off the bat.

good luck!

[JonathanAlstad]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Also going to be attempting this on TWO of these faulty monitors tonight from work. Really sucks for a small business that's exclusively working on Mac's that can't run these firmware EXE's. Gotta take them home where all my Windows machines are.

Does anybody have a firm answer on the most recent version of Windows is that's confirmed to work with the flashing process? Tried it on my Windows 10 machine the other night and kept getting the message that no monitors needed an update at this time, with it plugged in to VGA off my mobo (had to disable my GPU) and with it plugged into the HDMI off my GPU and mobo (neither of those worked either).

So now my goal is to dig up an older machine (maybe a Win7 rig with a native VGA on it I guess...) I'll report back with findings--this still seems to be an issue for many people today. :/

[Lance Thornton]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

had the same problem. I installed the software and tried to update the firmware. It wnet from 0 to 10% and would loop for about an hour before I tried to use the hdmi. It wouldn't even power on after that. Does anyone have any suggestions other than a replacement board? Many thanks.

[knoxrebel]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

After installing drivers firmware update utility started the update. It restarted about 20 times going from 0-10% and then would not progress, i assume the computer restarted and now monitor does not power on and firmware utility no longer sees the monitor although windows does. Any suggestions?

[re-atari]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Ciao David.
My wife is happy with her 19". She doesn't want to change.
I had some nice monitors, but she didn't want none of them.
I have used a VGA cable with the 27".

I don't know any women who would be happy with a 19" one if you catch my drift

And yes, all you need to reflash the firmware (besides the software provided by Samsung) is a vga cable. The ID pins in the cable are used as a I2C bus, so no JTAG-cable or other fancy stuff required.
Tonight I saw an advert for a defective Samsung 22A300, with exactly the same symptoms. I have already mailed the seller instructions how to fix his monitor, in case he'd rather want to keep it.

re-atari

[Davi.p]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

I say Guy not Girl.. ..thanks for the second answer..

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Ciao David.
My wife is happy with her 19". She doesn't want to change.
I had some nice monitors, but she didn't want none of them.
I have used a VGA cable with the 27".

[Davi.p]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

The 23" it's already sold. I will sell the 27" too. I alredy have a 27" at my workbench.

Is there any guy around the world that still feels happy with a 17 inch?


To upgrade a monitor is only needed a pc? No special cables?

[jetpowercom]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Much obliged for this tutorial, all!

Doing the flash routine (after locating an HDMI wire and a laptop with the port) brought the display back to life.

I want to report a couple of things:

1) My S23A550H wasn't working in either VGA or HDMI and works great after downloading the exe, restarting the laptop and flashing via VGA (!).

2) I was able to locate the exe on samsung.com by navigating the menus to let Samsung pull the model #; here's the url for future reference: http://www.samsung.com/ca/support/mo...lDownload=true

Cheers!

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

The 23" it's already sold. I will sell the 27" too. I alredy have a 27" at my workbench.

[re-atari]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

The S27A350H had the same issue, with the Check bable on the screen, and by doing the firmware upgrade through VGA cable, it works great now.
I had to install a driver first. I couldn't find the software on the US site, I found it on the Canadian site.

Don't you just looove simple solutions like these?
I did leave the reflashing software installed on my laptop, though, just in case the firmware decides to go belly up again in the future.

Maybe the other 23" monitor, had the same issue and I have changed the mainborad.

As you basically have nothing to lose on this monitor, I'd just give it a try and reflash the 23" firmware. Keep in mind that Samsung released software versions for each individual model, so it's safe to say you can't use the software for the 27" monitor to flash the 23" one. I don't know if this can possibly brick your monitor, nor if the software is actually intelligent enough to do a check and prevent this. Better safe than sorry...

re-atari

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Wow, you are awesome!
The S27A350H had the same issue, with the Check bable on the screen, and by doing the firmware upgrade through VGA cable, it works great now.
I had to install a driver first. I couldn't find the software on the US site, I found it on the Canadian site.
Thank you for this.
Maybe the other 23" monitor, had the same issue and I have changed the mainborad. But I still had a $60 profit on it, ince it was a free monitor

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

I'm about to pick one up today(27") with the same issue a you.
Thanks for the hint.
They have the board if you need it, but it's more expensive now.
http://www.ecrater.com/p/13979316/sa...48p-main-board

[re-atari]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

I will check, but if nothing is plugged in it sits on the HDMI screen with backlight on.
If I plug in the VGA it tries to switch it, shows up the VGA logo like twice and then go black and the backlight turns off.

FYI speaking from own investigations and personal experience: the 2xSA550 series (21", 23" and 27") is plagued by corrupted firmware. Reflashing the firmware usually resolves this.
The issues described in this thread appear to have another cause, though. But I guess it can't hurt to reflash the firmware just to exclude this as a possible cause.

I bought a defective 27" one about 3 weeks ago, incredibly it was only 1,5 years old. The seller said he couldn't claim warranty as he didn't have the receipt anymore.

When switched on, the monitor did not display anything besides a box 'Check Cable'. No dice either through HDMI or VGA, but when connected to my laptop monitor brand and type were identified correctly. It just did not give any picture.

Samsung is aware of the firmware issues and has a firmware update for these models avaliable on their website ('SA Series LED Monitor Quality Improvement Announcement'). Download, install, and reflash the firmware. Through the VGA cable, pretty neat
At the end of reflashing the monitor switches itself off. Turn it back on, and voila, we have an image. My 27" has worked flawlessly ever since, both on my laptop (VGA) and mediaplayer (HDMI). Very nice picture as well

re-atari

[VaNDAL_UK]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Hi,

I have the same monitor and the same issue. Where did you buy the replacment logic board?

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

Found a board for $39.95 shipped and I have purchased it.
Thank you for your help.
It's amazing, these LED monitors how small board have in them. It's like 6" x 5". It's a single board.

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

With the cable plugged in, but no signal(PC off) the resistance at the middle pin drops to 38 Ohm.

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

The middle pin is the 75.3 Ohm, one of the two pins is 0.3 Ohm(GND) and the third one is 2.5 Kohm. Without VGA plugged in.
Should I check with the VGA plugged in, or without it.

[tibimakai]

Re: Samsung Syncmaster S23A550H no video on VGA

I will check, but if nothing is plugged in it sits on the HDMI screen with backlight on.
If I plug in the VGA it tries to switch it, shows up the VGA logo like twice and then go black and the backlight turns off.