This article is for all you folks out there who own the old SUN Hitachi 19" colour monitors. Whether you have bought one used and been slightly discouraged seeing new stuff, or have noticed it has faded over the years.. this article is for YOU! You DON'T have to spend $2000 on a new 19" monitor... just get out ye olde screwdriver! [unless you want perfect clarity of focus. This article only deals with Colour/Brightness :-)] WARNING!!! This procedure involves tinkering with the monitor while still on. You do not have to remove the shielding. However, I'm sure there is some way you could still kill yourself. I disclaim any responsability of damage or injury while following these directions, incorrectly or correctly. I am not a qualified electrician, either. I'm just telling you what worked for me. That being said, onto the monitor adjusting! [This is on a 19" hitachi monitor, with 5 bnc connectors on the back. Hitachi model number 4119 SUN 365-1000 ] Ever since I bought the monitor, I have noticed that the colors were a little dark, though I wasn't sure why. Lately, I noticed that the failing was mainly something to do with the blue tint. However.. there are no external controls on the monitor, unlike newer monitors. A few weeks ago, I got to see openwin on a different machine than mine. I was aghast that the background was actually an obnoxious LIGHT blue, instead of the "soothing" medium blue I was so used to! Here is the approximate proceedure I used. Before starting the adjusting, you should have handy: 1) A detailed black and white image (.gif recommended.) 2) A simple color chart with colors right next to each either. I used the color bar on my "xmandel" program (available from ftp.x.org :-) But anything with the basic color palette should be fine ( Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet, or as much as you can get) Note that you do NOT want to just have "A colour picture", unless you have the original analog image with you to compare it to. 3) A medium-sized Philips' screwdriver. 4) PLASTIC philips' adjustor things, if you can get them. (otherwise, you can take your chances with the screwdriver. But wear rubber boots if you can) Take off the plastic back cover to the monitor. You also have to take off the back plate. This is one piece of metal, that has holes for the BNC connectors and other controls to stick through. Do NOT mess with the shielding cage (the sheets of metal with little 5mm holes all over them) Once the back place is off, you will see a whole bunch of little adjustable plastic things with Philip's screwdriver sockets in them. You should even have LABELS for them on the side!! But in case you don't, here they are: Black levels 1 2 3 BRT tracking X X (yes, one is missing) Cont tracking X X X picture level 4 5 6 "X" is something you shouldn't care about. Note that they are grouped appropriately just above the colour BNC that they deal with. Adjust the (regular) brightness knob so that it is NOT quite all the way at maximum. You'll appreciate this later. You might also do "xsetroot -solid white" or equivalent, to get a better idea of the color mix. Now it's time to adjust the knobs. I tried to use a plastic knife. But I also used the (metal) screwdriver at times. Using metal probably greatly increases the risk of arcing from the capacitors on the back. So use plastic if you can. Step 1: Looking at the black and white image, adjust plastic knobs 4, 5, & 6 so that the image is as completely black-and-white as you can get it. It also helps if you have something pure grey around. I had the olwm title bars to aid me in this respect. Clockwise is more color. They should probably all be almost al the way around, in the clockwise direction. After you have done this, you should not have to touch them again [unless your monitor was REALLY dark, and you can't tell colours properly until after you follow the next step] Step 2: Looking at the colour bar (or whatever simple color image you have handy) adjust the "Black Level" (knobs 1, 2, 3) until first they are bright enough, and secondly, until the colors look right :-) Depending on how bad your monitor was in the first place, you may have to go back to step 1 and readjust. Once again, clockwise is "more". You now hopefully have a properly balanced monitor. ANd what's more, you can actually turn up the brightness knob to maximum now, and prepare to be really impressed :-) If you are astounded at the results, feel free to drop me a note at philb@soda.berkeley.edu I'd like to know that I helped someone out there :-)