Overclocking in Dell 5045

IN a monitor (or a tv set for that matter), the high voltage is generated by the horizontal sync signals. The horizontal deflection chain traditionally is designed for a very small range of frequencies. Move out of that range, and the horizontal deflection transistor can burn out because it's being asked to do more than it can. Some of the other components can go with it.

The 6845 that was common in older computers (and right into the "IBM PC" age until the video boards got higher integration) was a programmable device, allowing one to output all kinds of sync frequencies. It didn't mean you could use them all, only that there was flexibility so for any given design you could work things out.

Combine that flexibility with a fixed rate monitor, and yes, you did risk doing damage. Put the wrong values into the video generator, and the monitor couldn't keep up, and things start smoking.

The issue has either disappeared or pretty much, because the hardware changed and there isn't that same level of flexibility (nowadays, there will be enough demand so a more specific IC can be designed for any given use), and at the very least multi-sync monitors provide some level of adaptation if the wrong sync frequencies are sent out.

And given how "smart" monitors have become, this 19" Dell has buttons to control things, complete with a menu, so there has to be a whole computer in there, and that level, of control means it can watch for dangerouc combinations, and shut down the monitor in some way if the signals aren't acceptable.

Micahel