Hanns.G HZ281HPB 27.5" 1920x1200 LCD Monitor - Buzzing if brightness is reduced

[MsCabbage]

When I decrease the brightness (below 90%) on this monitor it goes from being completely silent to emitting a buzzing sound.

The monitor is fantastic otherwise with a massive beautiful picture but I CANNOT leave this monitor at full brightness or I will go blind!

What I really need to find out is if this is the way they all are or if mine is duff so I would really like to ask your help if you are reading this and have this monitor (Hanns-G HZ281HPB). I had the first monitor replaced with another one (brand new) and it does the exact same thing.

If you check yours it might well be your PC or other background noise might make the buzzing unnoticable to you so if put the monitor at full brightness (you might need sunglasses for this step) and then put you ear to the top of the monitor (where the noise is most audible) and then turn your brightness down to see if you start to hear a buzzing noise.

I don't have long to return this monitor via 7 day distance selling regulations if they say it is tough luck with the noise so any help with this would be very welcomed!

 

[FlyingPig]

I have this monitor and never noticed anything like it. Then again I have quite a rig with fans that may, as you say, make it unnoticeable.
How do you set the brightness when the computer is off?

 

[oxygene]

I used to have that monitor and it buzzed on brightness changes too. Turns out it was the built in speakers. I switched them off in the menu, problem solved. Shame the monitor itself still blew up, 3 times.

 

[MsCabbage]

I have this monitor and never noticed anything like it. Then again I have quite a rig with fans that may, as you say, make it unnoticeable.
How do you set the brightness when the computer is off?

You make a good point and maybe I deserve this by the fact I have drilled a hole through my wall so I have my PC (noisy bugger) in another room.

However, if you stick your head above the monitor with the brightness at a 100% and reduce the brightness with those really awkward controls you still should be able to notice if a noise develops.

 

[MsCabbage]

I used to have that monitor and it buzzed on brightness changes too. Turns out it was the built in speakers. I switched them off in the menu, problem solved. Shame the monitor itself still blew up, 3 times.

Oxygene very interesting what you say - I had already turned the speakers down to 0 and now in the menu also muted them - is that what you did? But it hasn't made any difference at all...

When you say blew up 3 times that sounds terrible! How long between each blow up and why do you think that happened to 3 different units?

 

[FlyingPig]

You make a good point and maybe I deserve this by the fact I have drilled a hole through my wall so I have my PC (noisy bugger) in another room.

However, if you stick your head above the monitor with the brightness at a 100% and reduce the brightness with those really awkward controls you still should be able to notice if a noise develops.

I've got my brightness set to 40% since the start. Never noticed a noise. I just set it to 100% with my ears close to the top and then brought it down gradually to 40 again. Didn't hear any difference.
For what it's worth I don't use the built in speakers so maybe try disabling first in case it makes a difference.
Oh and I agree, the controls are terrible...

 

[oxygene]

Oxygene very interesting what you say - I had already turned the speakers down to 0 and now in the menu also muted them - is that what you did? But it hasn't made any difference at all...

When you say blew up 3 times that sounds terrible! How long between each blow up and why do you think that happened to 3 different units?

Yeah I switched them off entirely and it fixed it. Didnt have anything cabled in to the hole or anything. As for the blow ups... About a yeah after I got it the screen started producing lines that got worse and worse. Sent it back, got a return 3 months later. Within a month it wouldnt switch on. Sent it back, 2 months later got it back. Worked fine for a week now wont switch on. I didnt bother sending it back this time.

 

[MsCabbage]

I've got my brightness set to 40% since the start. Never noticed a noise. I just set it to 100% with my ears close to the top and then brought it down gradually to 40 again. Didn't hear any difference.
For what it's worth I don't use the built in speakers so maybe try disabling first in case it makes a difference.
Oh and I agree, the controls are terrible...

I never did use the speakers and had them set to 0 and now muted as well so sadly not that - the sound is just like what you get when you use a dimmer switch...

Many thanks for double checking it I will ask for this unit to replaced again.

 

[MsCabbage]

Yeah I switched them off entirely and it fixed it. Didnt have anything cabled in to the hole or anything. As for the blow ups... About a yeah after I got it the screen started producing lines that got worse and worse. Sent it back, got a return 3 months later. Within a month it wouldnt switch on. Sent it back, 2 months later got it back. Worked fine for a week now wont switch on. I didnt bother sending it back this time.

Do you mean to say you had to wait 3 months and then 2 months to get a replacement?

 

[FlyingPig]

I never did use the speakers and had them set to 0 and now muted as well so sadly not that - the sound is just like what you get when you use a dimmer switch...

Many thanks for double checking it I will ask for this unit to replaced again.

Yeah, sorry to hear that but you seem to be unlucky. I guess the Hanns G is a bit like the Hazro: budget 27", but bad quality control so it's luck of the draw. I am reasonably happy about mine but with hindsight wouldn't have bought it as the 1900 x 1200 resolution is just too small on a 27" screen, wish I had spent a bit more on the Hazro 5 months ago or stuck with a quality 24".

 

[MsCabbage]

Yeah, sorry to hear that but you seem to be unlucky. I guess the Hanns G is a bit like the Hazro: budget 27", but bad quality control so it's luck of the draw. I am reasonably happy about mine but with hindsight wouldn't have bought it as the 1900 x 1200 resolution is just too small on a 27" screen, wish I had spent a bit more on the Hazro 5 months ago or stuck with a quality 24".

When you say 1920x1200 is too small do you mean too big? I was interested in the looking at the Hazro monitor - are you talking about the HZ27WC with resolution 2,560 x 1,440? If that resolution then I would have to always have a high end graphics card...

On monday I should recieve my 3rd Hanns-G HZ281HPB and I am reassured has come from another batch. I did send an email to repairtech asking if this humming/buzzing noise came as standard on this monitor and they just sent me a standard reply asking for loads of info - I don't have much confidence if I provide the infomation they will do anything more than say send it into us and frankly the thought of them ever getting their hands on a monitor of mine scares me!

 

[FlyingPig]

When you say 1920x1200 is too small do you mean too big? I was interested in the looking at the Hazro monitor - are you talking about the HZ27WC with resolution 2,560 x 1,440? If that resolution then I would have to always have a high end graphics card...

I meant small in terms of resolution compared to the physical size of the screen. This is something I never thought about when I bought the screen as I didn't have a clue about these things at the time. I was indeed talking about the HZ27WC. It may not apply to you but I was just saying that with hindsight I regret not spending a bit extra and going for that extra resolution as I need it for office work. As for games, I have a GTX570 so that would still work on the higher resolution (with a few settings turned down like AA, but on a resolution like that you don't really need that anyway). If you don't have a high-end video card you can always run it at 1080p too.
Anyway, just thinking aloud here. The Hanns G is still a good screen for the low price. I hope you have more luck with your third model. If not I'll sell you mine

 

[MsCabbage]

OK so this an update to the saga of the buzzing HannsG HZ281HPB - I did get a another replacement (3rd monitor) and I was assurred it came from a different batch. Well it buzzed away just like the other two although the noise started at the brightness level of 91 instead of 95.

For a while I tried dropping the contrast to 25 and keeping the brightness at 91, however the glare from white backgrounds was still so strong I had to use the graphics card software to futher reduce the brightness and contrast. Using the graphics card software to reduce the brightness results in significant loss in picture quality when playing games so is only viable whilst reading web pages etc... After a while of getting fed up having to continually change between the settings I tried to live with the buzzing and dropped the brightness to 45. Thats fine when playing games and you thus have another noise to drown it out but say now writing this the noise very noticable.

I sent an email to the warranty provider (repair tech) asking them if the buzzing is a feature of all these monitors or a fault as I had two with the same problem only to recieve a standard reply asking me to set up a RMA. They would be in the perfect position to answer this question but sadly have not been up to the task.

I hate the buzzing but love the 1920x1200 good valueness of this monitor so I am not sure what to do. It has a 3 year warranty but then again if they take from 2-3 months to replace that is no warranty as you would have to buy another in the meantime anyway...

 

[FlyingPig]

MsCabbage, sorry to hear about your continuous problems. How strange...
If it is really such an issue for you maybe you should give up on the Hanns G and look towards more expensive but more reliable options like the Dell UltraSharp U2410?

 

[hernaldo]

These monitors are amongst the worst of the worst.

Mine came with a 3 year onsite warranty just over 3 years ago. I went through no less than 7 of them...yes 7.

They all had the same problems, and I know for a fact they are inherrantly faulty.

1. Buzzing of speaker (they all do it, makes speaker useless, only way to avoid is to mute speaker).

2. Image will dissappear randomly every now and again after owning for a few months.

3. After a couple more months the image dissappearing gets worse and worse, to the point where the monitor will turn itself off for a couple of days, yes days. Then just turn itself on again as if nothing happened and work as normal for a week or two...then again same thing.

4. VGA input will stop working completely giving garbled screen (you might not even notice this problem until you need to use the VGA port for something).

5. The "onsite" warranty isn't onsite at all, the warranty is outsourced to a company called "RepairTech", they are not a part of HannsG and thus have no power to get you a different model and will simply replace, replace, replace. They don't carry enough stock however and blame HannsG, but will not give you a contact for HannsG to speak to anyone about it.

6. On 3 occassions I was left waiting for 3-4 weeks for an onsite exchange because I refused a "return to base" repair - it's onsite, so be damned I'm getting onsite! Replacement monitor inevitably has same problems....etc.

7. I'm now out of warranty and this last monitor has done exactly the same as the others and HannsG have said it's out of their hands but they will forward my "concerns" to HannsG...This was directy from a manager at RepairTech, 1 week passed with no reply, I emailed the manager again and she didn't bother to reply back.

8. All my warranty claims are on record with RepairTech and I have telephone recordings saying as so and even the telephone operator ADMITTED that this is an ongoing problem with HannsG monitors, specifically their cheapo 28 inch models that are all based on the same internals and have been for the past 3 years.

9. I'm going to take it to small claims court at some point but I believe it won't go that far and will be offered a remedy as it's all catalogued etc.

A-holes!

You buy one of these pieces of crap, I wish you all the best of luck. You're going to need it, yes they are extremely cheap and have a fantastic warranty for the money...

But you will realise that it's cost you more in the long run through hassle and stress and just general annoyingness

If you don't listen to me, at least try and remember my words then in a year or so after all the too-and-throw...have a think and ask if they were wise words to follow. Personally I'd ignore me too...and put it down to 1 unlucky customer. I'm afraid there's luck and then there's having to exchange 7 monitors....Well, it would be 8 if you count this one now which I dare not turn off as it may not come on again till the middle of next week.

 

[hernaldo]

OK so this an update to the saga of the buzzing HannsG HZ281HPB - I did get a another replacement (3rd monitor) and I was assurred it came from a different batch. Well it buzzed away just like the other two although the noise started at the brightness level of 91 instead of 95.

For a while I tried dropping the contrast to 25 and keeping the brightness at 91, however the glare from white backgrounds was still so strong I had to use the graphics card software to futher reduce the brightness and contrast. Using the graphics card software to reduce the brightness results in significant loss in picture quality when playing games so is only viable whilst reading web pages etc... After a while of getting fed up having to continually change between the settings I tried to live with the buzzing and dropped the brightness to 45. Thats fine when playing games and you thus have another noise to drown it out but say now writing this the noise very noticable.

I sent an email to the warranty provider (repair tech) asking them if the buzzing is a feature of all these monitors or a fault as I had two with the same problem only to recieve a standard reply asking me to set up a RMA. They would be in the perfect position to answer this question but sadly have not been up to the task.

I hate the buzzing but love the 1920x1200 good valueness of this monitor so I am not sure what to do. It has a 3 year warranty but then again if they take from 2-3 months to replace that is no warranty as you would have to buy another in the meantime anyway...

Read my post mate, you're not alone. ^

You love the good valueness....that's the problem. So did I...There comes a point where you just have to pay your dues and I assure you there's nothing good value about your monitor.

 

[oxygene]

Agreed. It was an awesome screen when it worked, but god it skrewed up a lot. Its still sat on my floor on the other side of the room after skrewing up again. I decided its no longer worth returning it for a months repairs to have it return for a weeks working.

 

[MsCabbage]

hernaldo thanks for the very well expressed appalling experience you have suffered from owning my monitor.

I have to say I am already terrified of ever being on the end of RepairTechs 'so called' customer service and in fact my first buzzing monitor was going to be replaced by RepairTech but after reading some horror stories about them I wrote them an email saying I didn't want them to come near my monitor after all (at that point they had already made several mistakes in arranging the replacement) and got the retailer to replace it directly... twice.

You know I had provisionally decided to keep this monitor as I spent several hours reading up on buzzing monitors and bottom line is it seems many monitors of many different makes buzz when the brightness is reduced so I was 'oh well' easier just to live with this one rather than have to find another one to buy that might be just as bad.

If there was a clear contender at 1920x1200 I would simply get that instead but frankly there are only a handful of those around and they don't seem particularly well priced. What I am thinking is over the next 3 years HannsG will by accident or design produce a reliable 28" simply because all this warranty cost must be eating their profit margin. So I may go through a few before the 3 years are up but hopefully end up with a replacement that will last.

I say all this and I reread your last prophetic paragraph and I think I will spend some more hours looking for an alternative and if I see one I think it would be wise to get it.

I tell you want I find worst is the way they have been keeping customers waiting months for replacements as although I expect they have covered themselves in the small print it should be made illegal - it is just completely unacceptable and almost makes the warranty useless.

Anway, please don't let RepairTech get away with it and chase them until you get justice cause you will be helping others as well. Another thing I would suggest is that you copy and paste your review/experience into Amazon and maybe other retailers so as to give others the benefit of your experience when they are researching a monitor to buy. The good valueness can blinker you a bit but if I had read what you had just posted I would have thought twice. When I purchased this monitor just before christmas 95% of the reviews were very positive, in fact there was a big thread raving about this monitor on this forum that clinched it for me.

 

[wapcatlet]

Reading this thread it looks as if I've been very lucky (so far).
I bought this monitor back in May 2010 and it's been working perfectly since then. I use it primarily for gaming for 2 or 3 hours a day. I just hope that my luck holds and I don't regret posting this message.

 

[deuse]

I have had mine for just over 2 weeks and so far so good(touch wood) no dead pixals and no bleed
And I got it for under £200 new so happy days