ASUS PA248Q Buzzing/Hissing Noise

Hello All,

So I am quite frustrated with this monitor. I bought one from Amazon and it came with a high pitched buzzing/hissing noise when turned on (does it even when not hooked up to a comp). The noise gets louder the brighter the content on the screen (i.e. when a white screen is displayed the sound is most intense and least intense on a black screen). I got a replacement from amazon and that ones does it as well. So I went down to Fry's and got one from there, that does it TOO! I contacted Asus customer support and they confirmed that it should not do that. I am at a loss because I love this monitor except for the noise. I checked the voltage in the house and it is 120-118 everywhere.

I bought the monitor for photo editing and there isn't really anything like it in the same price range. Do you have any ideas of what to do? I have attached a video link of the noise. It comes from the back of the monitor.

http://youtu.be/n-2YnGQfWeo

Listening to it, and from a quick web search, I think you are hearing overstressed capacitor(s) whining. One source says to try turning down the brightness and see what happens, but you already said the volume is loudest with a brighter display. "Common occurence with new TN-panel monitors in that the capacitors they are using are cheap and give out easily."

If this is correct, you can't fix it, and another unit of the same model won't help until ASUS fixes the underlying problem (switches to higher rated and/or better quality capacitors).

(P.S. Did you post this exact same question on another site? Because it came up in a web search, and I'm wondering if somebody is grabbing posts off POTN and reposting them automatically.)

Yeah, that is pretty much what I saw on searching too. It's weird that more people with this monitor don't complain about it since IMO it's pretty loud. Yeah, I did repost it on more computer hardware oriented sites too.

I have two PA248Q's sitting in front of me, neither of which have or had any buzzing/hissing. Both of mine are more than a year old and both are connected through a display port cable.

Thanks for the feedback Dave. I am guessing Asus recently switched to cheaper components or something all 3 monitors that I have tried are wishing 150 serial numbers. So frustrating... Not sure what to do as I love the monitor other than this problem.

Well I took the 3rd unit back to Fry's and explained what was going on to the customer service guy as well as the monitor salespeople and everyone is in agreement that the noise is definitely not normal and that it shouldn't be there - both of them could hear it too. So we went and pulled a 4th unit and tested it out right there and that one made the noise as well! I think Asus must have switched suppliers for the power supply or something because there 4 were all within 150 serial numbers and it seems that they ALL do it. I am so annoyed. I just don't know what monitor to get now that is a similar price range.

When I got my monitor I was trying to decide between the ASUS and a Dell but ended up going with the Dell and it works great for me. Same price range if not a little cheaper:

Dell U2412

Thanks for the suggestion! I actually ended up ordering a U2415 last night. Hopefully this is better luck!

UPDATE! Received a Dell U2415 today and it is silent! It also looks really great. What a relief!