Screening Process

Over the last few weeks, when I would fire up my computer at work, the monitor wouldn't turn on. However, a cure-all restart could usually get it to blink to life. But when I returned to work on Monday morning, I tried several restarts and still nothing. I explained to my boss that my monitor had died, and tried to hide the drool forming in the corners of my mouth as I told him I would need a shiny new Apple 24" LED Cinema Display to replace it.

He picked it up for me Monday afternoon and delivered it to my office Tuesday morning. I pulled it out of the box, tried to hook it up, and realized my computer didn't have the right video port. I called ExperCom and they explained I would need a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter. I hopped in my car, drove 20 minutes across the valley to the closest store, and obtained said adapter.

I drove back to my office, sliced open the package and... it was the wrong one. I actually needed the opposite, a DVI to Mini DisplayPort adapter. With what was left of my morning I hopped back in the car, drove back to ExperCom, made the exchange, and returned to my office once again.

I pulled the proper adapter out of its box, hooked everything up, and... the new monitor didn't turn on either. The wheels in my head finally started turning. I pulled out my laptop, plugged in the new monitor, and it sprung to glorious life. I had a sinking feeling as I cast a weary eye toward my old monitor. Soon I plugged it in to my laptop, and just as I suspected, it turned on with no problems.

After another conversation with ExperCom, this time I was loading my MacPro tower into the car to have the video card replaced. When I got back to the office for the third time, I regretfully packed that shiny new Apple 24" LED Cinema Display back in its box for imminent return.

As I rehearsed this story to my amused coworkers, I realized I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if I had but tested the old monitor on the laptop in the first place. Since my computer is only a year and a half old and the monitor is five plus, I simply assumed it was an issue with the monitor. But then we all know what happens when you assume.