A gamer has a strange problem: Whenever he uses a can on the table, the monitor of his gaming PC turns off. The reason behind it is an interference caused by his can.
A gamer explains on Reddit that his gaming monitor always shuts off when he touches a drink can with his electric lighter. As proof, he recorded a short video. He stood there, puzzled, not knowing why his screen goes black.
The reason for this is quite simple, as the amused community explains to him.
The metal of the can becomes a (disturbing) antenna
What is behind the problem? The metal can becomes a type of antenna. The metal can does not transmit signals, but it causes strong noise. And that disturbs the reception of other devices. Here, the HDMI cable of the gaming monitor is affected, which then subsequently turns black.
And not only drink cans can cause such “trouble.” If you have your devices too close to your HDMI cable, you will experience interference. Sudden screen flickering does not necessarily have to be blamed on a dying graphics card, but can also simply be an interference from a device nearby.
Such interferences are also not rare: A gamer wondered about creepy voices coming from his gaming PC. And here too, it was disturbing signals that made him suddenly hear voices.
Can the “problem” be solved? Better or more expensive cables are better shielded in most cases. This way, there are no longer issues with interference from other sources.
Finding the cause when the monitor flickers or suddenly turns black
Basically, a sudden black screen or a flickering monitor can have various causes. Therefore, you should always check all possibilities if your monitor causes trouble. Because in the most annoying case, it’s not the monitor that’s to blame:
- If you are playing a game, it could be a software bug. Often, a look at the patch notes or the forum is enough: If many players have the same problem, it is not your equipment, and in the best case, a fix for the error will come soon.
- A defective cable can also cause problems. In the best case, you just need to replace your HDMI or DisplayPort cable, and the problem is solved.
- A broken graphics card or a defective driver can also cause flickering or a black display. In the best case, you just need to reinstall your graphics card software; in the worst case, you need to replace your GPU.
Most problems can usually be resolved easily. In general, it is always worthwhile to handle hardware and technology carefully. A gamer had to realize this when he opened his gaming PC:
