Does anybody know what this component is?

[sghill]

I'm trying to figure out what the ½" silver colered cylinder is. It's a video card off of an LCD monitor. The red arrow is pointing at it.

Thanks much!!!

 

[karesz]

Hi,
very interesting thing_nowaday, than seems to be a relay or big Quartz...
Can you read some signums/characters or vendors codes(a better photo over the notes on that) pls?
K.

 

[FvM]

I guess, it's a tilt switch (two contacts with a metal ball) to detect vertical or horizontal display orientation.

 

[cyberrat]

Yes, lets have some more information & a close up picture.

What monitor is it from?
what does it say on it?
Is there a legend/reference on the PCB for it?
Try & trace the circuit to see what other components it connects to - can you reproduce that area so we can help figure it out?

EDIT: Googling has shown it to be the PCB from a Viewsonic VP930B which has no indication of automatic sense of rotation (not something I would expect to find on a PC monitor) so I would not expect the device to be a tilt switch.

All the same - a close up is needed.

 

[FvM]

The circumstantial evidence is rather clear in my opinion. A tilt switch is the only device, that would be mounted under 45 degree
on a PCB with all other parts oriented orthogonal.

not something I would expect to find on a PC monitor

As far as I'm aware of, it's a usual feature of many wide screens that can be rotated at the stand.

A tilt switch can be easily identified with an ohmmeter, or possibly by shaking the board.

P.S.: The state-of-the-art automatic rotation feature possibly isn't mentioned in a short specification. The operators manual
usually tells, that the device can be switched to portrait mode by simply rotating the display (after installing a respective
device driver).

 

[karesz]

Hi,
Yes, a tilt switch is a real & good idea-possibility.
Some DTP Monitors can switch than automatically the modus between full side script or a part/magnified & controls the graphic card...
K.

 

[FvM]

A tilt switch with similar shape can be found here:
http://www.lightcountry.com.tw/download/tilt/Ball-Rolling Switch BT.pdf

 

[sghill]

FvM has got to be right. When I move the board, you can hear something moving around inside it. I know the monitor is able to determine it's orientation. I thought the moving thing inside it was an indication that it was broken, but the orientation sensor answer is RIGHT ON!

You folks really know what you are dong!

Thanks soooo much for the quick answers all!!!!!