Sony DAS (Digital Alignment Software), is used by Sony to change parameters stored in EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) on your monitor. Onboard your monitor is a computer/micro-controller which reads the settings stored in the EEPROM to controll functions of your monitor digitally by a method known as PCM (Pulse Controll Modulation). The software communicates with the monitors computer through a 4 pin port called the Ecs. A simple RS232<>TTL cable can be built/bought for under $10, how to build/buy the cable will be discussed in detail later.
Das can be used to fix many common problems with any Sony monitors.Especially popular is the 'monitor too bright' problem, or the 'retrace lines visible' problem. This is fixed by lowering the monitors G2 value, which is set too high by the color return function. Any color/geometry/convergence/focus/ABL problem can be fixed by simply using this free software.You can back up your initial settings to a file.All of this can be done with freely downloaded software and a cheap/common rs232<>ttl cable.No special Sony products needed.
I made this HOWTO to spread the word to people who were throwing out great monitors which could be fixed without special tools or know how. I don't make any money from this . People have had much success with this, and have helped eachother with their problems on this thread. I've found many people view this page, without looking at the instructions. That's odd, considering it's hard to find this page if you weren't looking for monitor repair. This is only a HOWTO and doesn't aim to sell/promote anything, I am just a kid who'd like to share a free/easy method of repairing monitors.Read the abovementioned thread if you are still in doubt.
Sony Das comes in two flavors, the DOS Sony DAS, and the windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP Sony Windas. This howto will detail the install and patching of the Windas software, the Ecs cable also works unmodified with the DOS based software. Windas is an MFC application utilizing the Microsoft Flex Grid library (msflxgrd.dll) and several signal generator specific libraries. It is protected against incompetent use by a hardware device. Progam execution can be continued on references to "Config Error" and "...plugged into LPT1 port...". I supply a small binary patch to continue that execution.
Windas makes fixing the overbrightness, excessivly bright, too bright, excessive brightness, etc. problems that are common in Sony monitors easy to fix. I cover it step by step in "Changing any setting on your monitor". The opposite of the brightness fix can make dim monitors brighter.Many examples of monitor repair become a joke. Don't waste your money paying monitor repair professionals to replace resistors and other hardware in your monitor as a work around for not using Windas.
Obtaining,Installing,Patching Windas Step By Step
Obtaining/Building the Ecs cable, many optionsUpdated again,new non-ebay option! 1/07/07
Changing any setting on your monitor
Ask Questions/Read Answers Here
Incase you save any money, feel free to...
One computer sufficies for nearly every procedure.If you want to complete other procedures with realtime adjustments while displaying patterns in the proper modes, you will need another computer to act as a signal generator (do not waste money on a real signal generator). Someday, I or someone else, will make a bootable cd/floppy which will act as the signal generator AND the das program, thus, you will need only one computer for realtime adjustment. Most fixes are not made much easier by realtime adjustment. Note that it is possible to ignore the requests for mode switching, and still make reasonable realtime adjustments.
Linux and Mac OS users should know that DAS can be run under the WINE emulator.