The cable connecting the computer to the display has become disconnected.The display is on, but the computer is not.The computer is outputting a resolution (such as 3840×2160) that the display does not support.Like so many “simple” situations, there are many, many possible causes: So it displays a message on its own to tell you what’s up. In fact, from the display’s point of view, it’s a pretty simple situation: it’s expecting a signal telling it what to display, and it’s not getting one. The “No Signal” message does not come from your computer it’s generated by the display itself.Īll it means is that the monitor is not receiving a video signal from the computer. The information traveling along that connection is typically referred to as the “signal.” 1 There are various types of cables and video interfaces, ranging from the older “VGA” style to the newer Digital Video Interface (DVI) and the increasingly popular High-Definition Multimedia Interface ( HDMI).Įven if you’re using an all-in-one computer or a laptop with a built-in display, this is all still present, though often using different interface technologies and hidden from view.Įach of these interfaces transmit information about what should be displayed from the computer to the display. The video card or circuitry inside your computer turns the bits and bytes that represent the image you see on your screen into information that travels along the cable connecting your computer to the display. It’s only when connected to your computer that a display serves a purpose. It is not “the computer”, since by itself, the display can do almost nothing. Your desktop computer is typically connected to a display device variously referred to as the monitor, screen, or display. Most commonly it’s a configuration, connection, or power problem - or just a temporary message while booting. “No signal” is a message from the monitor, not the computer, that it is not getting information from the computer. Your desktop computer is connected to a monitor via a cable.

Aoc monitor troubleshooting no signal