Monitor keeps switching inputs on its own

I have an older Samsung 2043 BW monitor equipped with both VGA and DVI inputs.
When I connect my laptop using an HDMI cable paired with a DVI-to-HDMI adapter, everything works perfectly fine.
However, when I attempted to hook up my PlayStation 2 using an HDMI adapter, I couldn't get any picture at all, even though it displays just fine on my TV.
I also tried connecting an HDMI camera today, but again, there's no signal.
To rule out potential hardware issues, I tested a digital camera via an HDMI cable, and that produces a clear image without any trouble. 😵

When there is no active signal, the monitor automatically cycles between analog and digital modes. I thought perhaps manually selecting the input signal from the menu might help, but unfortunately, that didn't solve anything.

Does anyone have any insight into what might be causing this issue?
Essentially, the monitor functions normally across both signal types, yet it refuses to recognize the PlayStation 2 or the HDMI camera.

It’s possible the camera is pumping out a 50 Hz signal, which a lot of monitors just aren't built to handle. Have you tried checking the settings to see if you can switch that HDMI output over to 60 Hz? There might also be an issue with the PlayStation 2 itself, or perhaps the signal is getting lost because you're running it through two different adapters at once.

wanderingbison9 said:The camera might be outputting a 50 Hz signal, which a lot of monitors simply won't recognize. I'd suggest checking that and switching the HDMI output to 60 Hz. You could be running into the same issue with the PS2, especially since you're running through two different adapters.

The PS2 HDMI converter outputs a 480i signal, and either the monitor can't handle the upscaling or, more likely, it just doesn't support interlaced video at all.

On the other hand, the camera has a 48MP sensor, so it should be pushing a 4K signal. It only has an on-screen menu, which I can't see for obvious reasons.

The monitor seems to be detecting some kind of input because the screen stays black without showing a "no signal" notification.

Edward Peterson70 said:The PS2 HDMI converter outputs a 480i signal, and since the monitor can't upscale it—or more likely, just doesn't support interlaced video at all—we've hit a wall.

The camera on the other side boasts 48MP, so it really should be pushing a 4K signal, right? It only has an on-screen menu, which I obviously can't see for the life of me.

The monitor seems to be picking up *something*, though, because the screen stays black without even throwing a "no signal" warning.

Well, it looks like you answered your own question regarding the PS2; I had mistakenly assumed the adapter would convert everything to a progressive signal. As for that Samsung monitor, since it lacks an HDMI port and feels like a bit of a vintage model, its resolution is definitely under 1080p, probably utilizing a single-link DVI. Given that it’s clearly PC-centric, isn't it perfectly logical that it wouldn't recognize standard television video signals, let alone any modern 4K input?

Edward Peterson70 said:The PS2 HDMI converter is pushing out a 480i signal, and either the monitor can't handle upscaling or—more likely—it just doesn't support interlaced video.

On the flip side, the camera has a 48MP sensor and really ought to be outputting a 4K signal. It has an on-screen menu, but for obvious reasons, I can't actually see it.

The monitor is definitely picking up *something*, because the screen isn't totally dead; there's no "no signal" notification appearing.

It's definitely the camera. This isn't some hardware failure; it's just a mismatch between the HDMI protocol the camera uses and what the monitor supports. Someone mentioned it might be a 50 Hz issue involving interlaced video. That’s a possibility. However, most modern monitors should be able to handle 25p or 50i. You really need to dig into those technical specs.
Whatever you do, don't switch the camera over to 60Hz. The standard broadcast settings used here in the States are different from what they use overseas. We deal with 30p and 60i, not 25p and 50i.

wanderingbison9 said:Well, you pretty much answered your own question regarding the PS2. I was under the impression that the adapter would convert everything to a progressive signal. That Samsung monitor doesn't have an HDMI port and looks like it's from a different era; the resolution is definitely lower than 1080p, it likely uses single-link DVI, and since it's clearly PC-centric, it makes total sense that it wouldn't support standard TV signals—let alone modern 4K stuff...

There is no way it supports 4K.

wanderingbison9 said:Well, you pretty much answered your own question regarding the PS2. I was under the impression that the adapter would convert the signal to progressive. Since that Samsung monitor lacks an HDMI port and seems to be a bit older, its resolution is likely lower than 1080p—probably just single-link DVI as well. Given that it’s clearly PC-centric, it makes total sense that it wouldn't support standard TV video signals, let alone modern 4K...

The camera was designed specifically for a PC monitor rather than a television.
It features a variable output. Almost everything can be adjusted, though it's nearly impossible when you can't see the on-screen menu. I'll try configuring the settings on a TV first, then move it over to the monitor to see if that does the trick.

The argument about the resolution being too high doesn't quite hold up; I can force a 4K signal through my PC, so it should work. Besides, I mentioned the variable output capability specifically for that reason. It ought to function on monitors with lower resolutions as well.

Edward Peterson70 said:The camera was designed with a PC monitor in mind rather than a television.
It features a variable output, which means you can tweak almost everything, though that’s a bit of a catch-22 when you can't actually see the on-screen menu. I might try to get the settings dialed in on a TV first and then move it over to a monitor to see if it behaves.

As for the issue regarding resolution being too high, I don't think that's quite right, because I can force a 4K signal through my PC and get it working, which is exactly why I mentioned the camera's variable output capability. It really should function just fine on monitors with lower resolutions too.

Could you be a bit more specific? What exactly do you mean by variable output, and what specific resolution and refresh rate are you setting? And what does it mean to say it was built for a PC monitor? Even an older PC monitor from ten years ago doesn't support the same resolutions we see in modern displays today.

Are you suggesting that if you set it to, say, 3840x2160 at 60 Hz on a PC, you'll actually get a clear picture on the monitor? If so, what kind of connection are you using?