....
I am sure I can find a new 17" now for around $200 or less but I hate to toss it. (I have friends that could use a 17")
That's an easy one.
Give it to those friends.
Let them decide if it is worth fixing.
My Question: Does it pay to get it fixed??
That depends.
If you know somebody that can look at it - cheap - then ok.
If you're going to have to pay a $100 flat fee or something like that, then probably not.
It's a CRT monitor, right? (like a TV) not a flat screen, right?
I'm wondering if a TV repair shop might be cheaper than a computer shop.
Couldn't hurt to ask around.
I've always felt that the more "broken" something is, the easier it is to fix.
And you've said that it is totally dead. Like - no power at all. Right?
I'd start by looking inside for a simple fuse. If it has one, and if it blew, that would produce that effect. A fuse is cheap and easy to replace, and lots of electronic stuff has one.
But - that's me. If you take the cover off a CRT monitor (not a flat screen),
and go poking around, you need to know ahead of time that there are certain areas in there with very high voltage. High enough to hurt you if you touch them.
If it is a blown fuse, the hard part is figuring out why it blew. If it was a fluke, then you've got a cheap and easy fix. If it keeps blowing every time it is replaced, then you've got potential for a much more time consuming fix. That means more money.