Monitor turns off by itself sometimes...
 

Around the time I set up X Windows to turn off after eight minutes of usage I started having problems with my monitor shutting off at random intervals while I was still using the computer. I would say that it happens a few times a week.

I doubt it is related, but my monitor has recently also started blurring horrizontal lines together faintly. If there is a little black on a line and the rest is supposed to be white it will appear somewhat grey.

Has this happened to anyone or do you think it is the monitor?

Perhaps it has something to do with the HorizSync in xorg.conf going to high, it might be possible your monitor is going bad and the sync termporarily falls out of range.

Sorry I can't offer much more help :(

Hmm, that is an interesting suggestion, but I checked the specs of the monitor and they are set within range.

What I meant is, perhaps the Horizontal refresh rate is dropping below the specified range, as indicated by the blurring of lines horizontally.

You could always download a small LiveCD like DamnSmall Linux (51 megs) and see if it happens, that would indicate if it is a configuration problem or a monitor problem.

seriously, I have to slap mine every so often.

not that i am recommending that to you :)