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Replacing cracked Macbook Air 11.6" screen

S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
The 11.6" Macbook Air is incredibly thin and light , so something's gotta give. In my case I found out the screen was very fragile and it didn't take much of an impact to crack the glass and damage the underlying LCD :(

Accidental damage isn't covered by Apple's warranty and the replacement cost of the entire screen assembly was almost the cost of a new MBA, so I decided to take the DIY route. I've seen Techrestore videos on Youtube where they remove the bezel and LCD without disassembling the bottom case, whereas Ifixit instructions involve taking apart most of the computer.

I've also been having trouble sourcing for a replacement panel. I've heard Apple uses LP116WH4-TPA1 or AUO B116XW05 panels - these are either out of stock or ridiculously priced on Ebay. I'm wondering if it's possible to source a compatible screen like B116XW01 and flash the EDID to make it work.
Has anyone does this yet?
 
R

reclusive46

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2011
1,120
62
Canada
I could be wrong but isn't the airport in the screen? It is on tha MacBook pros. If that's the case then yes you will need to open up all the computer.
 
brand

brand

macrumors 601
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
reclusive46 said:
I could be wrong but isn't the airport in the screen? It is on tha MacBook pros.
Click to expand...

One most laptops and all of the MacBook Pros the airport is part of the logic board or a module that connects the logic board and the antennas are routed through the hinges then along the sides of the LCD panel.
 
eVolcre

eVolcre

macrumors 68000
Jan 7, 2003
1,979
587
Same here except mine is the 13" model. Apple wants USD 900 to fix it. Ridiculous. I'm probably just going to buy the new version 11" when it comes out and then wait a year when I'm back in the States (traveling right now) and see if I can get a service repair estimate from them that does not say what's wrong with the screen. Only that it needs replacing. That way my Amex will pick up the cost. Their extended warranty kicks in after a year.

Keep us posted on the progress of your repairs.
 
brand

brand

macrumors 601
Oct 3, 2006
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456
127.0.0.1
eVolcre said:
I'm probably just going to buy the new version 11" when it comes out and then wait a year when I'm back in the States (traveling right now) and see if I can get a service repair estimate from them that does not say what's wrong with the screen. Only that it needs replacing. That way my Amex will pick up the cost. Their extended warranty kicks in after a year.
Click to expand...

Saying that you are planning on committing fraud an a public forum is not the best idea you ever had.
 
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eVolcre

eVolcre

macrumors 68000
Jan 7, 2003
1,979
587
brand said:
Saying that you are planning on committing fraud an a public forum is not the best idea you ever had.
Click to expand...

Not fraud mate. Do you have an Amex? They will actually allow user damage repairs. Quite lenient about these things. The only fraud is I store my laptop for 6 months because APPLE won't cover it under their warranty.
 
brand

brand

macrumors 601
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
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eVolcre said:
Not fraud mate. Do you have an Amex? They will actually allow user damage repairs. Quite lenient about these things. The only fraud is I store my laptop for 6 months because APPLE won't cover it under their warranty.
Click to expand...

Then why do you need to hide the fact that you broke the screen left out of the repair estimate? Seems fishy to me.
 
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J

jenzjen

macrumors 68000
Aug 20, 2010
1,734
6
eVolcre said:
Not fraud mate. Do you have an Amex? They will actually allow user damage repairs. Quite lenient about these things. The only fraud is I store my laptop for 6 months because APPLE won't cover it under their warranty.
Click to expand...

If you want to be legal, AMEX specifically states they extend the terms of the original warranty for another year, so you're not covered by AMEX. Since Apple's original warranty doesn't cover accidental damage likewise AMEX extension will not apply to accidents, either.

Like the other poster wrote, if AMEX is cool with repairing accidents, why are you making sure you get a repair bill leaving out the part that it is a user caused damage?
 
N

nizmoz

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2008
1,410
2
Well, at least you have a desktop machine now. External monitor, keyboard, mouse and you can use it at home.
 
S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
Any success for anyone finding a replacement screen for the 11.6" MBA? Matte or glossy is OK, as long as it works. I'm interested to find which model TechRestore uses for their MBA matte screen replacements.
 
S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
ritmomundo said:
it says $199 now. lol. if you look at the purchase history, it used to be $89 a week ago
Click to expand...

Woah, it went from $89 to $1599! A crateload of MBA screens fell of a truck?

I'm tempted to get a screen used in the Samsung/Asus ultraportables and see if it fits. I don't mind if it's matte or glossy as long as I don't have to keep staring at a cracked screen. The search continues... :(
 
brand

brand

macrumors 601
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
soapsudz said:
Woah, it went from $89 to $1599! A crateload of MBA screens fell of a truck?
Click to expand...

How would the price of an Ebay action going up have relation to a crate load of MBA screens falling off of a truck? Just because someone is willing to pay a certain price fpr something means that is fell off of a truck? I don't understand that logic at all.
 
S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
Joking mate :) But that price is way more than a new MBA 11.6". On Ebay and a bunch of other LCD seller sites, MBA screens seem to have one heck of a premium over other similar-sized screens, even among similar LG-Phillips models.

Apple kit is nice and all but paying ridiculous prices to get it fixed?
 
Blondie :)

Blondie :)

macrumors 6502a
May 12, 2010
698
3
Prescott, AZ
soapsudz said:
The 11.6" Macbook Air is incredibly thin and light , so something's gotta give. In my case I found out the screen was very fragile and it didn't take much of an impact to crack the glass and damage the underlying LCD :(

Accidental damage isn't covered by Apple's warranty and the replacement cost of the entire screen assembly was almost the cost of a new MBA, so I decided to take the DIY route. I've seen Techrestore videos on Youtube where they remove the bezel and LCD without disassembling the bottom case, whereas Ifixit instructions involve taking apart most of the computer.

I've also been having trouble sourcing for a replacement panel. I've heard Apple uses LP116WH4-TPA1 or AUO B116XW05 panels - these are either out of stock or ridiculously priced on Ebay. I'm wondering if it's possible to source a compatible screen like B116XW01 and flash the EDID to make it work.
Has anyone does this yet?
Click to expand...

This is why I use Best Buy's warranty. Accidental damage is covered. Sure, the warranty itself is a small fortune (349) but when you're a college student and spill beer over every square inch of your computer, it's nice to know they'll give you a new one for free :)
 
F

firewood

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2003
8,108
1,345
Silicon Valley
nizmoz said:
Well, at least you have a desktop machine now. External monitor, keyboard, mouse and you can use it at home.
Click to expand...

That's what I did with an iBook G3 that the cat smashed the display on. The cost to repair at the Apple store was around 70% of the cost to replace it, so I just got a new one. The old smashed one is still running 8 years later as a headless media server.
 
P

pfmartin

macrumors newbie
Jul 10, 2011
1
0
I believe I found a solution (around USD100, EUR70 shipped to France), I wait to receive the LCD by a few days to confirm you the good news.

It will however be necessary to remain very discreet, to keep the prices low as they are actually (I want to propose a repair service on ebay at a decent price by buying a consequent stock of these LCD). More and more persons seem informed of the really ridiculous price of these LCD, things are certainly going to change!
 
S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
I await your result with bated breath ;)

There's also the pesky lower case screws on the MBA, regular Torx drivers won't fit. Any quick and cheap ways to open them without having to buy a specific driver from iFixit/etc.? And if you replace the screen yourself, would it invalidate the rest of the warranty on the machine?
 
S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
Anyone had success with replacing the screen on a MBA 11" from 2010 or 2011? Would the screen from the 2011 model fit in the 2010?
 
A

Auguste-Lm

macrumors newbie
Jan 20, 2012
2
0
Suppliers found, but...

pfmartin - I believe I found a solution (around USD100, EUR70 shipped to France), I wait to receive the LCD by a few days to confirm you the good news.

It will however be necessary to remain very discreet, to keep the prices low as they are actually (I want to propose a repair service on ebay at a decent price by buying a consequent stock of these LCD). More and more persons seem informed of the really ridiculous price of these LCD, things are certainly going to change!
Click to expand...

@pfmartin
We found many sites that references the LP116WH4-TPA1 in their catalog, but how did you get the supplier answer you?
I sent many inquiries for these panels, but no one did answer. is it reserved to wholesale orders? Big companies?
 
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S

soapsudz

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2011
49
0
I've found the following model codes for MBA 11" screens:

2010 model
LP116WH4-TPA1 (LG Phillips)
AUO B116XW05 (AU Optronics)

2011 model
LP116WH4-TJA3 (LG Phillips)
AUO B116XW05 V0, v1, v6 (AU Optronics)
LTH116AT01A04 (Samsung)

I don't know if 2011 and 2010 model screens are interchangeable, but you could change them within the same model year, so a LP116WH4-TPA1 would work with a B116XW05.
 
57004

57004

Cancelled
Aug 18, 2005
1,022
341
The screen on the Air is notoriously hard to replace, the bezel is glued on (unlike other models like the old Plastic MacBook).

The antennas on the air are however not in the screen bezel. They're underneath the black plastic hinge cover. Antennas don't work under metal, that's why they're there (same as on the MBP by the way).
 
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