Bizarre Powerbook G4 Titanium Screen Problem

[Uberman5000]

Okay, so I just bought this used Titanium Powerbook G4 on eBay. I'm pretty pleased with it aside from one thing: the bottom two-thirds are too bright. This didn't show up in the pictures of the Powerbook in the auction, so I assume it happened during shipping or something, or from some goof-up that I did. Here's what it looks like:

And it gets brighter towards the right side of the screen, like this:

I know it's not a graphics card problem, because I have it hooked up to a VGA monitor right now, and it works fine.

I tried a number of things; resetting the PMU, reinstalling the operating system, but no one else seems to have had this problem, which I find hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe that the screen is physically damaged; no screen would break this cleanly, and the screen itself doesn't have any visible damage.

I think it could be a loose connection, or the voltage is too high or something. What do you think I should do? It would be nice if I don't have to replace this screen, and I should probably find a way to fix it soon, before it does any lasting damage.

 

[California]

Hinges are probably crimping the video wires.

 

[Uberman5000]

Hinges are probably crimping the video wires.

Each hinge has two little screws on the back. Do I just pop those out, move the wires, and put them back? That would be good.

I just wish Apple didn't use goofy little proprietary screws that can only be opened with screwdrivers distributed to a few select Apple Stores.

 

[movingim]

Solve the problem?

Hello:

Did you ever solve the problem with your display, replace LCD? cable? I have the same problem with my Powerbook.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[zen.state]

Hello:

Did you ever solve the problem with your display, replace LCD? cable? I have the same problem with my Powerbook.

Thanks
Jeff

Did you not notice the thread is over 3 years old?

 

[adcx64]

He thinks the OP checks back here periodically over three years?

 

[Goftrey]

Hello:

Did you ever solve the problem with your display, replace LCD? cable? I have the same problem with my Powerbook.

Thanks
Jeff

Dude, the thread is three years old and the OP is still a 'newbie' and has only posted 6 times since he signed up in 2008. Do you really think he still checks back here often? Use your common sense.

 

[movingim]

I knew it was three years old but the "newbie' had a post this July so I'm taking the chance he might respond. Anyway thanks for the response's maybe someone will offer more helpful info thats related to the problem I addressed.

 

[burnout8488]

Send the OP a private message and see if they respond to that.

 

[Goftrey]

I knew it was three years old but the "newbie' had a post this July so I'm taking the chance he might respond. Anyway thanks for the response's maybe someone will offer more helpful info thats related to the problem I addressed.

Okay, as you can see from my sig. I also have a TiBook but I've never opened up the hinges on mine BUT on my iBook G3 I had an inverter cable issue where the wires were being pinched. The wires in the G3 were indeed in the hinges, I would unscrew them and take a look. If it is the inverter cables then it's probably too late to ''move them around'' as you said in your previous post. If you find out that in fact it is the inverter cables you can get them for under a tenner like this one; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APPLE-POW...opAccess_RL&hash=item336c9e610b#ht_1364wt_956

But this is just specualtion, it could be something completely different altogether so make sure you know what you're doing.

 

[adcx64]

If you have decent soldering skills you could be able to create a bridge and repair the cables yourself. Open it up and see if the cables are the problem.

 

[movingim]

I ended up taking the LCD panel apart, backlight, bezel and all and the middle ribbon cable on the side of the LCD panel was not making contact, once I pinched it the screen returned to normal unfortunately its not a long term fix as the flexible ribbon is cracked thus not making a good connection. Its not really repairable other than getting a replacement panel. To the previous post the inverter is for the backlight, does not have anything to do with displaying "pixels".

Thanks for the help

 

[adcx64]

Peel back the plastic over the ribbon cable and solder in a bridge, or just replace the cable.

 

[yamu]

Hello:

Did you ever solve the problem with your display, replace LCD? cable? I have the same problem with my Powerbook.

Thanks
Jeff

It looks simlilar like the 1/3 or 2/3 Screen problem of the alu books. Try to press a littke around the bezel of the screen. Or some VERY SOFT bending with torsion (very soft or the screen will break). If the picture changes it is likely, that the panel is on its way out.