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MacBook DIY Repair = Success; Brightness = Fail

R

redaxe

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 8, 2007
29
0
So Apple wanted to charge me $900 to change my broken LCD screen. I did the change myself for $86, a feat I am very proud of. Everything works great (the bezel's a bit loose and I did a little aesthetic damage to the hinge cover) but apart from that, the screen is 10x brighter than my old Rev B screen.

The problem is this: I can't regulate brightness. Neither from in system preferences or from my keyboard. The monitor does, however, dim, and sleep. Is this a firmware issue? If so, how do I fix it? I would kinda' like to have control over screen brightness. I'll be grateful for any help. Thank you!

EDIT: After some use, this screen is really SUPER bright. I'd really like to get the brightness down to humane levels (it's shining out the back of the case where you normally don't see light).
 
lol... sorry for laughing, but that's funny...

it's great that you were able to fix your macbook for only $86... are you sure the screen you used as a replacement is compatible? sounds sketchy for it to be so bright.
 
Yeah. It's a A1181 screen into an A1181 notebook. Works fine. Fits fine. Looked just like the last one. All the cables and jacks are in place. My theory is that there might have been firmware stored on the prior screen that this one doesn't have as its straight from the manufacturer.
 
Nothing like being laughed at for trying to do something yourself. It's hilarious when you can't afford to (or don't want to) pay $900 to repair something that was quite expensive when it was new. Not to mention the possibility of learning something, bettering yourself and possibly giving you the experience to do more repairs in the future, making you smarter and more self-sufficient.

ah man... LOL
 
Unfortunately, that app doesn't work for me since I use Tiger. The screen brightness doesn't hurt my eyes in well lit environments, in fact, it's actually a lot nicer than my older screen. It's just that working in the dark is a pain. It lights up the whole room, haha.

Thanks for the suggestion though. Still looking for any other solutions.
 
sorry for laughing... i wasn't laughing at you since i think it's very cool that you took the initiative to replace the screen yourself. i only thought the image of the ultra bright screen glowing thru the back of the computer was funny, like some nuclear mac or something.

a few months ago i had an onsite replacement of my screen for my iMac. i remember the technician restarted the computer pressing some special key combination after he installed the new screen. perhaps this is simply what you need to do? i assumed it was so the computer's fireware (or something) was reset so it would know about the new screen. if i were you, i would call some certified apple repair places to get some quick answers about your situation.
 
sounds like it could possibly be a LCD inverter issue, if it's still bothering you i'd recommend replacing it. i know i had a similar problem and like u i fixed it myself cause apple wanted more than it was worth :D
 
So sorry to tell you this, but you have an incompatible LCD screen. I have been thinking of replacing my LCD screen on my white macbook and I was told if the screen was not fully compatible that I would be unable to adjust the brightness. I've held off until I find the best screen that is 100% compatible with my macbook.


redaxe said:
So Apple wanted to charge me $900 to change my broken LCD screen. I did the change myself for $86, a feat I am very proud of. Everything works great (the bezel's a bit loose and I did a little aesthetic damage to the hinge cover) but apart from that, the screen is 10x brighter than my old Rev B screen.

The problem is this: I can't regulate brightness. Neither from in system preferences or from my keyboard. The monitor does, however, dim, and sleep. Is this a firmware issue? If so, how do I fix it? I would kinda' like to have control over screen brightness. I'll be grateful for any help. Thank you!

EDIT: After some use, this screen is really SUPER bright. I'd really like to get the brightness down to humane levels (it's shining out the back of the case where you normally don't see light).
Click to expand...
 
LCD compatibility

There is very little standardisation across LCDs and panels have a form of firmware which is often specific for one particular revision or laptop manufacturer. I have come across the backlight problem and other issues many times and can only suggest that you should always source LCDs from Mac-savvy supplier who can guaranty compatibility with your laptop model. There are several large reliable suppliers like The Bookyard.
 
If you get an

LP133WX1-TLA1
LTN133L1-L01
LTN133AT07
N133L1-L01
B133EW01 V.0

You can set your brightness in Tiger.

If you get an

LP133WX1-TLC1
LP133WX1-TLN3
LP133WX1-TLB1
LTD133EVDF
LT133DEVJK00

Brightness control will only work in Leopard.

No one is going to be selling the ones at the top anymore. If they are, there's a good chance it is used, or b-stock and not factory new, because new factory runs of those have not been manufactured in a long, long time.

See my blog post on this. http://rossmanngroup.com/blog/?p=15 The old LCDs get cleaned polarizers and resold as new, but they're not new.

Point of the story: upgrade to Leopard, it will fix all your problems. Your LCD is not generic, it's just not obsolete either.
 
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