MBP unexpectedly "dead"- help

[CorvusCamenarum]

So I was playing a game on my MBP when all of a sudden the screen just died - went totally black. I thought it was just the screen saver, but nothing would bring it back, so I force-powered down (held power button for 5 seconds). Now it won't boot up. I can power it on, get the startup chime, but not much happens after that. I've tried using the startup disk, but nothing changes. I've tried mirroring the video to our HDTV, but all I get is the bluish screen at startup, no "welcome to Macintosh" or even the little black pinwheel.

I can has help? My fiancee has some school projects on it she needs really soon.

Update: I did some digging on Apple's forums and reset the SMC. I still don't have anything on the MBP screen, but I can finally mirror it to my HDTV, even if the text shows up a bit fuzzy (I think the various resolutions are incompatible or something).

Update X2: Booted up from the Install Disk and ran the Hardware Test, both regular and extended. Both tests said nothing was wrong, which is clearly a lie.

 

[RedHerringHack]

It sounds like the dreaded NVIDIA video chip failure. The only strange symptom is that you can get external video which people with NVIDIA chipset failure usually cannot get. Can you shine a bright light on the LCD and see if you can see anything, like perhaps your backlight is out, but the LCD is working?

If it is the NVIDIA chipset, apple is covering it for most models effected. How old is your MBP?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Take it into your local Apple store. They should be able to fix it.

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

It sounds like the dreaded NVIDIA video chip failure. The only strange symptom is that you can get external video which people with NVIDIA chipset failure usually cannot get. Can you shine a bright light on the LCD and see if you can see anything, like perhaps your backlight is out, but the LCD is working?

If it is the NVIDIA chipset, apple is covering it for most models effected. How old is your MBP?

Wrong model for that. It's a Rev A, bought in March 2006, which uses the ATI Radeon X1600.

I did the flashlight test, there is in fact something on the screen, it just won't light. A local shop that's authorized to service Apple hardware said it was most likely the inverter, but they wouldn't be able to get to it until next week or so. They quoted me $70 for the part + $8 in shipping, and anywhere from $75-$125 for the labor (depending on difficulty they said). Does that sound about right?

Take it into your local Apple store. They should be able to fix it.

Nearest Apple store is over an hour away, and I couldn't even get an appointment for them to look at it after trying on three separate occasions.

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

Damnedest thing I've seen in quite some time, but the problem appears to have remedied itself. Don't ask me how as I don't know, but I was moving the printer this morning and saw there was light coming from the screen. Lo and behold, video was back to the screen. The only down side is that I think I spoiled myself these past couple weeks with the giant 37" screen from the TV.