Uneven illumination

Hi,

I had the same problem with my 15" PB for over 1 year and went through 3 displays! I finally got so tired of it that I sold the PB and got a WinTel laptop.. now I am considering another PB and so I logged onto this site to see if the 17 incher was also affected by this problem and indications are that it is.. can anyone elaborate as to the 17"... is the problem as bad?

I have the same prob with my 15" Alu PB. The display is darker on the right side, moreso towards the bottom. Like Phil said, not strikingly obvious, but annoying, esp as the PB ain't cheap.

So does Apple think that this is normal?

Further to above - I have had mine for more than a year now, though the display has done it since day 1. Couldn't really do without the 'puter, so didn't take it in.
But i have just realised that one of the RAM slots doesn't work (separate post). That was almost surely the case from the beginning, but i never had the cash to put more RAM in, so never knew.
So, even though I am outside the warranty, does anyone think that I have a case for repair free of charge for one/both probs?

unfortunately, when your warranty is over, so is your chance of getting free repairs. unless they announce some kind of recall. that's why a lot of people really recommend applecare.

my uneven illumination was much as you describe yours. apple fixed it so i guess they don't consider that normal. but it really depends person by person. i had a feeling that if i took it to a genius bar, there was a good chance that they would have told me it was 'within spec'. so i sent it in directly. the repair was very, very fast. what seems to work best to fix it is replacing the inverter board. if you're out of warranty you might be able to find a better price on the repair using someone other than apple.

Is an inverter board an expensive part?

Mark, I don't know where you are from, but if you are in the UK you are protected by Consumer law for up to six years if the product is faulty. That is, if the product IS faulty, Apple would have to fix it or replace it or give you your money back - I think however you may be from the US? If so, you are probably at the mercy of Apple and although they have been good to me (touch wood) I think you have more chance of seeing the iTunes Music Store without a U2 link/advert/promotion/photo than you have of getting it fixed at Apple's expense. Might be worth trying though.
If you are UK let me know and I'll see how I might help you.
Chris

Chris

Thanks for the response. I do live in the UK at the moment, and bought it here. So any helpful ideas or experience that you may have would be most welcome. Thanks!

Not really, $120

http://www.pbparts.com/shop/a15i.html

No probs mate give me a buzz on 0161 428 6741
Can't guarantee anything but...
Chris

Earlier I reported sending my 15" AlBook 1.25GHz in to the Houston repair center -- twice -- the first time they sent it back non-functional after removing all the memory, the second time they sent it back without doing anything at all.

The third time it went to Houston, it was set to 1/2 brightness with a white desktop and a README note was on the screen as well as a photograph of what the problem looks like in case they couldn't see it. This same photo was sent to the product specialist who arranged the return.

Once again it came back with nothing done except the brightness turned all the way up. The product specialist I spoke with after the third refusal-to-fix said he could have considered a replacement if Houston had actually TRIED to fix it, but since they didn't even try he did not have that option. He suggested the Apple Store.

So today I took it to the Santa Clara (California Silicon Valley) Apple Store. They immediately acknowledged the problem but said they had no choice but to send it to Houston. AND, that they would have to send it to Houston at least once more (or was it twice more?) after THAT before policy allowed the manager even to consider a replacement.

Analysis:

1. The Houston repair center will very likely disregard anything you or the product specialist try to tell them. It will be a terrific stroke of luck if Houston (a) happens to notice the uneven illumination at all and (b) thinks it's something that needs fixing. If returning a unit for uneven illumination means sending it to Houston yourself I would not bother.

2. The Apple Store will send the unit to Houston too, but at least since the problem has been verified by a real Apple employee there is hope that (a) the Apple Store people might have additional leverage to persuade Houston that there really is a problem and (b) a replacement is possible if Houston continues to refuse action.

Summary:

In the US at least, take your PowerBook to an Apple Store for repair, or forget about it. Houston has its ears turned off.

It's been a while since I posted with my problems - so an update is appropriate - especially to those living in the UK.

After the illumination fault was reported to Apple (with no argument from them) and their appointed Scottish agents (Scotsys) got involved - a replacement screen and invertor board were duly supplied by Apple and eventually fitted. The original case holding clips failed and had to be replaced as well. The PB was away for 10 days due to the clips problem - and duly delivered back to me 2nd February '05. Illumination is marginally better however I still have bright areas at the bottom left/right of the screen and as balanced an illumination over the rest.

PROBLEM - the screen has a very obvious 1" line ( like a cut ) running vertically from bottom of the screen. Engineer couldn't explain it and duly ordered up yet another screen for replacement ( to date not supplied yet ).

MY POINT - I jokingly said the screen looked like a refurbished one - he did not comment!!!! Is it possible that screens that are being returned to Apple are re-appearing else where labeled as replacements. This is a contentious and dangerous comment for me to make but my understanding is that all returned products are then repaired and channeled then through re-furb sores etc. not back into main stream stocks.

If Apple are testing these screens on return and feel they meet their own standards - is this theory of mine potentially possible?

BB

Yes. It is is a possibility and would explain a lot. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as mine has been replaced 2 weeks ago and my warranty runs out on the 27th Feb. So far it looks like a good job done. So far...

If you want cheering up, dive into the discussions pages for Pages. Supposed to be a 'Word' equal but it doesn't print to HP printers and PC and Word users can't read documents produced in Pages. Nice.

Hope you have better luck with the next screen Mr Big.

This update makes depressing reading. The fact that a product can go back and forth so many times for 'repairs' and yet have virtually nothing done is, in my opinion, outrageous. To have an Apple Store confirm the problem and yet only offer exactly the same tedious process all over again sounds like adding insult to injury.

If it was me I'd probably have lost my patience and be considering my legal options.

As Chris has said, it is quite possible that refurb parts are used. I believe Apple do not guarantee to use new parts for repairs - therefore refurbs are definitely possible and more than likely.

New screen and invertor board fitted - it all came as a kit and no problems this time fitting it.

Screen illumination excellent - the unit looks brand new - only annoying thing to note - 1 dead pixel and 1 pixel that can't make up it's mind yet whether it's dead or not comes and goes as it pleases. All within Apple spec though. As happy as I can be - have another 2.3 years cover just in case anything else develops. Suggest all others cover their PB with the AppleCare just in case.................

Good luck to all others in their quest in getting what you originally contracted to buy - a state of the art PowerBook with a top notch screen,

regards,

BB