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Colored vertical lines on PB 17" display

There is a lot of documentation on various websites and discussion boards about 17" Powerbooks with displays that break down after about 15 months of use.

I am unfortunate enough to own a 17" powerbook assembled in April 2005 in China - serial number beginning with W8. I believe this is the same time-period and factory location where hundreds (if not thousands) of identical machines were assembled that are now having the same colored-lines-in-the-display defect as my machine.

All these machines assembled at the same time, at the same place, using the same batch of LCD screens, are experiencing the same defect after the same amount of use.
Something stinks, and it smells like a manufacturing problem to me.

Does anyone know if Apple has man'd up and acknowledged the problem yet?

17" Powerbook G4 1.67 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on May 21, 2007 5:36 PM

414 replies

Jan 5, 2008 4:10 PM in response to Robot Terremoto

I think the price for the LCD was a worst case scenario. Basically he couldn't diagnose the problem over the phone. From everything I"ve read it should be the harness and the cable, but still waiting to hear from others who have had the repairs done. I'll post after I get the repairs.

3 MORE LINES SINCE MY LAST POST...THAT'S 25 TOTAL LAST TIME COUNTED!!!

Gettin out of the VL Club, GL

gordo416

Level 1

0 points

Jan 6, 2008 10:13 AM in response to mike Savage

I would like to add my display to the growing list of powerbooks with vertical lines. Started up my 17inch display today and some vertical lines began to appear on the right side of the screen. I read through the posts on the forum and my computer's serial number also begins with a W8.

Other than paying for repairs any advice on how to fix the problem?

Jerrific

Level 1

0 points

Jan 11, 2008 2:41 AM in response to Jerrific

And unfortunately, true to the predictions of progress I read about, a second line appeared... Quite frustrating really!
I spoke about the problem at a local apple reseller, but apparently they hadn't quite heard of the problem, didn't know the cause and couldn't garantee a replacement/reparation would fix the problem...

It really brings down your faith doesn't it 😟

Jan 11, 2008 11:05 AM in response to gordo416

Add me to the list.. I have a YD5... serial number, and this is what the screen looks like Im going to take mine apart and check the inverter harness.

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Jan 11, 2008 12:32 PM in response to Timekiller

@timekiller:
well, your screen looks like having defect bars, not lines. i'd say it's a different problem -- it matches your different serial# YD5xxx suggesting your screen is made somewhere else than the W8xxx, or at least in a different series. but again, this lowers my confidence in apples products, more display problems...

Jan 11, 2008 2:20 PM in response to tuscan

jI just finished putting my powerbook back together... I took it apart to look at the cable in the hinge. It looked fine. no pinches, and the hinges had the plastic "protectors" So I decided to wiggle the wires, I turned the brightness off by pulling the inverter cables. The bars were still there, So I plugged the inverter wire back in, and now I have NO display at all regardless where the brightness is set. Oh well I guess I now have the most non-portable laptop.I also think I am done with Apple. I have had nothing but problems with their products, the same with all of my friends.

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Jan 14, 2008 12:41 PM in response to tuscan

the story continues, #15 has arrived.

Joshua=

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2008 4:23 AM in response to mike Savage

Its become ridiculous now..... too many lines.... Imagine the fun of using guides in Illustrator and not knowing what F#$ing line is real. displaying work to clients using keynote with 20 lines down it..............come on apple, sort it out its very embaressing for me. I've just started out, and your defect is costing me bucks! I really take your non-response another example of corporate...grrr.

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 1, 2008 5:50 AM in response to tuscan

a bit more than 2 weeks later, #16 has appeared.

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 3, 2008 7:21 AM in response to tuscan

over the weekend, lines #17 and #18 have appeared.

Feb 6, 2008 10:07 PM in response to mike Savage

I consider myself a "veteran" to the experience of the VL problem. I've had my screen assembly replaced twice as a result of this defect.

The failed on each successive year.

I'm now onto the final third before my APP ends - does anyone know how to create the VL problem so I can have it replaced FOC, for a third time, before APP expires? 😝

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 12, 2008 8:30 AM in response to tuscan

9 days later a total of 21 defect lines.

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 14, 2008 2:00 PM in response to tuscan

it just isn't stopping, line #22 ...

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 18, 2008 2:16 PM in response to tuscan

#23...

tuscan

Level 1

49 points

Feb 20, 2008 9:32 AM in response to tuscan

2 more days, 1 more line (#24).

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Colored vertical lines on PB 17" display