Q: Colored vertical lines on PB 17" display

32 lines as of today.

for the first time, a defect line has appeared next to an already defect line (blue + yellow), together they look like a fat green line. at least some kind of "added" value: a new color.

I'm one of you guys - i.e. true member of the "PB17lines" or "VL" or "Bridget Riley" Club, pick your choice how to name it. Three lines on my screen, so far. QUESTION: Is there anybody out there with this problem, who has recently suffered from another simultaneous problem like me - my screen suddenly goes dead and can't be forced either ON or OFF without disconnecting cables, removing battery, then push the power button 10 seconds to turn it off, then battery back in, cables, turn it on, and Voila, I'm back in order - for a while, until it turns itself to sleep again sooner or later. This problem has started simultaneously with the vertical lines. Just wondered if there could be a connection?

@manymoods: sorry to hear you have to join the club...

to answer your question: as of today my machine has never suffered from a "dead screen" the way you describe it. it has only a couple dozens defect lines, otherwise it's functioning normally. still, your problem (next to the defect lines) is maybe caused by the same reason; at least it's confirming the poor display quality...

chronology update: 35 defect lines as of today.

the "depletion speed" has now climbed to ~3 additional defect lines per week.

i thought it might be interesting to chart the appearing dates of the defect lines on my powerbook screen.

in red: a polynomial trend line of 3rd order.

Hi vertical line club. I've got two now in the last three weeks. Same serial, factory blah blah.
I've just come off the phone with apple uk having got a case number.
Some points:
1) I've been told the logging system they use is international. There is no extra benefit in calling US to log the problem.
2) Apart from getting a case number the Supervisor said he would pass the details on to the engineering dept. So that it was put into their log.
3) There is no 17" V.L. repair program, but there has been for other display issues eg. the imac G5. So it is very possible. It's all about volume or demand.
4) The Supervisor said he hadn't heard of this issue before (raised eyebrows). I'm very surprised at this, are there no others who have called? It seems unlikely.If you're in the UK make sure you get this logging done, with a supervisor.
5) He said that it is possible a repair plan may arrive, but at the moment it is being dealt with case by case. If the machine becomes unusable then there would be a strong case for repair.
6) I was surprisingly calm and quoted the Njeri Eaton CBS case and the Dell position. He said he'd come back to me if any further info came to light.

Additional info.
Lots of figures are on these threads but my local mac reseller in London E17 has quoted:

new screen = £299
plus labour = £59
trade in value for 17" Powerbook = £200

While that's a very high depreciation, the repairs aren't the £500 I've seen quoted on here.
The reseller said he'd had a lot of this problem reported, unlike the Apple supervisor 5 mins ago.

hi michaelmouse,
sorry to see you had to join the club...

my case is also registered at apple. the apple customer care woman on the phone just said she'd never heared of this problem, and that there's no repair program available for the 17" model. i don't expect anything to happen here, but i'd be very happy if i'm wrong

as of today: 38 defect lines.

All of us with case numbers seem to have same experience from contacting Apple worldwide: "They have never heard of this problem before", which is amazing!!! The 17-club is constantly growing and we obviously wait for more members to empower us from being neglected. So, why don't each one of us start contacting our individual media sources covering computer issues like this in each country (I'm Swedish) - such as magazines, daily papers & television - drawing their attention to this very serious failure of Apple? I know there has already been some reports on the News here and there, see example link below, but let's go massive! What do you think?

http://cbs5.com/consumer/localstory158150233.html

Sorry - this link might work better to CBS News attention to the problem!

http://cbs5.com/wrapper_consumer/seenon/consumer/apple.powerbook.g4.2.456305.htm l

thank you for posting your detailed solution and fix to your computer.
I have over a hundred lines on my monitor. Laptop is fine when I hook it up to an external monitor. I am going to check with my computer guys in my town and see if they can look at this problem now.

My screen has been replaced 5 times in the last 3 years. The first time was 3 weeks after purchase.

It was taken in for repair on the 7th of Jan- returned the middle of Feb- within one week another line appeared. It has been with apple since the beginning of Jan. I was informed that there is a world wide shortage of these screens, thus the long turn around time on repairs.

<Edited by Moderator>

3% of all my pixels are now defect: 43 of 1440 vertical lines

What an excellent post!

Well done Dennis. I can now describe the problem with authority to the repair shop now, thanks to your brilliant reply.

My PB Screen has 18 lines today. It is a W85 serial number.
Would be very keen to know why...?