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ILoveAztecChick · May 21, 2003, 04:58 PM

To all the 17" owners,
Is the lighting on your keyboards constant throughout? Mine is darker in some areas and lighter in others, and even in individual keys sometimes, especially the number and function keys. Is this normal, or is there something wrong with the etching and/or lights on my 17"?

DVD Plaza · May 21, 2003, 06:47 PM

That's normal, the function keys for instance are barely readable unless you lean over and look directly over them.

chipchen · May 21, 2003, 07:04 PM

same here...

cteselle · May 22, 2003, 11:39 AM

i notice the same thing.

AssassyN · May 22, 2003, 11:41 AM

I imagine if you could use your computer looking directly down upon it, the lights would be equal throughout, however, the angle in which you typically use prevents you from seeing the light equally.

djjava · May 22, 2003, 12:35 PM

Originally posted by ILoveAztecChick:
To all the 17" owners,
Is the lighting on your keyboards constant throughout? Mine is darker in some areas and lighter in others, and even in individual keys sometimes, especially the number and function keys. Is this normal, or is there something wrong with the etching and/or lights on my 17"?

aren't we getting a little nit picky?

same issue here... not losing sleep over it.. we should be lucky to have it at all.

it does kick serious a$$.

Jacket · May 22, 2003, 12:45 PM

i've recently observed that due to the greatsize of the screen, even when the lights are off, the screen tends to illuminate the keyboard enough to operate it.. i think the backlit keyboard is more beneficial when you're preched over the powerbook,and can look down on the entire thing... but then again , i haven't yet acquired a great setup for using my PB17 yet. i'm still using a foldout tray because i've not yet found a new location for my old PC...

djjava · May 22, 2003, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by Jacket:
i've recently observed that due to the greatsize of the screen, even when the lights are off, the screen tends to illuminate the keyboard enough to operate it.. i think the backlit keyboard is more beneficial when you're preched over the powerbook,and can look down on the entire thing... but then again , i haven't yet acquired a great setup for using my PB17 yet. i'm still using a foldout tray because i've not yet found a new location for my old PC...

you adjust the brightness of the keyobard. i forget with function key it is, but is the bar with the sun ray things spreading away from it.

Jacket · May 22, 2003, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by djjava:
you adjust the brightness of the keyobard. i forget with function key it is, but is the bar with the sun ray things spreading away from it.

i'm well aware of the brightness of the keys function... nevertheless, it almost seems like the LCD screen illuminates the keyboard sufficiently-- even in conditions with no light.

urrl5201 · May 22, 2003, 05:04 PM

I agree. In fact sometimes I cut the keyboard light off because combined with screen illumination it renders the keys less readable. I would still buy the 17" though even if it had no lighted keyboard. But yes I admit the keyboard could be brighter, maybe next version.
Just a nitpick...

djjava · May 23, 2003, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by urrl5201:
I agree. In fact sometimes I cut the keyboard light off because combined with screen illumination it renders the keys less readable. I would still buy the 17" though even if it had no lighted keyboard. But yes I admit the keyboard could be brighter, maybe next version.
Just a nitpick...

if the LCD is tilted back far enough (i.e., 100+ degress) it should be fine. I had this issue before, but the other I played with the brightness of the keyboard after putting the PB in a place I sould tilt the LCD more... i was amazed at the improvement.

Jacket · May 24, 2003, 02:17 PM

does anyone have anything to say regarding cleaning the keyboard. inormally would use compressed air to remove dust and stuff from the keyboard of another computer, but is there any different/recommended method for cleaning the PB17's backlit keyboard?

AssassyN · May 24, 2003, 04:27 PM

Compressed air should do swell; using it shouldn't harm the fiber-optic lighting one single bit, after all, it's just air, and pressure won't harm the lighting.

urrl5201 · May 24, 2003, 07:31 PM

I just use my Hoover vacuum cleaner. I cut open the dust bag later to find all the keys.

timmerk · May 25, 2003, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by urrl5201:
I just use my Hoover vacuum cleaner. I cut open the dust bag later to find all the keys.

lol

Diggory Laycock · May 25, 2003, 06:57 PM

I've just noticed something wierd - I should imagine it has something to do with the illumination system.

If I cover both speakers with my hands the screen dims slightly - in three little increments - then when I remove my hands it fades back up.

interesting.

AlbertWu · May 25, 2003, 08:30 PM

's cause the ambient lighting software dims the screen if there is less light. the backlight on any computer is supposed to counter ambient light, not overpower it. if it's too high when it's dark, it's hard on your eyes, and if it's too low when it's bright, it's hard to see.

nice of apple to think of it, too bad it wasn't in the 12inch

Jacket · May 26, 2003, 10:02 PM

Originally posted by Diggory Laycock:
I've just noticed something wierd - I should imagine it has something to do with the illumination system.

If I cover both speakers with my hands the screen dims slightly - in three little increments - then when I remove my hands it fades back up.

interesting.

the sensors that detect the ambient light are underneath the speakers, if my memory serves