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Alezone · Dec 5, 2003, 04:31 AM

Yes, some of your may remember that I've used Carbon Fibre "LOOK" sticker to cover up my computer and used external metal pieces to hold the screen up because i had 2 broken hinges...

a week ago I found a online retailer who carries new and used apple parts, so I ordered a pair of genuine hinges and hoping to replace them by myself.

last night it arrived and I took apart my PB display and replace the hinges (took me 3+ hours). After it was done, i put them back together and everything seemed perfect... I used it for like 10 mins and tried to move the display angle and then all of a sudden the display brightness went down to the dimmest. I didn't know what the deal was and I thought I broken something... I didn't want to attempt to fix the $$$ display so I took it to a certified computer engineer to take a look at it today.

His opinion was that the display backlit is either dead or defective... and suggested a replacement. And he happened to have a customer who just brought in a used display who wanted CAD$700... i thought I should take this chance and get it done right... so i made the deal and decided to bring my computer back to the store tomorrow. Well I thought maybe I should give it one more try myself before I have it replaced tomorrow...

I hook it up with an external display and from nowhere I noticed a little spark inside the hinge cover... thank god, I found out that it was the backlit cable which was broken... I connected the cable back together and the display LIGHT UP perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!! and now I'm a happy PB user again.

The technician was surprised when I told him that I replaced the hinges myself... nothing is impossible. Should always give it a shot.

Dr.Michael · Dec 5, 2003, 06:32 AM

I did that with my Pismo too. The hinges seemed to be the only weakness of the machine.
So, where is the problem in that????

Alezone · 02:57 PM

Right there, power inlet side.... there is a Black wire and a Grey wire, the Black one was disconnected, so I believe it's responsible for the backlit.

euphras · Dec 5, 2003, 03:30 PM

Congrat�s, that you fixed it on your own...!!!

popstand · Dec 5, 2003, 04:43 PM

Dude,
the very first thing that guy should have checked was the backlight power cable. I had the same problem with my old 12" iBook and also took care of it myself. A specialist should know better. This means he's either incompetent or a sheister who was trying to move some inventory. Either way, never take anything to him again. Just my opinion...

himself · Dec 5, 2003, 06:34 PM

Where did you get your hinges from, and how much? I'm going to be replacing one of my hinges soon, so I'm doing some shopping around... also, what kind of glue did you use (if you used glue) to put your display back together?

spitty27 · Dec 5, 2003, 06:37 PM

Originally posted by Dr.Michael:
I did that with my Pismo too. The hinges seemed to be the only weakness of the machine.
So, where is the problem in that????

Hey, I have a 400MHz Pismo, and my hinges are veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery loose. the screen barely stands up, a little push backwards and it falls, and a little tilt forwards and it slams shut. where, how do you tighten the hinges? is it behind the small black plastic stickers on the bottom of the screen? those screws are very tight for me...

Alezone · Dec 5, 2003, 06:48 PM

Originally posted by himself:
Where did you get your hinges from, and how much? I'm going to be replacing one of my hinges soon, so I'm doing some shopping around... also, what kind of glue did you use (if you used glue) to put your display back together?

I got them from PowerbookMedic
They may not have the best price but they do have fast shipping (I just couldn't wait).

yea the technician that I talked to didn't even know that there're Apple Parts available out there... when I TOLD HIM that maybe it was the cable... he said I still need and better to replace the whole display module...

Dr.Michael · 04:16 AM

Originally posted by spitty27:
Hey, I have a 400MHz Pismo, and my hinges are veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery loose. the screen barely stands up, a little push backwards and it falls, and a little tilt forwards and it slams shut. where, how do you tighten the hinges? is it behind the small black plastic stickers on the bottom of the screen? those screws are very tight for me...

No, the screws dont make the hinges tighter. If the display is loose you have to buy new hinges. They get loose because of mechanical wearout.

You can buy them at Wegner Media (US) or, if you are lucky, you get them at ebay in a good condition.

You have to remove the whole display. Behind the black stickers you find screws that hold together front- and backside of the screen.
But first you have to open your Pismo, pull out the cables for the screen, remove the inverter board, then remove the 4 black screws at the sides of the connector panel (back side of the computer), pull out the screen, THEN remove the screws behind the black stickers. The rest is obviously visible.

Good luck. The worst thing is to find good hinges. The rest only needs a little care and the right screwdrivers.

Links:
http://www.wegenermedia.com/indexa.html

or look for "powerbook parts" at google.

A very interesting thread at Macopinion with many useful links:
http://www.macopinion.com/columns/roadwarrior/02/01/02/

HowTo replace hinges at the Lombard (which is very similar to the Pismo) with detailed Photos:
http://www.cg.its.tudelft.nl/~wouter...ir/repair.html

Please don't forget to ground yourself before you touch electronics and remove the battery and power plug before you open the powerbook case.

Michael

spitty27 · Dec 8, 2003, 08:24 PM

jesus christ!!!! $150 for hinges on a 3 year old computer!? are they insane?!!

https://www.paypal.com/cart/add=1&bu...lscpltcncl.htm

Dr.Michael · 04:17 AM

Originally posted by spitty27:
jesus christ!!!! $150 for hinges on a 3 year old computer!? are they insane?!!

https://www.paypal.com/cart/add=1&bu...lscpltcncl.htm

Yes. Thats why I bought mine at ebay for 40 Euro/USD.

But its important to make sure that you don't get hinges that have been replaced because of the same problems you have.

I would see it this way:
The Pismo is a really good computer. Looking back it was one of the best I ever had. I replaced mine with a 500 MHz TiBook and it was not worth the money (Please see my thread "Which is your alltime favorite Notebook" here at Macnn).

With the investment for the hinges the Pismo will do it for another 2 years. I also saw that backlight bulbs are available for only 69 USD. If I had known that, I would still have my Pismo. I sold it eventually because the screen backlight got too dim and a replacement was 400 USD by the time I looked it up.

But it looks like the 12 inch AlBook is also a very good notebook (after the much too damageable TiBooks and the bad Rev A AlBooks).