[bergerac]

Hi

I might be able to get a 12" G3 500mhz ibook cheap but the only catch is the backlight on the LCD seems to have failed. Does anyone know if this is trick or expensive to repair. I dont know if this is worth getting now and using with an external monitor untill I can get it fixed or if i should save up a bit more a get a good one for twice the price.. Im in Australia if that makes any difference..

Cheers
Luke

[galarneau]

I know that the actual backlight bulbs in lcd panels are replaceable, but having the skill to do it may be beyond that of the average user.

You could try to get a replacement LCD panel. They only run $100-200, though they may be more in Australia.

In my opinion, the iBook would have to be dirt cheap to consider futzing with replacing the LCD.

[Detrius]

It's also possible the inverter has gone out. On the white iBooks, this is in the display assembly right above the hinge.

[awaspaas]

9 times out of 10 it's the inverter. Get one on eBay or do a Google for one. Cheap and trivial to install. Use a tester to check the voltage going in and out of it (careful, high voltage coming out!) to see if it's the inverter or the backlight.

[bergerac]

Thanks guys, I was planning to send it into Apple to get repaired originally. Though I could probaly repair it myself I might give it a miss since its not really cheap enough and I might end up with a dud ibook thats going to cost more than its worth to repair.

Cheers
Luke

[pat++]

Call Apple. It's probably covered by the logic board repair program.

http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/

[bergerac]

Yeah thats what I originaly thought, but after talking to the guy it doesnt seem so. There still is an image on the screen(just cant see it coz the screen is dark) and the ibook still works fine on an external monitor. From what i understand the issue with the logic board causes the same symtoms on both dispalys and usually involves a scrambled image or no image at all. If I end up getting it I will probaly still try that as long as Apple arent going to charge me anything to look at it

[escher]

bergerac: Are you sure about your diagnosis that it is the actual backlight that is dead? From my experience, it is much more likely to be the backlight cable, which often gets pinched/cut in the hinge. It's a widely know design defect that Apple has refused to acknowledge. See the following thread on the Apple Discussion boards:

http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/[email protected]

The thread details how to replace the "Reed Switch" assembly, which includes the backlight cable. You can apparently buy the part relatively inexpensively from Small Dog, although I don't know whether they would ship to Australia. Even if you have to pay a fortune for shipping, it will still be cheaper than paying Apple for the repair. (I paid US$300 for the repair, a few months out of warranty, because I didn't know you could fix it yourself.) The thread also links to more recent threads.

Escher

[bergerac]

Originally posted by escher:
\
The thread details how to replace the "Reed Switch" assembly, which includes the backlight cable. You can apparently buy the part relatively inexpensively from Small Dog, although I don't know whether they would ship to Australia. Even if you have to pay a fortune for shipping, it will still be cheaper than paying Apple for the repair. (I paid US$300 for the repair, a few months out of warranty, because I didn't know you could fix it yourself.) The thread also links to more recent threads.

Escher [/B]

Yeah, it was probaly the inverter or cable as people in this thread have mentioned. Its been sold now though so I missed out anyway. Thanks for your help everyone

Cheers
Luke

[Detrius]

Originally posted by bergerac:
Yeah thats what I originaly thought, but after talking to the guy it doesnt seem so. There still is an image on the screen(just cant see it coz the screen is dark) and the ibook still works fine on an external monitor. From what i understand the issue with the logic board causes the same symtoms on both dispalys and usually involves a scrambled image or no image at all. If I end up getting it I will probaly still try that as long as Apple arent going to charge me anything to look at it

If there is still an image on the screen, it's *definitely* not covered by the repair extension program because this means the *logic board* is still sending the correct data to the display and it is being properly interpreted. Your options are backlight or inverter. Technically, the reed switch board is what connects the inverter to the logic board, but it's not likely. If the bezel brace (display frame) is broken, your inverter very well could have been twisted to disfunctionality.

If there is a big gap between the LCD and the plastic around the LCD at the bottom of the display when you open it, your frame is broken.