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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Poll: The lifespan of your Powerbook screen

View Poll Results: How do you treat your powerbook backlight?
Poll Options:
I keep it running at low-power, just barely visible 4 votes (7.69%)
I keep it running at half the power or up 12 votes (23.08%)
It's on full power all the time 35 votes (67.31%)
I use an external monitor whenever I can 1 votes (1.92%)
Voters: 52. You may not vote on this poll
Poll: The lifespan of your Powerbook screen
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SketchPad
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Denmark
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Apr 6, 2004, 03:16 PM
 
Hi,

I've just bought a 17" Powerbook (the 1.33 Ghz version) and it hit me that the backlight
is not as bright as my desktop TFT monitors.

Of course...it doesnt leave much space for
lights and reflection so this is kind of understandable, but how long does these
lights last. And do you keep it on FULL power?

Please post your stories about your powerbooks
and how long your backlight (the Screen backlight)
have lasted and if you over the years have noticed any wear....weaknesses etc..

Thank you very much for participating.
/SketchPad
     
Link
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Hyrule
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Apr 6, 2004, 03:44 PM
 
From what I've learned, it doesn't matter how bright you keep it. The backlight has an approximate runtime rating (usually around 15-20,000 hours) that dictates how long it lasts..

How long it takes to dim out is a different story apparently. If you keep it dim, obviously it won't get dim as quickl,y, but you still get at least 3 and a half years, at about 12 hours a day, of usage at full blast, in which that display would last before dimming considerably...

Hrmm..

Personally I'd be more concerned about the screen not getting damaged due to a drop or something. I think as long as you take good care of your laptop -- meaning 2 handed carrying and NO icurves near the edge of your table ), then you should be juuuust fine.

In fact if you're going to use any kind of laptop stand, keep the darn thing as near the center of your table as possible, heheh.

Your laptop's lifetime is generally going to be defined by...

1. How often you use it,
2. How much it's moved around (more wear and tear associated with packing and unpacking, lugging around, etc)
3. How many "oops", "oh ^&@#$", and "son of a @#&*$^!!!!" accidents it gets involved in. [HOPEFULLY NONE!]

Good luck!
Aloha
     
templetalker
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Location: Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.
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Apr 6, 2004, 04:42 PM
 
20,000 HOURS? Two hours left over here! Yikes!
     
Link
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Apr 7, 2004, 09:47 AM
 
lol templetalker.. 20,000 at full blast.

Keep in mind some tubes will hold up as high as 25-30,000 hours.. I've yet to see papers that ever claim such but meh..

If your LCD is fine at that point, and isn't dimming out, I wouldn't worry about it.
Aloha
     
SEkker
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Join Date: May 2003
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Apr 7, 2004, 10:21 AM
 
The desktop screens ARE noticably brighter than a PBs. They also use more power.

I keep my backlighting down at night for eye comfort, and when I'm unplugged to conserve power.

We've had many powerbooks, and the screens have failed with hinge problems (many times) and with some localized unequal backlight illumination. Even our 'ol Lombard and Pismo screens still look pretty good after 4+ years.

I'd worry about physical damage long before burning out the backlight.

Besides, isn't the backlight lamp replaceable on the current PBs? It is on the Lombard/Pismo models.
     
cszar2001
Photo Architect
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Apr 7, 2004, 10:59 AM
 
I ran my beautiful 17 screen at full power for the first few weeks.
After reading about screens aging and stuff I lowered the settings-and look: I can see everything just as fine!
Full power is a little hard on the eyes anyway.
"Microsoft is a cross between the Borg and the Ferengi. Unfortunately, they use Borg to do their marketing and Ferengi to do their programming." Simon Slavin

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urrl78
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Apr 7, 2004, 11:51 AM
 
My 17" screen ran full brightness for a year. It's in the Apple service department now for a screen replacement. It was on "Ready to be shipped" status for 2 days so I decided to check with Apple service dept 15 minutes ago. Apparently the vendor could not get the new screen and now they will put out a nationwide search for my replacement screen. I tried to get them to send a brand new one and I would pay the difference but nope. I guess if they cannot meet the deadline they themselves set (48 hours) to find a new screen... Do I smell a new laptop?... maybe 15" this time with 1.25 Ghz CPU and maxed out. I do not think my defect resulted from screen brightness, however, so relax guys. It was more of a room temperature related anomaly thingy.
     
SketchPad  (op)
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Denmark
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Apr 7, 2004, 03:20 PM
 
Thanks,

I find this info very "soothing" and perhaps I'll
go for the full brigthness this time. I've had
several tft screens over many years but noone of
them as ever "faded" out...but then again they
weren't on "full blow" anyways.

The reason I'm asking you was that the PB's
screen is so dimmed in comparison to what I
am used to...I needed to know the consequences
from people who have already some experience
with this.

Again thanks for your opinions!

/SketchPad
/SketchPad
     
angelmb
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Apr 7, 2004, 05:10 PM
 
I run my PB 17" at half the power, is just enough for me. BTW, would be nice to have an app that tell you the time your laptop is on, or maybe you can get it with the Terminal.app Something like a 'life uptime'...
     
KidKit
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Apr 10, 2004, 01:11 AM
 
Originally posted by angelmb:
BTW, would be nice to have an app that tell you the time your laptop is on, or maybe you can get it with the Terminal.app Something like a 'life uptime'...
I can just imagine the complications that would cause for people who buy refurbs and second hand notebooks... Worried 'odometer rollback' on your 2nd hand notebook?
     
rag on a muffin
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Apr 10, 2004, 07:20 PM
 
Originally posted by KidKit:
I can just imagine the complications that would cause for people who buy refurbs and second hand notebooks... Worried 'odometer rollback' on your 2nd hand notebook?
HEY! this laptop has sawdust in the hard-drive!
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saranwarp
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Apr 10, 2004, 11:05 PM
 
This prompted me to start using 2/3 power, and now that my eyes have adjusted it looks fine. I just have to avoid pressing F2 and getting a taste of what I used to see...
     
phantomo
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Apr 11, 2004, 11:23 AM
 
Comfortable level to my eyes first. I think my eyes worth more than the little PowerBook.
15"MBP/C2D2.4GHz/4GB RAM/320GB HD
15"MBP/C2D2.16GHz/3GB RAM/250GB HD
12"PB/1GHz/768MB/60GB/SuperDrive/AE
iPhone 8GB/iPod video 30GB
     
gpeden
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Apr 19, 2004, 01:20 AM
 
Originally posted by angelmb:
BTW, would be nice to have an app that tell you the time your laptop is on, or maybe you can get it with the Terminal.app Something like a 'life uptime'...
So run hour are not kept in PRAM anymore? Techtool tells me that my PB1400C has 22,000 trouble-free hours
Cheers!

Glen
     
   
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