PowerBooks: Screen hinge stiffness; display failure; Video-out failures

We are beginning to investigate a rash of new and re-surfacing PowerBook quality issues.

"Half-gray screen" display failure We previously covered a number of PowerBook screen issues, including flickering, portions of the screen dead to mouse clicks, and of course the infamous "white spot" problem.

Recently, however, a handful of readers have reported screens that fail completely - half the display washed in a gray, unusable tint - after a few weeks of usage.

One reader writes "Last year I purchased 2 15" aluminium g4's as soon as they shipped into New Zealand. About a two weeks later half my screen greyed out. I took it into the seller and it was pronounced dead-on-arrival. this was right at the time when they were having screen problems. I didn't think anything of it. In February of this year the same thing happened again, I took it in and the whole screen was replaced.[...] All up that makes 4 dead screens. Again, problem is a half-grey screen."

Video-out problems MacFixIt reader Pal Jakso writes "I have a 12", 867 MHz Powerbook bought in last year. Now this is the third time when my video output is broken using the VGA-adapter with a 17" inch CRT monitor or projector and using the video-adapter/composite output with my television. It looks like everything would be colored with yellow/green on the monitor/projector or on the TV the picture is too dark and the colors are too saturated. The logic board was replaced two times and the same problem came back again after some weeks of use.

"I thinking of that something may be wrong with the construction of the video subunit of this line of Powerbooks. I've read similar problems on the Apple Discussions and MacFixit Forum from other users too:

• http://www.macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Forum19&Number=602363
• http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?14@207.sOjXaRZLdk6.2@.599d3adf

Screen hinges Philip Chadwich describes a minor problem with his PowerBook G4's screen hinges, which may or may not be detrimental in the long-term: "I purchased my new AlumiBook 3 months ago (as part of the Apple PowerBook G4 Trade In); the only issue of any kind that has caused me concern is the stiffness of the display hinge. Opening the display produces no noises or untoward stiffness, but once the display is open, minor adjustments produce the noises associated with a ?too-tight-hinge?  (a sort of cracking noise?though it is obvious nothing is cracking)

"I?ve considered lubrication, which would almost certainly solve the problem, but I am concerned about loosing the necessary stiffness/tension which keeps the screen in place. I?m wondering if anyone else is experiencing similar symptoms."

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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