A Laptop Like You

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) do not produce light themselves (unlike, for example Cathode ray tube displays). They need illumination to produce a visible image, and a backlight can illuminate the LCD from the side or back of the display panel. Many LCDs use a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) as a backlight.

When the backlight on your LCD screen goes out, you're left in the dark. It's not impossible to read your screen, but it ain't fun, that's for sure. Laura's laptop checked its internal clock, and, realizing the warranty had just run out, decided it was time for the backlight to go out.

I had two options. I could send it off for repairs, but I'm, um, frugal, and always worried about getting the short end of the, um, deal, on something like this. That left fixing it myself. Hmmm...pay someone to correctly repair it, or pry it apart and carefully remove who knows how many parts just to get to the display, then remove the LCD screen, detaching it from the body itself, removing brackets and cables and whatever else is in there.

The choice was obvious. I ordered a bulb and waited patiently for it to show up in the mail.

When the bulb arrived, Laura and I sat down, armed with various tools and several web-sites of how to accomplish our task. Two hours later we had it completely apart, wires everywhere, parts strewn across the dining room table. We managed to get past clips that did not want to open, metal tape never designed to be removed and at least one sticker that said DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE. Finally the moment of truth: we peeled the LCD panel apart and removed the bulb. Technically, it is a bulb; physically, it's more like white spaghetti. Try soldering power wires on vermicelli and see how much fun you have.

The wires went on, but the ends stuck out, so naturally I tried to trim them to fit the frame for the bulb. Just a hair shorter and it would work. One more clip and...

Later that evening, Laura summed it up succinctly: the surgery was not successful. I broke the spaghetti bulb. Crap.

Fortunately the patient is in a kind of stasis and can wait for other parts to arrive. Hey, I can't take it to a repair shop now.. they'll charge me double! This time we'll go what should be the easier route and get the complete screen to place in the display panel, which comes with the bulb already in them. Wish us luck.