🚀 go-pugleaf

Andy Sheppard <andy@nobad.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Dear Readers,
> 
> My PB5300cs's screen has effectively died. Strangely the only way to get
> it to "light up" and display the desktop is to squeeze the front and back
> of the left hand side of the black plastic housing together with thumb and
> forefinger!
> 
> Needless to say this is a bit inconvenient. Has anybody else experienced
> this??? I am existing at the moment by hooking up an external monitor to
> the PB5300cs.
> 
> I have been quoted a ridiculous figure by Apple for a replacement screen
> (not covered by the Apple recall program, apparently) of 697 UK pounds
> EXCLUDING tax and labour!  Anybody know of a cheaper source for a
> replacement PB5300CS screen?
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Andy Sheppard

Andy,

Several years ago I went through three screens on a PowerBook 520 in
similar circumstances. The first two faults were replaces under warranty
(original waranty, and then the repair warranty).

Apparently what was happening was that the hinge was out of alignment
and was 'flexing' the connectors and printed circuit boards in the lid.
This lead to cracks on the circuit board. The screen started missing
lines of pixels and then it died completly.

When the screen went for the third time (out of waranty) I was quoted
around �500 for a new replacement, and �300 for a 2nd hand replacement
(PB 520 screens are are only 640x480). Eventually I tracked down a dead
PB520c in the back of a Tottenham Court road shop which had 64Mb ram and
a Newer Tech PPC upgrade (but a dead motherboard). I paid �500 for it as
'parts' and merged the two machines together.

If you're OK with a screwdriver, take a look at the second hand shops.
It's amazing what you can find.

-- Kate

N.B. So far I've had no problem with my 1400/166 which is just getting
to it's first birthday. I bet the screen will go just as soon as the
warranty is up !



Catherine Ferris                kate@tycho.demon.co.uk
Director                        Tycho Consultants Limited

'This above all: to thine own self be true,
 And it must follow as the night the day
 Thou canst not then be false to any man.'   -- Hamlet