B+RGLED 1080p Problem (B156HW01 v.7)

!!!PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

After MORE THAN A MONTH OF WAITING, today, a few minutes ago, I finally received my L502X from the depot repair. The note in the returned box says that they "repaired or replaced" the "LCD cable"--they most likely just reconnected the cable properly.

It's a great, great, great, beautiful screen as described. No vertical lines, no whatever. So if you're having a similar problem, it's almost always the ribbon cable.

Thanks to Kaso for the genuine help!

UPDATED AUGUST 7, 2012


Had screen replaced on my L502X. I originally ordered a B+RGLED 1080p screen and they sent me one with a CHI MEI N156B6-L0B REV.C1 (from moninfo and the sticker inside confirmed this after the technician replaced the screen) which is a cheap 1366x768 screen.

My brother dealt with the technician. The replacement screen was correct:

AU OPTRONICS B156HW01 v.7

Its Dell part number on the box was:

X7C4C SERVICE KIT...,LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY...,15.6FHD,B+RG,LIGHT EMITTING DIODE...,TLF

Its Dell part number on the sticker was:

KYYVK LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 15.6FHD, B+RG, LIGHT EMITTING DIODE..., TLF, AU OPTRONICS CORP...

And the original Dell part number for my order was:

8GFV1 MODULE..., LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 15.6FHD, TLF, AU OPTRONICS CORP..., NIMOY

The screen worked right after the swap and Windows recognized it with the correct resolution.

HOWEVER

There are light-blue pixels scattered irregularly across the screen.

Light-blue artifacts are more pronounced on white:

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/9982/bluehue.png


Following image not blurred:

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2166/bluehue2.png


If you ignore the interference, you can see irregular patches of light-blue pixels inside the search bar and pretty much the entire page (the Mozilla start-up page doesn't look like that on a working computer):

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/5069/bluehue5.png


Close-up of irregular light-blue patches on the Mozilla start-up page and light-blue artifacts on the Adobe reader balloon tip:

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8172/bluehue4.png


Finally, google images of "faces" shouldn't look like a Na'vi social network site, with faces having a strong light-blue pixelation and hue:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7916/bluehue3.png


The technician was carrying an extra ribbon cable so my brother asked him to replace the ribbon cable as well just to make sure. The technician agreed although he said it was the same ribbon cable and he was right.

The Dell part number of both new and replaced ribbon cables was:

0V73D3 Assembly,Cable,Low Voltage Differential Signaling,Full High Definition,Light Emitting Diode,NIMOY

We already uninstalled and reinstalled both the Intel and NVIDIA drivers and that didn't help.

You can see the light-blue pixels across the boot screen and on the white text in the BIOS. Even the Dell Automated Diagnostics showed the light-blue pixels on light colors.

After that, Dell XPS Tech Support called and we reported this problem.

The agent told us to hook up an external monitor. Done. The external display was perfect while the problem shows only on the laptop screen.

Did the Dell Automated Diagnostics twice, problem was still there.

The agent then used remote access and performed screen tests, but the light-blue patches were not gone.

Finally, the agent scheduled another screen replacement and assured me that this time the replacement won't be defective like the one I got.

Did any of you, especially those who attempted to swap their screens with a B+RGLED 1080p screen (B156HW01 v.7), experience a similar problem? Did you resolve it? How?

 

Most likely, the technician did a lousy job: the ribbon cable (40-pin connector) was not connected properly. This part is very delicate.



Next time another technician shows up, make sure you see something like this in the back of the panel:



The B156HW01 V.7 screen is awesome awesome (I'm looking at one right now). A portion of my desktop background:

 

THANK YOU! I really don't know ... funny the technician accused my brother of swapping the screen with an inferior one, but my brother was an angel and he explained to the scary guy that we bought a used computer. I would've slapped that technician with all my pent-up Dell frustrations.

I wish we get a different technician this time ... he's the same guy who worked on my 15z a month ago and the screen replacement had the same vertical lines and the same dead pixel. I didn't watch him then.

 

I ALREADY REP'D YOU BUT I HAVE TO REP YOU AGAIN. Yes we did look at that sticker and the difference with yours is that what we got is:

H/W: 0A

THIS is what I've ALWAYS IMAGINED WHEN I THINK OF HEAVEN and I'm using an L502X in it.

 

I HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. Except it's always like this with mine. The screen has been replaced twice, and coincidentally, while the light-blue patches across the screen seems to be irregular, the second screen shows the exact same pattern! The random light-blue patches are in the exact same location in the other screen! It also appears on the boot screen and the BIOS.

Yes, I got the screen replaced again today, after it was replaced yesterday. Dell service is wonderful.

The technician called Dell Tech Support, saying he has given up, and that it might be the motherboard. The agent on the phone agreed, and he set up a request where we send the computer to the depot service and have it back in 7-10 days.

Is it the motherboard? I don't know if I should let my brother re-attach the ribbon cable because the technician was kinda rough in handling things. Anyway, I hope they give me an upgraded motherboard this time I can't believe I'm not angry at all right now when this has been Hell to me!

 

If color images come out good on an external display, and they have tried to replace your laptop screen twice, I think of 3 places where things can go wrong: (1) the ribbon cable, (2) the 40-pin connector at the motherboard, (3) the 40-pin connector at the other end of the ribbon cable.

Cases (1) and (3) may be fixed by replacing the ribbon cable. Case (2) requires a new motherboard. The motherboard may be otherwise okay: the problem is that not all video signals are sent to the panel because the connector on the motherboard is defective, hence the weird colors and artifacts.

Or, if you're lucky, reseating the ribbon cable at the motherboard (it might have come loose) may be a quick fix.

I'm glad you're staying cool. Good luck.

 

Did they give you a new lcd cable? Typically they use a 20pin for your original 768p.

I remember I saw something similar when someone use a 1080p screen with 20pin cable, but he got lines?

 

You were the only one who replied to me within the first 29 hours of this thread and yet your input was SO MUCH MORE THAN I EVER EXPECTED FROM AN ENTIRE FORUM AND, REALLY, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE HOW EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND TIMELY YOU ARE WITH YOUR POSTS

The same technician came by--I guess we're stuck with him in our area.

On cases (1) and (3), the technician replaced the ribbon cable right after the first screen replacement was showing the problem. Changing the ribbon cable--which was the same FHD ribbon cable on the original--showed the same problem.

On the second screen replacement, he simply changed the screen and the problem was still there. Exact irregular patterns. The artifacts on the second screen replacement were on the same exact position as on the first.

BTW the first screen replacement had one dead pixel so I'm glad that it was replaced with the second screen which has none. I'm also hoping that the problem is not the screen this time because I want to keep a screen with no dead pixels. I'm also hoping that the motherboard replacement would have a faster processor (since mine is the 2.0GHz i7-QM, the lowest quad-core option available) and that I get the same 2GB GT540M video card.

I also wish that the Dell depot service would not send me back a "fixed" screen but with the vertical lines in them. I've read in other threads that sometimes those cases are rejected as non-issues, and they rationalize by saying that the prototype screen actually looks like that. And that they "don't notice the problem." It's the same problem with my 15z a few months back and I don't want that happening again (although Dell tech support acknowledged the problem, the same technician said he doesn't "see it" even after we showed him comparisons with our cheap laptops and netbooks that have perfect displays).

 

A forum member upgraded L502X from HD to FHD after my suggestion. A happy camper now.

Again, good luck!

 

THANK THANK THANK for the reply.

It's weird, because the original ribbon cable was for an FHD. That's why the technician accused my brother of switching the screen with a cheap 768p one! (I mentioned this above BTW) The technician did replace the original FHD ribbon cable with another FHD ribbon cable.

I wish that the vertical lines problem was only ribbon cable related. The original 768p screen did have vertical lines in them, and it was plugged with the FHD ribbon cable.

However, I also see vertical lines--and horizontal lines--in the replacement B+RGLED 1080p screen.

 

I READ THAT YOU ANGEL. Here I am, having spent enough money and (money value of) time to buy me a MacBook Pro with Retina display, when I could've simply bought the cheapest HD configuration of the L502x and have my brother swap the screen for me.

The problem is where to buy that new screen though. From Dell itself? Does laptopscreenDOTcom sell authentic B156HW01 v.4/7 screens?

 

Yes. (Ha, buy from Dell?)

 

UWA we just ordered a B156HW01 v.4 (matte) from laptopscreen I thought that might be the right choice since we already have a v.7 (glossy) on the L502x but I've been reading about how much better the v.7 is over the v.4???

Can we still cancel the order if it hasn't shipped? (I'm asking just in case you might also know this since so far you know pretty much a lot about a lot! I'm also asking the laptop screen guy just in case. We're ordering a new L502x because my brother wanted one.)

 

I prefer the V.7 panel. I find it subjectively "better," but YMMV. I've used both V.4 (matte, on ThinkPads) and V.7 (glossy, on L502X). If your brother prefers matte, then stay with what you've ordered.

 

T. h. A. N. K!

 

Dear Kaso,

Only minutes ago I just received my L502X from the depot repair.

You were right.

They only "repaired or replaced" the "LCD cable"--they most likely just reconnected the cable properly.

My 1080p B156HW01 v.7 is looking so pretty right now. No vertical lines, no anything. Just plenty of dust (the depot repair must be some really dirty place) that can be wiped easily.

Thank you for the accurate remote diagnosis and for being an all-around great person.

Love,

PocketSmiley

 

It's my pleasure. I'm mighty glad the new screen is serving you well. Best wishes!

 

I'm sorry to disturb you and dig up an old thread, but I'm thinking of buying the B156HW01 V.7 screen as well.
My main cause of concern is that it's a TN-panel and will therefor have inferior viewing angles compared to IPS. Also, i've heard rumours that the B156HW01 V.7 has an orangegate problem, where red is displayed as orange.

Could you be so kind to make pictures (or a video) of the viewing angles on the B156HW01 V.7? Also, I would like to know if it does indeed have an orangegate issue.

Many thanks,
Mark

 

Hi there.

I was replacing the V.7 and instead received V.5. When I installed it, I got the same color/resolution results plus everything on my screen was stretched out horizontally. However, the screen looked fine in safe mode. Only in regular mode it was impossible to look at it. The external monitor worked fine always. I've re-installed it twice with the same results. Could it be because of V.5? Anything I can do to fix it?

Any suggestions please.

Thanks

 

Anyone knows if B156HW01 v.7 is compatible with dell's vostro 3560?