Screen Makes Noise (Dell Inspiron e1505)

Recently the right half of my screen has become noticeably faded or dimmer compared to the left side. I know the screen is the problem because there is no fading when I hookup my TV using my s-video cable.

The last few days when i start up the computer the screen will flicker and makes a buzzing staticy sound for a few seconds and then stop. Now whenever my laptop screen's brightness is turned up to the max it will make the noises and flicker indefinently. As I lower the brightness level the noise and flickering gradually slow and eventually stop when I get to the second to last brightness level.

Is this a sign that my screen is ready to die on me? I bought the computer in August of 2006. Its a 15.4in screen. When I bought it, I customized it from dell's site it was the default option for the screen's only I added the 'Trulife' option or whatever it was.
Does anyone have a clue what the problem might be?

 

I think your CCFL, the lamp providing the backlighting, is about to die. It is basically a small neon light... You could try to get Dell to change your screen or just find a place where you can buy the lamp by itself, ebay for example:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37.l1313&satitle=ccfl+e1505&category0=

 

I agree about the backlight being the problem. What you are hearing is a short, meaning that the light is effectively on borrowed time.

Call Dell technical support and ask about a new light and the possibility of a repair. Changing these yourself requires a lot of effort.

 

Thanks for the advice. I understand that at some point I will need to replace the backlight but is there anything I can do right now to increase the amount of time I have with this dieing one?
I am keeping the display brightness on its lowest setting for now but is there anything else that I could be doing that would make it last longer?
thanks again