Replacing LCD Screen

My 7 year old Sony PCG-SR17 laptop lcd screen is 50% less bright than it used to be, even after setting the brightness all the way up. Is the lcd screen the only component that need to be replaced? I heard that an LCD screen needs another component inside the chasis to make it work but I don't remember the terminology.

Note: I do have another newer laptop but I want to keep the old one just in case something goes wrong with the newer laptop.

 

It is usually not the screen, but the backlight of the screen which needs to be replaced. The backlight, if its not attached to the lcd display directly can be changed, and it is much cheaper to replace than the entire screen.

If this helps:
Here is the screen inverter, its the only thing I could find on excelcomputer, which is associated with your screen:
http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=43&category=inverter


K-TRON

 

Since your existing backlight is lighting up, your inverter seems to be ok. You'll need a new backlight as K-Tron said. Google "LCD backlight" and you'll come up with a few suppliers.

 

not to hijack thread but didn't want to clutter with a new thread.

would this work for any 17" more specifically on the m7700 thanks.

 

Yes, just about all LCD panels (except the new LED lit panels) have a CCFL (cold cathode flourescent lamp) backlight powered with an inverter.

 

We do not advice or support such requests. We have seen cases in which upgrading

down grading LCD resolutions burns LCD cable and inverter. So we have stop supporting such requests.

we don’t back up our warranty services in such RMA cases or nor we provide any technical support.

we ask customer to make sure he is buying exact LCD resolution matching up with existing LCD resolution to

avoid complications.

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is this true??

how easy is it to change backlight? and is it safe? thanks.

 

I'm not sure about burning the cable and inverter, but in my experience you will have more chances to succed if the new and the old LCD are the same. I helped a friend to fix his laptop by swapping the true brite screen in his laptop with a matt screen. Swapping the screen was not completely a success as although the matt screen is working fine, it too dim in comparison to the original one.

 

The important thing is to match the inverter with the backlight. If the inverter voltage is incorrect you might zap the backlight or the backlight will be too dim. If you buy a backlight, of course you would ask the supplier for the correct one for your laptop.

As for the quote about changing LCD resolutions, I believe the person is referring to changing the entire LCD panel with a different size one. Some laptops do have the option of different size screens, and if you change your screen size you would have to change the inverter to match.

How easy is it? Get the service manual for your laptop and take a look. I don't know about other manufacturers, but the more recent HP service manuals actually show you how to take the backlight out for safe disposal. If you're handy with a screwdriver and are not afraid to take apart the LCD, you can do the job. The backlight is fragile and contains a bit of mercury so be careful with it and dispose of the old one properly, don't just toss it in the trash.