Sony Vaio VGN-FZ320E Black LCD

Hello,

The screen on my Sony Vaio VGN-FZ320E went out but not completely. Under the right light, like straight sun sunshine or using a flashlight, I can still see everything. It is just extremely dark.

1st:
Testing the Inverter
I checked the inverter by using a multimeter reader I have checking the KHz and I found that it was giving off no power. I compared this to my friends working IBM thinkpad which did show some voltage. So i figured it was dead, I then ordered the correct part from ebay, used of course, and when I got it nothing happened, screen has no brightness and my multimeter showed no power either.

2nd:
Testing the CCFL
I actually got the idea to open my friends IBM Thinkpad monitor and using its inverter to power my Sony Vaio screen. But not like you think because the inverters do not have the same connections on one side. Literally I used the IBM computer and its inverter to power my sony screen, I connected the IBM inverter to the CCFL of the sony and when i turn on both computers the screen on the Vaio works. (Image below, attachment below too)

So I assumed that the CCFL was not the problem
(but i have been told that the voltage of the IBM inverter may have been too strong which made the screen light up, meaning that the sony inverter might not have enough voltage to make the messed up CCFL bulb work and so the CCFL could still be the problem...??? could this be true?)

3rd:
Wire Harness
Next I ordered a new wire harness for the inverter, again off of ebay in hopes that the wire that connects from the mother board to the inverter was the problem... But this did not help... So I am more frustrated than ever.

4th:
Laptop Repair shop
I found a laptop repair store where the owner let me use an inverter he had to see if I had possibly bought an already broken one, but his inverter did not help. He also gave me two screens to try on and see if they would light up with his inverter and still nothing. At the end of my endless testing the store owner said he believes that a DIODE on the motherboard is broken and that there is no power being supplied to the inverter and he wanted to charge me 150 to fix it... (Can this even be true?)

5th:
Paranoia
Then I got to thinking what if the laptop repair guy was setting me up, giving me an already broken inverter and letting me test two already broken screens just so I could fail and I would have to pay him 150 for some simple problem...(perhaps this is too elaborate). Then I thought what if the inverter I bought online was broken... On top of that what if the wire harness I also bought online was broken too... (extreme conspiracy... I know I'm an idiot)

Then I thought what if I'm dreaming in limbo and I need to kill myself to wake up... jk (Just an Inception Movie joke, for those who watched it)



I know this is an extreme amount of reading and information. But I want to know what I should do next. I wish I had a machine to test the inverter by itself so I could just rule it out, but I do not have one. I'm stuck and just about ready to give up and just use the Vaio as a desktop, (since I can still use the computer while connected to an external screen).

who, what, where, when and why? I'm so lost with this problem...


THANKS in advance to anyone willing to try and help me.
poolandwaves

 

Did you try the obvious, by checking the INPUT voltage on the inverter? This would verify or put to rest the repair guys speculation.

Gary

 

I have, but is my only option a multimeter? i dont have any real handy dandy machine to actually test it. do you know of any other method besides a multimeter reader.

Thanks for the help

 

No, but then again I don't think you need one. If the input DC votage is correct and the output AC voltage is not. Then the inverter is dead. The only other thing that you could use is an oscilloscope.

Gary

 

The multimeter didn't pickup anything but luckily I found a good legit repair place. (repairmymonitor,com) They said the inverter short circuited the something on the motherboard and he had to rewire it and now it works, best thing is it only cost me $75. compared to the 150 the other place wanted to charge.

 

Sounds like the mechanical lid-closed sensor was broken. either way, glad it works now.

 

That sensor doesn't just turn off the backlight, which is what the OP was experiencing. Must have been something else.

Gary