Faint vertical lines on half of laptop screen

[shamrin]

This is a Sony laptop. In Windows and in BIOS it has a series of evenly-spaced faint vertical lines on (exactly) the left half of the screen.

My first choice is change the display, second is that it's a video card problem. I was just wondering if anyone had seen something like this caused by a video cable. The display for this unit is so expensive, I don't even want to order one to test it unless I'm darned sure it's the display.

 

[Martyn]

Try an external monitor should give you a pointer

 

[shamrin]

The external monitor is fine but that only means it's probably not the video card. Still a relative toss-up between the cable and display but I've never seen a cable do this, I just wondered if anyone had.

 

[Martyn]

I agree screen or cable. I would try and get a sh cable on EBay it's impossible to meter out the cables I find.

 

[Saddle]

I've seen that issue of vertical lines on HP monitors with bad caps. External monitor of course. Maybe a similar issue with yours.

 

[shamrin]

Well, just to draw a line under this, it's not the cable. I replaced it and still get the vertical lines on the left side of the screen. On this screen, the electronics are external, like a big inverter attached to the bottom of the screen (it's an LED). If you look at the PCB, it appears to be a mirror image on the right and left side. I'll bet some component on the left side has simply gone bad and the right side electronics have remained OK.

The screen is very difficult to find and is running around $400 so I think this one may be headed for the parts bin.

 

[BDPCR]

Check ebay first, before you quit

 

[shamrin]

Check ebay first, before you quit

Want an eye-opener? Google LTN133AT05-S02.

 

[BDPCR]

So did you get it, looks like quite a difference from $400?

 

[shamrin]

So did you get it, looks like quite a difference from $400?

Do you mean the one for $150? This is the first time I've seen that one. I'm a little dubious but I'll contact the customer and see if she wants to give it a go (just returned the unit to her).

 

[maclaptech]

The screen is very difficult to find and is running around $400 so I think this one may be headed for the parts bin.

Have you tried searching by the screen model number on the back of the screen rather than the laptop model number? Sometimes you can find out that there are cheap compatible screens.