HP G60 screen flickering/crackling

[tek9]

Hi all.
I just got in an HP G60 laptop with the screen flickering alot all the time, and there's a distinct crackling/buzzing sound coming from the bottom edge of the screen where the CCFL would be. The customer says this began around 3 months ago. He took it apart a bit to see if he can price a new screen on ebay, but they go for around $200.
I hooked it up to an external and it's fine. If I switch to external only, the noise stops.
I don't have a compatible inverter to check against, but I'm leaning towards a bad CCFL bulb.
What do you think? Can it be the inverter not powering correctly, or is it probably the bulb? Should I tell him to spend some money for a new inverter, or is that just a waste of money?

 

[Boston Pro Comp Serv LLC]

Is the flickering the brightness? meaning the lighting or graphical? Can you determine where the noise is comming from? I've never heard a ccfl bulb make noise, but I could see the inverter doing so, though never heard one of those make noise either.

 

[tek9]

Is the flickering the brightness? meaning the lighting or graphical? Can you determine where the noise is comming from? I've never heard a ccfl bulb make noise, but I could see the inverter doing so, though never heard one of those make noise either.

Thanks for replying.
Upon powering on the computer you can see the image on screen well, then it quickly gets darker until you need a flashlight to see. Then the brightness flickers on and off- darker & lighter. It seems to me that the image itself jumps around as well but that might be an illusion due to the brightness flickering.
The noise is coming from the lower right side of the screen, where the inverter cables feed into the screen and bulb.
I've heard overhead flourescent lights crackle and buzz when they're dying, but that may be from something other than the bulb itself. I'm not an electician.
So you think the inverter is the culprit?

 

[NYJimbo]

Very common G60 issue. The CCFL is probably killing the inverter, but why ? Its not a very old machine so it really shouldn't be having these problems but we have seen many G60's with either dead or dying screens. Sometimes you put in a new inverter and it works and other times it kills the inverter soon after.

Either the CCFLs are bad in a huge run of these or something about the inverters.

The only real alternative is going LED with the conversion kit. It does work, some people say they had problems but I've done a bunch and I know people do them all the time.

 

[tek9]

Very common G60 issue. The CCFL is probably killing the inverter, but why ? Its not a very old machine so it really shouldn't be having these problems but we have seen many G60's with either dead or dying screens. Sometimes you put in a new inverter and it works and other times it kills the inverter soon after.

Either the CCFLs are bad in a huge run of these or something about the inverters.

The only real alternative is going LED with the conversion kit. It does work, some people say they had problems but I've done a bunch and I know people do them all the time.

Thanks NYJimbo. I'll let him know about the LED conversion option.

 

[brock029]

Can the bulbs be replaced on these screens?

 

[tek9]

Can the bulbs be replaced on these screens?

I assume so. I saw some on ebay. But I'm not willing to go thru all that trouble.

 

[Boston Pro Comp Serv LLC]

I've replaced the ccfls before. They are a pain, opening up the LCD assembly. Real easy to put finger prints, dust, scratches on the layers in there. Then getting it back together was tricky too. I won't do just the bulbs anymore to much risk, not enough benefit.

 

[JustInspired]

I've changed a few back when new screens were much more expensive than they are now.
Horrible, fiddly job - you need the patience of a saint and the hands of a surgeon.
Not worth the man- hours IMHO.

 

[masterworksintl]

According to one of our techs, it sounds like the screen is killing the inverter. The question is whether the screen has done too much damage. If so, you're looking at around $200 for a new screen. Translation: it's probably time for a new laptop. Sorry.

 

[tek9]

Yeah. I told him it wasn't worth it to fix.
Recommended getting a new laptop for a bit more money, and at least he'll get a new warranty in case something else goes wrong. Thanks anyhow.