Laptop Screen Question - Yellow Tint

[dancingalone]

I have an aging Thinkpad R60 that I still use. It's been a good friend to me over the years and I run Linux on it which explains why it hasn't been relegated to a recycle pile yet.

However, of late the screen has taken on a decidedly yellow tint which makes text hard to read. I've connected the laptop to an external monitor and the color is fine there, so I think the problem is with the panel. Anyone have experience with this? Is there a cheap repair or do I just have to replace the entire screen? The poor thing is so old, it doesn't make much sense to dump even $60 into it, and that seems to be the going price for a recycled replacement LCD without including labor.

 

[Carol]

You can try tweaking/updating the graphics drivers to make sure its not a color calibration issue....but most likely the yellow tint is from a backlight going bad.

 

[dancingalone]

You can try tweaking/updating the graphics drivers to make sure its not a calibration issue....but most likely the yellow tint is from a backlight going bad.

It's running the latest stuff out of the Ubuntu 12.04 repository. As far as tweaking the driver, I don't really have the technical expertise to do that.

Thanks for the hint. I guess I'll research whether it is possible to just change the backlight only on a R60.

 

[Carol]

It's running the latest stuff out of the Ubuntu 12.04 repository. As far as tweaking the driver, I don't really have the technical expertise to do that.

Thanks for the hint. I guess I'll research whether it is possible to just change the backlight only on a R60.

If your driver offers a color calibration utility, that will rule out whether the colors are off...thats what I meant by tweaking.

 

[gregtca]

It will be either the screen or invertor going bad, since you said you are not tech skilled , and it's an old unit , you could get the parts replaced , but prob not worth the time or cost , just buy another old notebook of someone or eBay, use the IBM till it goes then replace the unit ,

Regards
greg

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, back-light was my first guess as soon as I heard the symptoms. I think you'll find that the repair cost could well be higher than the poor old device is worth - I am always sad when a work-horse bit of kit finally has to be put out of it's misery .

 

[dancingalone]

Aye, back-light was my first guess as soon as I heard the symptoms. I think you'll find that the repair cost could well be higher than the poor old device is worth - I am always sad when a work-horse bit of kit finally has to be put out of it's misery .

Indeed. The Thinkpad has some sentimental value for me. It's traveled with me across the world and was my constant partner when I did some of my best work in my former career.

It appears as I can replace the inverter and backlight separately on this model. I'll buy the parts and make it a weekend project when I have some free time.

 

[Xue Sheng]

hook it to an external momitor and see if yuo have the same issue. If you do the Graphics processor is going belly up