Lcd Flickering

[turbopowerdmaxsteel 0]

I bought a Dell Studio 1435 laptop, an year ago. The LCD started flickering after about 4 months of usage. Initially it lasted for a few minutes after being turned on. The effect was localized to the bottom of the screen. Increasing the brightness reduced the flickering. So, I didn't ask for technical support from dell. It was only in October (7 months of usage) that I called up dell. By then the Laptop was completely useless because the flickering had given way to a fluorescent bulb like glow which kept increasing & decreasing. Neither time nor increasing the brightness had any effect on the screen now.

 

The system being in warranty, Dell replaced the LCD without any charge. The service was quite quick too. I started noticing occasional flickering on the same day of the replacement. But, it was very minor, like 1 in a day lasting for a second or so. 3 months down the line, the flickering started again. It was still not permanent as on the previous occasion. But because my warranty was running out, I called up Dell & again they replaced the screen & it's circuitry.

 

After a month of usage, it started flickering again. The flickering, like before, would dissipate with time or increase in the LCD's brightness. A month after that, which is now, the effect seems to be permanent. I did get a 2 year extension on my Limited Warranty so it should be replace again (fingers crossed).

 

But, I don't understand where the real problem lies in. Surely, it can't be the LCD because it has been replaced twice. Dell's engineers are happy to replace the kit. But they didn't say a possible cause as to why this would happen. Could it be the power supply, or using the Laptop on a bed is the cause? I don't quite like the positioning of the heat vents. They are covered up by the LCD's bottom half when the lid is open.

 

Has anybody else had this problem?

[yordan 10]

Concerning the "using it in the bed" part, you can try to put the computer on a table for a couple of hours, to see if it behaves the same way.If it's an OS problem, you can try using a recent Linux LiveCD for a couple of hours, and see how it behaves.

[mahesh2k 0]

I think LCD flickering problem is quite usual with Dell laptops. And i suggest you to get it repaired from del service center as it is in yearly contract. So there will be no problem with you changing the piece even. Make sure you can reproduce this issue in front of service engineers of dell service center. Otherwise they'll hardly do anything with the piece they give you.

[wutske 0]

Concerning the "using it in the bed" part, you can try to put the computer on a table for a couple of hours, to see if it behaves the same way.If it's an OS problem, you can try using a recent Linux LiveCD for a couple of hours, and see how it behaves.

I second that, see if it still happens in linux, as Windows is the only factor that hasn't changed. If the flickering doesn't stop, it might be a good idea to go to Dell and just ask for a replacement laptop as it might be caused by power circuits or the graphics card. I actualy doubt it's the screen because if it's very unlikely that it's immediatly broken after replacement.

For the bed usage of your laptop, maybe you could buy one of those laptop cooler thingies with a fan blowing on the bottom of the laptop, it'll keep your laptop cool in bed .

[yordan 10]

For the bed usage of your laptop, maybe you could buy one of those laptop cooler thingies with a fan blowing on the bottom of the laptop, it'll keep your laptop cool in bed .

Wouldn't you feel cold with a fan blowing in your bed ? Moreover, it's dangerous : you could put your ... fingers in the fan, and be hurt ?

[BCD 1]

I do not know if radiations affect the lcd's? Like mobile phones or other radiation emitting devices nearby? But CRT's are affected, when I was a toddler I used to place magnets near CRT TV and used to enjoy seeing the colorful rainbow affects,.. lol one day it became permanently colorful.

Wouldn't you feel cold with a fan blowing in your bed ? Moreover, it's dangerous : you could put your ... fingers in the fan, and be hurt ?

Noo, the exhaust fan will pump out hot air from laptop onto bed. Isn't it? So even attaching a fan and placing on a bed will cover the fans and may in fact increase the surrounding temperature near the fan vents.


I think laptop stands would be ideal, both for comfortable positioning and for ventilation. Something like this:http://www.instructables.com/id/A-better-laptop-stand-for-bed/
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Edited June 5, 2010 by Spencer (see edit history)

[The Simpleton1405241582 0]

I do not know if radiations affect the lcd's? Like mobile phones or other radiation emitting devices nearby? But CRT's are affected, when I was a toddler I used to place magnets near CRT TV and used to enjoy seeing the colorful rainbow affects,.. lol one day it became permanently colorful.

This happened to me as well. I didn't experiment with my TV but did so with my CRT monitor and one day the colour change became permanent. At first banging it on the top helped to bring back the original look, but later no amount of banging could save the poor soul!

Now whenever a phone rings in front of my LCD TV I do think I hear some slight disturbance although I'm not sure it's from the TV?

[BCD 1]

This happened to me as well. I didn't experiment with my TV but did so with my CRT monitor and one day the colour change became permanent. At first banging it on the top helped to bring back the original look, but later no amount of banging could save the poor soul!

If you still have the monitor in that condition, you can take it to a service center, they will fix it for a fee. I think my father gave it to the vendor and they fixed it for free, since it was under the guarantee period, although the TV didn't last long, around 5 more years.

[k_nitin_r 8]

A CRT display with the rainbox effect left by a magnet can be reversed at a service center through a process called degaussing. All they do is use a coil to reverse the magnetization of your display. Many televisions and computer monitors have a menu option to select to initiate the degaussing of the CRT display, but if you have something that still doesn't go away, the service center would be able to use a more powerful degaussing coil to work out a fix.

[BCD 1]

Yes, the process is degaussing. Yes, the feature is built-in in some displays like my old CRT PC monitor with analog controls which has a button to degauss the monitor.