Just Scored a T60p, A Few Questions

[bmwman91]

OK so I got it today, yay!

It will be headed to a Lenovo R&R center tomorrow though. The screen has some black spots on it where patches of pixels are dead. Thank goodness for the warranty still being good for 2 months! The screen / metal mounting brackets & top bezel also seem to be loose, which I would imagine will be fixed when they replace the screen. I am thinking that I might want to extend the warranty for another year....but that means no C2D upgrade & no opening it up to clean out the heat sink/fan system & install some better TIM on the heat sink.

I must say that I like the IPS display thus far. At first, it didnt seem all that much different than the standard one on my T41p, but I am now starting to really like it. I find that I don't need to adjust the screen angle nearly as much anymore. The colors do seem a bit more vibrant, as well. 1600x1200 is just right on this 15" screen, too.

[jimmy274]

Actually, it's kinda the second problem with T60p's IPS displays - those "patches of dead pixels" are in fact dusty patches, as been discussed on this forum on numerous occasions. Also, for some strange reason, a 15" UXGA display is a lot more likely to have them, than a 15" SXGA+ IPS screen - the problem has been around since T42p's. Mine (15" SXGA+ IPS) has none so far.
The actual problem is that dust penetrates through shielding of a display and just gets stuck somewhere between the reflection layers of an IPS. It's really strange, because TN displays don't have these at all, some of the 15" SXGA+ have them, while a lot of 15" UXGA have them - it's as if the more money you give, the crappier display shielding you get. Just weird...

[Troels]

When he said patches of dead pixels, it made we think it is much worse, i.e. dust doesn't block all of the light. I have a bashed up HV150UX1-100 that i'll use for experimentation and parts (it came bashed up, and for parts only) and it does have have one of many weird defects - a small "holes" in the LCD structure - like "rot".
See the black "hole" near the bottom inbetween the dead lines. http://users.cybercity.dk/~dsl35822/IMG_2123.JPG .
Must admit that the flexviews have had their fair share of dust problems, but i have seen many various widescreen laptops with all kinds of dust specs inside, but most people aren't really bothered by it at all.

Must say though that the HV150UX1-100 packaging is not the slightest tight - this could and should really have been improved.

[dr_st]

Depends on the dust spec, I guess. Some of them are thin and just look like a small blur. These wouldn't bother most people. But if you have one that looks like a big fat black dot, you might be a tad unhappy about it. I've recently had an inch-long hair stuck inside my Flexview LCD (SXGA+) - now that was something.

[bmwman91]

Very interesting.....I could see it being dust, I suppose. The edges were feathered in their darkening, which would make sense. Light IS completely blocked in the middle of these spots, however. Well, I will have to cross my fingers that this thing stays clean for a long, long time.

[thinkpadlover07]

FWIW, more than a few dust specs have popped up inside my own T60p (2007-93U with UXGA).

Could you do us a favor? Let us know whether Lenovo is able to replace your screen (if you have sent it in to the depot i.e. Solectron). I haven't heard in a while whether Lenovo has run out of stock on UXGA screen replacements. I have a hunch that they have, which would suck in case anyone's T60p UXGA screen goes kaputz. Then, again, UXGA screens aren't too hard to come by on eBay, so...

But, after being extremely anal about it before with Lenovo (like with my previous T42p), I've just thrown up my hands and realized that if I sweat over a few dust specs, then maybe I have bigger problems.

Definitely upgrade that warranty if you want peace of mind, though. (Thanks to Johan for that tip!) IMHO, losing out on a few more years of warranty is not worth a little extra speed. Just my $0.02.

[bmwman91]

FWIW, more than a few dust specs have popped up inside my own T60p (2007-93U with UXGA).

Could you do us a favor? Let us know whether Lenovo is able to replace your screen (if you have sent it in to the depot i.e. Solectron). I haven't heard in a while whether Lenovo has run out of stock on UXGA screen replacements. I have a hunch that they have, which would suck in case anyone's T60p UXGA screen goes kaputz. Then, again, UXGA screens aren't too hard to come by on eBay, so...

But, after being extremely anal about it before with Lenovo (like with my previous T42p), I've just thrown up my hands and realized that if I sweat over a few dust specs, then maybe I have bigger problems.

Definitely upgrade that warranty if you want peace of mind, though. (Thanks to Johan for that tip!) IMHO, losing out on a few more years of warranty is not worth a little extra speed. Just my $0.02.

Well, I just got it back today. I think they tightened up the keyboard bezel & LCD hinges, maybe? I had opened 2 cases with them, one for the LCD, and one for the loose stuff. The work order only referenced the case for the loose items. They sent a 2nd pre-paid box the day after I got the first one (I told them to combine the cases so I wouldn't need to ship twice, but based upon my experience with them on the phone, they do not seem to listen well). So, I am going to sent it back to them tomorrow & call to make sure that they address the case that should still be open for the LCD.

I too wonder if they can even replace it. If not, forget the warranty, I will buy one off of someone here.

[thinkpadlover07]

Argh, Solectron! Depot service definitely may have gone downhill after Lenovo took over.

That does not bode well, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Thanks for reporting back. Good luck, keep us posted.

[bmwman91]

Argh, Solectron! Depot service definitely may have gone downhill after Lenovo took over.

That does not bode well, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Thanks for reporting back. Good luck, keep us posted.

As it turns out, I was unable to correctly understand the case number I was given over the phone the first time. I think it took 3 calls to get it right...I was told wrong numbers a few times. So, now that the proper one is written on the work order, hopefully they will address the screen issue. Unless they gave me the wrong one again...

[thinkpadlover07]

Oh, and another thing, about the dust specs. I don't think it's ever been discussed here. I've started maybe 2 lengthy threads about the dust specs in the Flexview screens. Different members have different experiences - some don't even know what I'm talking about, some have many frustrating cases of it.

But, what is never discussed or mentioned is whether there is a correlation between heavy use, especially travel, on-the-go use of the Thinkpads with Flexview screens and the amount of dust specs. I would be curious to see whether those with no experiences of dust specs could be using their Thinkpad only as a desktop replacement that never leaves the home. In that case, I'll live with the dust specs because I would rather be able to carry my machine around everywhere than leave it at home 24/7.

Just a thought.

[ajkula66]

thinkpadlover07 wrote:

But, what is never discussed or mentioned is whether there is a correlation between heavy use, especially travel, on-the-go use of the Thinkpads with Flexview screens and the amount of dust specs.

I can tell you that I've seen brand new ThinkPads with dust specs inside of LCDs, even before FlexViews came around, as well as FlexViews after that.

Does travel matter? Probably to some extent.

Does pressure on the LCD elevate the likelihood of specs appearing? Probably to some extent as well.

Can anyone give a 100% foolproof answer? Not likely.

Let's buy as many of these LCDs as we can, while they're still available as NOS...

My $0.02 only...

[thinkpadlover07]

Agreed, though it'll be a while before I save up enough to spring on a new Flexview - don't know about you.

What does "NOS" mean?

[ArtShapiro]

What does "NOS" mean?

New Old Stock (Stuff that's been sitting around, unused and unopened, for a long time.) We tube audio mavens use the term constantly!

Art

[ajkula66]

ArtShapiro wrote:

We tube audio mavens use the term constantly!

I knew that there must be a reason why I like you...and there it is...amongst other things, of course...

[bmwman91]

ArtShapiro wrote:
We tube audio mavens use the term constantly!

I knew that there must be a reason why I like you...and there it is...amongst other things, of course...

Uhoh, do we have audio-heads in here as well? I am a (junior) audio enthusiast, and am actually finishing up my first set of DIY desktop monitors this week. Maybe I will toss up some pics in a thread in OT. I still need to build a 4ch amp, though (bi-amping w/ active filtering), ~30W peak per channel.

Anyone here use the projects on http://sound.westhost.com ? Love that place....

[ArtShapiro]

Uhoh, do we have audio-heads in here as well?

Of course we do (I'm on the reviewing staff of Positive Feedback Online), but unless His Eminence can somehow split this thread and move this part to Off Topic Stuff, we probably don't want to usurp the T60p thread.

Art

[bmwman91]

True. I think it would be good to keep on topic so people can see if Lenovo will still replace an IPS display.

I'll start a thread about my first audio adventure in OT after a little more progress.

[dr_st]

FWIW, I had an IPS screen replaced twice within the past three months. Neither of the two times was it said or implied that there is any problem with supply (screen was replaced within the usual 5 business days IBM Israel takes to process any piece of hardware.

Granted, it was SXGA+. Supplies might be different on UXGA.

[Brad]

Just this week I had a UXGA LCD replaced on a T60p. No issues of supply. The replacement LCD did have the orange sticker though.

Brad

[thinkpadlover07]

holy heavens, Brad! Thanks for letting us know about this!

What was the problem with your LCD - dust specs? And how was the overall experience (i.e. turnaround time, etc.)? Did you have to beg them (Solectron?) for a replacement LCD?

[yak]

Just this week I had a UXGA LCD replaced on a T60p. No issues of supply. The replacement LCD did have the orange sticker though.

What does an orange sticker mean? How does it look like?

[bmwman91]

Well, I got it back yesterday. I have a brand new UXGA IPS display on it. Whee.

[thinkpadlover07]

Nice! The turnaround was quick, eh? Did you have to jump through any special loops, or was it simply through Solectron (depot repair)?

I hope those dust specs don't come back anytime soon! Great to hear that they still have a supply of UXGA LCDs for warranty replacement.

[Brad]

holy heavens, Brad! Thanks for letting us know about this!
What was the problem with your LCD - dust specs? And how was the overall experience (i.e. turnaround time, etc.)? Did you have to beg them (Solectron?) for a replacement LCD?
Brad

You are welcome. The LCD had a horizontal black line in the lower 1". They stopped by and in about 45 minutes the LCD was replaced. Only minimal begging. Since I am married it was nothing to speak of.

What does an orange sticker mean? How does it look like?
Brad

The orange sticker has black lettering and says "SERVICIABLE USED PART". These stickers are common on many replacement parts. I could not tell that it was used.

Brad

[bmwman91]

Well, update.

I just bought a T7600 from eBay (see link). The only "real" one was $380, which is a tad overkill IMO. I realize that these started out as BGA packages, reworked to PGA form god-knows-where in China. Based upon the seller ratings on the other reworked C2D's, I am optimistic that it will work out well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0324382514

Has anyone else purchased these reworked ones? Haha, let's hope this works out fine! I don't usually like to mess with things that feel "sketchy" but for the T7600, it seems to be all there is these days.