Buying replacement screen on eBay

[Lockheed]

I have this dim Samsung screen in my Thinkpad and I though about buying an LG FRU on eBay. However, turns out those listed on eBay are not actual LG-made parts but only COMPATIBLE.
That puts a big question mark over the entire ordeal as I might just get something similar or only marginally better than my current screen.
Am I right?

[techweenie]

I am also in the market for a new screen and have the same question. I can't be bothered to order a "compatible" screen unless I know for certain it is as good or better than LG.

[alkemyst]

I picked up one from one of the more popular sellers (I can't remember his ebay name off the top of my head, if you search my posts here you will find it).

The main problem is that it is not the same as the original LCD as far as EDID info. You have to deal with anything other than native screen res being 'windowed' instead of stretched to fit edge to edge. Also due to this on boot up when the VGA mode switches you can get some random screen corruption.

For my LCD the EDID info was locked and I couldn't update it. If you are lucky and get an unlocked EPROM you could update it with the proper EDID info.

Still for only $100 it works just like the original screen for 99% of what I'd do.

[Lockheed]

Seems like nothing good comes out of trying to replace poor original with 'compatible' one.
How is the picture quality, anyway?

[alkemyst]

Seems like nothing good comes out of trying to replace poor original with 'compatible' one.
How is the picture quality, anyway?

picture quality is perfect. Nothing dead or stuck. I really can't complain other than I wish I knew the issue up front.

Still better than a $300 replacement. At that point it would be better to sell off the old laptop and buy another.

[Muse]

picture quality is perfect. Nothing dead or stuck. I really can't complain other than I wish I knew the issue up front.

Still better than a $300 replacement. At that point it would be better to sell off the old laptop and buy another.

When I was shopping T6x's on ebay a couple of months ago I spotted a fair number of machines sold for parts, some with broken screen or screen hinge or plastic breaks in the case. They typically sold at a major discount to working machines. In fact, the T60 I'm typing on now was sold for parts, but I did some googling and had a fair amount of confidence I could save the machine. It was reporting errors the seller couldn't deal with, or didn't want to deal with. If I needed a screen, I'd definitely consider a "for parts" offering on ebay. You wouldn't be getting an OEM equivalent or "compatible," you'd be getting Thinkpad original components almost certainly. I even asked the seller if the screen on this was in good shape, had any scratches, and was assured it was OK. It is indeed, a 1400x1050 14.1.

[alkemyst]

Most will sell a SVGA screen separately or it will push the cost of the 'parts only' machine up in price.

If one just needs a standard resolution replacement then buying a parts only laptop could be very economical.

However, I have yet to see a laptop being sold for parts that has a truly pristine screen.

[Harryc]

If you search by FRU# on EBay and are patient you can come up with reasonable deals on LG WSXGA+ LCD's -
http://cgi.ebay.com/42T0423-IBM-Lenovo- ... 43a40d7020

Search for the following on EBay, and check the pictures and descriptions carefully - (42T0417,42T0423)

Reference - http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-67653

[Muse]

Most will sell a SVGA screen separately or it will push the cost of the 'parts only' machine up in price.

If one just needs a standard resolution replacement then buying a parts only laptop could be very economical.

However, I have yet to see a laptop being sold for parts that has a truly pristine screen.

The one that came with my T60 was truly pristine, a 1400x1050 14.1". The machine lacked a battery, adapter, HD or caddy, but other than that and the fact I had to go through some hoops to reset the ROM, it was, I think, a decent deal at ~$180 shipped.

[alkemyst]

$180 shipped is a high price for a parts only T60 IMHO, good screen or not. Like I mentioned if you are in for $180 for the screen chances are you can sell your current T60 and use that extra cash to move up a series.

I should have done that, didn't know the market off the bat. My T60 was never opened...spent it's whole life docked. I'd have given up some newest for 400 or 500

[Muse]

$180 shipped is a high price for a parts only T60 IMHO, good screen or not.

I think this is true, however I thought I had good reason to believe that this "parts only" machine was actually, after fixing the ROM problem, a perfectly good usable T60, once I got a caddy for it. I had an extra HD for it, enough batteries (I have 2), and plenty of adapters. I rarely have need of the batteries, usually keep them in the refrigerator. My hunch turned out correct. For a good T60, I don't think I overpaid at all, having surveyed a number of recent ebay sales. I didn't make a killing either. Main this is, it had the features I wanted. I would have preferred GMA950 graphics, but I wasn't seeing that in the machines I saw up for auction, so I made my bid. I actually bid about $20 higher, but caught it at $180 shipped.