T41p display (brightness/contrast) :-(

[ThomasS]

Hello!

Today I got my new T41p (2373GEG, made in China 04/05).
First thing that made me wonder was the manual was for T40 as printed on the cover.
Unfortunately, the keyboards rigth side isn't completely fixed as can be read here. Maybe it's just because of the very good left side.
After switching on the notebook, I was glad that the fan was quiet and ok. But the display is very disappointing. Viewing angle is so sensitive that if I see the top clearly, the bottom is very bright that is's difficult to read. Other way, if the bottom of the display is ok, the top is very dark. With a black backqround, the bottom third is really grey, as if there were lights.
Especially strange is the fact, that my trader tested the display for dead pixels before shipping, so I think he could or should have mentioned it.
I can hardly believe that this shall be normal. On other TFTs, Notebook or not, I have never seen such difference in brightness and contrast.

Someone of you can share these problems?
On graphic settings, the monitor type is "standart", not "IBM LCD 1400x1050", which can be selected, but will not be accepted when pressing ok. Is this normal?

After having spend so much money for not having these problems, I am very unhappy.


Thomas

[geobel]

Someone of you can share these problems?

Yes my XGA is washout. Maybe a bit more washout than other laptop screens but the difference is small. They are all washout except for ISP and MVA panels but that is a different story.

On graphic settings, the monitor type is "standart", not "IBM LCD 1400x1050", which can be selected, but will not be accepted when pressing ok. Is this normal?

Do not know whether it is normal but it is the same on my laptop...

After having spend so much money for not having these problems, I am very unhappy.

If viewing angle is very important for you the most radical solution is to return laptop and go for T42 with 15" Flexview (ISP) screen. You should have at least 15 days no question asked return. I have seen ISP laptop panels side by side with standard TN ones and the difference is astonishing. Personally I would go this way...

If you keep your T41p possible cosmetic tweaks include:
Set gamma in ATI panel to 0.8-0.9 for all colors. This improves look though in expense of dark shades (they will tend to merge).
Use XP themes instead of classical themes. XP ones partially mask washout. Also mind that LCD looks very washed out when just switched on but gets slightly better when warms up.

Gosha

[K. Eng]

This complaint was well documented in a huge thread on the old forum. My T40 displays the characteristics you describe: poor horizontal & vertical viewing angles and washed out colors at the bottom. Compared to a lot of notebooks that I have seen from Dell and Toshiba, the LCD in my unit is unfortunately mediocre (borderline junk).

I don't know who supplied these types of LCDs. I have read that IBM used two suppliers for their LCDs: LG/IBM and Samsung. I'm not sure which model is in my ThinkPad but people here have said good things about Samsung and a lot of bad things about LG/IBM.

[ThomasS]

Hello!

What about the manual? Isn't there one for the T41(p) that they enclose the T40's? Perhaps this figures out something is wrong with this notebook.

I would not say that viewing angle is very important to me, but I'd like to have a display which can be clearly seen in whole when sitting right in front of it. As i said, when the top is ok, an inactive task in the bar at the bottom cannot be read without moving head!
Lowering the gamma setting improves contrast, and with more distance it is better, to.
Other displays are much better, and I have seen other T40's and T41's in better display condition. But I expected these prices to guarantee perfect quality!

The return key does rattle, is there a way to fix it?

Yes, there are 14 days to give it back, but first I'm making a stage next in a week and therefore I need an notebook. And would I get a better one?

Thomas

[geobel]

The return key does rattle, is there a way to fix it?

Yes... You have to remove keyboard and put something under right side (on the top of modular bay) such as napkin, business card or thin foam. Very many users have this problem with 14.1" units (T40, 41, 42).

Yes, there are 14 days to give it back, but first I'm making a stage next in a week and therefore I need an notebook. And would I get a better one?

If you go for flexview models you are guaranteed to get better screen. Users also report that keyboard is more solid in 15" models. However the larger form factor of 15" models and extra weight may be a problem if you travel a lot with laptop. Also 14.1" models look somewhat more stylish...
BTW, you can find a lot of info if you search this forum.
Gosha

[ThomasS]

Hello!


Before buying I did a lot of research in the internet and this forum, too.
I know about the napkin trick, but although there is space under the right side of the keyboard the matter is that just this one return key does rattle when other keys are pressed (on the right side). A fixed keyboard doesn't change this.

The T42P 15" would be much more expensive, and yes, bigger and heavier, too.

I called my trader, and he said this would not be normal. The fact, that they included wrong manuals was strange to him, too, especially because they had checked the display for dead pixels. He wanted to do some research and call me back this afternoon.

BTW, do also have problems downloading IBM manuals?
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 3n6243.pdf


Thomas

P.S.: Sorry, I didn't know that I have to write a subject for a reply.

[G-Man]

Thomas,

The IBM manual work fine for me. Make sure that Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed, and you enable folder view for FTP sites in Internet Options/Advanced.

Regards,
G-Man

[ThomasS]

Hello everybody!


I'm here to tell you that I have arranged with my notebook.

Still I'm not really confident of the screen. But as someone said, by time it gets better. I went to a local dealer with it, and he meant it would be normal. Not very good, but sendig it to IBM I would probably get it back. Indeed, I found out that it has a lot of to do with the lights in the room. In the bright store the display looked better than in my room. Also, I now sit with more distance to the screen after I got used to the small type (and enlarged it). After all, the WinXP theme isn't that good for contrast.
So I decided to get convinced by the very good facts of the thinkpad, especially UltraNav.

Then I resized the ntfs partition for linux use and more win partitions, because I don't like all data and programms on the system partition. The predesktop area still is untouched. I did that with qtparted from the very good system rescue cd from www.sysresccd.org

There was something wrong with the house-network and ftp, it's fine now.


Thank you for your help

Thomas

[Conmee]

Thomas,

All my T41 and T42 models, including T41p and T42p, come with a manual that says "T40 Series". I don't believe IBM has updated the manuals for individual T41/T42. However, they have updated on page 28, a screen capture of the new IBM Rescue and Recovery with Rapid Restore boot screen. So I think the manual is fine.

As for the screen, I have a brand new T42p with a 14" SXGA+ screen, and I lowered the Gamma for Red to 1.05, Green to 1.10, and Blue to .75 and the screen is a bit closer to what a Flexview screen looks like. It's still not as good as Flexview, but the greys look better, and it seems to correct much of the blue 'tint' that is on the non-Flexview screens. It also helps to correct much of the 'washed out' colors. At least for me.

Daniel.