T21 LCD has a yellow tint to it

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hansamurai · #1 Post by **hansamurai** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:10 am

Hi all, just picked up a T21 the other day and so far so good. The only problem is that there is a definite yellow tint to the screen. I don't think I would have noticed it if I hadn't had it hooked up to an external monitor at the same time, which provides an obvious better picture.

I searched the forum and there was just a lot of information on red/pink tints and how that may be because of a backlight going bad. Anyone have any idea if I'm in a similar situation or something different altogether?

I can provide pictures if anyone is interested in seeing the difference.

I also installed Xubuntu 8.10 on the machine with no problems... if anyone is ever curious.

#2 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:42 pm

I would say that age causes the yellow tint.
T21s were sold roughly between mid 2000 and mid 2001.
Best bet would be to get another LCD.

hansamurai · #3 Post by **hansamurai** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:48 pm

Thanks, I can live with it for now but will definitely keep an eye out.

one_jerry · #4 Post by **one_jerry** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:19 pm

The yellow tint just might be tobacco smoke. I'd try cleaning the face, gently, with a good glass cleaner.

goofyGAguy · #5 Post by **goofyGAguy** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:59 pm

one_jerry wrote:The yellow tint just might be tobacco smoke. I'd try cleaning the face, gently, with a good glass cleaner.

Much better to use a 50/50 mix of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol.

cmarti · #6 Post by **cmarti** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:44 pm

Also the polarizer can be replaced; my T23 has the same yellowish color.

I am thinking on send it to MoniServ to have it replaced because on my opinion a buying used one is too risky because it can come with the same problem because of it age.

hansamurai · #7 Post by **hansamurai** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:48 pm

Good tips, I had never considered that it could just be an external issue.

poshgeordie · #8 Post by **poshgeordie** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:51 pm

My T30 display is yellowish as well - the whites aren't that white any more and full brightness isn't that bright.

Also if my TP is woken up from hibernation, the display is intially quite dull and brightens up over the next 15 - 30 secs.
I put this down to the backlight starting to fail, and am waiting for it to go red on start up before I change the backlight tube.

Is this what yours is doing?

hansamurai · #9 Post by **hansamurai** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:36 pm

No, I read about that symptom where it is dull at first and brightens up over time and didn't notice it. There's also no pink/red tints to it either. I may try to clean the screen but I don't know how much further I want to go beyond that. I was really just looking for a cheap laptop for my living room, I have a Toshiba Protege 7020CT and its screen is essentially dead.

I think I'll be able to live with it, I don't think it will be as big of a deal once I move it away from my LCD monitors...

poshgeordie · #10 Post by **poshgeordie** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:58 pm

There's a replacement screenhere on eBay for the Tosh if that's of help.

<EDIT> Also found this site which offers much the same advise as already given and some good cleaning products etc.

cmarti · #11 Post by **cmarti** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:34 pm

poshgeordie wrote:There's a replacement screenhere on eBay for the Tosh if that's of help.

That screen won't fit the OP has a 14.1 SXGA+ screen that one is a 13 inch screen.

hansamurai · #12 Post by **hansamurai** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:47 pm

I think he was pointing out that it would fit my Toshiba I mentioned in the post before. I'm not sure if I want to put much more money in that computer though.

cmarti · #13 Post by **cmarti** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:43 pm

My bad, I skip your previous post.

jronald · #14 Post by **jronald** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:12 am

I just swapped a backlight, I think the yellow tint is actually a damaged piece of plastic buried in the screen. I noticed on mine that just above the light sits a plastic dispersal screen, the bottom 1mm of mine is discolored, and since the light shines thru it, it is going to "color" the entire display

My 2 cents worht
Ron

doctor bloomquist · #15 Post by **doctor bloomquist** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:46 pm

Hmmm

if the t21 has the same options as the t23, if you turn down the yellow in the graphics card or turn up the blue or red, does it cancel out the yellow tint!

cmarti · #16 Post by **cmarti** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:43 pm

jronald wrote:I just swapped a backlight, I think the yellow tint is actually a damaged piece of plastic buried in the screen. I noticed on mine that just above the light sits a plastic dispersal screen, the bottom 1mm of mine is discolored, and since the light shines thru it, it is going to "color" the entire display

My 2 cents worht
Ron

Thanks! You just save me a few $$$!

I am not going to send the LCD for the backlight/polarizer because if that is what causes the problem it will not be solved by replacing them.

hansamurai · #17 Post by **hansamurai** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:50 pm

Is there a reliable backlight dealer for the T series or just hit Ebay?

Is this a relevant thread?
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=69738

Soldering... seems scary.

cmarti · #18 Post by **cmarti** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:06 pm

You can get the backlight form miniserv, they advertise themselves also as LCDparts or something like that.

The link is on my first post on your thread.

jronald · #19 Post by **jronald** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:40 pm

Swapping the backlight is not that hard
It is a royal PITA
Must be kept clean, and is time consuming
It took a solid 3 hours for my first one
If you figure:
$10.00 for the light
$10.00 for shipping the light
$15.00 for shipping the panel
$25.00 X 2 hours for labor
$15.00 for return shipping
$100.00 is very fair

In my case since the diffuser was yellowed, it not perfect.
But it is bright and it is not red the first 30 seconds
I would/will do it again, no issues

Ron

T21 LCD has a yellow tint to it

T21 LCD has a yellow tint to it

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