Powerbook 1400cs washed-out screen

[lukecyca]

This 1400cs was given to me last week, and it boots and works well. Only issue is that the screen is nearly unusable. I can make out the picture when viewing at a very acute viewing angle, but it's completely washed out when viewing head-on.

Is there an adjustment that can be done, or is this screen just unusable?

 

[davidg5678]

Did you try adjusting the contrast? There should be some buttons on the right side of the display itself.

 

[Yoda]

My 1400cs boots up like that. It settles down after a couple of minutes though, and fades towards normal, or the contrast button can do it faster. I think a sign of capacitor degradation.

 

[lukecyca]

Did you try adjusting the contrast? There should be some buttons on the right side of the display itself.

Oh my goodness. You're right. How embarrassing!

I had tried the contrast buttons while it was booting but it didn't seem to have an effect. Once it was fully booted the contrast buttons work as expected and I was able to adjust it to look great now.

Many thanks!

 

[3lectr1c]

These are also starting to get ready for a recap nowadays - I still need to do so to mine. If you want more consistent contrast behavior, that may be what you have to do at this point.

 

[Yoda]

Mine starts up with that same washed-out screen every time, even when very recently used, when the display had been correct. I'm inclined to think - since it has been recently used with the screen correctly adjusted - that it may not be caps so much as the setting not being kept in PRAM as it otherwise would be.

The fact that mine does 'drift' into better contrast after a cold start does tend to suggest caps to some degree though.

 

[3lectr1c]

Believe it is caps. You’d have to ask LaPorta on 68kmla, he’s actually recapped his and at least one other as well.

 

[Yoda]

I had thought that if this was cap-related, it would tend to keep the more contrasty screen if it had been very recently used and adjusted - that was my experience with a PB 165. Otherwise, when adjusted, my 1400cs seems pretty clear of ghosting or artifacts.

But it is 25 years or so old!