I have a 17" Powerbook G4, 2/3 of the screen is having a wash-out problem. The top third is OK, but the bottom starts changing contrast from almost OK to quite bright/contrasty going from left to right. I've googled the problem but haven't found anything similar, most problems are either dots, stripes, or whole-screen problems. I did find few that mentioned the bottom section going off, the cause was described as probably a pinched display cable, but these did not have the changing-across-the-screen that I am seeing. This computer does have a partially-broken left hinge (far left bit). Moving the screen up and down, pinching various parts of the screen, pressing here and there, makes no difference.

Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Jerry

Generally any type of 1/3 issue with a screen is going to be the LCD itself. Just how they are manufactured they tend to go defective in thirds. Unfortunately for a Titanium, you are looking at a hefty repair. Replacing the entire display will cost you over $600.

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping it would be a pinched cable that I could "unpinch" but I guess not. What actually goes bad, corrosion in the contacts, overheated resistors, bad voodoo?

$600 is kind of unecomomical, isn't it, for a laptop of this vintage? Rats.

Thanks,
Jerry

Yea, it isn't very economical for these older machines, but unfortunately Apple only sells the replacement as the entire display. You can try to find just a replacement LCD, but it is the hardest repair ever for an Apple laptop as Apple didn't make those displays to be taken apart.