Symptoms: Reddish screen, backlight would turn off by itself.

Possible Problems: LCD backlight failure.

Solution: Replace backlight or Replace LCD.

Cost: $75 for a used AUO B121EW02.

My laptop is more than 3 years old, and the LCD decided to die on me right after my warranty is over.

To get it recertified for warranty would cost me $300. To get it repaired without the warranty would cost me $400 from Dell.

The LCD had a red tint to it, it is most likely the inverter or LCD backlight that is failing, but a reddish screen would most likely indicate a failing backlight. I can replace the backlight tube for $10, which is something I would like to avoid because it would require tearing the LCD apart and solder the new tubes. Too risky and much work for $10.

Other 3 screens used by Dell for this M1210 laptop is a AUO B121EW03 (AUO3214), Samsung LTN121W1 (SEC3157) and the Toshiba LTD121EXPD (LCD58E), listed in the most desired to the least desired. The LCD came with my laptop was a Toshiba LTD121EXPD. It is one of the worst LCD with light leakage from the bottom.

Toshiba LTD121EXPD (LCD58E) (Dell XPS M1210) vs AUO B121EW02 (AUO2114) (Dell 710m)

source: http://www.notebookforums.com/thread165050.html

From the picture above, you can see how faded the color is compared to a Dell 710m screen.

Why I chose a B121EW02 instead of B121EW03? Because it has a better viewing angle.

Here’s the reddish screen.

After replacing the LCD.

Conclusion: LCD are not hard to replace, but is it worth it to replace? You can get LCDs for ~$80 from eBay claiming that they are new (They will provide a compatible one).  Different LCDs have different quality, it depends if you are picky as me or not. Since my laptop has a 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM and GeForce 7400 (not great but better than onboard graphic cards). It is still worth it to replace the LCD considering that a similar spec new laptop would cost at least $500.

If you laptop is slower than a Core 2 Duo, consider upgrading.

I did not realize that my corner lamp was collecting water from the gap where the seal had cracked.

One day the signal went ticking really fast indicating that one of the signal lamp have stopped working.

Pulled out my front corner lamp and poured out about 1/2 cup of water. Bulb’s dead too.

Damage done:

• Corroded Lamp Socket
• 1157 Bulb

Solution:

• Reseal corner lamp with silicon
• Replace Lamp Socket ($12 + tax from Northtowne Mitsubishi dealer)
• Replace 1157 Bulb

Qi’s homemade sushi

Sapporo beer and unagi roll.

Based on my sister’s Creamy Tuna & Tomato Pasta @ simply-june.blogspot.com

Slight variation:

• 1 can of Tuna in oil.
• 2 “Tomatoes on the vine”.
• Parsley Flakes.

One of Qi’s favorite dish.

Extracted from Wikipedia

Ayam pongteh, a chicken stew cooked with tauchu or salted soy beans and gula melaka. It is usually saltish-sweet and can be substituted as a soup dish in peranakan cuisine.

Cinna Stix®

Hand Tossed Medium (12”) with New Robust Tomato Sauce, Cheese and Pepperoni

Hand Tossed Medium (12”) with New Robust Tomato Sauce, Cheese, Ham and Pineapple

Sunday Coupons used:

• 2 Medium 2-Topping Pizzas for $5.99 each (2 pizza minimum)
• Mate it a meal for $4.99! Add any Coca-Cola® 2-Liter Beverage and your choice of Cheesy Bread, Cinna Sticks® or Breadsticks.

Cost with Coupons:

Cost without Coupons:

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Digital Stopwatch. Since the LCD came with the kit broke, we replaced it with a $8.50 LCD with backlight but it requires soldering. The original LCD for this kit would have cost us $30 plus shipping and it does not come with backlight.