Thanks. If I'd understood that, I might not have bought my shiny new Studio 17 now being manufactured ... oh well.

I'm pretty confident it's LCD. I've watched it grow worse with time, notably after the inverter bright/hot spot showed up. I've got uneven brightness across the panel in zones I'd expect to see be problematic with a failing inverter/dimming backlight.

What else can I do to be sure? I have the nvidia 8600M in there ...

If you replace the screen, the backlight is replaced with it.  Yes, replacing just the bulb requires soldering.

Before you undertake this mission, be sure the video card isn't the cause - it could well be, and if it is, replacing the display or inverter will not fix the problem.

If the image is OK on an external monitor chances are high - though not 100% - that the video card is OK.

Yeah, pretty sure it's the panel not the the video card, the output is fine on my 24" Ultrasharp. Thanks for your help.

I purchased the Vostro with WSXGA ... do I gain anything by replacing it with a WUXGA panel instead? Is that even possible? Panel + inverter of course. As mentioned, it has the nVidia 8600M GT video card ...

 You'll gain higher resolution at the expense of smaller fonts (smaller pixel size).  If you do this, be ABSOLUTELY sure you get a screen known to work in a Vostro 1500/Inspiron 1520 - not all LCDs work in all notebooks.  Only those that have an entry in the system's BIOS table will work properly.

ENJ63,

I hope you do not mind me piggy backing on this thread. I just replaced the LCD screen on my Dell Vostro 1500 laptop. It is not as bright as it should be. I have been emailing with the tech at "Screenaid."  He sent me a "converter" to improve the brightness by replacing this item (converter). I thought he meant "inverter."  I do not know where the "converter" is to be installed. Any suggestions? WolfpackRon.

Thanks EJN63,

The folks at Screenaid are confused more than I am. The Dell Vostro 1500 has an inverter. Thanks for the info.

WolfpackRon

EJN63,

I received an e-mail from Screenaid saying to place the "converter" between the video connector and the video cable. The connectors are workable, but the extra inch makes it wery hard, if not impossible, to connect the plug into the inverter. I guess they are using the converter to boost the brightness of the LCD screen. It sounds like a fix for a weak LCD screen that they provided. Any thoughts? Have you heard of anything like this? WolfpackRon.

Doesn't sound right - the inverter should plug into the mainboard and the screen with a single cable at each end.