LCD Backlight problems?

[NamelessMC]

Okay I BARELY got this monitor off a friend a couple days ago so this makes it even more complicated. It also frustrates me because I paid money for it, and now two months later it goes out, and I know he might spin it as being my fault in a way or another, he'll probably try to pass off that using it too much or something or that I mistreated it is the reason it's not working.

The backlight is strong, but it only stays on for a second or so and then it goes black.

Here's the problem. If the backlight simply wouldn't turn on, I'd believe it's the backlight that needed to be replaced, but since the backlight DOES turn on for a second, and it looks bright and healthy, it leads me to believe it's the inverter.

The problem with that is, these monitors aren't made anymore, so finding an inverter for it will be a huge problem.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find information or help on this? I'm just glad I didn't sell it on Anandtech when it was working good because then I would've had problems with a buyer and possibly selling reputation because of it.

EDIT: I just read and there's another monitor on Ebay with the exact same problem. There's a backlight inverter for $40 but I already paid $100 for this monitor, $140 for a 15" LCD is a bit excessive and the symptoms for a bad inverter don't match my symptoms. The symptoms say if the backlight doesn't come on at all but the power button stays green.

My symptoms are that the backlight comes on for a second, then goes dark and I can still see the monitor image in the background.

 

[themisfit610]

Replacing inverters is usually only worth it on laptops. Think about what you're doing - spending $30-50 for a part on a $100 15" LCD.

Bite the bullet and get a new 17 or 19" for stupid cheap

It's just not worth it IMO.

But yes, the problem definitely sounds like an inverter issue, and should be pretty easy to fix if you can find the inverter online somewhere. Should be simple enough, just pull the inverter, look for any part numbers, google them, search eBay etc... I have done it many times. It's a great way to make $300 on a customer's laptop

~MiSfit

 

[NamelessMC]

Okay, apparently I fixed it.

This is what appeared to be the problem:
The monitor was going into dim-light mode from my 360's screen saver. Here's the problem: It seemed to lock into a "2 second to dim" mode, as if it locked itself into getting the dim-light mode. The way I fixed it was by hooking it up to my 360 and then turning OFF the 360's screen saver. Now it won't turn dim on me.

I'm guessing the 360 used some kind of unique power saving mode that somehow glitched and locked into my monitor.