Dark Bands on screen

[toddhd]

I went to grab my iPad this morning and now it has these strange light/dark bands on the screen. I tried moving the brightness slider around but that did nothing, nor did the "night shift" settings.

I tried resseting the unit by holding down the power button and main button and holding them until I saw the Apple logo appear, but that did not help.

I looked on the web and someone suggested treating it like an old TV and giving it a few solid whacks to the back of the unit in case anything had come unseated inside, but that hasn't worked either.

I'm starting to think it knows that it's out of warranty (which it is) and decided to encourage me to buy a new one.

Has anyone else seen this or have any ideas before I drag it off to the Apple store for the bad news?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eAlytHqe0XttJsRt1

 

[scifan57]

Do the dark bands remain stationary when you rotate the iPad from portrait to landscape orientation? If so, it could be a problem with the backlight inverter.

 

[toddhd]

Do the dark bands remain stationary when you rotate the iPad from portrait to landscape orientation? If so, it could be a problem with the backlight inverter.

Yes, they do.

I took it to the Apple store this morning after posting and they said the same. They offered to repair it, however the repair cost was almost exactly the same as the cost for a new iPad (base model). Is the backlight inverter repairable by other means, or would I be wasting my time and money?

 

[scifan57]

Yes, they do.

I took it to the Apple store this morning after posting and they said the same. They offered to repair it, however the repair cost was almost exactly the same as the cost for a new iPad (base model). Is the backlight inverter repairable by other means, or would I be wasting my time and money?

The iPad would have to be disassembled, which if not done just right can break the screen. The backlight inverter is located on the logic board and requires excellent board level repair skills. You could easily end up with an iPad damaged beyond repair.
Which iPad model is it?

 

[Brian 244]

I'm betting it's an iPad mini 1 or 2. A reputable 3rd party repair shop could replace the LCD for about $150-$175. If it's more than that then consider replacing the device.

 

[scifan57]

Even if you decide to go to an independent repair shop, take it to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store first for a free diagnostic. That way you'll know the exact cause of the problem.

 

[giradman]

Yes, they do.

I took it to the Apple store this morning after posting and they said the same. They offered to repair it, however the repair cost was almost exactly the same as the cost for a new iPad (base model). Is the backlight inverter repairable by other means, or would I be wasting my time and money?

Even if you decide to go to an independent repair shop, take it to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store first for a free diagnostic. That way you'll know the exact cause of the problem.

@ Toddhd - cannot add much - I see above that you took the iDevice to the Apple store and their assessment agreed w/ that of SciFan.. in his previous post. If not already done, checkout iFixit and search their site for the problem defined - as already stated, probably not an easy fix for someone not familiar w/ the process - if this is an older iPad, as suggested by Brian, then backup your present iDevice (to iCloud and/or a computer) and look for a new, used, or refurb newer model (check Apple's website for refurbs, if budget is an issue). Good luck - Dave

 

[toddhd]

Thank you everyone. I have a lot of talents, but fixing iPads is not one of them. I'll check with my local repair shops. Apple wants $300 to fix (actually, just replace it with the same exact model) the iPad, and a new one is $329 but with less memory and without the 3G. I'm not sure if that's an upgrade or a downgrade.

I agree, maybe if they can fix it for around $150+/-, it might be worth it. I'll check the refurbs to see what options exist there.

Thanks for all the advice and help folks!