SJ33 backlight

[dalego]

Does anyone know how long does a backlight for the SJ33 last?
Is there somewhat like a MTBF rate for its life? Is it user replaceable? :confused:

[th1nm1nt]

wow...that sucks.

[Jim Cooke]

Isn't it nice to get helpful responses like that? :confused:

All backlights have a definite half-life. MTBF is not a good concept for backlights because they rarely fail completely and, if they do, it's normally infantile failure that occurs in the first 30 days or so of operation.

Backlights will get progressively dimmer over time. I've never read any real study on this time limit but my expierence is that the backlight will lose about 35% to 50% of its brightness after two years of normal use. With a machine like the SJ33, this is only a problem because you have to keep turning up the backlight, whcih runs down your battry faster. The backlight is so bright that I imagine you could lose about 75% of the brightmess and still have a completely useable unit. With units that have a dimmer backlight to begin with, the progressive deterioration will be more noticeable.

In real life, you'll either break, lose, or lust for a newer PDA long before the backlight becomes an issue. :) And no, the backlight is not replaceable by normal mortals.

[NJL!2016]

By the time your backlight burns out, they're will be a new, better PDA out on the market!

[sonyclie_sj33]

I guess i can be considered a cheapskate but i hardly ever turn the backlight on my 33 on...

[Raptor22]

I have my light turned on at full and can last for like 5 days + on normal use. If you are playing a game which may take long(Warfare Inc. GTS Racing, Hellfire, etc.) it will become shorter obviously just dont know how shorter. For me mainly 2 days. There was a hack for that will shut off the backlight of a pda on a specific time when not in use and that was pretty neat stuff. But it was only a demo and lasted for 3 days(approx.).

[ZekeSulastin]

I run the backlight at 25-30% and I usually get about 8 hours of battery life from it; then again, I have it running calculations/games/MP3s a lot longer than I have it doing PIM, so I can usually get by two days between charges. I recharge it every night, though ...

I expect my battery to fail before the backlight does. The battery is under more stress - with the normal recharge cycle, a battery like that in the Clie will last 2-3 years. At that point, most people will just upgrade, because new batteries cost so much. You shouldn't have too much of a problem with the backlight dimming for years - it uses the same LEDs used in those ubitquous long-life flashlights ...