Fix for Screen Backlight Flickering on HP EliteBook 2730p tablet

A really nice laptop / convertible.  I'm running Vista Business.

But sometimes when I was scrolling, especially with the job dial in the side, the screen would flicker a bit.  Granted, I have it cranked up to max brightness (and an extended battery to compensate)

Updating the drivers did not fix the problem.

The fix I found was to tweak the power saving mode of the video graphics; the flickering seems to be caused by something to do with the power saving mode.  You only have to crank it up one or two notches, not all the way, to fix the problem, so just experiment a bit.

Right click on the Desktop (or tap and hold) -> Graphics settings (or something like that) -> you want the Intel branded control panel

On that blue and white control window there are 4 tabs on the left.  I think it's the tab second down.  Then on the bottom right corner is a button for Power Settings.  A bit hard to find.

Try adjusting the slider to one click down from Best Performance / Worst Battery.

And a theory:

I get this bug has been around for a while, but previous laptops used thin CF tubes for backlighting, which I suspect mask the flickering a bit.  But the HP is one of the new LED backlit displays, and LEDs are very flicker prone (or, to split hairs, will more accurately mirror rapid electrical fluctuations)

Mark

Comments

[James]

Are you sure you aren't covering the ambient light sensor when this happens?

The position of the sensor would likely cause this to happen precisely when you're scrolling, especially with the jog dial.

[Mark]

Hi James,

Certainly a good theory, but three points argue against it in this particular case:

1: I noticed this even in dim or dark rooms with no lights on, with only the screen's own backlighting.

2: Changing the power setting changed the behavior (fixed it).

3: I had turned off the Ambient back lighting detection stuff back on day 1 - I wanted my screen cranked all the way up to full brightness almost all the time. :-)

This does kill batteries faster, and needs to be toned down a bit when I'm a passenger in a car a night.

But seriously, thanks for the comments. I'll check your links to see how you're doing. Did you get the Gobi wireless chipset?

Mark