Chosen Solution
The display on my MacBook has gone dim and has a big vertical chunk down it that is totally black and some other vertical lines. I opened it up to see if the display connector was loose but it is not. I also tried connecting the displayport to the HDMI on my TV but that did not work. I am happy to replace the LCD assembly but i dont want to buy one if the problem is on the main board somewehre.
ZZZ is correct here your problem is the display. What likely happened is you banged the lid or sat something heavy on it. The electrical connections between the LCD glass and the driver logic on the back broke. These are hard displays to replace, I would recommend you replace the complete lid assembly. As you didn’t give us your exact model info I can’t point you to the IFIXIT guide or the needed part. If you do we can offer that to you. As to why your HDMI connection to your TV failed you might want to check which HDMI port you used as well as what you need to set within the TV to activate the port. The other possibility here is the mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter you got is bad. Update Here’s the IFIXIT guide for your system: MacBook Air 13" Mid 2011 Display Assembly Replacement and here is the full assembly: MacBook Air 13" (Late 2010/Mid 2011) Display Assembly
It’s not the cable because this uses displayport, not LVDS. LVDS can do this - displayport is an all or nothing protocol. It’s not the graphics since this machine has integrated graphics in the CPU - Intel graphics doesn’t die like the junk overpowered undercooled AMD/NVIDIA chips have for the past nine years. It’s the screen. Replace LP133WP1 and best of luck!
I realize this is an old thread, but there is a lot of bad information here, and it should be corrected. Macbook airs DO have an LVDS cable connecting the motherboard to the built in monitor. Display port is used if one attaches an EXTERNAL monitor. And it is very common for the LVDS to get messed up, resulting in exactly what we see here in the pics. It’s frequently the result of picking up the laptop by the monitor frame, such can cause stress on the cable. In other words, it’s the cable, not the monitor. Unfortunately fixing it almost always involves opening up the monitor frame, which requires a hot air gun, some spatulate tools, and great deal of patience. It’s delicate work and easy to screw up. Check out Louis Rossmann’s youtube videos on the procedure. It’s a pain in the ass. Some folks have had luck kludging a solution by applying light pressure to various parts of the frame, or by inserting a business card between the inside edge of the frame and the monitor, but it seems like a temporary fix. If you can’t open the frame yourself, or find a ship to do it for you, see if you can find a whole replacement lid assembly on eBay or something. Unfortunately, they aren’t cheap typically, and neither would a repair shops fee. $150 or more, from what I recall.
