15" PowerBook G4 Backlit Keyboard Super Dim

[rfomlover]

Hey everyone. I recently picked up a 15" PowerBook G4 with the 1.5Ghz G4 and 1.5GB of DDR1 Ram. It works great and I have been using it a lot. However, the backlit keyboard on it is super dim. The ambient light sensor responds properly to any and all light input, or lack of light input and the keyboard does light up. I have the keyboard brightness maxed out and it is still barely visible. Is there some type of reset of the SMC or something like the newer Macs have? I could not seem to find anything on this issue from google searching. Thanks!

 

[rfomlover]

Wanted to add, that I just got a 17" PowerBook G4 in the mail, and it has a similar issue. It is actually even dimmer, yet still functions. Wonder if this is just a G4 thing?

 

[chscag]

Maybe you need to dig into what kind of backlighting the older G4 PowerBooks used? Those machines are pretty old so it's likely they used an older technology to provide the backlighting. The newer LED backlighting used in the latest machines probably have different LEDs to provide the light. Brighter and stronger maybe?

Go to ifixit and see if you can come up with something and let us know.