My question involves intermittent video problems with my HP Pavilion dv1000 laptop. After reading all your answers, I’m still not quite sure whether my problem is A.) the failing inverter or backlight issue (since I can see words and pictures very faintly when the screen goes dark) or B.) just a loose connection or C.) damage in the hinge area (because it only happens from time to time and can sometimes be fixed by moving the screen back and forth or wiggling the screen).

It’s hard to tell what is wrong.
If moving the display panel temporarily fixing the problem, it could be just loose connection somewhere inside the display panel. I would try reconnecting the video cable on the motherboard and back of the LCD screen first.
You can disassemble the display panel and try moving the video cable while the laptop is turned on. If moving the cable affects image on the screen, it’s possible you have a bad cable.

I have a Toshiba P105-S6227 laptop and the screen developed several pronounced vertical bars. I purchased a used screen from a Dell laptop which had identical specs and connector on rear. Since installing the new screen (using the original inverter and cable as the Dell inverter has a different connector) the screen works perfectly but seems to be stuck at about 60% brightness. The laptop indicates brightness changes from 0% to 100% in the power options and Toshiba toolbar (which I tried disabling with no affect) but the visible screen brightness does not change. Could the inverter be the cause? Brightness was fine with the old screen…

Are you sure the new screen is identical? It’s possible the new screen is not compatible. Maybe the backlight lamp inside the screen is not compatible with inverter board.
I’ve replaced many screens on Toshiba laptops but I never had a problem like that. On the other hand, finding the right screen for a Dell laptop could be challenging. If you install a wrong screen into a Dell laptop the brightness doesn’t work properly.
I think you just got a wrong screen.

How about this: I have a Dell Inspiron 1000 and the display went black on me about a week ago. I opened the screen bezel to get a part number (I assumed it was a dead bulb) and when I put everything back together and powered it up to use an external display with it, the display came on – but it was all multicolored static/snow. I just fired it up again to try and repeat the effect, and the display came on fine, but by the time it got to Windows, pixels that should have been white, in some places were pink, and the pink hue was starting to “bleed” into adjacent pixels. Bad inverter?

Nope, doesn’t sound like inverter. A bad inverter board cannot cause multicolored static snow.
Most likely it’s either bad video cable or LCD screen failure.
Here’s what you can try.
Carefully move the video cable (without touching the screen) while the laptop is turned on. Will it affect image on the screen at all?
If image changes when you move the cable, most likely the cable is bad.
If image not affected and you get just garbled image, probably you have bad screen.

I assume the laptop works fine with an external monitor, right? If external video is garbled too, this is video card failure.

I have a SONY VGN-AR320E 17.1 Glossy screen and the problem is that the screen goes out seconds after turning on the laptop. I sounds like the inverter because after reading some of your comments, an external monitor can be used and if you take a flashlight aim it at the screen from the corner you can see everything.

Is it difficult to replace the inverter yourself?

Could be bad inverter OR bad baclight lamp inside the screen.
First, I would try replacing the inverter board. If it doesn’t help, try replacing the LCD screen.

It should be relatively easy but… I don’t know your technical skills. You’ll have to remove the screen bezel. The inverter should be located somewhere below the LCD screen.
You can search for a new inverter board here. Make sure the part number on the new inverter matches your inverter.

Take a look at this guide. Maybe not similar to your laptop but you’ll get the idea: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/open-display-panel-remove-lcd-screen-inverter-sony-vaio-pcg-k-laptop/

Is it difficult to replace the inverter yourself? Where is the best place to purchase one?

Is there any functional difference in Inverter boards. As per say the voltage and watts.

Yes, all inverters are different.

I hope to replace my 14.1 XGA matte screen with one for the same manufacturer just a different number LT141X6-122 with a LT141X7-122) They are identical screens just the plug on the inverter wires are different. Could I just change out the plug and have it work?

I cannot tell. You’ll have to try. I’ve done it successfully before but as I said all inverters are different.

Ive got a HP laptop 9288ea with a left hinge broken.

This guide explains how to replace the broken hinge on a HP Pavilion dv9000 series laptop (it’s a known problem by the way).
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/how-to-replace-broken-left-hinge-in-hp-pavilion-dv9000/

Even with the hinge broken my laptop was working fine up until last saturday.Suddenly while it was on the display went blank and it never came back.now once im switching on the laptop the display goes first blank with vertical colour lines then it looks its trying to display the image but it keeps showing blank/white shade.

The video cable is running close to the left hinge. Maybe the video cable was damaged by the broken hinge?

Do you think this might be related to the inverter?or something else?

Your screen is still bright and you can see the lines, it means the backlight/inverter work properly. Nope, this failure is not related to the inverter.
Again, this could be the video cable failure. Test your laptop with video on an external monitor? Can you get image on the external screen?