I can get a complete replacement on eBay for less than $50 so. I guess that is what I will do.
I've had some experience replacing the CFL tube in LCD displays and it isn't that difficult. It take me longer to find a compatible replacement tube, and get it delivered, than it takes to replace the tube. What's involved in replacing the tube is removing the LCD disply from the housing, then removing the tube from the display, and unsoldering the wires from the ends of the tubes. You need good solderng skills. The tubes are very fragile, and while I have broken several used tubes after removing them, I've never broken a new tube while installing it.
Nowadays, I often salvage the tubes from broken LCD displays (that way I know the tube was good before I go to the trouble of installing it).
If you have a laptop with a broken screen, buying a new screen is a good solution if you can get one are a reasonable price.
But if you have a laptop with a screen that'd not lighting up, a new screen may not fix the problem. I've found than about 50% of the time, the inverter is the problem and not the tube. I'd suggest swapping in a good inverter to see if the existing inverter is bad, before going to the work of replacing the tube. Often times you can find complete laptop upper halves with broken screens selling on eBay for $10 or less, with photo/s of the broken screen lighted up and working. This would give you a good inverter, a good wiring harness, and a good tube to make repairs to your screen with.
If you were to buy a new screen, you should note, that you don't get a wiring harness, or inverter, so your purchase may not provide you with the parts you need to fix your non-functional LCD.
