X61s issue - LVDS, LEDs, flaring dots

[whitelabel]

Hey there!

Kindly asking for your help.
I have a problem with the LED indicators on my X61s. All the LEDs (except for the wifi and bt) doesnt work. And by that I mean there's no light.
The laptop itself working fine. I just found a topic on lenovo's forum where the same problem is described - it appear that LVDS cable is faulty.
However this X61s has a SXGA converter installed (not by me). I don't exactly know the origin of this converter, but I suppose it's from i.thinkpad.
The converter works fine with the HV121P01-100 panel.

Question 1: Will it be sufficient just to replace this LVDS cable with the new one to fix this issue? Or it may be the problem with the converter itself?
I'm not big into hardware related stuff. So I just want to check with the skilled people here.

Question 2: related to the display. As I said this laptop has IPS 1400x1050 HV121P01-100 panel.
However there's one issue with this panel. It has some flaring dots which are located in some areas on the panel. The dots however seem to be apper only
when it comes to showing images like windows desktop wallpapers/windows logo when booting up. Some images has static deformed dots.
What is this? Is this a result of a faulty LVDS cable?

Thank you for the help!

[wileE]

Q1: most likely the cable. Before you get a new one check the FRU, there is a label on the cable where it is plugged to the mainboard.

Q2: that will very likely be the converter cable. The soldering work on those is often terrible.

Here is an example of one of those i.thinkpad cables - pic: http://i.imgur.com/M4JvIg8.jpg

This is the result, spots in some colors - pic: http://i.imgur.com/8HIXs5t.jpg

[whitelabel]

wileE
Thank you for the quick reply

Q1: Got it. Thanks for the confirmation.
Q2: Yep, this is exactly the same converter-cable I got. Same white wires. And the same effect.
So, it's just a bad soldering. Could you tell me is it possible to re-solder it in the home environment (with a non-profi tools)?
Or maybe there is another converter available somewhere?
And if I leave this converter as it is - will it somehow damage the display or some laptop parts?

(again, non-hardware-competent guy here)

Thank you for your help

[RealBlackStuff]

Yes it can be done using a halfway decent soldering iron (25-40W) with a small tip, using solder containing ~40% lead.
Something like this is good enough: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400821993499
Here's what a decent solder-job looks like: http://www.theboardroom.info/picts/Fact ... -white.jpg

[whitelabel]

RealBlackStuff
Thank you for the info and help!

Thank God this converter can be fixed using non-profi tools.
Now I wonder why this guy sold such poor-quality converters in the first place?

[wileE]

Did my first repars of those cables with a 3mm chisel tip. No fun but it works, so you don't really need any special equipment.

When the soldering is done, test the cable with the screen, and then apply a few drops of 2k glue to the soldered parts. The wires in that cable are of very very bad quality and easily break again just above the solder.

[whitelabel]

wileE
Thank you for the tip!

I appreciate your help, guys! Now I know what to do with this cable.
However I wonder is it possible to buy a new converter for this mod? After some googling I found two links (references):

UPH OECV076 LCD Cable Converter OECV076 (170 mm)
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-126 ... erter.html

UPH OECV076 LCD Cable ConverterOECV076 (100 mm)
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-486 ... erter.html

I guess these two will make a good converter for SXGA mod. So, I just have to buy one of them and resolder the pins for the IPS panel.
Am I right?

[trmsw]

It shouldn't be necessary to resolder the pins. You can remove them from male plug housing - they are held in with tiny plastic catches that you need to lift with a knife or something - then you reorder the wires and slot the pins back in.
http://thinkwiki.de/(X6x)_SXGA%2B-Displ ... %C3%BCsten has a good summary of the pinouts (in German but google translate works fine).
With these cables you might have a problem with noise. This can be reduced by wrapping the whole lot in foil and also by twisting together the wires that form opposed pairs (in the SXGA+ pinout, wires 5&6, 8&9, 11&12, 14&15).
You can even rearrange the original cable - see http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=102432, though it's easy to screw up. You will need a new base cable to fix the indicator lights problem so you could practice on the old one first

[RealBlackStuff]

I'd be EXTREMELY wary of that PCHUB outfit.
They are utterly unreliable and untrustworthy.
I used to buy my LED-mod cables from them, until the cable manufacturer (FENG JUN) changed soldering methods.
You can see the before and after on my (old, temporary) webpage here: http://theboardroom.info/led_mod2-KEEP.htm
Scroll down till you see a line of 7 pictures and read the 2 paragraphs above them.

FYI: I changed the LED-mod from adding a modded cable-extension, to unsoldering/turning 180o/resoldering the LCD-connector.

[whitelabel]

Thanks for the valuable information, folks
So, there's no proper converter-board available, right?

[wileE]

UPH OECV076 LCD Cable Converter OECV076 (170 mm)
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-126 ... erter.html

That one is little long, but it will work. I had three of those last month and the soldering was OK (not beautiful, but good enough).

And as trmsw described you can change the pinout by pulling out the crimp contacts. You need a magnifying glass and a needle. And be very gentle to the plastic tongue that holds the crimp contact.

The shorter cable is out of stock. Soldering and cables on those were very bad anyway.

[whitelabel]

wileE
Thank you for clarification! So, I still got two options. Not bad

Thank you, folks. You all were extremely helpful