New SXGA+ LCD Screen for T41p?

[THX_Engineer2]

Hi All,

Long time reader, 1st time poster to this great forum. Last week my trusty T41p (2373-GEU) accidentially fell and the LCD cracked to pieces. The rest of the computer seems to be fine (amazingly well built machine considering all it's been through over the years) and the LCD is actually still somewhat useable (I'm typing this now on it) but there are many cracks and large black areas of the screen where the LCD's "liquid" has "leaked". Since just last year I upgraded this T41p to a 2.1 Dothan w/ 2 GB RAM and it runs really great, I'd really like to replace the damaged screen.

I've been reading on the forum where other users have had problems replacing screens due to incompatibilites with screens that were supposed to work with their machines. I've also looked at various LCD screens on Ebay, but I don't know which vendors I can trust, if any. I haven't yet looked at the P/N on my actual screen, but according to Lenovo it is supposed to be an "ID TECH 11P8346". Ideally, I'd like to get a new screen, if even possible, instead of a used screen from an old T41/T42/T43, since their screen life must be getting old too. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could get a new SXGA+ screen that would work with my laptop or would I be better off trying to find a used T41p with a good screen and do a complete lid swap?

Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ben

[sjthinkpader]

Ben,

Welcome to the forum.

Thinkwiki lists three panels and some member felt BOA-Hydis is best. You may be able to find a new panel.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/TFT_display

[THX_Engineer2]

Thanks for the reply. I thought I read around here somewhere recently that people were having trouble with the voltage regulator (?) being compatible with LCD screens that weren't specifically for their thinkpads. I wouldn't mind trying the BOE-Hydis, but I want to make sure that it works. Is there anything specifically that I should be looking out for?

Do you have any recommendations on a reliable place to buy LCD's? I'm leary of Ebay, unless there's someone that you can recommend.

Thanks.

[ajkula66]

Hydis LCDs were offered on 14" versions of T43/p as well as on some late T42/p units, so they're "plug and play" for your machine.

Before going on fleabay, I'd post a WTB ad in the forum's Marketplace, I'm fairly certain that someone will be able to help you out.

Good luck.

[THX_Engineer2]

Thanks!

[systemBuilder]

I replaced the SXGA+ HYDIS screen on my T42 with a Samsung screen ordered on Ebay. If you are ordering a screen, make sure to get a HYDIS (Hyundai Display) which has a 180 degree viewing display and they are well worth the $10 or $20 extra (often they are the same price) because they are ridiculously expensive compared to normal displays. I just bought (July 2009) a $220 Dell 22" LCD display with a HYDIS panel. A normal 22" Dell LCD is only $150 !!

LCD installation is a bear! I attempted to close the device about 13 times before I got all the wires "just right" including the latch (which is really a flimsy piece of cr*p...) so that the plastic would snap shut!! What should have been a 30-minute job ended up being 2.5 hours. IBM provides panel dis-assembly instructions on their website (enter your SKU# for documentation). Make sure to power up the laptop and test the display before you start putting it all together. I recommend you tape some masking tape to the table in a screen-sized pattern and whenever you remove a screw, place it on the masking tape in the corresponding place where it came from the panel display. I recommend LOTS OF COFFEE BREAKS !! This is the only thing that kept me from 'Yelling and Forcing it and breaking my panel or surround !!'

Here is the website that helped me to perform the screen replacement:

http://justinsomnia.org/2005/02/replaci ... cd-screen/

There are lots of HYDIS 14" panels on ebay, most of them are 'pulls' but they should work just fine.

[THX_Engineer2]

Hi All,

I wanted to resurrect this thread from awhile back. I enquried about getting the correct replacement 1400 x 1050 LCD screen for my broken T41p (2373-GEU). The replacement got put on hold, but is now on the front burner again. Are the recommended screens the same? Any recommendations on vendors for the LCD's? I'd like to try to get a "new" LCD if possible as opposed to one pulled from an old T41p. Also, any recommendations on if I should replace the backlight at the same time or do I have a choice?

Thanks.

[ajkula66]

Well, if you get a good screen, the backlight will be fine for several years. No reason to even contemplate replacing it.

No such thing as "new" screens these days, whatever eBay sellers try to sell you...NOS (new old stock) is the closest you'll get to a new LCD, since most of these were produced anywhere from 2005-2007.

Your best bet would be a complete lid from a T43/p or a Hydis screen from a T60/p.

Happy hunting.

[THX_Engineer2]

Thanks for the advice. Guess you're right about a "new" screen and I probably would be better off with a 43/p or 60/p lid. I'll post a WTB in the Marketplace for a HYDIS, etc.

[poshgeordie]

Though slightly off topic, I've just come across this site which cross references LCD's for a lot of models from a lot of manufacturers.

T4x's are part of the way down.