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X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
I've finally managed to re-create Xiphmonts LED driver board and backlight strip and install it in my X201! http://imgur.com/gallery/BrBRjfa
Originally I wanted to use it in my X200s but I unfortunately blew it up when testing one of the LED driver boards so it ended up in an X201 that I had impulse bought previously for another possible project.
I'm using it with an AFFS screen and it looks quite good however I don't have a device to measure the colour gamut with the new backlight strip. Another issue is that the bottom two corners have bright spots which I wonder might be fixed by either rotating the strip slightly or slightly shortening it.
At any rate I'm happy enough with it for now!
Originally I wanted to use it in my X200s but I unfortunately blew it up when testing one of the LED driver boards so it ended up in an X201 that I had impulse bought previously for another possible project.
I'm using it with an AFFS screen and it looks quite good however I don't have a device to measure the colour gamut with the new backlight strip. Another issue is that the bottom two corners have bright spots which I wonder might be fixed by either rotating the strip slightly or slightly shortening it.
At any rate I'm happy enough with it for now!
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- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2803
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
Great work!
Now, the questions:
1. How difficult was it to build?
2. Will you offer premade kits?

Now, the questions:
1. How difficult was it to build?
2. Will you offer premade kits?

Daily driver: X220 4291-C91 i7-2620M
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod

Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
1. I wouldn't call it easy as I am a beginner in electronics. Having said that, if I could do it I'm sure anyone else can figure it out as well! It might just require an investment of money and time 
2. I would love to be able to offer pre-made kits however at the moment the problem is that the LEDs are only available for order in reels of 5000 which is pretty expensive! I'm checking now to see what my options are for this. Also as I mentioned in my post, I'd need to purchase some equipment for quality control e.g. monitor calibrator, x61 etc. and there are still a couple of kinks which need to be worked out.
I'll definitely look into making some kits, but otherwise you can contact me and I can send you all my notes if you would like to try this for yourself!

2. I would love to be able to offer pre-made kits however at the moment the problem is that the LEDs are only available for order in reels of 5000 which is pretty expensive! I'm checking now to see what my options are for this. Also as I mentioned in my post, I'd need to purchase some equipment for quality control e.g. monitor calibrator, x61 etc. and there are still a couple of kinks which need to be worked out.
I'll definitely look into making some kits, but otherwise you can contact me and I can send you all my notes if you would like to try this for yourself!
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- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2803
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
I do have a soldering station, but it's a beginner-level one and I have zero experience with soldering SMT components. I also don't have a microscope. 

Daily driver: X220 4291-C91 i7-2620M
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod

Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
I also have a $100 AUD soldering + hot air station and prior to this project had zero experience with soldering SMT components
The components are luckily not small enough that you'd need a microscope, I made do with a $20 AUD crappy magnifying glass helping hands thing. Really I don't think technical skills etc. are much of a problem
worst case scenario is that you solder the components crappily and you have to rework them!
One thing I would recommend is a hot air station for the LED strip.


One thing I would recommend is a hot air station for the LED strip.
Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
We also need to learn where to get PCB-s.. I would have been happy with a kit that contains the PCB + a bag of unsoldered parts 
In my particular case I'm not that keen on LED-s either
BTW do you think soldering with a fine tip thermally controlled soldering iron is feasible for the PCB? E.g. without hot plate and without hot air? I appreciate the LED-s need to be soldered with extra equipment, but what about the PCB? Also do you have to use soldering paste or would a 0.3mm thread of rosin core solder also work?

In my particular case I'm not that keen on LED-s either
BTW do you think soldering with a fine tip thermally controlled soldering iron is feasible for the PCB? E.g. without hot plate and without hot air? I appreciate the LED-s need to be soldered with extra equipment, but what about the PCB? Also do you have to use soldering paste or would a 0.3mm thread of rosin core solder also work?
X220, 2 *T520
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- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2803
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: X201 upgraded with Xiphmont led backlight
My soldering+hot air station costs around that much. My magnifying glass only has a CCFL ring light (no helping hands); it's free as I inherited it from a deceased uncle who repaired audio equipment.chowbear wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:45 amI also have a $100 AUD soldering + hot air station and prior to this project had zero experience with soldering SMT componentsThe components are luckily not small enough that you'd need a microscope, I made do with a $20 AUD crappy magnifying glass helping hands thing. Really I don't think technical skills etc. are much of a problem
worst case scenario is that you solder the components crappily and you have to rework them!
One thing I would recommend is a hot air station for the LED strip.
I agree with atagunov, I'd take even a kit with just the bare PCBs and unsoldered components, especially since the alternative is sourcing each component and having to fabricate PCBs--I mean, how do you even do that these days? I haven't even graduated from permanent markers for making PCB traces.


Daily driver: X220 4291-C91 i7-2620M
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod

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