Thinkpads Forum

Hello,

I've recently brought a T61 off Ebay. In the auction it was described as being a 15.4 inch model and i thought that it would have a screen resolution of at least 1200 by 800. However what arrived was a 14.1 inch model with a 1024 by 768 resolution screen. I was really looking for something with a resolution higher than either of those and planned to upgrade the screen rearguards. The think-pad i got seems to be in really good shape, the picture in the auction looked quite scruffy, but this was due to a thick coating of dust and finger prints so i wasn't too peeved off at this discrepancy.

However there seems to be less in the way of screen upgrade options available for this model. It's an 8898. I'd done some research beforehand on the assumption that I would actually get a 15.4 inch laptop and looking through the web and this forum is a bit confusing (for me at least) in relation to what screens will fit this laptop and what sources they can be from. From what I can tell there is some commonality of parts between the t60 and t61 but not everything will fit, so my questions are:

1. Will an SXGA+ screen and lid from a t60 fit?
2. Will and SXGA+ screen from a t60 fit into the T61's lid and mounting hardware
3. Is there any chance of wide 14.1 screens fitting onto the t61 if a wide 14.1 lid is used?
4. Will I need to change the cable if a t60 screen is used?
5. The t60 hinges look different, will they still screw in ok to the t61?
5. Would a T4x screen work with modification? Would it be better?
6. For higher resolutions should i just refund this one and get a 15.4"?
7. How can i tell screen resolutions from the FRU numbers
8. Is Uxga or higher even possible?

I know these questions have been asked before on this forum, but because most people refer to the laptops just as t60 or t61 it's not clear if people are referring to the 14.1, 14.1 wide or 15.4.
Sorry if this seems like a bunch of daft questions and thanks for your help!

To answer your questions...

1) Yes.

2) Yes.

3) Not under any set of circumstances.

4) No.

5) I've never tried it myself, but other members have reported success, so I'd say you'll be OK

6) That really depends on what you're looking for. A 1280x800 on a 15.4" looks pretty bad. You'd need at least 1680x1050.

7) HMM, Google, ThinkWiki, this forum

8 ) Presuming you're talking about your current 14" machine, you'd need a Sharp screen from a Dell machine, not an easy find. If you're interested in a 15.4", these were available in WUXGA (1920x1200) which is the highest resolution you'll get on this generation of ThinkPads.

Good luck.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll probably get an SXGA+ screen/lid from a t60 in that case. Should be a straight swap, right?

But the possibility of getting higher has intrigued me. Do you have any more details on the sharp screen from the dell donor? I plan on upgrading this machine to the max possible, I seem to be compelled to do this with thinkpads for some reason.

snow Crash wrote:. Do you have any more details on the sharp screen from the dell donor? I plan on upgrading this machine to the max possible, I seem to be compelled to do this with thinkpads for some reason.

You'll have to search both the T6x and T4x sections of the forum. Google might help.

I've never done the 14" UXGA upgrade myself, but...

a) pianowizard had it in a T42 and

b) xyz had it in his T60.

Good luck.

snow Crash wrote:I'll probably get an SXGA+ screen/lid from a t60 in that case. Should be a straight swap, right?

Short answer: Yes. Been there, done that myself multiple times.

More detailed answers can be found in viewtopic.php?f=29&t=114419 and viewtopic.php?f=29&t=100877.

I would be dead against anything higher than SXGA+ in a 14.1" laptop.
I've seen that Sharp UXGA screen (I bought it for xyz, who lives in the UK) and I wouldn't be seen dead with it.
Very dim, very dull, horrible!
And unless you have perfewct eysight untreadabvle...

Yea, anything higher than SXGA+ in 14.1 can be difficult to read unless you have very good eyesight. Personally, after upgrading to SXGA+ from XGA in my T61, I sometimes prefer XGA. Its very easy on the eyes, especially when coding long hours, and most websites still fit perfectly in width. Scrolling down and up isn't too much of a hassle, especially with the trackpoint scroll.

If you are using a Windows machine and yet to upgrade, turn off cleartype, run through the text calibration, and install GDIPP when finished.
It gets rid of the fuzzy looking text and makes an XGA/WXGA screen bearable.

Regarding using a T4x panel, I found that a late T43 panel did work on one 14" T60, but it did not work on two other T6x's, a 14" widescreen and a 15.4" Widescreen. Switched the cables from the 14" 4:3 model, it showed a jumbled screen on one of them, not fun.
If using a T4x screen it is a gamble with the odds against you, it was the 7th screen I had that worked.

Irrelevant to the screens questions, but relevant to :

snow Crash wrote:I plan on upgrading this machine to the max possible

snow Crash wrote:It's an 8898.

What are the rest three letters/digits after 8898? If it's 8898-CTO, then go into BIOS and find them there

Thanks for the advice. I've ordered an x60 sxga screen off ebay. Hopefully this will allow me to get enough stuff on the screen at one time.

I'll look into GDIPP i've been using MacType on my other laptops for font rendering, so i'll give this a go for sure.

It's an 8898-AGM. At the moment it's got 2gb ram, but i might go to 4, i'll also change the HD to an SSD as this has an amazing effect on my X60/X61 franken pad. Shame it's not as easy to upgrade the X60's screen, I love that machine.

Problem is: X60/X61 screens are 12.1" and your T61 needs a 14.1" screen.
This would be a most interesting mod...

snow Crash wrote:It's an 8898-AGM.

This must be a native Penryn board. Nice one.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Problem is: X60/X61 screens are 12.1" and your T61 needs a 14.1" screen.
This would be a most interesting mod...

I don't think i'd be up to that challenge! Typo there; I've ordered a T60 screen for the T61. Not that a wouldn't mind an sxga for my x60....

ilakast wrote:This must be a native Penryn board. Nice one.

Yup, gotta keep an eye out for a nice CPU to drop in this next.

So, the screen came today, but it's definitely not 14 inch and looks to be very much a 15 inch lid assembly. I am cursed.

Anyone want to swap?

Lol,

any idea where i could get the screen i need other than ebay?

I'd have one (the whole lid with perfect SXGA+) but shipping alone is already $61.75 from USA.

RealBlackStuff wrote:I'd have one (the whole lid with perfect SXGA+) but shipping alone is already $61.75 from USA.

Still kinda tempted, by that offer. Postage is kinda high. The guy i brought the last screen off from ebay managed to get it shipped for US $21.15 which seems really low, but it was well packaged and tracked internationally too.

Can't figure out how he's got such a good price on shipping.

TBH i think it'll cost more than it's worth to ship it back.

ok, the seller off eBay immediately refunded me, which is better than expected.

would a BOEHYDIS HT14P12-100 fit into and work in my 4:3 14.1" 8898-AGM t61?