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Upgrading my T60 1953 XGA LCD to a 2623 T60 UXGA 15" LC

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:53 pm
by DarkThinker
OK it's finally the time for me to get more things crossed off my T60 upgrades list, I am upgrading my LCD. Keep in mind this is my main machine and for now till I get back home (4 months from now) this will be my only machine.

I have been comparing deals wisely and it looks to me like the 15" SXGA LCD costs on line about the same as the 15" UXGA, so I am going with a UXGA for the upgrade (as I can always drop the resolution below 1600 x 1200). the part number for the LCD is 13N7076, Now I need to know the following:

1- Will this just work ? Or am I going to have to change something else too?

2- Should I expect problems (Other than kissing my warranty goodbye (but I can still keep the old screen ;) ))?

3- Does anybody think in their own opinion that the gain in screen real estate justifies the price almost $300 (as I am having second thoughts and I can't seem to be able to click the buy button :( )

It would help to hear form someone who already have done this already or something similar to this ;)

Thanks In Advance

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:45 pm
by Uatu
I was wondering the same thing. It looks like the same inverter card is used with either the SXGA IPS LCD and the UXGA IPS LCD. I absolutely love the 15" UXGA IPS screens. I just ordered a T60p (2623-CTO) with the SXGA IPS screen... with the intention of purchasing the UXGA IPS LCD off of eBay for $289. I suspect that the upgrade will just work, but I'm not 100% certain. I personally think the upgrade is worth the price. BTW, you can order the 15" UXGA IPS LCD directly from the Lenovo site, but I think it's about $850.

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:02 pm
by DarkThinker
Uatu wrote:I was wondering the same thing. It looks like the same inverter card is used with either the SXGA IPS LCD and the UXGA IPS LCD. I absolutely love the 15" UXGA IPS screens. I just ordered a T60p (2623-CTO) with the SXGA IPS screen... with the intention of purchasing the UXGA IPS LCD off of eBay for $289. I suspect that the upgrade will just work, but I'm not 100% certain. I personally think the upgrade is worth the price. BTW, you can order the 15" UXGA IPS LCD directly from the Lenovo site, but I think it's about $850.
That was my main concern, I thought a different inverter card is used in the T60P / High end T60 Displays, I hope others can confirm this too. And BTW that Lenovo price is ridiculous had I wanted to pay $ 850 more I would have bought my laptop in that configuration and would have saved myself the labor :D

Thanks for the info.
DarkThinker

Re: Upgrading my T60 1953 XGA LCD to a 2623 T60 UXGA 15"

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:24 pm
by EOMtp
DarkThinker wrote:1- Will this just work ? Or am I going to have to change something else too?
XGA panel uses a different LCD cable than SXGA+/UXGA panel. Consequently, you will need to change the LCD cable. The new LCD cable will have two configurations: with or without Bluetooth (BT) connector. You may use the BT version regardless of whether or not you have BT in the machine.

Mechanical:
Do not yield to the temptation to change the LCD panel "in place". Detach/remove the "top" from the base before you start disassembling the top.

Re: Upgrading my T60 1953 XGA LCD to a 2623 T60 UXGA 15"

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:11 pm
by DarkThinker
EOMtp wrote:
DarkThinker wrote:1- Will this just work ? Or am I going to have to change something else too?
XGA panel uses a different LCD cable than SXGA+/UXGA panel. Consequently, you will need to change the LCD cable. The new LCD cable will have two configurations: with or without Bluetooth (BT) connector. You may use the BT version regardless of whether or not you have BT in the machine.

Mechanical:
Do not yield to the temptation to change the LCD panel "in place". Detach/remove the "top" from the base before you start disassembling the top.
Let me see If I understand you clearly, you want me to make sure to disconnect the LCD enclosure from the hinges before I open it to replace the LCD?

Also two days ago I ordered a Bluetooth daughter card for my T60, it should be arriving in tomorrow, so in that case I will be needing the LCD & BT cable, do you happen to know the FRU# / Part # for that cable please?

Thanks
DarkThinker

Re: Upgrading my T60 1953 XGA LCD to a 2623 T60 UXGA 15"

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:02 pm
by EOMtp
DarkThinker wrote:...you want me to make sure to disconnect the LCD enclosure from the hinges before I open it to replace the LCD?
NO -- disconnect the hinges from the base, disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard, disconnect the WLAN antenna wires from the WLAN mini-PCI Express card, and lift the LCD+cover+hinges (the entire "top" assembly of the machine) off the base ... after that, after you have separated the top from the bottom of the machine, you may begin to disassemble the LCD cover.

The 15" LCD Cable with BT is FRU #91P6985.

Re: Upgrading my T60 1953 XGA LCD to a 2623 T60 UXGA 15"

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:00 pm
by DarkThinker
EOMtp wrote:
DarkThinker wrote:...you want me to make sure to disconnect the LCD enclosure from the hinges before I open it to replace the LCD?
NO -- disconnect the hinges from the base, disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard, disconnect the WLAN antenna wires from the WLAN mini-PCI Express card, and lift the LCD+cover+hinges (the entire "top" assembly of the machine) off the base ... after that, after you have separated the top from the bottom of the machine, you may begin to disassemble the LCD cover.

The 15" LCD Cable with BT is FRU #91P6985.
Of course I knew that these are just intermediate steps, removing the top cannot be done without that anyway, I have had to take laptops apart / assemble laptops before you know ;) it's just that I never had to replace an LCD and I supposed from the beginning that I could just remove my keyboard + palm rest + top cover and then unscrew the LCD cover and I would be able to replace the LCD. I guess that may be possible but is not the right way to do it as I am hearing from you gentlemen

Anyways thanks for the rest of the info and the part number I appreciate it :)

That cable BTW costs $50 alone! [censored] this isn't as cheap as I expected it to be.

DarkThinker

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:30 pm
by devnull
DarkThinker: Here is the manual in PDF that has instructions and illustrations on how to replace the LCD among other things.

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 844_01.pdf

Will you post your experience on how did the upgrade go? The world awaits for your response :)

EMPtp: The same manual has the FRUs for the cable

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:36 pm
by gator
Any updates on this? Were you able to successfully replace the XGA panel with a UXGA panel?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:00 am
by ThinkPad
Yea any luck with this?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:40 am
by Crunch
Uatu wrote:I just ordered a T60p (2623-CTO) with the SXGA IPS screen...
Congrats...You'll definitely getting an IPS screen...
Uatu wrote:....purchasing the UXGA IPS LCD off of eBay for $289. I suspect that the upgrade will just work, but I'm not 100% certain.
That I would be very careful with. You'll get a 15" UXGA screen, but do they advertise that it is definitely IPS??? If they don't, you MUST ask the seller that question. In order to prevent a quick "yea, of course it is"-type response, make sure to specifically say something to the effect of "IPS is the entire reason I'm buying this, so if it isn't, I need to know BEFORE I purchase.
Uatu wrote:..... BTW, you can order the 15" UXGA IPS LCD directly from the Lenovo site, but I think it's about $850.
Yes, you can, and yes, you're right about the high price. Might as well buy one off ebay or somewhere like that...

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:12 am
by Harryc
Crunch - you are replying to a thread that is almost a year old.