T60 upgrade from XGA to SXGA+

[onehead]

Hi,

recently I've bought a T60 2007-43G with XGA resolution. As I got used to my T43's SXGA+ LCD I've thought I give it a go and try to upgrade. I've found a Chinese website with the UXGA upgrade but that's an overkill on a 14" screen for me.

Reading a few topics here and there I understand the following (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong):
1. All LCD video cables are the same for the T60 so XGA video cable will be fine for my upgrade
2. Interestingly when looking the FRUs I've learned that a T43 Samsung SXGA+ LCD is used in the T60 (LTN141P4-L02)
3. according to Lenovo I don't have to change the inverter as they use the same in T60 XGA and SXGA+ models (41W1010)

So I ripped both units and installed the Samsung LCD to the T60. The cable went into place OK and the TP booted.
However the screen - even in POST - was filled with white vertical stripes and the image was oversized.

So I'm stuck now as I have no idea what to change/do. Is it maybe the mystical EDID? But that case how could be the same part number (LTN141P4-L02) for both?

Will it help if I attach a picture of the striped screen?
Any help appreciated

Cheers


Note: I didn't want to steal anybody's topic with my query but if the mods feel like to move it, no problem.

[underclocker]

It does appear that panels with identical manufacturer part numbers (like Samsung's) may OR may not have the EDID chip. So installing a panel without the correct IBM part number is a gamble.

I believe you can visually inspect the back of the LCD, on the non-EDID units, you may even see a template for where the chip would go. It is hit or miss, I've seen some come out of T43's and R52's that work (have the EDID chip) in R60's or T60's.

Perhaps you can examine a few others.

[onehead]

It is hit or miss

that will cost a lot

So are the stripes and the oversized image the result of a missing chip?

Will check the chip tomorrow morning.
[edit: checked - missing

Also checked the video cable and the inverter in the T60. The inverter is 41W1010 which corresponds to Lenovo part list index.
The cable is numbered as 91P6969 - however on Lenovo's corresponding part index gives me 91P6984.
I've tried to find out which model uses the 91P6969 but no succes yet
/edit]

[yak]

Troels made a great post once that explains the situation with T60 displays:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 15#p388315

Notice this part (by "code" he means the contents of the EDID chip):

If it's incompatible or contain no or missing code you'll get a vertical red-white-blue pattern when booting the machine.

I did the exact same upgrade on my T60. The trick is to look for displays with the FRUs listed in the T60 service manual. This will guarantee that the display has an EDID chip with proper Lenovo branding in it.

The cable and inverter are the same. If they worked with your XGA, they will work with a proper T60 SXGA+ display.

The GPU is no issue either. SXGA+ displays are supported by all graphic solutions used in T60 series, even integrated Intel graphics, which was my case.

[onehead]

Thanks yak for the great link - I've started to read that topic but not made it to page 5 just yet

The second candidate has arrived yesterday but I was so disappointed - as it has no chip either - I didn't try to fit it. I've thought I just resell it, it'll work fine in a T4x.
Hovever I couldn't resist to my "explorer" half so I gave it a go.

Half success - it booted up without any issue but had one approx a cm wide white stap from top to bottom



Here's the corresponding sticker



I have used the video cable and inverter from the XGA T60

edit: thumbnails

[RealBlackStuff]

The cable 91P6969 is (in Google) the T60 14.1" LCD cable with BlueTooth (BT).

[yak]

So it worked even though it doesn't have the EDID chip? That's surprising to say the least.

As for the cable, yes, T60 uses two different cables, one has the Bluetooth socket, the other does not.

As a side note, I actually managed to get hold of this socket and solder it onto my socket-less cable as part of my Bluetooth upgrade project. It worked, I'm using it constantly with the ThinkPad Bluetooth Laser Mouse .

[Troels]

I would hope that there is some "fallback" video timings which can be used if reading the EDID fails due to no EEPROM - but if such exists, it prioritizes the content of the EEPROM which must be correct. Why the two screens don't behave identically i don't know.

From that image you posted of the boot-up screen, it doesn't look too good. TN panels are normally white, which means you must apply power to the transistors in order to twist the LC layer to block light. If no power is applied, white is displayed. So either the LCD is defective (bad column driver) or the white stripe occur just after the 1024th pixel collumn-wize, meaning that it might be a timing issue.
Does decreasing the resolution in windows do anything?

The first screen displaying the white stripes - does the computer boot into the OS/Linux/Windows etc.? If it does, does it then display a normal image?
By the way, how did you boot it up when the keyboard is disconnected and next to the thinkpad?

[RealBlackStuff]

By the way, how did you boot it up when the keyboard is disconnected and next to the thinkpad?

Ever heard of Port Replicators or Docking Stations?