Sharp SHP139A SXGA screen...at boot sometimes little glitch

[alkemyst]

I just got everything back together in my T60 and now running SXGA with a X1400.

One wierd oddity is at a cold boot after the Thinkpad "to interrupt normal startup" screen pops up I get a wierd patch of graphics at the bottom 1/4 of the screen. Sometimes just a wide line, sometimes random pixels.

I had to turn off HV Expansion and this is the only time I can see these glitches.

However with HV Expansion on, I can't access the BIOS properly except with an external monitor.

Is this an EDID issue? In Windows 7 everything is perfect.

[RealBlackStuff]

There are no (known) T60 models with a Sharp LCD.
You've got the wrong LCD.

[alkemyst]

There are no (known) T60 models with a Sharp LCD.
You've got the wrong LCD.

It's working though outside that glitch...won't the wrong screen types stay garbled through all modes?

[Troels]

In another thread you asked whether you could flash the Sharp LCD with another EDID from a 14.1" SXGA+.... the answer is "don't". There may be slightly different standard timings required between models.
Can you post the EDID of the Sharp LCD you've got now? SHP139A seems to be the name that someone inserted into "monitor id". Do you know what the model number of the display is, as stated on the backside of the panel?

Standard timings seems to be incorrect or missing, so you'd have to get these fixed - without altering extended timings.

[alkemyst]

In another thread you asked whether you could flash the Sharp LCD with another EDID from a 14.1" SXGA+.... the answer is "don't". There may be slightly different standard timings required between models.
Can you post the EDID of the Sharp LCD you've got now? SHP139A seems to be the name that someone inserted into "monitor id". Do you know what the model number of the display is, as stated on the backside of the panel?

Standard timings seems to be incorrect or missing, so you'd have to get these fixed - without altering extended timings.

I have it all reassembled now. I can get you whatever info you need (I replied to the other thread)... I purchased it from ebay and the Leon2007 seller that was recommended in other topics here.

Thanks

[Troels]

It's probably best to keep it all in this thread, so i'll reply here..

Here's an EDID with more standard timings added (640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 @ 60 Hz)... i promise that nothing else was modified:
http://users.telenor.dk/~dsl35822/EDIDs/sharp_ver1.bin

Use powerstrip to flash the EEPROM on the Sharp LCD with new EDID. Make sure to make a backup/copy of the current EDID prior to overwriting in case something else is not working (but it should).

[alkemyst]

Thank you very much.

I will buy powerstrip and install this tonight.

*EDIT* grrr 4 hours and still no serial number/reg program from e-tech...got my invoice and email saying the next email within 48 hours will contain my registration file.

[alkemyst]

It's giving me a write-protected error. I tried DDCW.EXE and it gave a DDC channel errer.

[Troels]

Hi again,

Hmm - are you certain that the EEPROM it is trying to access is not by any chance that of your external monitor? When you're in the "Monitor Information" part of Powerstrip and select "Update EDID" from the drop-down box, try selecting "No" to let it scan for available connected screens. The first one it finds after scanning is most likely the external monitor - click "No" and see if the next one it finds wouldn't be the Sharp LCD.

If it indeed turns out to be write-protected it means that Sharp has tied the WP-pin of the EEPROM to Vcc or ground (don't remember which), but that's just rude of them

[alkemyst]

Hi again,

Hmm - are you certain that the EEPROM it is trying to access is not by any chance that of your external monitor? When you're in the "Monitor Information" part of Powerstrip and select "Update EDID" from the drop-down box, try selecting "No" to let it scan for available connected screens. The first one it finds after scanning is most likely the external monitor - click "No" and see if the next one it finds wouldn't be the Sharp LCD.

If it indeed turns out to be write-protected it means that Sharp has tied the WP-pin of the EEPROM to Vcc or ground (don't remember which), but that's just rude of them

Yeah I tried to answer No and saw it confirmed it found the Sharp...

Is there a work-around? I have an email out to the ebay seller as this is not an equivalent to a 13N7059 as described. I have no idea why they would not program the standard resolutions/timings. The seller, leonworks2003 has very good ratings though. I'd just hate to have to take my bezel apart again.

[Troels]

The work-around would either involve cutting a connection to the EEPROM to disable the write protection. Alternatively it would be possible to unsolder it completely and mount it into a DIY I2C programmer, such as http://www.lancos.com/e2p/easyI2Cbus.gif

But this is really the seller's fault - the screen will work on a laptop where standard VESA timings are stored elsewhere (the video bios, etc.) but not on the T6x which seems to "listen" to what the LCD screen supports. It will probably work fine in T4x or R5x series thinkpads. This is really the first time except for TV panels that i've heard of manufacturers write-protecting the EEPROM. A laptop panel is pretty generic and manufacturers such as Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc. would likely want to have custom EDIDs with different screen identification names. For instance, "LEN4040" means a 15" XGA for a Lenovo.

So.. if possible, return it - really sorry to have you waste $29 on Powerstrip when it turned out not to work

[alkemyst]

The work-around would either involve cutting a connection to the EEPROM to disable the write protection. Alternatively it would be possible to unsolder it completely and mount it into a DIY I2C programmer, such as http://www.lancos.com/e2p/easyI2Cbus.gif

But this is really the seller's fault - the screen will work on a laptop where standard VESA timings are stored elsewhere (the video bios, etc.) but not on the T6x which seems to "listen" to what the LCD screen supports. It will probably work fine in T4x or R5x series thinkpads. This is really the first time except for TV panels that i've heard of manufacturers write-protecting the EEPROM. A laptop panel is pretty generic and manufacturers such as Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc. would likely want to have custom EDIDs with different screen identification names. For instance, "LEN4040" means a 15" XGA for a Lenovo.

So.. if possible, return it - really sorry to have you waste $29 on Powerstrip when it turned out not to work

I had wanted to register powerstrip anyway. Never got a chance too.

I have an email out to the seller. This whole ordeal is getting to be a real pain, I had to have 4 different LCD cables sent before getting the right one, then the screw kit was not right...it's been a really drawn out process.

[alkemyst]

The seller told me he's never had anyone request these other resolutions and it's normal for the LCD to resize at others.

I know my XGA screen would be border to border at less than 1024x768 and I could use HV expansion in the BIOS.

Do the SXGA screens really normally not have the extra timings set?

[Troels]

When running other resolutions you're effectively modifying what timing parameters the monitor requires. VESA has defined some standard timings shown in http://www.epanorama.net/faq/vga2rgb/calc.html (select some VESA standard settings in the drop-down box to see). If the monitor does not report that these standard timings are possible, the laptop seems to reject outputting the signaling, resulting in no image.

In windows there might be no problem using less than SXGA+ if the monitor driver is installed. The driver package is essentially a bunch of EDIDs for different Lenovo models and color profiles loaded when windows loads. These also contain standard timings.

Just tried the Samsung SXGA+ EDID posted in the EDID thread, and it features the following standard timings:
640x480@60 Hz [IBM,VGA]
800x600@60 Hz [VESA]
1024x768@60 Hz [VESA]

So, normally, in case of the Samsung LCD, these are indeed set.

EDIT: If somehow it is possible in the future to have the EDID re-flashed, use this one instead: http://users.telenor.dk/~dsl35822/EDIDs/sharp_ver2.bin .

[alkemyst]

Thanks again.