X61 SXGA+ mod cable

[trmsw]

I stumbled across this cable which - visually - looks quite promising for the SXGA+ mod.
Is there any Japanese speaker who could confirm?

http://www.aitendo.co.jp/product/2360

Regards,
Tom

[Weogo]

Hi Trmsw,

Here's the google translated page:
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... md%3Dimvns

Looks like this could be a nice, simple little adapter, price appears to be $21USD.

I too would love to know more.

Thanks and good health, Weogo

[trmsw]

Judging by the datasheet this would converter would work, although it doesn't bother with the EDID pins.

The main disadvantage is that it would push the socket even further down in relation to the cable. so you'd either have to sacrifice the thinklight or you'd have to get another cable to bridge the gap.

[smugiri]

Judging by the datasheet this would converter would work, although it doesn't bother with the EDID pins.

The main disadvantage is that it would push the socket even further down in relation to the cable. so you'd either have to sacrifice the thinklight or you'd have to get another cable to bridge the gap.

Two issues:

Weogo is right, you do not have enough extra length after this to get the thinklight back into place. If I remember correctly, there can't even have been 5mm of give left over in the standard config when everything is hooked up.

That cable looks perfect though! But the one you linked to is not for an X61s to SXGA+ conversion. You would need to find the right one for the conversion from the options on site.

[docentore]

what about this one?
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-782 ... erter.html

[RealBlackStuff]

... you'd either have to sacrifice the thinklight ...

I put an A31p 15" LCD in a T43p lid.
The Thinklight cable was too short because the LCD's connector sits lower on A31p than on T43p.
So I folded the extra LCD cable length, an then cut the Thinklight film/cable.
I then soldered in 2 pieces of wire (as a sort of extension-cord) between the cut film/cable. Works a treat!

[ajkula66]

I put an A31p 15" LCD in a T43p lid.
The Thinklight cable was too short because the LCD's connector sits lower on A31p than on T43p.
So I folded the extra LCD cable length, an then cut the Thinklight film/cable.
I then soldered in 2 pieces of wire (as a sort of extension-cord) between the cut film/cable. Works a treat!

Indeed it does...and the old ID Tech screens are much brighter and whiter than the new ones, even when CCFLs are new on both...

[trmsw]

what about this one?
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-782 ... erter.html

Looks promising. Pchub weren't very forthcoming when I asked for technical details. Seems that the combination of width, number of pins, and "XF" or "XJ" should be a sufficient definition.
I can't find a definition of XJ and XF but it looks like the XGA connector is XF and the SXGA+ connector is XJ.
This one also looks nice, but the shipping is expensive: http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/43 ... alers.html

There are also extender cables, to deal with the new placement of the connector, though to be honest I'm considering cutting the laptop lcd cable to separate off the Thinklight wires for a few extra centimetres, and then folding the other part to fit.

[docentore]

http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/503-486 ... erter.html

This cable would give you enough space to have ThinkLight. But it doesn't say if it's XF-XJ converter or just extension cable

[trmsw]

The wire cables take up too much space IMO. It took me lots of tries to pack mine correctly - it's quite long though, about 20cm.
Problems included pressure marks on the display, the display blacking out if the top left corner flexed too much at the wrong angle (eg when adjusting the screen angle).
That's why I want a nice clean flat circuitboard converter...

[trmsw]

In the end I discovered there is no need for an adapter. The existing cable can be rearranged, you just need a sharp knife and a steady hand.

[smugiri]

In the end I discovered there is no need for an adapter. The existing cable can be rearranged, you just need a sharp knife and a steady hand.

Any chance you can take some pictures please and show us what your setup looks like? I would reallly appreciate having an opportunity to see it.

thanks
Steve

[trmsw]

Right now I can't face opening up the lid again to show you how it looks, but I plan to replace the backlight assembly quite soon to get rid of a scratch and a spot of dust, so I'll put up some photos then.

Until then here's an explanation of how it works, using other people's photos

In the image for step 7 here: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/replace-b ... 0s-laptop/ you can see the back (lid side) of the cable showing how the pins are connected.

XGA:
Pins 1, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 20 are all ground, as is the criss-cross pattern.
Pins 2 and 3 are visibly connected and provide power.
Pins 4, 6, and 7 are to do with EDID: pin 4 is power, and 6 and 7 are data.
Beginning at pin 8 you have a repeated pattern of 2 pins, then ground: it goes R (8, 9, 10), G (11, 12, 13), B (14, 15, 16), Clock (17, 18, 19).

The SXGA+ pinout is quite similar:
Pins 1 and 2 are power
Pins 3 and 4 are ground
Pins 5 - 16 are the same R, G, B, Clock pattern you have starting at pin 8 of the XGA cable
Pins 17 - 20 are the EDID parts.

So you need to:
a) swap 1,2,3 to 2,3,1
b) move pins 8 - 19 to 5 - 16
c) drop pin 20
d) move pins 4 - 7 to 17 - 20

Which means that at the very least you need to cut the cable to separate 3 from 4, and 7 from 8.
... you need more cuts in fact, to make it easier to fold the cable to fit the new connector position.


The image here: http://www.laptopneeds.com/parts/show/1 ... 5--91P4535 shows the other side of the cable. There most distinct things in the image are - from left to right - three fat copper tracks and then a big gap.

The 3 fat tracks are the grounds corresponding to pins 10, 13, 16. This is great because it means you can cut down the middle of them to separate the cable, with lots of room for error and safe in the knowledge that any exposed contacts will be ... ground.

The "big gap" contains two groups of very thin wires: pins 8 and 9, and the 3 EDID wires. There's sufficient space to safely cut between the two groups.

After that it's 3 thick wires: ground, power, ground. You can cut down the two ground wires to separate the EDID group from the power lines (pins 4 from 3), and pins 2 from 1.

----

- Remove the plug housing.

- Looking from the front, where the wire tracks are clear, cut the cable to separate 3 and 4, 7 and 8, 10 and 11, 13 and 14, 16 and 17. Also separate 1 and 2, and 19 and 20 a few cm, so that you can shift 1,2,3 to 2,3,1, and fold 20 out of the way.

- You now have the following groups: power (1, 2, 3), EDID (4 - 7), R (8 - 10), G (11 - 13), B (14 - 16), Clock (17 - 19)

- Replace the cable in the plug housing, rearranging the groups as follows: power (2,3, 1), R, G, B, Clock, EDID. Twist each group 360 degrees anti-clockwise before you put it back in the plug, fold the EDID group clockwise. This makes the folding easier.

- Tape up the plug

- Set up the cable in the lid. Mark where the SXGA+ socket is. Tape the plug there, and then fold each group so that it lies flat.

... done.

I better post some photos.

[smugiri]

.....

I better post some photos.

This is an excellent idea - I could not follow that though even after reading that twice. But this is a heck of a mod.

You do need to post photos - I want to see them. Please!

I am sorely tempted to do this mod again and want to see if I can improve on round one.

[trmsw]

Some photos of the finished product here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11551903@N ... 216178592/

[Raceboy]

Very impressive! And I really like the clean look without additional jumper cables etc. You could add a final touch by wrapping the cable into adhesive shield like on Tablet cables but leaving it flat. That would add both strength and protection against noise.

[trmsw]

Do you mean the metallic fabric shielding? That would be nice.

I originally wrapped everything nicely in kapton tape but it turned to be better to leave the individual strands free, since I couldn't get the length exactly right.

Noise doesn't seem to be an issue
- the back of the cable is already shielded (criss-cross pattern)
- most of the crossings are either ground wires or +/- pairs in the same group (R, G, B, Clock): this is not a problem (some cables will twist these pairs)

I guess that the first 180 degree twist exposes the unshielded front of the cable, so maybe it could do with some protection there.

The strands themselves are pretty tough: the weakest bit is the the plug I think.

One thing to watch out for is having too much cable outside the screen assembly, because there's nowhere for it to go - there's more space in the lid.
For this reason I recommend laying out the cable correctly in the lid with the bluetooth card and the inverter connected, and taping the bottom of the cable to the lid so that it doesn't get pushed out when you fit everything together.

[Raceboy]

Yes, I meant the metallic fabric shielding. I wonder is there an easy way to obtain that?

[RealBlackStuff]

You can use a heavy-duty kitchen aluminum/aluminium roll.
Wrap that around the cable.

[smugiri]

Some photos of the finished product here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11551903@N ... 216178592/

Thank you for taking the time to crack the unit and take the pictures.

Nicely done and very very impressive.

I am not sure I could do that - I do not have a steady enough hand...

[trmsw]

Thanks! But it's really not that hard...

If you do decide to try it, a couple of tips:

- the first cut is just to separate the contacts - no more than 1 cm - it's much easier to do this if you turn the cable over onto its front: from the back you can see where each connector is.
- after that can turn the cable over so that the "wires" are visible. With one exception you need to cut the fat ones.
- use a sharp knife (one with a snap-off blade is ideal, I got through a whole blade - the cable is pretty tough)
- it's very easy to lose track of where you're trying to cut, the cable is very confusing, visually, due to figure-ground reversals and interference from the white criss-cross pattern on top. So use masking tape to make it obvious where you trying to cut - like that you won't even need a rule

I admit the first one went badly for me, after the second beer - but without the first beer I'd never have tried it at all. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to buy a new cable (ok, maybe when you're wielding a sharp knife there are much worse things)

have fun.

[Raceboy]

I just did the cable mod and it was a success! SXGA+ panel posted nicely on my just bought X61!

I took some photos also of the cable mod, will post them soon.

Now I just have to machine down the LCD panel fittings in order to fit it into X61. Will do that tomorrow.

[trmsw]

I have one of these cables going spare, if anyone is interested.
Sorry it's gone.

I have two more going, please see here.

[crashnburn]

Great job

[Megavvolt]

Please forgive me my ignorance, but looking at the front of the cable (thinklight on the left, the wire tracks are clear), where's pin 1?

[Fixed_Rider]

Hello,

I have a quick noob question.
I have an x61 (7674-WHL) and I really love everything about it with exception of the resolution of the display.
Is the cable listed about and the LCD coupled with the instructions above all I need to upgrade my resolution?

Thank you

[trmsw]

Apart from the LCD and the cable you also need to install a modified bios (the X61/X61s SXGA+ version of Middleton's bios, gives you full-speed SATA II as a bonus), but I guess that comes under "instructions"

[BobA]

I have two cables I bought from the UK - was planning on using them but don't have the time. I also have one LCD though it has all of the goop around it. Anyone on this thread interested in this stuff?

I have another LCD I'm trying to get to work on an X61t but don't get the digitizer to work .. not sure of the problem.

Bob

[Fixed_Rider]

PM Sent to BobA for the goods.

[classacts]

I tried the mod and totally screwed the stock X61 LCD cable. Looking for a complete modded cable for replacement if anyone has any on hand. Couldn't seem to locate any on ebay or aliexpress.

Thanks