Upgrading X220/X230 to FHD 1080p

[carcuevas]

I know I know, but I destroyed the capacitor + pad, the pad dissapeared from the mother board after the capacitor flew from the place, that's why I have to find some alternative place where to solder the sense wire So it's a miracle I did not destroyed the whole MOBO, or maybe there is something not working which I did not detect yet hehehe

Oh. There's no alternative place. Have to fix what you got.

hehe Thanks Well I quite imagined that well does not annoy me much, in case of need reinstalling OS and so I will attach an ext. monitor or I will try the Fn+F7 as seasonshu suggested

Anyway Guys careful when soldering this one, as Nitro said better to use the INK

[carcuevas]

Anyway I have to say that I'm really happy with the results, the difference is so big that it was really worth it (at least for me).. So if you are skillful woth the iron go for it but careful with the sense wire that's not easy... Then use a bit the imagination for doing thw routing and making the screen fit I used a black & decker (like dremmel one) disk for cutting, small pliers and some patience and that's it good luck to everyone trying And thanks again to Nitrocaster for the good idea and nice piece of engineering

I will post about the Fn+F7

[carcuevas]

Well after testing and trying I discover a big problem, which I am not sure if it just related with the lack of sense wire or because also I destroyed the capacitor and the pad where the sense wire should have been soldered...

Basically what is happening is that when I am on battery the screen is not switching on at all, so I am not sure if somehow I could be able to fix it somehow with the bios, or not... If it cannot be solved by the bios or something like this I think I wont be able to use this mod or I will need to buy another laptop/mobo doesn't look good ...

[carcuevas]

So fortunately I solved it with the bios, just I needed to use the external bay Display as default, and it's booting properly without with the battery only and so, just for entering in the bios I will need an external monitor, as it said in this cases "peccata minuta" for such a nice FHD screen ))) so at the end from my side no problem at all now I can check how the battery is behaving


Thanks once more

[Mrtn]

I'm wondering, the mod uses the displayport from the dockingstation. Is it still possible to use the DVI and VGA from a mini dock 3 with the mod done? Or is the DVI port from the dock also connected through the displayport?

[dr_st]

Here's my understanding of it (I looked up some of the details, but some I am only guessing so I could be wrong):

The laptop outputs two digital (DP) channels and one analog (VGA) channel to the dock. The VGA is completely separate from the digital channels. There is no separate DVI output to the dock.

The Mini-Dock 3 has DP output from one DP channel, and a DP-to-DVI built-in adapter on the second channel which outputs DVI. I don't know which channel has the DVI adapter attached to it. So it looks like you will not be able to use DP and DVI together. You may be able to use DVI (and VGA) or DP (and VGA), depending on which channel it is.

The Mini-Dock Plus 3 has dual ports for each DP channel - essentially each one is split into a DP or DVI. One of these channels is now used by the mod, but the other one is available, so you can use either DP or DVI, but not both at the same time.

[Mrtn]

Here's my understanding of it (I looked up some of the details, but some I am only guessing so I could be wrong):

The laptop outputs two digital (DP) channels and one analog (VGA) channel to the dock. The VGA is completely separate from the digital channels. There is no separate DVI output to the dock.

The Mini-Dock 3 has DP output from one DP channel, and a DP-to-DVI built-in adapter on the second channel which outputs DVI. I don't know which channel has the DVI adapter attached to it. So it looks like you will not be able to use DP and DVI together. You may be able to use DVI (and VGA) or DP (and VGA), depending on which channel it is.

The Mini-Dock Plus 3 has dual ports for each DP channel - essentially each one is split into a DP or DVI. One of these channels is now used by the mod, but the other one is available, so you can use either DP or DVI, but not both at the same time.

Thank you!

My current setup is:
Laptop open: Display on laptop and 24" screen (dual screen)
Laptop closed: Display on a second 24" screen only

Which screen is connected to which port doesn't matter for me, only this setup without switching cables would be great!
But that should be possible?

[technopanda]

Nitrocaster,

So first of all I'd liked to say thanks for making this kit and giving us all the opportunity to have FHD panels in our X220/X230.

I've tried to install it into a X230, but I'm having problems trying to get anything outputted to the FHD panel. All I get is a blank screen. Fn+F7 does nothing. I do have brightness control on the FHD panel though, so FN+F8 and Fn+F9 work. Putting the old HD back in and the image is still working. Re-seating the LVDS cable does nothing. I've tried another FHD panel and the result is the same. Plugging in an external monitor and I can see that the OS detects that there is a built-in monitor with FHD resolution. I'm at a loss at what else to try.

[carcuevas]

Nitrocaster,

So first of all I'd liked to say thanks for making this kit and giving us all the opportunity to have FHD panels in our X220/X230.

I've tried to install it into a X230, but I'm having problems trying to get anything outputted to the FHD panel. All I get is a blank screen. Fn+F7 does nothing. I do have brightness control on the FHD panel though, so FN+F8 and Fn+F9 work. Putting the old HD back in and the image is still working. Re-seating the LVDS cable does nothing. I've tried another FHD panel and the result is the same. Plugging in an external monitor and I can see that the OS detects that there is a built-in monitor with FHD resolution. I'm at a loss at what else to try.

Uuhmm can you try these tests using external power supply plugged in??

[technopanda]

I tried with both battery and also AC power. No difference.

[carcuevas]

I tried with both battery and also AC power. No difference.

Uhmm weird, also in the Bios there is an option to select the screen as Digital dock 1/2, maybe it can help..

[technopanda]

I tried with both battery and also AC power. No difference.

Uhmm weird, also in the Bios there is an option to select the screen as Digital dock 1/2, maybe it can help..

I tried to set default display to Digital Displayport #2, but that didn't help either.

[carcuevas]

Also from today I am having some weird thing, after the computer is used for some more time abd get a bit warn, the screen gets black and I have to wait until is colder to make it work... It seems that I will need to open the laptop once more and see if the solder points were done correctly or whenever is hot something is happening...

[carcuevas]

Nitrocaster any if the IC on the board have some protection circuit for higher temperature? I think for some reason the board is getting hotter than it should and then it's stopping to work... I'll have also to check the solder points.. It's just weird

[carcuevas]

Well now I realized, that there is signal through the EDP, but what's not working is the backlight, that's maybe the weird thing, there should be maybe not well soldered or I don't know, I guess i am going to try to do al the soldering again on the board to see what can be....

[RealBlackStuff]

It's sad, but I guess it's time to admit that you botched it up royally!

[nitrocaster]

Also from today I am having some weird thing, after the computer is used for some more time abd get a bit warn, the screen gets black and I have to wait until is colder to make it work... It seems that I will need to open the laptop once more and see if the solder points were done correctly or whenever is hot something is happening...

Does it get warmer than the motherboard area just below it? Is there an image on the screen?

Nitrocaster any if the IC on the board have some protection circuit for higher temperature? I think for some reason the board is getting hotter than it should and then it's stopping to work...

The microcontroller on board has Tj about 150 C and will stop working before reaching this temperature, but I doubt you are getting that high.

[nitrocaster]

I've tried to install it into a X230, but I'm having problems trying to get anything outputted to the FHD panel. All I get is a blank screen. Fn+F7 does nothing. I do have brightness control on the FHD panel though, so FN+F8 and Fn+F9 work. Putting the old HD back in and the image is still working. Re-seating the LVDS cable does nothing. I've tried another FHD panel and the result is the same. Plugging in an external monitor and I can see that the OS detects that there is a built-in monitor with FHD resolution. I'm at a loss at what else to try.

That means OS does not recognize new FHD panel. Check the soldering.

[carcuevas]

Also from today I am having some weird thing, after the computer is used for some more time abd get a bit warn, the screen gets black and I have to wait until is colder to make it work... It seems that I will need to open the laptop once more and see if the solder points were done correctly or whenever is hot something is happening...

Does it get warmer than the motherboard area just below it? Is there an image on the screen?

Nitrocaster any if the IC on the board have some protection circuit for higher temperature? I think for some reason the board is getting hotter than it should and then it's stopping to work...

The microcontroller on board has Tj about 150 C and will stop working before reaching this temperature, but I doubt you are getting that high.

Uhmm well 150C for sure did not get I could fried an egg there in that case Actually always there is an image, but just sometimes there is no backlight... Well after doing some tests, it seems that problem may be the LVDS cable, but the thing I dont know is how can affect that much the temperature to the cable:

When hot:

https://youtu.be/wGkmzCYNyms

And if I put in the opposite cable the problem is in the other side, so I guess that the problem should be the cable

https://youtu.be/6lAY8eyMJcA

The weird thing is when cold, everything is working perfectly that's really weird...

https://youtu.be/MMobhl5z_BM




Where I can get thos LVDS cables Nitrocaster? it seems to me that maybe since the cable got a bit fold because once I put it under the plastic frame where the keyboard and the cables are sited, so maybe it made more pressure than needed, but still it is really weird for me...

Thanks

[nitrocaster]

https://youtu.be/wGkmzCYNyms

Hot plugging the cables on working laptop is asking for trouble. I have to remind:

Do not ever connect or disconnect LCD cables before removing the battery and AC power!

Where I can get thos LVDS cables Nitrocaster? it seems to me that maybe since the cable got a bit fold because once I put it under the plastic frame where the keyboard and the cables are sited, so maybe it made more pressure than needed, but still it is really weird for me...

Indeed, from what I see the most probable problem is that LVDS cable is bad. You have to route it over the plastic frame, not under. It seems that this cable is not being sold by the piece (at least I couldn't find such listings). It is 50mm long 28-pin FFC with 0.5mm pitch. If you can find one online - get it. Otherwise, contact me and I'll send you a replacement.

[RealBlackStuff]

Can you specify contacts? (same sides/opposite sides/both sides)

In USA these FFC cables can be had from various places:
http://www.mouser.com/Wire-Cable/FFC-FP ... wrZ1z0wxjx
http://www.microsatacables.com/awm-2062 ... -28pin-ffc
http://www.digikey.com/products/en/cabl ... ageSize=25
Manufacturers seem to be limited to Molex and Wurth

International:
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/1264-93 ... ndard.html (personally I would NOT buy anything from PCHUB)
In UK (but longer):
http://uk.farnell.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... 063028&vw=

[nitrocaster]

Can you specify contacts? (same sides/opposite sides/both sides)

Opposite sides.

[RealBlackStuff]

Could carcuevas have put in his cable upside-down?

[nitrocaster]

He wouldn't see anything in that case.

[carcuevas]

Can you specify contacts? (same sides/opposite sides/both sides)

In USA these FFC cables can be had from various places:
http://www.mouser.com/Wire-Cable/FFC-FP ... wrZ1z0wxjx
http://www.microsatacables.com/awm-2062 ... -28pin-ffc
http://www.digikey.com/products/en/cabl ... ageSize=25
Manufacturers seem to be limited to Molex and Wurth

International:
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/1264-93 ... ndard.html (personally I would NOT buy anything from PCHUB)
In UK (but longer):
http://uk.farnell.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... 063028&vw=

@Nitrocaster Thanks for the specs of the cable, I will try to find it out... Well actually you are right I should not disconnect the LCD cables when the system running, but somehow I needed to debug the issue somehow, but I'll try not to tent the fate any more

@RealBlackStuff Thanks for the tip!!! I will have a look where I Can buy it here in EU,... But actually the original cable which came with the kit it's from AWM model 20624 VW-1 80C, I am going to try to find something with more tolerance to the high temperatures...

Well actually the cables I put always in the position it should be, otherwise it wouldn't work at all since the other side is isolated... I guess this could happen because as I say the first time I put the cable under the plastic frame, so maybe it folded too much, but how the temperature affects this I have no idea, what I can say it's normally working when cold, but whenever the computer already get a bit warm it's not working...

[carcuevas]

https://youtu.be/wGkmzCYNyms

Hot plugging the cables on working laptop is asking for trouble. I have to remind:

Do not ever connect or disconnect LCD cables before removing the battery and AC power!

Where I can get thos LVDS cables Nitrocaster? it seems to me that maybe since the cable got a bit fold because once I put it under the plastic frame where the keyboard and the cables are sited, so maybe it made more pressure than needed, but still it is really weird for me...

Indeed, from what I see the most probable problem is that LVDS cable is bad. You have to route it over the plastic frame, not under. It seems that this cable is not being sold by the piece (at least I couldn't find such listings). It is 50mm long 28-pin FFC with 0.5mm pitch. If you can find one online - get it. Otherwise, contact me and I'll send you a replacement.

I found one cable nearby 100mm, I am wondering if I would be over some tolerances or something, not cheap thought ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FFC-B-28Pin-0 ... 2404967503

But from germany I can expect it next week

[nitrocaster]

You need exactly 50mm. 100mm is too much.

[technopanda]

I re-soldered the wires and tried again, but the result is still the same. Blank screen with only brightness control

I even tried to simulate the situation for carcuevas, where the sense wire is not connected, also only brightness control and blank screen. Selecting Fn+F7 does nothing. Also tried selecting 'Digital 2 on Dock' as boot display.

Is there a minimum BIOS level for the X230 to enable this board to work?

[nitrocaster]

I re-soldered the wires and tried again, but the result is still the same. Blank screen with only brightness control

Make sure adapter board is soldered to docking connector properly and these capacitors in the gap are intact. I had a case when user wasn't able to get an image because those two capacitors were fractured.

I even tried to simulate the situation for carcuevas, where the sense wire is not connected, also only brightness control and blank screen. Selecting Fn+F7 does nothing. Also tried selecting 'Digital 2 on Dock' as boot display.

Makes no sense since your problem is that the system does not even recognize the display, which means that DisplayPort lines are bad.

Is there a minimum BIOS level for the X230 to enable this board to work?

I guess no.

[carcuevas]

This is really some kind of joke,I remove the cable, I left the computer to warm up, and left the cable at ambient temperature, then when the computer was warm enough I installed the cable switched on, and not working so now I am not sure if it is the cable or something else...