Anybody replaced X300 LCD Panel with a better one?

[JayNYC]

Have read a bunch of posts about X200 panel replacements. Anybody successfully upgraded their panel on an X300?

[sanjuro]

Have read a bunch of posts about X200 panel replacements. Anybody successfully upgraded their panel on an X300?

Envious of AFFS panel replacements in X20xx, I've looked around for 13" IPS or AFFS panels for my X300. I could not find any panels like that. I could not even find 13" WXGA+ TN panels that would be an improvement over the existing one. So I gave up.

I've also given up on waiting for Lenovo to supply decent panels in Thinkpads. Unless something changes, it will be sayonara to Lenovo when other manufacturers release their Sandy Bridge updates.

[andre#4]

I believe fujitsu has tablets with 13" widescreen AFFS. It seems to me you could get just the lcd panel and put it in the x300/x301. This is just a theory but it is a direction to go in. You need the panel before you can go further and this is just a lead to a possible panel. WHen I bought my new x301 I was so disgusted that I sold it at a $1,000 loss. I started looking into panel replacement, but decided not to do Lenovo's r and d work for them at my expense.

You could use program Powerstrip to flash the new panel if necessary, to make the computer think it is a lenovo branded panel. The computers are quite prejudiced against other brands, so they have to be lied to. They are like electronic Nazis.

[ThinkRob]

I believe fujitsu has tablets with 13" widescreen AFFS. It seems to me you could get just the lcd panel and put it in the x300/x301.

Drop-in replacements are not that common. That's why the Hydis AFFS and Samsung S-PVA mods for the X200 are notable: they're high-quality screens that happen to be electrically compatible with the X200's stock panel(s).

If you find the type and model of the panel in the Fujitsu notebook that you're referring to, I'll be happy to check whether it's a drop-in replacement -- but don't hold your breath.

[guho]

Drop-in replacements are not that common. That's why the Hydis AFFS and Samsung S-PVA mods for the X200 are notable: they're high-quality screens that happen to be electrically compatible with the X200's stock panel(s).

If you find the type and model of the panel in the Fujitsu notebook that you're referring to, I'll be happy to check whether it's a drop-in replacement -- but don't hold your breath.

The new Apple macbook air has the same size panel and the same resolution of 1440x900 as the X300. It is much, much nicer, with a contrast ratio of 700:1 instead of 100:1 (source:notebookcheck). I wonder if these panels can be sourced somewhere at a decent price. I had an x301 myself and also sold it because of the screen and bought a new macbook air. But I miss the fingerprint scanner, gigabit ethernet and optical drive. If the macbook air LCD panels prove compatible with the x301, I might pick up a used x301 with a broken screen from ebay and put it in. I hope there is an expert on this forum who knows about LCD panels and how universal the connectors are.

[ThinkRob]

The new Apple macbook air has the same size panel and the same resolution of 1440x900 as the X300. It is much, much nicer, with a contrast ratio of 700:1 instead of 100:1 (source:notebookcheck). I wonder if these panels can be sourced somewhere at a decent price.

It's not just a question of viewing area and resolution though. Things like EDID programming (or lack thereof), connector type, electrical requirements, timings, LVDS pinout, and various physical characteristics (such as depth, frame size, position of mountings, etc.) need to be considered as well.

If you get the make and model of the panel that should be fairly easy to check (provided I can get the datasheet for it.)

[vinuneuro]

I'm interested in this as well but am finding it impossible to find out what panel is in the MB Air.

[guho]

I tried to look in the device manager and nvidia control panel of my new 2010 13" Macbook Air using Bootcamp/Windows 7 x64, but this did not reveal the make and model of the LCD panel.

[vinuneuro]

If you check using Everest it'll come up under Display->Monitor.

[ThinkRob]

I tried to look in the device manager and nvidia control panel of my new 2010 13" Macbook Air using Bootcamp/Windows 7 x64, but this did not reveal the make and model of the LCD panel.

It's been a while since I've used OS X, but can't Apple System Profiler display EDID data?

[AvalonXIII]

Since the X200 accepts various different screens, I'm inclined to think that as long as the connectors are compatible, the screen should work. It all comes back to the fact that somebody's gotta be a pioneer and change the screen himself.

[penartur]

Since the X200 accepts various different screens, I'm inclined to think that as long as the connectors are compatible, the screen should work. It all comes back to the fact that somebody's gotta be a pioneer and change the screen himself.

ThinkRob said:

Things like EDID programming (or lack thereof), connector type, electrical requirements, timings, LVDS pinout, and various physical characteristics (such as depth, frame size, position of mountings, etc.) need to be considered as well.

For example, there are various LED-backlit 12.1" WXGA AFFS screens with connectors compatible with that of X201s, but because connector is located in the wrong place, it is impossible to put such a screen in X201s unless you will DIY your own LCD cable.

[penartur]

I'm interested in this as well but am finding it impossible to find out what panel is in the MB Air.

I heard that apple uses some tricky manufacturing method when making Macbook Air; particularly its lid construction is completely different from ThinkPads. While in thinkpads you can disassemble the lid and get your LCD panel with standart frame and mountings etc, in MB Air the entire lid is that LCD panel frame. While LCDs produced for thinkpads have this standart frame and mountings, LCDs produced for MB Air are produced with MB Air lid initially. That's why MB Air lid is as thin (or even thinner?) as a thinkpad LCD assembly.
Any way, thinking logically, one can't replace MB Air LCD with some LCD pulled out from thinkpad, because such an LCD will be thicker than MB Air's entire lid, hence it won't fit. That means that thinkpad LCD and MB Air lcd are not interchangeable; and that means that one can't replace thinkpad LCD with some LCD pulled out from thinkpad.

[ThinkRob]

Since the X200 accepts various different screens, I'm inclined to think that as long as the connectors are compatible, the screen should work. It all comes back to the fact that somebody's gotta be a pioneer and change the screen himself.

As someone who has done a number of these swaps and who recently blew out the board on yet another MVA panel whilst experimenting, trust me when I say this: no, it's not that simple.

Even if you have compatible connectors, there are differences in timings and pinouts that can cause serious issues (issues like my recent execution of a particularly nice Chi Mei MVA panel this last weekend.)

Any way, thinking logically, one can't replace MB Air LCD with some LCD pulled out from thinkpad, because such an LCD will be thicker than MB Air's entire lid, hence it won't fit. That means that thinkpad LCD and MB Air lcd are not interchangeable; and that means that one can't replace thinkpad LCD with some LCD pulled out from thinkpad.

The MacBook Air lid isn't much thinner (if at all) than the X300's lid -- it's simply beveled so as to appear thinner. The actual center thickness (from panel surface to back) is about the same.

Now I would be willing to believe that you can't swap the LCDs, but I suspect that'll be due to electrical compatibility issues rather than physical ones.

While in thinkpads you can disassemble the lid and get your LCD panel with standart frame and mountings etc, in MB Air the entire lid is that LCD panel frame. While LCDs produced for thinkpads have this standart frame and mountings, LCDs produced for MB Air are produced with MB Air lid initially. That's why MB Air lid is as thin (or even thinner?) as a thinkpad LCD assembly.

I don't think this is correct. The LCD certainly seems to be removable from a MacBook Air.

[erik]

with how the LED board plugs into the bottom of the X300/X301 panel, i don't see the MBA display working.   EDID and LVDS pinouts become moot when physical connections can't be made.

i explored this the same day the new MBA was announced and have yet to come up with a solution.

[vinuneuro]

I guess this officially kills the X301 for me. There are too many compromises (the screen being the main one) at a higher price just for the sake of the slim form. I might reconsider it when prices drop more. They're still up there for a discontinued model.

[guho]

Buy a macbook air 13" & run bootcamp! I sold my X301 on Ebay and got the new 13" air w/4GB. Could not be happier! With the USB2 gigabit adapter it is possible to get adequate bandwidth on wired networks. The fingerprint scanner I used only for logging in. The optical drive mostly for installing software. The SSD on the new Air is a lot faster than was the 128GB SSD on my X301.

[penartur]

The MacBook Air lid isn't much thinner (if at all) than the X300's lid -- it's simply beveled so as to appear thinner. The actual center thickness (from panel surface to back) is about the same.

I don't think this is correct. The LCD certainly seems to be removable from a MacBook Air.

Yes, you are right. Maybe what i've read was about new (late 2010) Airs, not the first-gen. By the way, we have about a dozen of a new 11" Airs, and their lid is really thin (or at least seems to be so).

[ThinkRob]

with how the LED board plugs into the bottom of the X300/X301 panel, i don't see the MBA display working.   EDID and LVDS pinouts become moot when physical connections can't be made.

I hadn't looked at the physical specs when I made my above posts, but that doesn't surprise me at all. Apple's not exactly known for conventional component design...

[erik]

yeah, it's unfortunate.   i was really hoping to make this one work.

[ThinkRob]

yeah, it's unfortunate.   i was really hoping to make this one work.

I'd actually be willing to try a swap down to a WXGA panel. The loss of resolution wouldn't be that big of a bother to me, and if I could get improved viewing angles and contrast ratio I'd be willing to give it a shot.

The problem is, I can't find a datasheet or even so much as a bloody pinout for the original TMD panel!

erik, you wouldn't happen to have one would you? I'm willing to make my X300 the guinea pig...

[erik]

the TMD LTD133EQ1B was made specifically for the X300 so there's no datasheet floating around in public.   if i can dig one up via other methods i'll post the pinout.

this image shows not only how thin the display is but the challenge involved in making other panels work due to the main board location.   even if the hydis HV133WX1-100 could be wired to work, it would be much too thick to fit in the LCD cover assembly.

[ThinkRob]

the TMD LTD133EQ1B was made specifically for the X300 so there's no datasheet floating around in public.   if i can dig one up via other methods i'll post the pinout.

Yeah, that's kinda what I figured. I checked all the usual sources, and while I found a couple suppliers offering the panels, none of them had a datasheet.

this image shows not only how thin the display is but the challenge involved in making other panels work due to the main board location.   even if the hydis HV133WX1-100 could be wired to work, it would be much too thick to fit in the LCD cover assembly.

That's pretty impressive. I'll bet *that* had something to do with the cost of the machine...

[fmilovanov]

If you find the type and model of the panel in the Fujitsu notebook that you're referring to, I'll be happy to check whether it's a drop-in replacement -- but don't hold your breath.

That Fuji uses BOE-Hydis HV133WX1 LCD panel; however, it has 1280x800 resolution to compare with ????x??? on X300 - try and let us know!

[ThinkRob]

That Fuji uses BOE-Hydis HV133WX1 LCD panel; however, it has 1280x800 resolution to compare with ????x??? on X300 - try and let us know!

Well... sadly it won't be a drop-in replacement. The connector position isn't identical, and I'm pretty sure the HV133WX1 is thicker.

[lead_org]

the X30x uses an ultrathin panel, there is not many alternative available, in a few years you will be hard pressed finding even an equivalent replacement panel.

[erik]

the X30x uses an ultrathin panel, there is not many alternative available...

like i said above, the X30x panel was made by TMD specifically for these systems.   there are no alternatives.