Thinkpads Forum

New User from Orlando here, definitely interested in one of those kits. This TN panel is so bad its almost endearing in a way.

I would like to buy a kit for T420s. Please add me to the list, I can only buy it after January 22nd

Count me for one kit.
For a T420 nonS; to be delivered in France.
Many thanks

Count me in for five kits =]
I'm from S.Korea and I know S.Korean forum members will like to have them as well...
Might as well purchase more to save on shipping!

BobA wrote:RMSMajestic:
Question .. Since these are being offered by you on eBay, should we go there to get them or wait for you to contact us here on the forum?
Bob

Better to do it here
Have plenty of supply this time

RMSMajestic wrote:Better to do it here
Have plenty of supply this time

Splendid... I've been using the one from the first batch; but I would like to order a replacement and a spare or two. Awaiting further details!

Am anxiously awaiting new supply, would like to get a kit for a T420s this time.
And, a spare for the T420 would be nice, too, although I am apparently one of the
few who have had no problems with the first batch for that machine.

theterminator93 wrote:
Splendid... I've been using the one from the first batch; but I would like to order a replacement and a spare or two. Awaiting further details!

non-s kits has been went through 5 revisions and yet still the problem persists. I'll explain in details tonight.

I thought that this topic has died and started thinking about making my own solution, but now I'm looking forward to T420 non S kit.

I think I posted my interest for a T420 non-s kit last year, but repeating it just in case you survey these posts. Also looking forward to getting the details of why it seems to be a challenge making these kits work, and hopefully get to hear if reliable kits will ever become available.

RMSMajestic wrote:

BobA wrote:RMSMajestic:
Question .. Since these are being offered by you on eBay, should we go there to get them or wait for you to contact us here on the forum?
Bob

Better to do it here
Have plenty of supply this time

Okay .. I was on the list awhile back for 2x of these for my T430s systems. Will you work your way down that list or do we need to add ourselves again?
I'm waiting with anticipation .. as many of us are. Thanks for all of your work on this .. and I'm sure it's work.
Sincerely -- Bob

I also need a couple of "-s" and "non-s" kits, do we need to post the details here in the thread or would you prefer PM's?

BobA wrote:Thanks for all of your work on this .. and I'm sure it's work

+1

Tasurinchi wrote:I also need a couple of "-s" and "non-s" kits, do we need to post the details here in the thread or would you prefer PM's?

BobA wrote:Thanks for all of your work on this .. and I'm sure it's work

+1

Please PM me when you want to order.
I don't want to receive a lot of spam emails so I chose to only tell my email address in PMs.
I thought you already have several s and non-s kits right

RMSMajestic wrote:I thought you already have several s and non-s kits right

Yes, but I also have several ThinkPads

Hi RMSMajesty,

I'm so happy to have stumbled across your thread. Please add me to the list for a t430s!

Thank you, this looks amazing!

Well, I already posted, but just in case, really want to get a T420 (non-s) kit.

Hi, i'd like to get a T430 (non-s) kit. Thanks !

How soon will the kit for a T420 will be available, I'll take one.

Why it's so hard to get T420/T430 non-s kits working
The reason for flickering (check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmXKuObDZ4c) is the interference from main power supply, CPU power control and the power supply for the PCB itself, since those components are very close to each other and the space in T420 is so compact, enhanced shield won't work either. Javi-Jie has tried 4 layers PCB and there has been 5 revisions made so far and problem still persists (But improved a lot).

The kit is being picky on the motherboard as well. Some motherboard works fine with the kit even on the first version and with quad core CPU (like the one I had), some works fine with dual core CPU and not the Quad, and some just hate the kit so much

Having jumping wire as in the picture below can help but not completely resolve the problem
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums/y32 ... whnq1m.jpg
But, I can assure you that the kit will eventually come out, since a lot of investment has already been thrown into the project. There's no way for us to quit now... :/

For those of you who got the flickering first batch, please try to lock your CPU at a certain clock speed and use a more powerful PSU if you want

Last photobucket link is bad, can you re-post?

bit_twiddler wrote:Last photobucket link is bad, can you re-post?

http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums/y32 ... whnq1m.jpg

Is the 1600x900 resolution in the T420 really that bad in case the kit never becomes available, will it be hard to live with the 1600x900 screen?

tom3k380 wrote:Is the 1600x900 resolution in the T420 really that bad in case the kit never becomes available, will it be hard to live with the 1600x900 screen?

resolution hardly matter.... :/
Just saying, 80%+ T420/T430 is okay with the latest revision, but certainly, you can't put anything that has 20% chance being faulty on the market.

The deadly sin is not enough power filtering and sometimes insufficient "parasite" power. Try insert a solid SMD inductor feeding two sizes of SMD ceramic capacitors, one large and one smaller at *each* power pins of the IC also I noticed there is no small low ESR electrolytic, say 22uF 6V on underside of the circuit board?

Reasoning behind two sizes of ceramic capacitors is to ground high frequency noise for small one, and medium frequency noise with larger one. I forgot to add about the solid SMD inductor is to block noise in both directions.

If can't get that fixed, might have to redesign the 4 layer board that feeds signals to IC from motherboard is equal length for each differential pairs using wiggles paths.

Art of Electronics book is extremely handy to have.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection.

Try to do shielding around the chip and also the cables going to it or coming out of it, and not just the chip.

Maybe using a simple solution like tin foil covered with insulator to avoid short circuiting.

tom3k380 wrote:Is the 1600x900 resolution in the T420 really that bad

The problem is not the resolution, but the general low image quality, very bad color reproduction, contrast and viewing angles. I did a picture comparing them > click here

RMSMajestic wrote:Just saying, 80%+ T420/T430 is okay with the latest revision, but certainly, you can't put anything that has 20% chance being faulty on the market.

Certainly seems like progress, esp. now that the cause of the problem is known for certain. Perhaps a remote module that doesn't attach to the system board, but rather one that fits in the LCD lid so that interference from the motherboard is much further away?

hhhd1 wrote:Try to do shielding around the chip and also the cables going to it or coming out of it, and not just the chip.

Maybe using a simple solution like tin foil covered with insulator to avoid short circuiting.

non-s kits would have already been on market if the solution is that simple

theterminator93 wrote:

RMSMajestic wrote:Just saying, 80%+ T420/T430 is okay with the latest revision, but certainly, you can't put anything that has 20% chance being faulty on the market.

Certainly seems like progress, esp. now that the cause of the problem is known for certain. Perhaps a remote module that doesn't attach to the system board, but rather one that fits in the LCD lid so that interference from the motherboard is much further away?

I asked Javi-Jie about that... and he said doing such could only make things worse.... :/

O...M...G...so happy that RMSMajestic is back babbyyyy!!!

Similar to other posters, I have pretty much upgraded my T430 (non-S)....bumped up the ram to 16GB, swapped out the noisy Toshiba fan with a nice and quiet Delta Electronics fan and did a T420 keyboard swap on my T430 and installed a nice Crucial MX200 500GB SSD...

The last piece is the screen swap and maybe a whitelist BIOS Wifi AC card as well (if I can figure out how to flash the darn chip)...

woot, so happy that you are back RMSMajestic....you are getting a PM now good sir!