Adding a FRU camera to Z61m

[jhawkins002]

Greetings all!

I have lurked here for a few months, and have found the information scattered around these forums literally indispensable. Now I have finally gotten to something I have not been able to find an answer for - so help me please!

I have just purchased a Z61m - and it was one of the models that comes without a camera attached to the screen, and I was wondering if in the future I should be able to just add the FRU part from IBM that has the camera attached to the screen-casing.

Are the cable hookups, hardware support, etc. to attach it to the motherboard universally available in the Z61 line?

I have done part-switching like this in older models, and it seems as though it should work - but I also know that before spending money on such a project, one should do their homework

[BillMorrow]

maybe, maybe not..

have you compared the part numbers and so forth in the hardware maintenance manual for your thinkpad model..?

it SHOULD have all the info you need..

if the camera and non-camera models share the same system board (assuming the camera cable is attached to the system board) then i would think the answer would be yes..

though you'll need to do a fair amount of work to install..
bezels and printed wiring cableing around the display, through the hinge and to the attachment point on the system board..

as an afterthought it would seem logical that in this age of highly customizable thinkpads the system board would support all the possible options..

so as to reduce inventory on this high cost part..

unless the camera connects to a daughter board of some type..
but cameras are probably seen as a USB device and thus easily connectable..

/end mind dump

[bontistic]

For the Z61m, there are 3 types of LCD cables as mentioned on the parts list.

LCD cable assembly, 15.4-in. stereo without microphone/camera 91P7006
LCD cable assembly, 15.4-in. stereo with microphone/camera
91P7007
LCD cable assembly, 15.4-in. WXGA 91P6957

As for the hardware support, I have tried doing this before with a Z61p but ended up unsuccessful. I am not discouraging you though, I might have gotten a bad cable or another bad part, but just so you know that one has failed.

And yes, you have to disassemble the LCD assembly to be able to do this (unless the cable that comes with your machine already has the slot for the camera).

Another thing to note is that the camera rides on the same bus as the bluetooth card. Probably the same reason why I didn't get bluetooth running as well.

[jhawkins002]

Another thing to note is that the camera rides on the same bus as the bluetooth card. Probably the same reason why I didn't get bluetooth running as well.

Say it aint so! The bluetooth was another item I was going to install on it - but since I have performed that operation before on an older R series, I just assumed it would be a similar operation and no great biggie...

I hate to hear this has been attempted before - to no avail...

[bontistic]

I thought so too, I've done bluetooth upgrades many times on the T R and even the X series but by far the Z was the most difficult. Probably because of the USB implementation?

Don't lose hope, I might just have been unlucky on that attempt. If I come across another chance, I would definitely try again.

[PointZero]

For those that have attempted this upgrade? How much did it end up costing you? The camera, the micrphone (do they come as one?) and the new LCD bezel - what monetary sum are we looking at here?

[zhenya]

In addition to the other parts listed here, if the z61m's camera is similar to that of the z61t, you'd need a new palm rest with the relief for the camera so that you can close the lid.

[underclocker]

Just reviving a 3.5 year old thread...

I'm on my second attempt to retrofit a Z61m/p with a webcam. This time I'm being more methodical and I've learned a little more.

In addition to the other parts listed here, if the z61m's camera is similar to that of the z61t, you'd need a new palm rest with the relief for the camera so that you can close the lid.

For clarification purposes, you definitely DO NOT need an alternate palmrest. The same palmrest is used on Z60m/Z61m/Z61p models. No cutout is needed or there since the machine is so massive to begin with. (Z61t palmrests do have camera cutouts.)

Over the years I picked up a Z61p (WUXGA, no webcam, ATI V5200 video) and a Z61m (WSXGA+, webcam, ATI X1400 video). I figured I'd try to build an ultimate Z61p with the webcam. My plan was to swap the LCD assemblies, then swap the panels.

The webcam worked perfectly on the Z61m and I even used the same hard drive between the Z61p and Z61m to ensure the drivers worked and I had an app that used the webcam (Skype). The only difference between the LCD assemblies is the LCD cable, webcam and plastic LCD bezel (both models had Bluetooth). The LCD connectors are physically the same.

I swapped the Z61m w/webcam assembly to the Z61p and it was a no go. The webcam is not seen in the device manager and it certainly doesn't work in any application. This was the same result I had years ago.

...unless the camera connects to a daughter board of some type...but cameras are probably seen as a USB device and thus easily connectable...

I think Bill was on to something here. While reassembling the machines I noticed that right in the middle of the motherboard is an unlabeled daughtercard of some sort (held in place by two screws). And no, it's not a WWAN adapter or modem. It's about half the size of a mini-PCI express adapter. I also noticed that the one on the Z61m had an extra surface mount chip soldered to it, marked SMSC. That chip was missing from the one on the Z61p. (Refer to eBay for pictures, many Z61m motherboards listed with pictures on eBay include a clear picture of the duaghterboard.)

I ran out of time for experimenting, but will attempt swapping this chip on the next try. Does anyone have any more info about Z61m/p motherboards or about this chip? Perhaps the webcam and chip work in tandem?

[underclocker]

Update FACT: The small daughterboard in the middle of the Z61m motherboard controls/enables Bluetooth and the webcam (perhaps other things too, like the SD card slot?) I removed the daughterboard from the Z61m with working BT and webcam and both stopped working and were not seen as installed devices.

I will try upgrading my Z61p with the LCD assembly and daughtercard to see if a webcam upgrade for a Z61p is possible. If successful, I'll go for the WUXGA swap.

*********************************************************************

FINAL VERDICT: Upgrading non-webcam Z61m/Z61p can not be done. I swapped displays (again) between the Z61m w/webcam and Z61p w/o webcam and I swapped the daughtercard. No go. Even the Bluetooth on the Z61p wouldn't work. There must be something hard-coded into the BIOS, some motherboard chip or some other support chip that is required for webcam support.

Bottom line, there may be some odd combination of parts that support an upgrade, but I've tried two, neither worked. It appears that you need a specific motherboard (a particular ATI X1400 model) and related parts (a special daughtercard) to use a webcam on the Z61m.