Thinkpads Forum

Im going to be making a number of mods to my T480 soon, and just want to check and make sure I havent missed any parts, and I was a but unclear on a few things.

For when it matters, my T480 is a non-IR touch unit. My mods are going to be a retro keyboard (from T25), a T490 low-power LCD, and adding in an IR camera to replace the thinkshutter (not going to bother with the thinkshutter+IR since encompass and ebay both dont have thinkshutter bezels right now).

1st Im going to be doing the retro keyboard mod. From my understanding, I need to order the following:
-T25 Keyboard (01HW487)
-T25 Palmrest (01HX686)
-T25 Trackpad (01LV506)
-T25 Power button, media key bezel (01HX690)
-T25 Power button cable (01HX688)
-T25 Power button PCB (01HX689)
-T470 hinges (01AX952)
-T470 fingerprint reader (01AX699)
-T25 M.2 caddy (01HX691)

Also, Ive found the 3 other trackpoint caps, if anyone needs their P/Ns (01HX699, 01AX695, 01AX696)

My questions about this mod are:
1) Is the T25 M.2 caddy required if my T480 already has an M.2 caddy. Are they different?
2) Ive read that the T470 hinges arent needed, however Ive been told that they are, so I have conflicting info. Do I or do I not need them?
3) Can I reuse T480's fingerprint reader, or is the T470 one used by T25's BOM different in any way other than P/N?
4) How do I remap the function keys (and others that are wrong) once Ive modded the keyboard? Is it an EC flash, or OS level thing?

My other mod is going to be a T490 LCD low-power 400 nit IPS FHD LCD+ magnesium back lid, as well as adding an IR camera to my T480 as it didnt come with one. I think I need the following:

-T490 LCD (01YN155)
-T480 magnesium lid (01AX955)
-T480 bezel, magnesium lid type, w/ ir cutouts (01YR491)
-IR camera array (01HW022)

My questions for this are:
5) Do I need a different camera cable?
6) As my T480 is a touch unit, will I have to do anything other than de-route a cable for the old digitized, or will I need a new display cable?
7) Does the T490 LCD really not have screw holes? If so, how have you guys mounted it? Is it otherwise the same form factor?

Thanks in advance!

I've been accumulating the parts to mod my T480 as well, so I'll be following your journey. I'm not sure why they say you need the T470 hinges, unless something changed on how it attaches to the top cover between T480 and T470? Most of what I've seen revolves around putting the T480 motherboard into the TP25, not so much fitting the TP25 keyboard and top cover onto a T480...

Keep an eye on this thread as well:
T480 Modification with Thinkpad T25 7-Row Keyboard

Thanks for the info.

Also, I was under the impression that encompass restocked when things were ordered (they did for my P53 WWAN antennas when I ordered them) however Ive also heard that they sometimes wont.

Can anyone confirm if Lenovo Encompass will restock items when someone orders them?

Also, my T480 just got here, and it seems the seller listed it wrong. Its got a WQHD panel and an IR camera, so my life just got a little easier. 30-pin cable is out of stock at encompass though...

I'm reading about ghosting problems on the low-power 400 nit FHD LCD, maybe wait with ordering one if that WQHD is pleasing you.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 22, 2020 3:25 am

I'm reading about ghosting problems on the low-power 400 nit FHD LCD, maybe wait with ordering one if that WQHD is pleasing you.

i have the best IGZO 14 inch panel from T490 / T495 / X1 carbon.

no issue with ghosting. its perfect, bright and amazing!