t60p 15" uxga screen replacement 2007-c8u PIC ADDED

[philipsumner]

Hi everyone. I am now the proud owner of a t60p, my first thinkpad. Unfortunately the screen seems to have minor damage. Couple questions for the experts out there on how best to replace it.

model 2007-c8u

Does it have a Boe-hydis screen?

Will it work with Boe-hydis? (if I can track one down)

I assume there are different brands of the 15" uxga flexview, how big is the difference between boe-hydis and others?

Will I be able to replace it myself? I'm pretty handy but have not replaced a laptop screen before.

I am studying industrial design and will be glued to this computer for the next couple years so i'd like to figure out the best solution possible.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Added

Its actually worse than this, picture is a bit dim.

It's an HV150UX1-100

Any thoughts on the cause of this. It's funny I haven't read much about flexviews with lightleaks. Is this acceptable?

Also I am using the computer in europe. Is it possible for voltage to affect a screen? adapter says 100-240v.


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm67 ... ure003.jpg


mod edit: embedded image linked due to file size.

[Peak2Peak]

Welcome to the forum

For little more insight on the T60/T60p LCD Panels take a look at the Sticky: LCDs on T60/T60p - types, availability and other discussions - It's a good place to start

[Troels]

Hi and welcome,

What kind of minor damage does it have? If it's just a scratch a polarizer repair would probably be cheaper than replacing the whole lcd.

Depending on when it was manufactured it will either have a Boe-Hydis UXGA or Idtech LCD. If it's from before 2007, i'd say it's Boe Hydis for sure, but check with http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php to determine the model number. If it is HV150UX1-100 it is Boe-Hydis, if N150U3-L01 it is from IDtech.

It will work with either a Boe-Hydis HV150UX1-100 or HV150UX1-102. It will not work with HV150UX1-101, as these do not have an onboard EEPROM to store the EDID, which is required upon bootup.
If you choose the IDtech route, a panel from a T42p, R50p or T43p will work fine as they are all N150U3-L01. But then you will NEED to reprogram the EEPROM so that it will be compatible with T6x series.

I don't think replacing the LCD is hard, don't force things into place, no rush and take it easy. The hardest part in my opinion is removing the screen bezel and refitting the WLAN, WWAN and BT correct again, but it's really manageable. Always wear the panel at the left and right side, don't touch the back too much.

I have owned and still have all three panels - a HV150UX1-100, HV150UX1-102 and N150U3-L01. I'll post some pics in another thread, but here are my short finding until now:

- Light uniformity: Both Boe-Hydis models wins over the Idtech. The latter has a bit of light emerging from the left side, and has a darker right side/corner.
- Black quality: Idtech. The BOE-Hydis simply do not get the black just as right, but always has the slightest amount of blue to it.
- Viewing angles: Pressed to say IDtech. BOE Hydis viewing angles measurement has got to be a joke. They are pretty much just off when viewed diagonally from the upper right and down. Idtech gets purple when viewed from the right, but is good in any other viewing position.
- Color calibration: IDtech. The BOE-Hydis is the worst ever calibrated screen i have ever met - it is too red at default setting. IDtech needs no calibration.
- Color gamut: BOE Hydis. Even the HV150UX1-100 has better reds.
- Backlight uniformity at dimmed levels: BOE Hydis. Regardless of lightness setting, the backlight does not get dimmer at the ends, which is an issue with the idtech.
- Response time: BOE-Hydis looks a good deal better here. Ghosting is still visible however.
- Pixel crosstalk: BOE-Hydis wins - no echoes whatsoever. This is an issue with the Idtech.

Pick any panel you want, i do not think Boe-Hydis deserves the extra attention they've got as being superior to IDtech. In some areas very much, but in other areas not.
Any of these panels are miles and light years ahead of a normal TN screen though

[richk]

Hi: I have been trying to find a related answer but have not been successful. I'm sorry if this was asked and answered before. I have a T60 with a bad 15" SXGA+ panel. I also have a T42/43 UXGA panel (IDTECH N150U3-L01) It seems that what I need to do is to update an eprom on the panel so that it can be read by the T60 at start-up. My questions are, what kind of chip? Where are the connection points? Is there an available image of what must be written? It looks like my cable and inverter won't have to change.

[DenTP4rm]

Hi Philip,
Welcome indeed to the Forum. I think Troels' advice is right on. I've got both IDTech and Boe-Hydis Flexviews. I'm a little more partial to the Boe-Hydis but the difference isn't anything really outstanding. As Troels pointed out, there are pros and cons for each model.

If you decide to go the Boe-Hydis route I ordered a Flexview screen from eBay seller Browngranite with which I was satisfied. I've seen positive reports on them from a couple of other Forum users.

The link I provided you is to a page with their current UXGA (Flexview) screens.
Good luck,
DenTP4rm

[san]

Boe Hydis desperately needs the IBM provided ICC color profile for flexview. Red hue gone.

I have not seen an IDtech yet , but I have used the LG/Phillips flexview and the color accuracy was pretty much spot on out of the box, no need for profiling.

Troels mentions a blue cast to deep blacks on Boe Hydis, which really is more of a purple cast and IMO it is visible only when viewed from an angle or when intentionally looking for it, e.g. with a screen saver that blanks the screen to all black.

[philipsumner]

Thanks for the replies and info, especially troels.

just to follow up, ran pcwizard and the screen is HV150X1-100.

the issues with the screen are light leaks from the right middle edge and left upper corner. There are also about five finger tip sized blueish dots or smudges near the center (they can not be cleaned).

All are basically unnoticable except when the screen is black or a deep color. Unfortunately my cad screen is black and I prefer it that way. I watch movies from time to time as well and the light leaks show.

I suspect the computer was dropped by the previous owner, there is a small mark on the upper right hand corner of the screen casing.

Based on the info from troels I feel I would be satisfied with either screen.

DenTP4rm, thanks, I will check out that seller.

After a few adjustments of the graphics settings, I can honestly say, aside from the leaks and spots I am thoroughly impressed with the screen.

I will post progress. Any other info on where to find screens would be appreciated.

Troels, I'd love to see the pictures when you get a chance. thanks again!

[Troels]

Hi: I have been trying to find a related answer but have not been successful. I'm sorry if this was asked and answered before. I have a T60 with a bad 15" SXGA+ panel. I also have a T42/43 UXGA panel (IDTECH N150U3-L01) It seems that what I need to do is to update an eprom on the panel so that it can be read by the T60 at start-up. My questions are, what kind of chip? Where are the connection points? Is there an available image of what must be written? It looks like my cable and inverter won't have to change.

More info is available at the last few pages of the sticky Peak2Peak mentioned. The chip/EEPROM is of the type 24C02 which is a 2 Kb TWI bus or I2C eeprom.
There are a VIN, SDA and SCL pads on the backside of the LCD, but is isolated unter clear tape.
Instead, you can connect to the EEPROM with the LCD cable. See http://www.idtech.co.jp/en/products/pdf ... U3-L06.pdf for the pinout. You'd need an I2C programmer such as PonyProg2k ( http://www.lancos.com/ppwin95.html ) which works with this interface: http://www.lancos.com/e2p/easyI2Cbus.gif .

San,
The flexview color profile is unfortunately loaded
But it's actually weird - this forum looks a bit greenish-grey, but the sidebars in explorer windows with the xp silver theme has a red hue to it. The tpflex profile was not modified since 2005 it seems, so maybe it isn't as optimized for Boe Hydis LCDs. I'll try to ask Lenovo if it's "universal".

[richk]

Thanks for the link to the spec. The eeprom programmer is not the problem. I have all that stuff. Now, I just need an image to put onto the chip.

[Troels]

EEEK - regarding the picture you added

No this is faaar from being acceptable. You'd never get to remove those blue spots at all, it's permanent damage. What's the cause i don't know. I'd expect that the laptop lid was closed down on something a bit springy, but still able to push the LCD into permanent damage.
It also could have been something hitting it, during it's flight through the air.

The light leakages are very bad, and highly unacceptable. On the sides of the lcds rails are mounted so that screws can be screwed into the rails from the sides. Perhaps something has pushed the screen inwards, and left only the tough points unaffected - i.e. the points where the rails are screwed onto the LCD metal side.

If this wasn't advertised when you bought it, i'd complain if it was me.

I'm afraid the only remedy is a new LCD. Keep the old one to salvage for electronics components if you need some, and the CCFL tube.
Someone with a clean room can maybe fix the issues with the backlight somewhat, but you can bet a new LCD will be cheaper. The pressure marks/blue spots are beyond repair.