Upgrading 14.1" T60P lcd from SXGA to UXGA

[t60p]

Hi, I read somewhere else about a member "xyz' who did this successfully, he said, by simply buying a sharp 14.1 Inch Sharp LQ141U1LH02 UXGA and "disconnecting" connecting pin #2, which he said was a redundant ground that shorted out and fried the motherboard unless you disconnected it. Other than that, he says he just dropped it in, with no other changes and it worked. Is this possible, no new UXGA inverter, no new cables, no reprogramming of chip, if any on lcd panel. I have bought a brand new bare Sharp LQ141U1LH02 UXGA, so obviously it will not contain any Lenovo info on board - so, am I not going to have to reprogram the chip for Lenovo UXGA? Anyone have any experience with this, any advice would be kindly appreciated.

[yak]

I would be also interested in knowing the answer to this.

Are you sure he wasn't using a T61? Cause I'm not sure but I read somewhere that the EDID limitation is not there anymore. We certainly need more info on this EDID issue.

EDID: Adding link to the original thread:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 78&start=0

[RealBlackStuff]

xyz put that screen in a T60.

[t60p]

Yes It definitely was a T60P being upgraded to a 14.1" UXGA lcd. As far as I can tell, he has done it successfully, and even posted the instructions on a website, although the text is is Chinese. Someone else put the site through Google translator and it din't come out too bad, but judging be what I am seeing here, this is a lot more than just extracting a video pin and being ready to go. It looks far more complicated than that.

http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... n&ie=UTF-8

[xyz]

That link is to the mod to place the screen in a t43.

On the t60 you can reuse the same lcd cable.
All the lcd cables are the same on the t60.
For some reason the sharp screen works straight out of the box... no edid reprogramming is needed.

If you have the 2 screens in front of you, compare the pins 1 and 2 on the sharp screen you will find them connected.. on the lenovo they are not.... try it if you doubt me.
Just cut the pin2 and thats it drop it in.
I didn't upgrade the inverter if you want to dot your I's and cross your T's you can do.

I already detailed this in the previous thread theres not really much left to say ...

[yak]

Ok, then all we need is "just" a place to get them cheaply in a new/refurbished state.

[xyz]

Yup thats about it

[t60p]

That link is to the mod to place the screen in a t43.

On the t60 you can reuse the same lcd cable.
All the lcd cables are the same on the t60.
For some reason the sharp screen works straight out of the box... no edid reprogramming is needed.

If you have the 2 screens in front of you, compare the pins 1 and 2 on the sharp screen you will find them connected.. on the lenovo they are not.... try it if you doubt me.
Just cut the pin2 and thats it drop it in.
I didn't upgrade the inverter if you want to dot your I's and cross your T's you can do.

I already detailed this in the previous thread theres not really much left to say ...

Okay xyz, I have bought a brand new Sharp LQ141X1LH01 bare panel. So I just cut pin 2 and pop her in, right? Onlly things that wories me is it what if all Sharp LQ141X1LH01 are the not the same - this is a new panel, so it can't possbiy have any "legacy" Lenovo UQXA programming lurking on it, like a pull from an auction might, and I found the spec sheet for the Sharp LQ141X1LH01 (LQ141X1LH01_16_Jul_98.pdf). and it says both pins 1 and 2 are ground, but I have to admit, this manual is about 10 years old, so you may well be right, plus I could by miss reading it - I guess I will know by whether smoke comes out of my motherboard Regards, T60P Upgrader

[xyz]

All Sharp LQ141X1LH01 should be the same ..
can u dump edid ? we can compare edid's if u wish

It won't have any legacy lenovo programming, these were made for dell machies.. its just plain luck that the panel works without reprogramming..

Your motherboard should be fine as you have isloated pin 2 which is grounded.

[t60p]

Thanks xyz, your answer gives me much more confidence to try the mod - and just in time, my SXGA is starting to develop pixel drop outs - I tried the multi-colored applet routine, the massaging, the tapping and nothing works at all - I personally think these programs are scams, otherwise manufacturers would not replace lcd's with dropouts over their threshold, they would just send a rep on site to fix the dropouts on the spot.

I wouldn't know an edid from a ham sandwich, but I would like ask you one more question, which again will reveal my ignorance. How do I "cut" out pin #2: do I just use wire cutters and try to go down the middle or is their some special extraction tool? And just to be sure, we are talking about the male plug into the lcd, right? Thanks.

[xyz]

I will post a pic detailing this,
No we are not talking the male plug

[t60p]

Thanks xyz, you're the best It's always great to find a forum member who not only helps out other people, but also seems to enjoy dong it -- saving other forum members hundreds or thousands of dollars of trial and error repairs/upgrades-- thanks again and with any luck I will need my eyeglasses to read the UXGA

[xyz]

Right found an image online and edited it to show the pin we are talking about.

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6792/75593199.jpg

thats the pin i removed/ lifted what i did was, using a soldering iron i lifted it and removed it, just cutting the pin would suffice too, u jsut have to make sure it is not connected.
As it will take out the motherboard.

I hope this makes it clear

[csioucs]

Hey! Wonderful endeavour! Please do keep us posted and tell us how things are going! I intend to do everything to extend the life of my beloved 14.1 T60....And if this upgrade goes, all I have to do is to stick in a SSD at a later date, a new battery, max out the RAM, and we're all set, I could wait almost until the T440 arrives (or until the return to sensible 4:3).

So please do share thy findings and experience so that we may rejoice as well.

[t60p]

Hi xyz, thanks for the picture, and I hate to keep bothering you with all these questions, but exactly where is this component in the picture you posted. I had an IBM tech here today fixing something unrelated, and he took of the keyboard and the keyboard bezel, and I saw nothing like in the picture you posted. Is that white background behind the component the back of the bare lcd panel? You surely can't be talking about the video card itself,or else he tells me I would have to tear the machine down to the motherboard and still it would not flip upside down as you describe. I saw something that looked like what your picture shows inside the lcd at the very bottom after the lcd bezel was removed - it was green and could probably be flipped over. But the pins are so incredibly tiny, I don't understand how you could possibly remove just one with a soldering iron, without destroying the whole connector, which the tech agreed with. It would seem so much easier to cut the pin at the top of the lcd where the male cable plugs in and you have easy access to the pins, but how then would I know which was pin number 2?

So please answer me two more questions.Am I now looking at the right part - the green component underneath the very bottom part of the detached lcd bezel (if you knew the part number that would be great,so I could order a couple and practice doing it outside the computer and then install it. And how did you possibly remove just one such small pin with a soldering iron, without loosening, bending, distorting or destroying the rest of the connectors or melting the plastiic. Is there any chance a pin extractor for this type of component exists that doesn't use heat and I could use it to lift it out without melting everything else in sight - if you could tell me the part number, I could search for a pin extractor which would work, otherwise I can't imagine finding a soldering iron small enough and having small enough and steady enough hands to extract just this one pin without touching anything else. Any more advise would be greatly appreciated and I promise I will stop bothering you - it's just that I already ordered the sharp lcd panel and if I return it, they will probably charge me a 50% restocking fee! Thanks again. T60P

[Troels]

I'm not xyz obviously, but since it's been a week since he last visited (it seems) and it is getting late for today over here, i thought i'd reply.

The image he posted shows the backside of the LCD panel with the LCD driver board detached it seems. It is usually pretty well fixed with tape, and not all types of them can just be removed like that. You would have to remove the bezel, and remove thre screws from the sides of the lid before you can remove the LCD and get to the back side.

"I saw something that looked like what your picture shows inside the lcd at the very bottom after the lcd bezel was removed [..]"

Hmm, and that "something" is behind the light indicators (HDD-activity, wlan, bluetooth, battery etc.) when the lcd bezel is re-applied? If yes that is the combined inverter/light indicator. It upconverts a low voltage (approx 11V) to about 1300V to drive the LCD backlight. This inverter circuit is facing downwards into the lid. The outside is just green LEDs which work as activity indicators.
This piece of electronics is not what needs to be modified.

I don't think a pin extractor exists for this component, since it is pretty much a non-DIY component either way, so no-one really would have use for such a tool. It is made as a reliable, thin and small connector.
I believe you can order some of them from Digikey or Mouser to practice on - they're made by JAE and has the model no. FI-X30M, but they are not soldered to a PCB at all - they're bare connectors, so it might be hard to practice on them at all.

[xyz]

My apologies I assumed everyone knew we we talking about the inverter board on the backside of the lcd.

You have to remove the black tape if there is any and the small screws and flip the panel over to get to the part shown, you have to do this carefully, as not to break anything.


There are no tools are such, it depends how good you are with a soldering iron, otherwise if you are not that competent then I'm pretty sure this is not for you.
I just touched it the sodlerign iron and lifted the pin, it resulted in all of it comming out.

You could prob dislodge the pin even by using a v thin screwdirver and levering it but again its not something I recommend, as I don wish to be the cause of you killing your screen.

You cud detaching it on the cable, but again the points are quite thin.....
but i think you could get away by poking a hole through the cable and severing the connection... I will have to work out the orientation for you to tell you where to do this.....

[Nubulin]

How does thsi screen compare to the stock SXGA+ one? Is it brighter? Color/contrast?

[Nihan]

I just succeeded in modding a T60 14,1" XGA with a Sharp UXGA panel. I'm not that good at soldering, so ended up cutting the pin 2 mechanically, but otherwise everything went pretty smoothly. Whole thing took only a few hours, including dismantling a Dell Inspiron which acted as a panel donor. Thanks to xyz for instructions in this and the other thread

[3266fast]

Can anyone send me original EDID from T60's 14.1" SXGA+?

[takosushi]

So I'm about to do this mod and I have a Sharp LQ14U1LH02UXGA on order and I have the datasheet. Both pins 1 and 2 are meant for 3.3V power to the LCD.

I read the other thread and XYZ if you are reading this, please help me out here. You mentioned you still experienced problems with the motherboard shorting out after a while? Were you able to get this solved? The reason to have pins 1 and 2 dedicated for 3.3V each would be because each wire wouldn't be able to carry enough current. Now if we are using only pin #1 for 3.3V, I'm wondering if its ok. I'm thinking of possibly taking a wire from a 3.3V rail and connecting directly to pin #2 just to ensure the panel has enough current.

I was wondering if you knew what the pin #1 and #2 on the motherboard are? Are they indeed 3.3V for pin #1 and ground for pin #2.

oh and thanks for all the info thus far. This is truly great if it works. I can re-surrect some old T60s that aren't that useful for me.

[3266fast]

Is it possible IDTech IASX16S 14.1" SXGA+ from T41 has no EDID EEPROM onboard?
When I try to read EEPROM via cable by EEPROM programmer it returns communtcation error.
(This programmer and cable works fine for other LCDs)
I have manual for IASX16H only and it has EEPROM: "Both CLKEEDID line and DataEEDID line are pulled-up with 10K ohm resistor to VEEDID power source line at LCD
panel, respectively.".

[Nihan]

I have to say I was quite disappointed in the quality of the Sharp LQ14U1LH02. The typical problems of a TN panel seem to be very bad in this model, as it's nearly impossible to find a viewing angle with uniform brightness on the whole panel. I wonder if this is a problem with my panel only, or are all of them as bad.

[takosushi]

sorry to bring this thread back from the dead but wondering if folks have any solutions to a problem I encountered.

I've got the Sharp UXGA panel installed working but seems its a VERY DIM panel. I actually measured the brightness at max setting and it only outputs 40~45 nits (I have a light/nit meter). Most panels can hit 100~120 nits.

I'm using the stock Thinkpad inverter but I'm thinking it might not be putting out enough juice OR perhaps need to mod the KBC/H8 firmware. I"m going to ask our local resident panel expert at my work but wondering if there were any potential solutions.

One solution I was thinking of is to install a brighter CCFL or hack up a LED backlight onto the thing (yeah yeah a pain but I'm pretty sure I can do it).

anyone encounter this issue?

[andykrej]

I tried to install a new CCFL in mine, but i didn't help a bit. I bought this one:
http://www.lcdparts.net/ccflDetail.aspx ... OVOIBM141R

I think the problem is the way the panel is designed. The same CCFL and inverter in another panel is much brighter.

Maybe LED will work, but it's still very expensive I think(130$):
http://www.lcdparts.net/LED3D.aspx

[crashnburn]

How many people here were successful with this?

Can you please post a detailed outline for this? I'd really appreciate it.

Pitfalls etc? and if you are happy with the new screen.. and are the brightness issues there for everyone or resolved?

[xyz]

I have to agree compared to a sxga+ panel on a t61 the sharp panel is quite dim..