How to identify a Flexview/IPS display panel

[sktn77a]

I just had the LCD panel on my T42 replaced under warranty (the pink death!) and the new screen looks fine. It's a 15" SXGA+ screen and the original was definitely a Flexview screen (from the parts lookup web page). I'm pretty sure the new panel is a flexview but is there any way to confirm? No, unfortunately I don't have the paperwork that came back with the repair.

[Harryc]

The easiest way to tell is from the viewing angles. If you can look from either side and down from atop the LCD and the picture quality is still relatively clear, it's a Flexview LCD.

For example - T42P Flexview LCD on left, regular TN LCD on the right in this photo -

http://photos-c.ll.facebook.com/photos- ... 38_821.jpg

Regular TN panels look washed out when viewed from anything but straight on.

[sktn77a]

Thanks Harry. This is a 15" SXGA+ which, I believe, were all Flexviews on the T42. Is this correct? I was also under the impresion that all the warranty replacement screens were Flexview. I can't really tell with the angle test - the viewing angles are OK and better than my 14" but that's about all I can tell.

[Harryc]

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... &view=next

http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/ltwbook.pdf

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=64829

[dr_st]

There's nothing simpler than telling an IPS screen from a TN one, especially on a laptop. Just look at it from extreme vertical angles. TN screens wash out completely when viewed from above and darken and invert when looked from below. On an IPS screen nothing of the sort happens.

[Harryc]

I just thought of another way...device manager, monitors. It will say flexview there.

[sktn77a]

Well, both give the same answer! Device Manager says "Wide Viewing Angle and High Density Flexview Display" and when I look at almost 90 degrees off center, I still see that full image. So that's good to know. Like I said, the screen looks fine and I guess they still have some Flexview display panels left for warranty replacements.

[ssd_thinkpad]

In fact you can order almost all thinkpad parts including panels directly from lenovo - even for years old models. That's part of their great service.

[dozer]

I just thought of another way...device manager, monitors. It will say flexview there.

hmm......device manager on my t60p does not give that info.

It lists 3 items under Monitors......two "Default Monitor" items and on "Plug and Play Monitor".

Properties for all three says only "Standard Monitor Types" in the Manufacturer line....and "on ATI Mobility FireGL V5200" on the location lines.

I'm on win2k......perhaps that makes a difference.....although I didn't think 2k and xp differed that much in the device-mgr area...

EDIT: perhaps an EDID-tool would do the trick. Isn't mfg name and model# stored in every LCD's EDID table?

hmm....of course, many older TP's didn't have an edid eeprom on the lcd, did they?