Post by thread:[EE]: Swapping Out a SKYFi LCD Display

I recently purchased the Delphi SKYFi satellite XM radio, but I don't much like the orange LCD display that it uses. Taking it apart, I can't quite seem to figure out the manufacturer of the current display. I'm not sure of the resolution, although the viewable area is roughly 70mm x 35mm. I'd like to see if the manufacturer makes the same display in a different color. The following numbers are printed on the rear of the LCD: N241 DBB PC294HWL02 244A And along an edge, the following is printed: 1X083040 0F X2A083M1P1 It's connected to the circuit board via a 30 contact flat flex ribbon. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can determine the manufacturer of this display? A link to the SKYFi product page: www.xmradio.com/catalog/product_detail.jsp?id=28449&cat=Tuner&attr=Ho me Thanks for any ideas! Bill. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList spam_OUTpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu>

Have you googled this? -----Original Message----- From: Bill Brooks [.....BillBKILLspam@spam@REDV.NET] Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 11:02 AM To: PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: [EE]: Swapping Out a SKYFi LCD Display I recently purchased the Delphi SKYFi satellite XM radio, but I don't much like the orange LCD display that it uses. Taking it apart, I can't quite seem to figure out the manufacturer of the current display. I'm not sure of the resolution, although the viewable area is roughly 70mm x 35mm. I'd like to see if the manufacturer makes the same display in a different color. The following numbers are printed on the rear of the LCD: N241 DBB PC294HWL02 244A And along an edge, the following is printed: 1X083040 0F X2A083M1P1 It's connected to the circuit board via a 30 contact flat flex ribbon. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can determine the manufacturer of this display? A link to the SKYFi product page: www.xmradio.com/catalog/product_detail.jsp?id=28449&cat=Tuner&attr=Ho me Thanks for any ideas! Bill. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList .....piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspam.....mitvma.mit.edu -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList EraseMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestspam_OUTTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu>

Yes, I've googled every string below, and every partial string I could think of, along with "LCD", "Graphic LCD", etc. After coming up empty, I've spent the last two days browsing various LCD manufacturers, hoping I'd stumble across a display with the same characteristics. So far, no luck. That's why I thought I'd finally ask the experts! Bill. {Original Message removed}

At 11:13 AM 1/21/03 -0800, you wrote: >Yes, I've googled every string below, and every partial string I could think >of, along with "LCD", "Graphic LCD", etc. After coming up empty, I've spent >the last two days browsing various LCD manufacturers, hoping I'd stumble >across a display with the same characteristics. So far, no luck. The majority of small LCD displays are custom or semi-custom. Your chances of finding it are probably not very good. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speffspam_OUTinterlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList @spam@piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu>

Judging by the picture it appears to be a graphics or mixed- mode screen rather than a "normal" alpha-numeric. Is it possible to make out and count the pixels then search again ? Can you identify the controller and driver ICs on the display or are they blobs ? I'd agree with Spehro - it's possible the display is simply a renamed commercial product but just as likely to be a custom screen for that radio -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList KILLspampiclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu>

> Is it possible to make out and count the pixels then > search again ? I was trying to avoid that. :) I may give that a shot tonight by taking a digital picture of the display, and attempting to count them on a blown-up image. That's the easiest method I could come up with. > Can you identify the controller and driver ICs on the > display or are they blobs ? Unfortunately not easily. I also thought that might help, but the ICs, while not blobbed over, are covered by another board in a large metal enclosure that is soldered to the main board at a right angle (roughly 20 connections). I tried bending it up a little, but the connectors are fairly thick and non-pliable, and I didn't want to snap 'em. I may finally unsolder the connections if nothing else turns up. IIRC though, they're surface-mount connections. Tedious work with my cheapo soldering iron. :) -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu>

Assuming it is LED backlit can you get at and change the LEDs? Bob Ammerman RAm Systems ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Brooks" <spamBeGoneBillBspamBeGoneREDV.NET> To: <TakeThisOuTPICLISTEraseMEspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 3:37 PM Subject: Re: [EE]: Swapping Out a SKYFi LCD Display {Quote hidden}> > Is it possible to make out and count the pixels then > > search again ? > > I was trying to avoid that. :) I may give that a shot > tonight by taking a digital picture of the display, and > attempting to count them on a blown-up image. That's the > easiest method I could come up with. > > > > Can you identify the controller and driver ICs on the > > display or are they blobs ? > > Unfortunately not easily. I also thought that might help, > but the ICs, while not blobbed over, are covered by another > board in a large metal enclosure that is soldered to the > main board at a right angle (roughly 20 connections). I > tried bending it up a little, but the connectors are fairly > thick and non-pliable, and I didn't want to snap 'em. I > may finally unsolder the connections if nothing else > turns up. IIRC though, they're surface-mount connections. > Tedious work with my cheapo soldering iron. :) > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList > RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList piclist-unsubscribe-requestEraseME.....mitvma.mit.edu>

At 05:29 PM 1/21/03 -0500, you wrote: >Assuming it is LED backlit can you get at and change the LEDs? Around here, this service is offered by cell-phone shops (usually run by ethnic Chinese). They have blue SMT LEDs and similar exotica in stock. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" EraseMEspeffinterlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestEraseMEEraseMEmitvma.mit.edu>

>>Assuming it is LED backlit can you get at and change the LEDs? > >Around here, this service is offered by cell-phone shops (usually >run by ethnic Chinese). They have blue SMT LEDs and similar exotica >in stock. Even if I could separate the two, I'm not sure that would do the trick. Blue is what I'm hoping for, and although the LED is a yellow/orange color, the LCD itself seems to have a brownish- orange hue. I put a picture of the SKYFi unit (minus the cover) up on the web at the following URL. I've determined that the display is 128 x 64 pixels, and I'm hoping that with that information and a more accurate dimension measurement tonight, I might be able to come up with a comparable display. http://www.wdbdesign.com/skyfi/100_0290.jpg Bill. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestspam_OUTKILLspammitvma.mit.edu>

Spehro Pefhany wrote: > The majority of small LCD displays are custom or semi-custom. Your chances > of finding it are probably not very good. But your chances of replacing the ugly orange backlight leds with a nicer colour are probably quite good. :o) -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTspammitvma.mit.edu>

Hi Bill- I would try yhese guys: http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/index-grph.html -- good selection at reasonable prices. Good luck. David Bill Brooks wrote: {Quote hidden}>>>Assuming it is LED backlit can you get at and change the LEDs? >>> >>> >>Around here, this service is offered by cell-phone shops (usually >>run by ethnic Chinese). They have blue SMT LEDs and similar exotica >>in stock. >> >> > >Even if I could separate the two, I'm not sure that would do >the trick. Blue is what I'm hoping for, and although the LED is >a yellow/orange color, the LCD itself seems to have a brownish- >orange hue. > >I put a picture of the SKYFi unit (minus the cover) up on the web >at the following URL. I've determined that the display is >128 x 64 pixels, and I'm hoping that with that information and a >more accurate dimension measurement tonight, I might be able to >come up with a comparable display. > >http://www.wdbdesign.com/skyfi/100_0290.jpg > >Bill. > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList >EraseMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestspamspamBeGonemitvma.mit.edu > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads