Creek Audio T50: LCD issue displays gibberish when brightness level is Off

[gghodg]

Hi folks,
Is this an issue with the LCD itself or the circuit? I am thinking of replacing electrolytic capacitors anyway as a preventative maintenance.

Another issue I’m seeing is brightness level will not adjust (stuck on High) in the AM band.

I’ve attached schematics to the T40, similar model. The LCD model on the T40 appears to be NEC FIP7A8S, so far no luck with finding this model on google.

Thanks.

Photos of LCD brightness set to Off and Low, and T50 boards.

 

[gghodg]

FIP or Fluorescent Indicator Panel is fluorescent bulb and probably going out after 20 years…

 

[Mark Tillotson]

Fluorescent bulbs use gas discharge to generate UV light and phosphor coating inside the glass to convert UV->visible, a fluorescent display uses phosphor coating on an anode in a vacuum that directly converts electron energy to light without the UV step. Very different technologies, and different failure modes.

 

[gghodg]

Thanks Mark. Do the photos above show a FIP failure mode? Can this issue be repaired, or the FIP replaced? It’s 10 digit and I haven’t had luck finding one that includes the radio labels (MW, FM,AM) and such, with matching pinouts.