Hello all you happy shining people!
Over the weekend I went through the delicate proceedure of stripping down my Microtek C589P 15" monitor. The process went pretty good. I will need to extend one FFC though but that should be pretty easy. My one concern is that the monitor is now behaving slightly differently than when I first tested it out. When I first tested it I simply plugged the monitor cable to the back of my PC, and then hooked a spare 12v rail from the PC's Power Supply Unit. Flipped on the PC and then the monitor and yay! got a proper looking image although the backlight is completely out. With the help of a flashlight I was able to access the menu items of the screen like the contrast/brightness, size, position, etc.
But now, after I've had the puppy apart I hooked up everything the same but this time with the LCD screen out of the original housing and the backlight assembly completely disconnected. I do get an image on the LCD and things look good! This is exciting.
But looking closer at the quality of the image I noticed that the frame rate of the movie that I was using was very low. I couldn't get a smooth frame rate when there's motion on the screen. To describe what it looks like is like an old black and white silent movie where the people walk jaggedly. Like you're only getting half of the frames. Also when I go to use the menu buttons I get no menu, no ability to change settings. The power switch does work but the others do nothing and the value up key (+) actually shuts the unit off.
I grew suspectful of something drastically changing since I had the thing apart and then went to put everything back together again and see if the shutter frame look went away and to possibly get the menu screen back.
After carefully putting the screen back together I fired her up and the shutter frame rate problem seems to be fine.... this is a little difficult to see since the backlight is out. Have any of you had a problem with bad frame rates? I don't think that this is a problem with response time of the monitor as I assume that will result in a motion ghosting, right? Not the rough motion like I was describing?
Now I don't seem to have the chance to get the menu screen back.
did notice when taking the screen apart that there was some aluminum tape used to secure the edge of the LCD panel, backlight seembly, and backplate. Also I noticed that the main chipboard has a metal strip soldered securely to the backplate. THere's also a metallic fabric mesh with foam inside that goes between the backplate and light assembly. I noticed this same conductive mesh material on the back of the menu controll chip (see photo).
On the menu chip board I also noticed that there were solder bumps that are larger than others. You can see that the mesh is covered over them to what I think is to connect with the side of the metal backplate.
I think that the circuitry in this monitor needs to be fooled in order to get the normal results. Have you know of anyone having to use jumper wires to fool the circuitry of their monitor?
Perhaps the monitor goes into a "Safe Mode" when I had all the boards apart? I don't mind too much not having the ability to change the brightness/contrast within the monitor. I have a nVidia card that will let me make those changes from there. I just need to get smooth motion. Also sometimes the usable area on the screen is about 2 inches in from each side. I have had it completely fully before but I think that this is simply a video card setting (nVidia does properly recognize the Microtek C589P monitor when looking at Properties). That's not as important but for now I'm concerned about the circuitry.
Thanx all!
Chris B. In Iowa
Over the weekend I went through the delicate proceedure of stripping down my Microtek C589P 15" monitor. The process went pretty good. I will need to extend one FFC though but that should be pretty easy. My one concern is that the monitor is now behaving slightly differently than when I first tested it out. When I first tested it I simply plugged the monitor cable to the back of my PC, and then hooked a spare 12v rail from the PC's Power Supply Unit. Flipped on the PC and then the monitor and yay! got a proper looking image although the backlight is completely out. With the help of a flashlight I was able to access the menu items of the screen like the contrast/brightness, size, position, etc.
But now, after I've had the puppy apart I hooked up everything the same but this time with the LCD screen out of the original housing and the backlight assembly completely disconnected. I do get an image on the LCD and things look good! This is exciting.
But looking closer at the quality of the image I noticed that the frame rate of the movie that I was using was very low. I couldn't get a smooth frame rate when there's motion on the screen. To describe what it looks like is like an old black and white silent movie where the people walk jaggedly. Like you're only getting half of the frames. Also when I go to use the menu buttons I get no menu, no ability to change settings. The power switch does work but the others do nothing and the value up key (+) actually shuts the unit off.
I grew suspectful of something drastically changing since I had the thing apart and then went to put everything back together again and see if the shutter frame look went away and to possibly get the menu screen back.
After carefully putting the screen back together I fired her up and the shutter frame rate problem seems to be fine.... this is a little difficult to see since the backlight is out. Have any of you had a problem with bad frame rates? I don't think that this is a problem with response time of the monitor as I assume that will result in a motion ghosting, right? Not the rough motion like I was describing?
Now I don't seem to have the chance to get the menu screen back.
did notice when taking the screen apart that there was some aluminum tape used to secure the edge of the LCD panel, backlight seembly, and backplate. Also I noticed that the main chipboard has a metal strip soldered securely to the backplate. THere's also a metallic fabric mesh with foam inside that goes between the backplate and light assembly. I noticed this same conductive mesh material on the back of the menu controll chip (see photo).
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
On the menu chip board I also noticed that there were solder bumps that are larger than others. You can see that the mesh is covered over them to what I think is to connect with the side of the metal backplate.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I think that the circuitry in this monitor needs to be fooled in order to get the normal results. Have you know of anyone having to use jumper wires to fool the circuitry of their monitor?
Perhaps the monitor goes into a "Safe Mode" when I had all the boards apart? I don't mind too much not having the ability to change the brightness/contrast within the monitor. I have a nVidia card that will let me make those changes from there. I just need to get smooth motion. Also sometimes the usable area on the screen is about 2 inches in from each side. I have had it completely fully before but I think that this is simply a video card setting (nVidia does properly recognize the Microtek C589P monitor when looking at Properties). That's not as important but for now I'm concerned about the circuitry.
Thanx all!
Chris B. In Iowa
Does anyone at least know what purpose the conductive mesh is used for on the back of the control chipboard?..... after really looking at it, it almost seems wrong to use that stuff on the back of a chip board... doesn't it just short out the circuitry?
Chris
Chris
Oh I just thought of this..... while I had the screen out and and viewing through it I used a 30w spiral flourescent light. I know that those type of bulbs give off radiation (even felt it on my hand after holding the base after a few minutes). Could it be possible that the LCD screen exhibited this staggering motion problem due to the radiation coming from the bulb. I thought of this after thinking why control panel cable is heavily shielded in braided metal sleeve. That sleeve is also grounded to the backplate and not I'm thinking that I was having a static/radiation problem and not so much the grounding issue as first thought.
Any thoughts? Please?
Chris B. in Iowa
Any thoughts? Please?
Chris B. in Iowa
You seem to be on the right track. Use a flashlight and some alligator clips, see what happens. I was thinking EMI noise and some cable or connection not properly hooked up and you got them both in your own hunches...
Yes!!! Problem solved!!
Whew! Took the monitor apart again last night to do a pretty good bench test with my OHP lamp, 1 cheapo page manifier, 1 Edmunds OHP fresnel, and a 60mm (+-) triplet that's used in my artist's opaque projector.
I decided to try this test without the backlight assembly hooked up and to also remove the metal fabric material on the back of the control chip (following the theory that these are only for shielding purposes). O.k.... results.... The stuttering motion problem that I had before was gone with the OHP bulb. This seems to support the theory that the spiral fluorescent was causing interference. The fresnels did provide some ability to collate and capture the light to the triplet but I know that all their focal points are way mis-matched so I was only able to view about a 4" circle section of the LCD screen. But low and behold the motion was smooth and the image was an exciting first preview of things to come. I was actually surprised that the 410 watt OHP bulb put out so much light. I do have in on a dimmer control since it's only rated for about 86 volts. This light will be well ample untill I get enough green for a proper metal halide. During focusing I even got the image sharp enough to see the screendoor effect but I've read that some folk like to slightly set things off focus to blend over that problem. Woohoo! Now all I've got to do is same up some more bread for a proper lens set and the hardware that I'll be putting into my box.
Thanx to those that helped! This is an exciting and rewarding project. One has to remember to tread carefully!
Chris B. in Iowa
Whew! Took the monitor apart again last night to do a pretty good bench test with my OHP lamp, 1 cheapo page manifier, 1 Edmunds OHP fresnel, and a 60mm (+-) triplet that's used in my artist's opaque projector.
I decided to try this test without the backlight assembly hooked up and to also remove the metal fabric material on the back of the control chip (following the theory that these are only for shielding purposes). O.k.... results.... The stuttering motion problem that I had before was gone with the OHP bulb. This seems to support the theory that the spiral fluorescent was causing interference. The fresnels did provide some ability to collate and capture the light to the triplet but I know that all their focal points are way mis-matched so I was only able to view about a 4" circle section of the LCD screen. But low and behold the motion was smooth and the image was an exciting first preview of things to come. I was actually surprised that the 410 watt OHP bulb put out so much light. I do have in on a dimmer control since it's only rated for about 86 volts. This light will be well ample untill I get enough green for a proper metal halide. During focusing I even got the image sharp enough to see the screendoor effect but I've read that some folk like to slightly set things off focus to blend over that problem. Woohoo! Now all I've got to do is same up some more bread for a proper lens set and the hardware that I'll be putting into my box.
Thanx to those that helped! This is an exciting and rewarding project. One has to remember to tread carefully!
Chris B. in Iowa
Man I tell you I get so paranoid about the thing everytime I pick it up! Like it's a bomb of nitroglycerin with a mercury switch that needs to be kept level. I only paid $41 for it through eBay but I still would feel bummed if I were to ruin it.
Cheers!
yes... and Jesus love you too.
Cheers!
yes... and Jesus love you too.
Hey my screen was free, lo-res and I didn't have any plans for it and I still felt like I killed a puppy or something. Oh well.
You guys seem to be keen on the circuitry thing. I had/have an Iiyama prolite E385, which I finally got all set up with an FFC daisy chain to allow the vertical circuit board to lay flat, it was all set up and pretty, but it seems to not want to start up at all now 🙁. The LED on the control board indicates that it's powering up to standby, and even turning on, but the LCD doesn't put out anything, and all of the ultra fine glass connectors on the left and bottom side are still perfectly intact. I'm thinking that some over exposure of the main circuit board (where the power and video signal plug in) to some heat from and OHP might've killed it. Does this seem like a likely possibility? I'm getting that the temperature didn't get above...90F, possibly 100F, do these sound like temperatures that would do some circuitry killing? Otherwise, what ranges would? If you have any suggestions as to why it might not be starting up, please help, otherwise I dropped about $150 on a now useless LCD 
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