520c display question

[imactheknife]

So, another 520 / 540 boondoggle.. i got this 520c and was packed piss poor.. anyways, is the display in these needing recap? Does this look like polarizer going?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Can you get some other angles? Passive matrix color screens can vary wildly in quality.

 

[imactheknife]

Can you get some other angles? Passive matrix color screens can vary wildly in quality.

Will post some shortly.. yeah i know.. hard to say just crappy and old, or bad display quality

 

[imactheknife]

Some pics

 

[imactheknife]

Can almost see an oval around the screen. Is old caps an issue on these?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

An oval around the screen sounds like vinegar syndrome to me, though it isn’t very apparent in the photos. Can you post a head on, well lit picture of the display while off?
The 520c LCD uses through hole electrolytic caps. They don’t leak as often as SMDs do (but they still can), but they’re likely out of spec now and could do with replacement. This would somewhat help with ghosting and artifcating. Any contrast unevenness is likely polarizer degredation.

 

[imactheknife]

An oval around the screen sounds like vinegar syndrome to me, though it isn’t very apparent in the photos. Can you post a head on, well lit picture of the display while off?
The 520c LCD uses through hole electrolytic caps. They don’t leak as often as SMDs do (but they still can), but they’re likely out of spec now and could do with replacement. This would somewhat help with ghosting and artifcating. Any contrast unevenness is likely polarizer degredation.

Well, at this point its going back to its old owner. It was packaged so poorly that hinge plastics were destroyed, and other areas wrecked. If the display sucks, well I guess it was meant to be. This is the second bad powerbook experience this week. I have a 190cs and a 3400c coming.. i hope like hell they fair better

 

[imactheknife]

This is a straight on shot.. looks yellow around the edges

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I meant while the display was off, if the polarizer on the rear of the display is the bad one than it won't show anything, but I was just wondering if there was anything I could tell. It looks fairly normal to me from the powered on photos.

 

[imactheknife]

I meant while the display was off, if the polarizer on the rear of the display is the bad one than it won't show anything, but I was just wondering if there was anything I could tell. It looks fairly normal to me from the powered on photos.

Yeah, sorry! It looks fantastic when off. It just seems to have a yellow oval look to it, also depends on contrast and brightness etc. i would imagine it is the rear one. Cant see caps doing that. The caps look in fantastic shape leak wise, but maybe not good enough anymore?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Starting around the mid 90s the caps just tend to dry out instead of leaking. They're likely quite out of spec now. Not to say they can't leak of course, but with these things looks are not the be all end all.

 

[imactheknife]

Starting around the mid 90s the caps just tend to dry out instead of leaking. They're likely quite out of spec now. Not to say they can't leak of course, but with these things looks are not the be all end all.

True! Well, will see what happens with the return on that one.. i actually dont mind this little 520 unit now that i recapped its lcd.. works great

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

There’s nothing wrong at all with passive matrix screens. I’ve got nice active ones but I still use the passive PowerBooks just as often. Actually just finished a round of Tetris on my 145!

 

[imactheknife]

There’s nothing wrong at all with passive matrix screens. I’ve got nice active ones but I still use the passive PowerBooks just as often. Actually just finished a round of Tetris on my 145!

Cool yeah i play that or crystal quest.. i recapped a 520 power supply and it works for a bit than shuts off. It was completely dead before recap. I Wonder if its salvageable? It was not fun to recap, plus fun breaking plastic to get it

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Hmm. I’ve got two blackbird supplies. One died 20 minutes out of the eBay box and stunk of fish. Have to recap it. Other one doesn’t smell but has recently started doing what you described. I was assuming weak caps, not sure now though. I’ve already cracked the first one open and will be recapping it soon.

 

[imactheknife]

Cool yeah i play that or crystal quest.. i recapped a 520 power supply and it works for a bit than shuts off. It was completely dead before recap. I Wonder if its salvageable? It was not fun to recap, plus fun breaking plastic to get it

Hmm. I’ve got two blackbird supplies. One died 20 minutes out of the eBay box and stunk of fish. Have to recap it. Other one doesn’t smell but has recently started doing what you described. I was assuming weak caps, not sure now though. I’ve already cracked the first one open and will be recapping it soon.

well, I bought the PSU online and could not get it to work with any model of 500 series. So got a refund and got to keep it. Was sold as working. After multiple attempts and everything I could I decided to try and recap. I had a iigs power supply I recapped but never worked at all. So luck had it that 4 caps were the same. Think 6 caps in total. so pulled off and transplanted on the 500 series psu. It did have leakage for sure. Just hoping I can actually make this useable. The other psu came with a laptop but I think it will also need a recap too.