• Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.

TAM Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh LCD replacement

glay78

Well-known member
Found one for sale with a rotten LCD. Powers up and just needed a replacement LCD. I doubt I can get a replacement easily, are there any compatible replacement available out there?

 

Byrd

Well-known member
Yes - you're in luck, as it's the same LCD found in PowerBook 3400 and Kanga G3 models.  If the LCD displays lines or other unusual corruption, it could be the analog to digital adapter that runs between the LCD --> adapter --> TAM motherboard.  My TAM came with a faulty adapter, and it was near impossible to find a replacement, I couldn't repair it.

 

glay78

Well-known member
This TAM has a rotten screen. Hence unable to display. But I’ve not open up yet to see so I can’t be sure what else is faulty. Is there a monitor out for TAM?

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Define "rotten" please? As Byrd said, there's an LCD interface hooked up to what would be the Audio/Monitor Subassembly on a 6500/5500. So no video out connection is available and a possibly very serious problem. Is the screen itself somehow so jacked up it's clear that it's the only problem?

 

glay78

Well-known member
I'm getting the unit to test, will post a pic if possible. It has a big round patch right smack at the screen. Leaving only about 2cm from the edges. No display when powered up. Not sure about lights.  I'm asking now

 

Byrd

Well-known member
"Rotten" = sounds like the LCD is cracked, hopefully an easy fix.  Taking apart the TAM isn't that bad, it's the curved perforated plastic at the top that's the hardest to remove as you have to flex it off, but take your time on this and others and it's doable.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Yeah, starting to sound like that. "Rotten" is one of those vague/equivocal adjectives that make for difficult troubleshooting. Anybody have a link handy to mcd's take apart?

 

Franklinstein

Well-known member
I'll take "rotten" to mean bubbled/warped/scuffed/bashed as seems to be the trend among LCD panels from the '90s lately. 

If you don't have ready access to a parts PowerBook, try removing the LCD panel and reading the model number from the back of it. Putting this info into an online reseller of some sort will often yield a replacement display for a reasonable sum. I have found replacement panels for my 5300ce and 550c this way.

 

glay78

Well-known member
I'll take "rotten" to mean bubbled/warped/scuffed/bashed as seems to be the trend among LCD panels from the '90s lately. 

If you don't have ready access to a parts PowerBook, try removing the LCD panel and reading the model number from the back of it. Putting this info into an online reseller of some sort will often yield a replacement display for a reasonable sum. I have found replacement panels for my 5300ce and 550c this way.
Cool info, I'll try to post a photo of the screen later.

 

glay78

Well-known member
Yes - you're in luck, as it's the same LCD found in PowerBook 3400 and Kanga G3 models.  If the LCD displays lines or other unusual corruption, it could be the analog to digital adapter that runs between the LCD --> adapter --> TAM motherboard.  My TAM came with a faulty adapter, and it was near impossible to find a replacement, I couldn't repair it.
Thank you so much. I ordered a 3400c LCD and swapped out the TAM. It’s working now but the HDD is dead. Time to go flash memory and reinstall the OS. 

By the way after installing OS 8 or 9 does all the TV and radio works? Or I have to get the recovery disk?

 

Byrd

Well-known member
Wonderful! I’ve a spare junker 3400c with good LCD should my TAM LCD decide to die one day.

Yes, installing vanilla OS 8.x or 9 installs the requisite TV/radio functions as needed for the TAM

 

glay78

Well-known member
Wonderful! I’ve a spare junker 3400c with good LCD should my TAM LCD decide to die one day.

Yes, installing vanilla OS 8.x or 9 installs the requisite TV/radio functions as needed for the TAM
Cool and thank you. Yes keep the LCD well, hopefully it doesn’t comes handy. 

Do you you have any fix recommended for the broken door if CD drive?

 

EvilCapitalist

Well-known member
Are you talking about the damper mechanism (the piece that smoothly opens the door as opposed to just letting it fly open)?

TAM Damper.png

 
Top