Floppy Emu Screen Problem

[Zhinü]

I have a Rev A FloppyEmu that i've used since forever. However, i've been having a weird issue with it, namely that the screen stopped working properly recently. It displays a blank screen unless i'm flashing firmware or the SD card is missing. I've tried flashing the different firmwares. The one thing I can say is that this floppyemu had to be repaired after the main chip blew out (common issue it seems for the Rev As). I don't think the repair was the problem, but I don't know else could be it.

 

[max1zzz]

There is a common issue with the screens failing on the early floppyemu's, the Zebra strip inside the screen starts loosing contact with the board causing issues. Try pressing on the top center of the display and pressing reset, if you get a display then you just need to get a replacement display module (Which is a standard off the shelf module that you should be able to get for under £10)

 

[Zhinü]

There is a common issue with the screens failing on the early floppyemu's, the Zebra strip inside the screen starts loosing contact with the board causing issues. Try pressing on the top center of the display and pressing reset, if you get a display then you just need to get a replacement display module (Which is a standard off the shelf module that you should be able to get for under £10)

I did actually get a display! What’s a good replacement module for the Rev A models? I assume you can’t just jump straight to OLED?

 

[GRudolf94]

You can either try disassembling the display and sorting it out, or buying a new Nokia 5110 LCD, which is what that is.

 

[Zhinü]

You can either try disassembling the display and sorting it out, or buying a new Nokia 5110 LCD, which is what that is.

Alright, thank you! I cleaned the display strips only to find out that somehow inbetween it dying and now, the FloppyEmu managed to catch a "check pin clko-l" error that doesn't go away with firmware flashing.

 

[LaPorta]

@bigmessowires

 

[bigmessowires]

This is my recommended method for cleaning the LCD used on the Floppy Emu A and B:

Disengage all the metal tabs, so they’re no longer clipped in place. Gently push the tabs through the holes in the red PCB, until the whole glass and metal LCD module can be separated from the PCB. Set the LCD module aside. On the red PCB you’ll see eight contact points where it meshes with the LCD module. Wipe clean the contact points on the PCB, then replace the LCD module and click the metal tabs back into place.

As others have said, you can also find a replacement "Nokia 5110" LCD on eBay, AliExpress, etc. There are a few different pin arrangements used, so be sure to get a replacement that uses the same arrangement as the LCD you have now. Check the name labels next to the pins.

The OLED used in the Model C is higher resolution and better and contrast with fewer headaches than the LCD. I wish they'd been available earlier so I could have used them in the A/B models.

The check pin message is a self-test failure and isn't a good sign. Make sure you've installed the correct firmware version and you're not trying to run the Apple II firmware while connected to a Mac. Otherwise this probably points to some kind of hardware failure on the Floppy Emu or the computer's disk controller.

 

[Zhinü]

This is my recommended method for cleaning the LCD used on the Floppy Emu A and B:



As others have said, you can also find a replacement "Nokia 5110" LCD on eBay, AliExpress, etc. There are a few different pin arrangements used, so be sure to get a replacement that uses the same arrangement as the LCD you have now. Check the name labels next to the pins.

The OLED used in the Model C is higher resolution and better and contrast with fewer headaches than the LCD. I wish they'd been available earlier so I could have used them in the A/B models.

The check pin message is a self-test failure and isn't a good sign. Make sure you've installed the correct firmware version and you're not trying to run the Apple II firmware while connected to a Mac. Otherwise this probably points to some kind of hardware failure on the Floppy Emu or the computer's disk controller.

Considering the disk controller still works on both my Lisa and my "Plus," I think my floppyemu finally kicked the bucket, which is unfortunate.