Macintosh Portable Video Adapter

[sgilson99]

Thanks, yes, someone told me about that device.

I'm repairing a Portable for a friend that has many lines in the display. I was looking more to design something from scratch that goes directly to the LCD and provide a direct replacement for the LCD with 3D printed mounting adapter. So all someone would have to do is open the display and bolt in the new one. So, provide a slick solution for my friend, and help others to repair theirs also.

Adding a $100-ish LCD and TCON board that accepts VGA to that adapter would work well. I found a 10.4" LCD+TCON with the right pixel dimensions and...CCFL backlights. Correct width but a tad too tall, which would work with the black bars top and bottom.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Too many tales of woe with people having perfectly good Portables, and a display that cannot be repaired...

Thanks!

 

[micheledipaola]

Thanks, yes, someone told me about that device.

I'm repairing a Portable for a friend that has many lines in the display. I was looking more to design something from scratch that goes directly to the LCD and provide a direct replacement for the LCD with 3D printed mounting adapter. So all someone would have to do is open the display and bolt in the new one. So, provide a slick solution for my friend, and help others to repair theirs also.

Adding a $100-ish LCD and TCON board that accepts VGA to that adapter would work well. I found a 10.4" LCD+TCON with the right pixel dimensions and...CCFL backlights. Correct width but a tad too tall, which would work with the black bars top and bottom.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Too many tales of woe with people having perfectly good Portables, and a display that cannot be repaired...

Thanks!

this is very interesting indeed @sgilson99 - and if In understand correctly, it will give backlit screens to 5120 too, am I right? And what about color? If the signal is plain RGB, it could transform a Portable in a Portable-C
Now it's only a matter of finding a (more) suitable LCD for a better fit...
also, first question coming to my mind: will the notoriously wobbly Portable power section give enough juice for a modern LCD?

 

[sgilson99]

this is very interesting indeed @sgilson99 - and if In understand correctly, it will give backlit screens to 5120 too, am I right? And what about color? If the signal is plain RGB, it could transform a Portable in a Portable-C
Now it's only a matter of finding a (more) suitable LCD for a better fit...
also, first question coming to my mind: will the notoriously wobbly Portable power section give enough juice for a modern LCD?

Yes, it would give backlight to the 5120 Portable.
I don't think the Portable generates a color signal anywhere inside, so all you would get is a monochrome image.
I've come across a few LCD screens I think might work, but right now my friend is not interested in a new LCD. He likes to keep things original, even if it has a few lines in the display. So at this point I'm not sure if I'll pursue this project. I do think there is a market for it though.
Yes, power consumption is an issue that would have to be addressed. I would have to grab 7.5V directly from the power input jack, with a 1.5A current limit for the original Portable circuitry, then split off a separate power path for the new display. This would require a new power adapter that supplies more than 1.5A, like the later Apple power packs.
Thanks for your input. I may just pursue it, since I'll have my friend's Portable for many months to come until he makes his way over here.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

So all someone would have to do is open the display and bolt in the new one. So, provide a slick solution for my friend, and help others to repair theirs also.

I'm waiting for someone to model the LCD bezel side of the lid for printing. Just a flat panel so trackball divots can be eliminated and bezel for any size LCD becomes possible. Put a NumPad in place of TrackBall or come up with a (yuck!) TrackPad replacement and all type of modification hell can break loose.

I'd love to see my Raspberry Pi CM4 or CM5 and I/O board living in the HDD Bay for emulated Color OS playtime available at the flip of a switch. I can live with (even letterboxed) Luggable output on a nice big, wide aspect color LCD.

 

[micheledipaola]

I don't think the Portable generates a color signal anywhere inside, so all you would get is a monochrome image.

You are right @sgilson99 , I forgot I tested the VGA-out adapter with a color LCD and System 7, but only got B/W.

So at this point I'm not sure if I'll pursue this project. I do think there is a market for it though.

I am sure (and @Trash80toHP_Mini post kinda confirms it) there is a big need for Portable internal LCD solutions and replacements. You confirmed my concern about the power supply issues so I am afraid that would be the biggest PITA , even more than finding the right LCD panel or 3d printed bezel...

Glad to hear you will have many months to tinker with this, I hope you will and in this case, please keep us all posted here!

 

[sgilson99]

I'm waiting for someone to model the LCD bezel side of the lid for printing. Just a flat panel so trackball divots can be eliminated and bezel for any size LCD becomes possible. Put a NumPad in place of TrackBall or come up with a (yuck!) TrackPad replacement and all type of modification hell can break loose.

I'd love to see my Raspberry Pi CM4 or CM5 and I/O board living in the HDD Bay for emulated Color OS playtime available at the flip of a switch. I can live with (even letterboxed) Luggable output on a nice big, wide aspect color LCD.

Great idea. All you need is one of those $1,000 laser scanner thingies. ;-)

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

You are right @sgilson99 , I forgot I tested the VGA-out adapter with a color LCD and System 7, but only got B/W.

Portable is pretty much a Macintosh SE remix*** as is the Powerbook 100 a Luggable remix, so definitely a pre- Color QuickDraw single bit proposition.

*** It can use SE Expansion Cards (IIRC a pair) in an external (SecondWave?) Adapter Box. Never thought of this before, but one of the cards must have been an Accelerator or something else with no need of its single interrupt. Then again SecondWave "further decoded" additional NuBus slots via NuBus and PCI interfaces. ISTR an SE/30 box as well?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Great idea. All you need is one of those $1,000 laser scanner thingies. ;-)

Dunno, lots of folks are a dab hand with digital calipers and 3D CAD. Slots for the handle mechanism would be the only real challenge. I've a second lid available to loan out for the effort.

Also have an extra inner chassis etc. for loan as well. That would unlock all manner of reversible component hackery on the order of SE/30 or IIsi remix MoBo tomfoolery.

 

[sgilson99]

You are right @sgilson99 , I forgot I tested the VGA-out adapter with a color LCD and System 7, but only got B/W.


I am sure (and @Trash80toHP_Mini post kinda confirms it) there is a big need for Portable internal LCD solutions and replacements. You confirmed my concern about the power supply issues so I am afraid that would be the biggest PITA , even more than finding the right LCD panel or 3d printed bezel...

Glad to hear you will have many months to tinker with this, I hope you will and in this case, please keep us all posted here!

I will be sure to update here if I decide to proceed with the project. Thanks for your input.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I am sure (and @Trash80toHP_Mini post kinda confirms it) there is a big need for Portable internal LCD solutions and replacements. You confirmed my concern about the power supply issues so I am afraid that would be the biggest PITA , even more than finding the right LCD panel or 3d printed bezel...

Can't imagine OEM LCD & HDD elimination will not net enough power to run all manner of such upgrades.