Powerbook 520c display options

[maditgeek]

I recently ebayed a Powerbook 520c its currently working fine running system 7.5 and it has 12MB of ram and a currently working IBM 172MB HD my question is this Since the PB 520C is passive matrix I took a look at my Toshiba T1960CT laptop and thought maybe I could use its screen (it is active matrix no dead pixels or any other defects) 

both panels are same size same resolution both made by sharp have the same connectors for the inverter and LCD data plug. I did try it and it stopped powering on when I did that so I put the passive matrix display back in the  powerbook and back to working OK so, do I need the display data cable from a powerbook 540c or is the pinout of the Toshiba-sharp display just simply not compatible?

 

[l008com]

I remember you used to be able to do a trick like this to get a 13" 1440x900 ibm panel (matte too I think) installed in the polycarbonate MacBooks. Pretty neat trick that I never got around to. But as for your question, I don't actually know anything about it, sorry. 

 

[agentmeow]

During the summer of 2003, I pulled apart about a half dozen Compaq, IBM, and Toshiba laptops from gov't auctions, trying to figure out a way to do this exact thing on both my 520 and my PB 5300cs. At the end of the day, the Powerbook's video inverter board is just different and you'd need to move both the screen and the inverter from another laptop, making the mod not worth the effort. Just look for a 540c, they show up all the time on eBay in not working/untested condition. It's a pretty good gamble that a non-functional 540c has a working LCD, a gamble that paid off for both my 520c's which now have active TFT's that work great!

 

[maditgeek]

Thanks for the info. Figured cant hurt to try as i already had that toshiba laptop...does the 540c have the tunnel vision lcd issues?

 

[techknight]

the pinout is likely different. 

Going from DSTN passive to AM-TFT requires a cable swap, that much I do know. 

 

[maditgeek]

I figured that was the case as it was acting like it was being grounded out. Thanks!

 

[techknight]

Alot of cases, the TFT signals and DSTN signals are in separate locations on the motherboard connector so a physically different cable to tap into those signals is a requirement.