Hello! I finally have time to get back to my Macs after my surgery, and I noticed that my clamshell's display panel is problematically dim even at full brightness. Can the panel be swapped out, and if so what's the best replacement option?
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Upgrading iBook Clamshell Display?
- Thread starter Juliet Elysa
- Start date
Yes, the panel can be swapped but Apple used different manufacturers and different cabling throughout the series. It's more difficult to find the right match these days.
Having said that, if just dim you might just need to replace the CCFL backlight, which does require additional disassembly of the LCD enclosure. Some more info here:
forums.macrumors.com
JB
Having said that, if just dim you might just need to replace the CCFL backlight, which does require additional disassembly of the LCD enclosure. Some more info here:
Blueberry iBook G3 Clamshell LCD Backlight replacement
I decided to tackle the repair of my beautiful Blueberry Clamshell iBook which just keeps getting darker and darker as the years go by... The backlight has been getting notably worse each time I boot it up. Over a year ago, I bought a backup "spares" Blueberry clamshell with the intention to...
JB
Another option is to use a replacement LCD panel from a slightly newer model of iBook. There is information available online about this modification, but the biggest advantage is that it provides a higher screen resolution, so that you can fit more on the display at once. Assuming the replacement panel is in better condition, it would be brighter than the original one.
The failing CCFL (fluorescent) light that is inside your existing iBook LCD could probably be replaced with an LED strip. This would be a bit more technically challenging, but would likely offer superior battery life, look more authentic, and be cheaper too. I started a thread about this possibility a few years ago, but I never got around to trying it myself because the CCFL in my clamshell still kind-of barely works.
The failing CCFL (fluorescent) light that is inside your existing iBook LCD could probably be replaced with an LED strip. This would be a bit more technically challenging, but would likely offer superior battery life, look more authentic, and be cheaper too. I started a thread about this possibility a few years ago, but I never got around to trying it myself because the CCFL in my clamshell still kind-of barely works.
I've done the XGA 1024 x 768 mod in my iBook (it only works on 366Mhz + SE 8MB ATI GPU models), partly because I had the spare display kicking around (from a 12" PowerBook) and the right ribbon cable, but it's certainly a hack and looks as such. When you start up the display most of the image is filled with gibberish until the OS properly loads.
The Clamshell would be a perfect candidate for LED lighting! Lots of room for additional cabling and easy to get into the housing to modify.
The Clamshell would be a perfect candidate for LED lighting! Lots of room for additional cabling and easy to get into the housing to modify.
Is that the kind of update a total beginner could do? I have literally no experience with electronic boards and such and would hate to mess something up...
While it's not extraordinary complex, I don't think that this would make for a great beginner project. It would require careful disassembly of the LCD panel, removal of the delicate mercury-laced CCFL tubes, soldering, understanding of how to replace an inverter circuit with an LED driver, and other skills.
I think that replacing the entire LCD panel while following an iFixit guide may be your best option if you're looking for a project that doesn't require too much electronics background knowledge. You can always save the original panel, and that way, if you eventually learn the required skills, you can still try the project out in the future.
In any event, think I'd recommend practicing this procedure on a worthless PC laptop before touching an nice iBook, regardless of experience level.
I think that replacing the entire LCD panel while following an iFixit guide may be your best option if you're looking for a project that doesn't require too much electronics background knowledge. You can always save the original panel, and that way, if you eventually learn the required skills, you can still try the project out in the future.
In any event, think I'd recommend practicing this procedure on a worthless PC laptop before touching an nice iBook, regardless of experience level.
That is excellent advice, regardless of the procedure, but especially for this one.
There are plenty of links out there now, including youtube videos and the like. Go over all of the available information and plan it out.
When I did mine, I was not able to practice and believe me, it would have helped. Also at the time, there were no LED retrofit kits available, so I replaced mine following the instructions shown on these links (below) that I dug out of my old bookmarks, using the Internet Archive.
The link I used to fix my iBook clamshell (this one is kind of rudimentary, but it was enough to get me through)
An original link that showed how (used for the pictures - since the characters did not translate and are useless)
I've been looking around on the internet, and I'm not finding any instructions for an LED mod I'd feel comfortable following with such a nice computer even with a bit of practice. Does anyone know of someone skilled and trustworthy enough to take this on? I can cover parts and labor.
(Side note, this thread came up as one of the first results when searching for iBook clamshell LED mods/etc. Hopefully this information can help someone else too someday!
)
(Side note, this thread came up as one of the first results when searching for iBook clamshell LED mods/etc. Hopefully this information can help someone else too someday!
)
Hi Juliet,
This sort of mod isn't terribly commonplace - yet - there are no kits available it'd be very DIY, trial and error to get the lighting and placement of the new LED strip right. I'm not yet in need to do mine so sorry can't help you here, however another member might be able to assist. You might come across a junker Clamshell with good LCD more quickly. Noting the Clamshell uses different cabling, LCD brands I'd take it apart one day to find the LCD model, as getting the wrong brand requires a complete tear down of the bottom casing to switch data cables over.
JB
This sort of mod isn't terribly commonplace - yet - there are no kits available it'd be very DIY, trial and error to get the lighting and placement of the new LED strip right. I'm not yet in need to do mine so sorry can't help you here, however another member might be able to assist. You might come across a junker Clamshell with good LCD more quickly. Noting the Clamshell uses different cabling, LCD brands I'd take it apart one day to find the LCD model, as getting the wrong brand requires a complete tear down of the bottom casing to switch data cables over.
JB
If I can successfully perform this same LED upgrade to my own junk PC laptop and iBook first, I would be interested in fixing your computer.
Update: I have just purchased this LED upgrade kit for $18 on Amazon. Once I get a chance to try upgrading my laptop, I'll post my results.
I also finally found a website where someone else completed this same modification on their own iBook G3 Clamshell. This is incredibly useful as it proves that the mod can be done!
brianscomputerretreat.wordpress.com
forums.macrumors.com
With some luck, I'll soon be able to use my Clamshell without sitting in the dark!
I also finally found a website where someone else completed this same modification on their own iBook G3 Clamshell. This is incredibly useful as it proves that the mod can be done!
Upgrading The Backlight on an iBook G3
I’ve had a few projects lately, none of which have gone quite to plan, so here’s one of the successes: installing an LED replacement backlight into my iBook G3 Clamshell. I didn’t…
brianscomputerretreat.wordpress.com
Blueberry iBook G3 Clamshell LCD Backlight replacement
I decided to tackle the repair of my beautiful Blueberry Clamshell iBook which just keeps getting darker and darker as the years go by... The backlight has been getting notably worse each time I boot it up. Over a year ago, I bought a backup "spares" Blueberry clamshell with the intention to...
With some luck, I'll soon be able to use my Clamshell without sitting in the dark!
Update: I have just purchased this LED upgrade kit for $18 on Amazon. Once I get a chance to try upgrading my laptop, I'll post my results.
I also finally found a website where someone else completed this same modification on their own iBook G3 Clamshell. This is incredibly useful as it proves that the mod can be done!
Upgrading The Backlight on an iBook G3
I’ve had a few projects lately, none of which have gone quite to plan, so here’s one of the successes: installing an LED replacement backlight into my iBook G3 Clamshell. I didn’t…
Blueberry iBook G3 Clamshell LCD Backlight replacement
I decided to tackle the repair of my beautiful Blueberry Clamshell iBook which just keeps getting darker and darker as the years go by... The backlight has been getting notably worse each time I boot it up. Over a year ago, I bought a backup "spares" Blueberry clamshell with the intention to...
With some luck, I'll soon be able to use my Clamshell without sitting in the dark!
Awesome! I'm excited to see the outcome of your modification! Either mine improved in the months since I'd last turned it on or my memory isn't serving me well, since when I turned it on a few days ago the backlight wasn't as bad as I recalled.
It's alive!!!
I finally replaced the backlight on my iBook Clamshell with an LED module. This upgrade makes a massive difference in overall usability for me, as I no longer need to strain my eyes to read what is onscreen. Now, everything is crisp, sharp, and bright. The LEDs are evenly mounted, and the light they provide is perfectly even across the LCD (i.e. there are no hot spots of light). This mod really makes the display feel brand new!
This display works perfectly with the exception of brightness control. As it stands, the maximum brightness setting on the computer inversely makes the screen its darkest (which is a brightness level that I would normally call maximum brightness on other computers), and the minimum brightness setting makes the screen retina-searingly bright. The darkest setting is about as bright as I would ever want to use the computer anyway, so this is where I am keeping it for now.
The problem is that sometimes, I want to make the screen much dimmer, such as late at night, and that this modification just doesn't support dimming yet. In OS9, sleep works perfectly, but in OSX, sleep mode keeps the backlight on and just makes the screen black. I'm still trying to rebuild my clamshell's battery, but I can't imagine that this quirk would have a positive impact on battery life.
I think somehow, there must be a way to invert the signals, but I don't know how to modify (what I think is a PWM signal) on the fly. I think I can invert the backlight enable signal with a transistor, but I don't know if this is the right solution. I would also like to figure out a way to set the maximum brightness much lower and allow for darker minimum brightness levels.
I really could use an electronics expert's guidance in figuring out how to properly deal with the backlight control signals. Is there a way to "map" the PWM brightness control signal to another voltage range?
I would really like to hear other people's thoughts and ideas about this, as I am sure there are lots of ways to make it better.
To perform the upgrade, I followed the guides that I linked in my post above, although my LCD panel (and iBook) were slightly different from the ones in the guides, so I had to come up with my own steps where they were left out. I hope to write some more usable/comprehensive documentation for this project in the future. Until then...
Here is a brief summary of the steps involved (to be used in conjunction with the other guides I linked above):
1. Remove iBook's display bezel, and separate the LCD panel from the iBook
2. Carefully remove the metal protective frame from the LCD panel --this makes it really easy to accidentally shatter the glass LCD panel
3. Incredibly carefully remove the CFL from the channel where it sits inside the LCD (I think this glass tube will leak toxic mercury gas if it is cracked.)
4. Take LED strip, and it to fit in the CFL's channel, cutting it as long as possible (using a multiple of three LEDs)
5. Place spacers between the back of the channel and the LED strips to ensure that they are secure and shine perpendicularly towards the LCD panel (I used three wooden toothpicks, wedged directly into the gap that was left between the edge of the CFL channel and the LED strips.)
6. Reassemble LCD panel
7. Disconnect the inverter control wires from the CFL inverter, and solder them to the power board that came with the LED strip. One of the pages I linked above, contains a wiring diagram.
8. Insulate and mount the LED control board inside the iBook LCD chassis, wrangle all of the cables, and reassemble the computer
Photos:
Clamshell CFL backlight brightness "before":
The LCD panel after it was removed from the iBook chassis:
The LED strip is mounted in the CFL channel, shimmed by toothpicks:
The first test of the LED strip:
Everything is mounted inside of the iBook with Kapton tape for now (the CFL inverter board is no longer used, and it could be removed):
The brightness of the LCD after the LED backlight is installed (with the same camera settings as the "before" picture:
I finally replaced the backlight on my iBook Clamshell with an LED module. This upgrade makes a massive difference in overall usability for me, as I no longer need to strain my eyes to read what is onscreen. Now, everything is crisp, sharp, and bright. The LEDs are evenly mounted, and the light they provide is perfectly even across the LCD (i.e. there are no hot spots of light). This mod really makes the display feel brand new!
This display works perfectly with the exception of brightness control. As it stands, the maximum brightness setting on the computer inversely makes the screen its darkest (which is a brightness level that I would normally call maximum brightness on other computers), and the minimum brightness setting makes the screen retina-searingly bright. The darkest setting is about as bright as I would ever want to use the computer anyway, so this is where I am keeping it for now.
The problem is that sometimes, I want to make the screen much dimmer, such as late at night, and that this modification just doesn't support dimming yet. In OS9, sleep works perfectly, but in OSX, sleep mode keeps the backlight on and just makes the screen black. I'm still trying to rebuild my clamshell's battery, but I can't imagine that this quirk would have a positive impact on battery life.
I think somehow, there must be a way to invert the signals, but I don't know how to modify (what I think is a PWM signal) on the fly. I think I can invert the backlight enable signal with a transistor, but I don't know if this is the right solution. I would also like to figure out a way to set the maximum brightness much lower and allow for darker minimum brightness levels.
I really could use an electronics expert's guidance in figuring out how to properly deal with the backlight control signals. Is there a way to "map" the PWM brightness control signal to another voltage range?
I would really like to hear other people's thoughts and ideas about this, as I am sure there are lots of ways to make it better.
To perform the upgrade, I followed the guides that I linked in my post above, although my LCD panel (and iBook) were slightly different from the ones in the guides, so I had to come up with my own steps where they were left out. I hope to write some more usable/comprehensive documentation for this project in the future. Until then...
Here is a brief summary of the steps involved (to be used in conjunction with the other guides I linked above):
1. Remove iBook's display bezel, and separate the LCD panel from the iBook
2. Carefully remove the metal protective frame from the LCD panel --this makes it really easy to accidentally shatter the glass LCD panel
3. Incredibly carefully remove the CFL from the channel where it sits inside the LCD (I think this glass tube will leak toxic mercury gas if it is cracked.)
4. Take LED strip, and it to fit in the CFL's channel, cutting it as long as possible (using a multiple of three LEDs)
5. Place spacers between the back of the channel and the LED strips to ensure that they are secure and shine perpendicularly towards the LCD panel (I used three wooden toothpicks, wedged directly into the gap that was left between the edge of the CFL channel and the LED strips.)
6. Reassemble LCD panel
7. Disconnect the inverter control wires from the CFL inverter, and solder them to the power board that came with the LED strip. One of the pages I linked above, contains a wiring diagram.
8. Insulate and mount the LED control board inside the iBook LCD chassis, wrangle all of the cables, and reassemble the computer
Photos:
Clamshell CFL backlight brightness "before":
The LCD panel after it was removed from the iBook chassis:
The LED strip is mounted in the CFL channel, shimmed by toothpicks:
The first test of the LED strip:
Everything is mounted inside of the iBook with Kapton tape for now (the CFL inverter board is no longer used, and it could be removed):
The brightness of the LCD after the LED backlight is installed (with the same camera settings as the "before" picture:
Attachments
I love how bright the screen gets now.
Brightness controls kind of work, but they are the one issue I am still working on. The screen just doesn't get dim enough at the low settings for my liking, and the brightness controls are inverted so that max brightness on the computer is minimum brightness for the LEDs and vice versa. There may still be laptop CCFL lamp parts available, but in my mind, these LED modules have the potential to be even better: They are very cheap (this mod cost me only ~$9), you can custom cut them to fit any size display, they use less power (and thus are more efficient) than CCFLs, they can get even brighter than the stock backlight (when it was new), and as an added bonus, they are neither super toxic nor fragile like CCFL bulbs are. The only challenge is to figure out how to make brightness control behave like a stock computer, and these LED strip modules will be a perfect replacement solution.
That's wild! Hopefully someone will be able to advise on the brightness control and sleep issues, but even with that this mod has great potential!
I think I figured out why the brightness control isn't working! I took my iBook apart again and used an oscilloscope to analyze the signals on each of the backlight wire's pins. I expected to see some sort of changing signal when the backlight is adjusted, but it turns out that the only thing that changes is voltage. The DIM pin on the LED backlight controller board receives 0 volts when I set it to minimum brightness, and 3.3 volts when I set it to maximum brightness.
I decided to look up the datasheet of the DF6113 IC that is located on the LED backlight's controller board, and this is where I found the answer! Depending on how the IC is wired up, its dimming behavior changes. It looks like the controller board I bought is set up in the "low-voltage brightest" configuration, but the iBook uses the "high voltage brightest" configuration.
I am going to try and bodge the controller board so that it uses the appropriate configuration. It's really small, so I am not sure whether or not I'll be able to pull off a modification. Either way, it feels good to know why the backlight isn't working and how to fix it (at least theoretically).
I decided to look up the datasheet of the DF6113 IC that is located on the LED backlight's controller board, and this is where I found the answer! Depending on how the IC is wired up, its dimming behavior changes. It looks like the controller board I bought is set up in the "low-voltage brightest" configuration, but the iBook uses the "high voltage brightest" configuration.
I am going to try and bodge the controller board so that it uses the appropriate configuration. It's really small, so I am not sure whether or not I'll be able to pull off a modification. Either way, it feels good to know why the backlight isn't working and how to fix it (at least theoretically).
I am watching also this thread since my 300Mhz iBook also has dimmed display and LED backlight will give a new life!
The display's brightness control is now (mostly) working! I bodged the controller board to match the alternative schematics that I found in the control chip's documentation. I needed to reverse-engineer the driver board by desoldering several components, placing the tiny PCB on my scanner, and then annotating the traces/VIAs in Preview to see where they went.
When I make the brightness lower, the screen dims, and when I make it brighter, the screen gets brighter! Sleep mode now works in both OSX Tiger and OS9 (instead of only in OS9).
The only catch is that the dimming adjustment is not constant for some reason: halfway through adjusting the dimming slider, the screen gets brighter again, but by the end, it goes dim. This quirk means that it is still not perfect, but I think it is usable and much better than having almost no control at all.
Here are the modifications I made to place the IC into "high voltage brightest" mode:
Here are some diagrams explaining the modifications I made:
When I make the brightness lower, the screen dims, and when I make it brighter, the screen gets brighter! Sleep mode now works in both OSX Tiger and OS9 (instead of only in OS9).
The only catch is that the dimming adjustment is not constant for some reason: halfway through adjusting the dimming slider, the screen gets brighter again, but by the end, it goes dim. This quirk means that it is still not perfect, but I think it is usable and much better than having almost no control at all.
Here are the modifications I made to place the IC into "high voltage brightest" mode:
- The ENA pin on the backlight input connector was originally connected to the DIM pin on the control IC. The trace on the bottom of the PCB connecting the two needs to be cut.
- The DIM pin on the backlight input connector was originally connected to the FB pin on the control IC. The trace on the bottom of the PCB connecting the two needs to be cut.
- A bodge wire needs to be run between the DIM pin on the backlight connector and the DIM pin (4) on the control board.
- Optional? Add an SMD diode directed from DIM to ENA (cut traces) on the bottom of the PCB.
Here are some diagrams explaining the modifications I made:
Attachments
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