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Topic |
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mac-man6
Junior Member
Canada
217 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Aug 2003 : 12:24:39
Hi I just came in contact with a couple broken PB 170's. I have replaced the screen and keyboard part on to a working PB 170 and got a normal boot up and video. The problem is that the active matrix screen is very dark, I can barely see what's going on. I had a passive matrix screen working with a PB 170 and that actually produced light before it got broken. The active matrix screen I'm using now is just using the light in the room. It sort of looks like gameboy colour. I have another active matrix screen from a PB 180 and I put it in a busted PB 170 screen and keyboard case. When I tried to boot with the PB 180 screen all that I got was just a funky grey and blue pattern. This screen wasn't dark at all, compared to the first one. So in summary here's my problems:
PB 170 Active matrix screen is too dark
PB 180 Active matrix screen will not work with PB 170, funky patterns.
Any suggestions?
Editor of the printed word, Ministry of 68k Truths (mini6)
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PowerCD, Mac HD 20, SE, Classic II, IIx, IIvi, PB 170, LC 475, LC 575, Quadra 650, Performa 5200, iMac 333 How you like d'em apples?! |
tomlee59
Starting Member
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2003 : 14:06:28
Sure, here are a couple:1) Fix the backlight for your 170. Either the CCFL tube itself is bad, or the inverter board is bad. (The inverter board generates the power for the backlight.) Since you have another parts unit, you can use it as an organ donor to isolate the problem and fix it. 2) Don't connect the 180 display to 170 guts. They are totally incompatible, and you can do irreversible damage to both. 
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mac-man6
Junior Member
Canada
217 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2003 : 16:05:21
Thanks, I got two PB 170 screens. One is too dark, the other has a massive crack in the centre and sort of looks like it was bleeding. I plugged both into a working PB 170 base and both power on properly but neither are bright. The cracked one's video is obviously messed. I had didn't know about the PB 170 base and PB 180 would cause problems I tried it. It just gave me fukny horizontal lines. That screen WAS bright and it had some kind of light off to the side of the screen. I assume it was lighting up the screen and was some kind of back light. Parts Available for Donation:
1x PB 180 screen (active)
2x PB 170 screen (active)
1x PB 140 screen (passive) Summary:
1) Are both PB 170's back lights and inverter boards messed if I can't see any lights?.
2) Can I used the back light from the 180?
3) All of the back lights and inverter boars are in the top part of the screen?, the part that you lift up and not in the keyboard section?
4) Can I use ram from a PB 180 in a 170? Editor of the printed word, Ministry of 68k Truths (mini6)
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PowerCD, Mac HD 20, SE, Classic II, IIx, IIvi, PB 170, LC 475, LC 575, Quadra 650, Performa 5200, iMac 333 How you like d'em apples?! Edited by - mac-man6 on 20 Aug 2003 16:07:48 |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2003 : 16:18:21
3) The inverter board is the board with the brightness/contrast controls in the keyboard section.4) Yes you can. "**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective 
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
mac-man6
Junior Member
Canada
217 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2003 : 17:29:56
Would a broken inverter board give me video even if it was powering the backlight?. I'm trying to narrow down the problem to either inverter board or backlight. Thanks. Editor of the printed word, Ministry of 68k Truths (mini6)
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PowerCD, Mac HD 20, SE, Classic II, IIx, IIvi, PB 170, LC 475, LC 575, Quadra 650, Performa 5200, iMac 333 How you like d'em apples?! |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2003 : 18:16:10
It'd probably give you video, but it wouldn't exactly be easy to see. Sometime when i'm on holidays i'll temporarily rip the inverter out of my 145B to test, and get back to you on that."**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
mac-man6
Junior Member
Canada
217 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2003 : 21:11:31
Glory! Infinite Glory!. I'm back into mobile 68k's!. It was the inverter board, there seems to be scorch marks on it. I replaced and with the one from the PB 170 with a cracked screen and now it's all good. So Maclover5 this answers my question and you don't have to take apart your Powerbook. The screen will still display information with a broken inverter, it will just be really dark. It just took me about 6 months (I'm not sure, but it feels that way) and 3 PB's but now I'm mobile, whooa!.Editor of the printed word, Ministry of 68k Truths (mini6)
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PowerCD, Mac HD 20, SE, Classic II, IIx, IIvi, PB 170, LC 475, LC 575, Quadra 650, Performa 5200, iMac 333 How you like d'em apples?! Edited by - mac-man6 on 22 Aug 2003 21:13:39 |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2003 : 21:23:57
Great to hear! I thought the screen would still display an image without the inverter, but i wasn't sure. Btw, a little tip for anyone who is playing around with the inverter boards in older PowerBooks: Make sure that you have the power adapter disconnected and the battery out when you disconnect or connect the backlight cable from it. I found that out the hard way.... "**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
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Active Matrix Screens on Powerbooks
68k of the Week: kastegir's PowerBook 180.