I noticed a few weeks back that the display panel on one of my clamshells was beginning to succumb to vinegar syndrome. So after consulting with others more familiar with these than myself, I ordered a new replacement panel from the 'bay, making extra certain to match the original panel exactly. They are both the Samsung LT121SU-123 panel.
New panel (top), original panel (bottom)
When I went to install the new panel, I found that the display cable connector on the new panel appeared to be flipped 180 degrees on the board relative to the new one. The connector has two tabs on each side at the ends, so that it's directional and can only be installed one way:
So I thought "no big deal" - I simply rotated the wires from the cable the other way, connected everything up, and got the new panel installed. Something minor probably changed with the way they manufactured the boards over the years and the connector changed orientation. It should be just fine, right?
Turned on the iBook, and ... no image, no signs of life on the panel.
So I reinstalled the original panel, and ... no image, no signs of life on the panel. (This was obviously working fine before, apart from the vinegar syndrome).
Whelp, a kind commenter on 68kMLA provided this diagram which shows what happened:
Flipping the connector to hook up the panel caused a direct short to the 3.3V line on the connector. So stuff got cooked.
So I now have two damaged panels (maybe?) and a damaged iBook motherboard. What a colossal fail.
Let this be a cautionary tale to anyone else attempting this repair. No idea what to do next - do I gamble on yet another panel of unknown compatibility? Now that I've learned that the model identifier is irrelevant and has no bearing on whether it will actually work.
I'd love to hear from anyone can explain - WTF? Why would Samsung make panels that are identical in every way (using the SAME identifier) but flip the connector, guaranteeing that you will fry your device immediately?
*sigh* If anyone has a replacement 366 MHz FireWire clamshell motherboard, I am in the market...
New panel (top), original panel (bottom)
When I went to install the new panel, I found that the display cable connector on the new panel appeared to be flipped 180 degrees on the board relative to the new one. The connector has two tabs on each side at the ends, so that it's directional and can only be installed one way:
So I thought "no big deal" - I simply rotated the wires from the cable the other way, connected everything up, and got the new panel installed. Something minor probably changed with the way they manufactured the boards over the years and the connector changed orientation. It should be just fine, right?
Turned on the iBook, and ... no image, no signs of life on the panel.
So I reinstalled the original panel, and ... no image, no signs of life on the panel. (This was obviously working fine before, apart from the vinegar syndrome).
Whelp, a kind commenter on 68kMLA provided this diagram which shows what happened:
Flipping the connector to hook up the panel caused a direct short to the 3.3V line on the connector. So stuff got cooked.
So I now have two damaged panels (maybe?) and a damaged iBook motherboard. What a colossal fail.
Let this be a cautionary tale to anyone else attempting this repair. No idea what to do next - do I gamble on yet another panel of unknown compatibility? Now that I've learned that the model identifier is irrelevant and has no bearing on whether it will actually work.
I'd love to hear from anyone can explain - WTF? Why would Samsung make panels that are identical in every way (using the SAME identifier) but flip the connector, guaranteeing that you will fry your device immediately?
*sigh* If anyone has a replacement 366 MHz FireWire clamshell motherboard, I am in the market...
