Anyone interested in a Hi-def (1920 x 1200) mod for PB/MBP?

[DoFoT9]

I definitely believe there would be demand for a reasonably priced Hi-Res LED upgrade for the Santa Rosa through current Uni MBP, and to a lesser extent the older 2.16 & 2.33 CCFL based LCD MBPs.

i have the original CD MBP, i am def wanting to upgrade to a HD screen - i wouldnt pay someone to do it though because it would cost a lot more to upgrade then it would be me doing it myself.. guess this opinion changes per each person.

 

[panzer06]

i have the original CD MBP, i am def wanting to upgrade to a HD screen - i wouldnt pay someone to do it though because it would cost a lot more to upgrade then it would be me doing it myself.. guess this opinion changes per each person.

The first time I did the upgrade on my now sold MBP C2D 2.16 I paid an ASC $160 to do it and watched the tech take it apart. I was then able to play with it on my own when I later ran in to problems.

I believe the costs could be managed if sufficient volume were achieved to get the panel price down. A $349 upgrade package would most likely sell a few 1080P upgrades.

Cheers,

 

[DoFoT9]

The first time I did the upgrade on my now sold MBP C2D 2.16 I paid an ASC $160 to do it and watched the tech take it apart. I was then able to play with it on my own when I later ran in to problems.

I believe the costs could be managed if sufficient volume were achieved to get the panel price down. A $349 upgrade package would most likely sell a few 1080P upgrades.

Cheers,

question: what is ASC?

we don't have those sorts of tech people here in australia, and if there were they would all be in sydney 1000km away from here haha!

i know that i trust myself enough to be able to install and trouble shoot any problems that may arise (as long as it fits then im fine) - im sure there would be many other people that arent as confident as i am thought so sure, i can see a market for it in some respect.

 

[5to1]

The thing with the super high res screens is the text size.

I remember cursing everyday that I got a 1600x1200 15" LCD via a free "upgrade" with my Dell Inspiron 8200, I had to zoom in to read everything unless I felt like straining my eyes.

I'd be cursing everyday for the opposite reason

If you cursed when faced with that pixel density, I wonder what you'd do if face with the Sony P series I'm using now

 

[deadsenator]

Well that's very interesting. I just took a closer look at your photos. Looking at your photos it seems these LED screens have very different connectors (than the old systems). Is it possible to get a bare screen and remove all the connections from the original LED? Where did you go for the take apart on the LED equipped MBP?

Where did I go? I wrenched my very own apart. Being somewhat nerve wracking, it was like doing surgery on myself. It's a long afternoon's work that I am not sure I have time to do again at the moment. If someone had a dead screen to tear down for a forensic examination, that would be nice.

They did appear to have very different connectors. And the led/plugged into the screen from opposite directions. I was tempted to purchase the M4400 connectors (as I had previously mentioned) to suss out the leads, but I am quite reluctant to throw more money at this project. The new screen alone was expensive. It is still sitting here, in case someone wants to purchase it...

You don't think Apple would have some sort of proprietary connector to discourage this sort of thing do you?

Would Apple do that?

DS

 

[l.a.rossmann]

Apple uses LCDs from numerous vendors incase one brand's suppliers all have a momentary price spike or null in production.

This would mean getting Chi Mei, Samsung, LG Philips, and AU Optronics on board with designing a new proprietary connector type that prevents the general public from using a 1920x1200 LCD in a laptop that originally had a 1680x1050. It opens up many cans of worms. I sincerely doubt this would occur.

Maybe for globally accepted copy protection, but not for one company's alleged paranoia.

 

[deadsenator]

Maybe for globally accepted copy protection, but not for one company's alleged paranoia.

That sounds true (except for the 'alleged' part). You would know more about them than I and can see the model numbers. Do you have any idea why these two Samsungs would have so different a connection type?

I appreciate your input.

 

[catdog02481]

That sounds true (except for the 'alleged' part). You would know more about them than I and can see the model numbers. Do you have any idea why these two Samsungs would have so different a connection type?

I appreciate your input.

Can we get help from the technically inclined to investigate different LED panel connectors in macs vs. other brands?

 

[bryanus]

Selling my HD Mod MBP!

Never got around to letting it go the last time I wanted to sell it. But just got the new 17" MBP, so it's time to let it go. Search for "macbook pro full hd" on fleabay to find it! Cheers!

 

[panzer06]

Never got around to letting it go the last time I wanted to sell it. But just got the new 17" MBP, so it's time to let it go. Search for "macbook pro full hd" on fleabay to find it! Cheers!

Sold my 2.16, 250GB HD, 3GB RAM with cosmetic damage dirt cheap for and the buyer immediately sold it again for $298 more on e-bay. Like you, I mentioned the caveats (including the one where Vista trashed the mod and I had to start over, I advised no using bootcamp). When he sold it, no mention of that stuff and he got almost $300 more.

Obviously, for him, the less info, the better.

Best of luck with your sale.

Cheers,

 

[Mr Dobey]

Good News

I have successfully upgraded my 2.33 Ghz MacBook Pro to the 1920x1200 WUXGA LG Philips LP154WU1. Used the sleep method and everything worked flawlessly.

Two problems though,

First, my original screen occasionally got slightly dimmer on the sides than in the center, so I thought after I put this new screen in the problem would go away, but instead it's doing so too. The only thing I can think of is a bad inverter. Could this be causing the problem?

Secondly, I broke my original screen during the removal process

 

[sukanas]

any news of this being possible on the unibodies?

 

[Snowbound]

I'm interested too, what would make it different dong this on the unibodies?

 

[panzer06]

I'm interested too, what would make it different dong this on the unibodies?

There are two issues, one, all MBP since Santa Rosa 2.2, 2.4, etc use LED backlighting and this mod was only good on the 2.16, 2.33 standard LCD MBPs and two, the unibody MBP has that layer of glass over the screen. So far no one has posted success with even the SR or higher classic MBPs since the FullHD 15" LED LCDs are much more expensive ($400-$500) and the connectors aren't as standard as the old LCDs.

I think we're stuck until Apple does this or some person with plenty of time and money comes along and is willing to try a few.

Cheers,

 

[donjao]

Hey guys.

I've got very interested with this mod very long ago. But didn't had chance to seriously put my hands on it until now. And I realized that I got lost with all this data. Now I am not sure if I have an appropriate MPB ( bought it end of 1Q 2008 ). I also attached a screenshot of the System Profiler's data.

Could anyone tell me if I can upgrade my MBP with any of WUXGA panels? And if yes, which one with?

Thanks in advance.

P.S i remember there was a Wiki with guidelines how to do it, but I also lost the link. I'd be very thankful If anybody could remind it to me!

 

[panzer06]

Hey guys.

I've got very interested with this mod very long ago. But didn't had chance to seriously put my hands on it until now. And I realized that I got lost with all this data. Now I am not sure if I have an appropriate MPB ( bought it end of 1Q 2008 ). I also attached a screenshot of the System Profiler's data.

Could anyone tell me if I can upgrade my MBP with any of WUXGA panels? And if yes, which one with?

Thanks in advance.

P.S i remember there was a Wiki with guidelines how to do it, but I also lost the link. I'd be very thankful If anybody could remind it to me!

Unfortunately, no, you have a LED backlit screen and so far no one has indicated a successful mod to one of those.

Cheers,

 

[donjao]

Unfortunately, no, you have a LED backlit screen and so far no one has indicated a successful mod to one of those.

Cheers,

Ah damn it! Anyway, thanks for the info. You just saved a lot of time, nerves and set me free from tons of other hassle! Thanks!

 

[noetus]

I have successfully upgraded my 2.33 Ghz MacBook Pro to the 1920x1200 WUXGA LG Philips LP154WU1. Used the sleep method and everything worked flawlessly.

Two problems though,

First, my original screen occasionally got slightly dimmer on the sides than in the center, so I thought after I put this new screen in the problem would go away, but instead it's doing so too. The only thing I can think of is a bad inverter. Could this be causing the problem?

This sounds like the lamp rather than the inverter, but I am no expert here. Have you tried booting with Boot Camp to see if the problem is there under a Windows boot as well? Might be worth a try to verify that it's a hardware issue. If so then try swapping the inverter (they are cheap enough) and if that doesn't work you might need to redo the screen mod.

Which inverter did you use in the screen by the way? The original Mac one or the one that came with the replacement screen?

Secondly, I broke my original screen during the removal process

Bummer! Well if you stick with the mod you won't ever need the old screen. I've been running the hi-res mod now for about a year and a half with no issues at all.

 

[Mr Dobey]

mac inverter

This sounds like the lamp rather than the inverter, but I am no expert here. Have you tried booting with Boot Camp to see if the problem is there under a Windows boot as well? Might be worth a try to verify that it's a hardware issue. If so then try swapping the inverter (they are cheap enough) and if that doesn't work you might need to redo the screen mod.

Which inverter did you use in the screen by the way? The original Mac one or the one that came with the replacement screen?



Bummer! Well if you stick with the mod you won't ever need the old screen. I've been running the hi-res mod now for about a year and a half with no issues at all.

My screen did not come with an inverter so I used the one that came with my MacBook Pro. If I ever purchase Windows (7 maybe) I will give bootcamp a go. Is the 'lamp' replaceable or built into the screen?

Also I just had a bad idea. If I do a clean install of Mac OS X on my computer will I have to swap in my original screen and do the sleep method again to get my new screen working?

Thanks

 

[panzer06]

snip

Also I just had a bad idea. If I do a clean install of Mac OS X on my computer will I have to swap in my original screen and do the sleep method again to get my new screen working?

Thanks

No, I was able to do clean installs without issue. Just never reset PRAM or you must go through that sleep method, though I managed to get it to work without swapping screens and just using an external monitor.

Cheers,

 

[Mr Dobey]

Shizza!

I just updated Safari and installed iLife 09' and now my screen is lit up but black!

Is it possible that doing these updates reset the PRAM when I restarted the computer?

Shoot now I can only use my laptop with an external display. When I start up my laptop the grey screen comes up with the apple logo and the spinning grey wheel. But than after that it just goes black. The problem is now I don't have my original display because I cracked it in the removal process and ended up recycling it : (

any ideas what to do now?

 

[panzer06]

I just updated Safari and installed iLife 09' and now my screen is lit up but black!

Is it possible that doing these updates reset the PRAM when I restarted the computer?

Shoot now I can only use my laptop with an external display. When I start up my laptop the grey screen comes up with the apple logo and the spinning grey wheel. But than after that it just goes black. The problem is now I don't have my original display because I cracked it in the removal process and ended up recycling it : (

any ideas what to do now?

When I did this with an external monitor it was by using the sleep method only with the external monitor. Had to open the system and disconnect the internal monitor, boot to the external and then sleep the system, connect the internal monitor and wake the system and it was back.

Good luck

 

[Mr Dobey]

No Cigar

Tried what you set;

Power down
unplug the data and inverter cable from the WUXGA display
power up with external display (everything is fine on external display)
sleep
re-plug in WUXGA monitor
wake
At this point do you unplug the external monitor or leave it plugged in???
Tried both with no luck.

Is buying a replacement of the original display my only option now or should I give reseting the PRAM a try?

Thanks for the help, I feel so lame for throwing out my original broken display : (

 

[Mr Dobey]

Heaven has returned

Hi Mediapirate, I had the exact same problem as you had. PRAM Reset, reinstalling Leopard did not work. I installed Switch ResX while connected to external monitor and made a custom resolution with the following settings under horizontal:
Front Porch - 126
Sync Width - 206
Back Porch - 332
Under Vertical I only changed:
Scan Rate to 56



When you launch SwitchResX choose the custom tab, then choose the correct LCD under Change Settings of: For me it was LCD Display (2). The choices here will be this and the external display (DELL 24... for me). Now I need a good calibration, it's still too blue. I tried someone else's zipped profile made from a Samsung display on this thread but it was way too yellow/orange. I'll keep looking, maybe even get a Huey Pro or Sypder 3.

Then hit the plus sign to add a new custom resolution. Use the settings I mentioned above.

I attached some screenshots of SwitchResX.

I saved this custom resolution, restarted the computer and it started working. For some reason, this just activates the monitor to work and it seems that switch Resx is not required after it started working.

I am going to try to uninstall switchresx and let you know if it is still working.

The LNT154U2-L04 monitor is much better than the LNT154U1-L03. I used to have a buzzing sound from the inverter which is now gone. I am really happy with this new screen.

THANK YOU jeeb75!

I didn't even have to reset my PRAM and now my LG screen is back from the black screen of death!

Looking at the display settings under preferences it now shows the refresh rate as 56Hz also allowing to be switched to 60Hz. But I tried switching back to 60Hz and guess what . . . the black screen returned! So for an LG display (or mine at least) 56Hz Refresh Rate it is!

 

[willpower101]

With all the combined screen knowledge on this thread I'm hoping someone can pick me out a suitable replacement screen that will work with my mac?

I'm a technician working on a macbook pro 17" 1920x1200 wuxga. So far these are the screens that SHOULD work, but the A4 K3 is doing the crap in the pics below

So I'm trying to decide if this is a bad screen or an incompatible screen (which seems unlikely given that I replaced a powerbook g4 17 wsxga screen with a completely different 4 leter/number code a week ago and it worked.)

list of POTENTIAL CANDIDATES - matte screens:

lp171wu1
a1
a4
a4 k3? - matte i've seen it - doesn't work
tl a3
tl a6
tl b1 - this is what's in the laptop and works great. NOTE: this works fine on a 15" powerbook at 1920x1200 as well. while the a4 k3 has the same problems as above

lp171wu3
tl a1
tl b1


glossy! (can't use if High gloss! Dull is ok.)

wu1
a4 k2
a4 k4
a4 k5
a4 k6
tl a1
tl a2
tl a5
tl a7
tl b2


wu3
tl a2?
tl a3?
tl b3