creepingnet
Veteran Member
Well, one of my long running projects of about 3-4 years now is a Compaq Portable 486C that I became caretaker to. Well, it has a cracked screen, and I'm trying to find a replacement......meanwhile, after going to ETI Express, Impact computers, and about four or five other places over the years that seem to advertise parts they don't carry as on-sale for a nice price - I'm kind of at the point now where I'm starting to consider other options into the foray of fixing one of these things.
Being the consummate hardware hacker I am at times, this is where my curiosity starts - after looking at E-bay the whole time, periodically checking for a LR Series Sharp display (good luck, they all start with LM or LQ now) or a 128902-001 HP/Compaq part number display, I'm reaching the point where I may have to start diving futher into electronics than my previous motivations. I can wire an electric guitar, fix some minor issues with game consoles, TV sets, and computers at component level, and what's stopping me from figuring out the darned pinout to this thing and then figuring out the pinout for another 10.4" display that is most likely a better component, more widely available, and possibly could be beneficial to us on the forum who can't find a replacement for our originals should they become cracked, calibration pots break (mine has 2 broken ones), and whatnot. Telling me no and driving me nuts are 2 of the best sources for me finding solutions for some odd reason.
So if anyone knows the pinouts of the ribbon cable or connector on the video card in this thing, or knows the pinout to the actual display itself, I'd love to know - or where I can get them, I'd love to know. I could easily graft the connectors from the Compaq screen onto a newer 10.4" 640X480 LCD and use that screen.
Something odd I've been noticing is a lot of the Sharp 10.4" 640X480 LCD displays on E-bay are considered "Industrial Displays" - ie - for Industrial devices, and use the same connectors. Assuming that these can use the same data-lines as the Compaq, I MIGHT be able to purchase one of those for considerably cheaper far more easily - it also looks like the screw holes may match too. Some seem to share the same connectors for the backlights as well - if this is the case, I may be able to just swap it out with a home-made adapter cable - which would be quite cool TBH.
This is the only part left standing between me using this thing on some basis other than at home. If I can't find the original 10.4" 640X480 LR Series display p/n 128902-001 - then I can dig up some other replacement method using newer and probably better parts. Might be nice to sit at the picnic table gathered around the Compaq and be able to see from the side and well in the sun.
Being the consummate hardware hacker I am at times, this is where my curiosity starts - after looking at E-bay the whole time, periodically checking for a LR Series Sharp display (good luck, they all start with LM or LQ now) or a 128902-001 HP/Compaq part number display, I'm reaching the point where I may have to start diving futher into electronics than my previous motivations. I can wire an electric guitar, fix some minor issues with game consoles, TV sets, and computers at component level, and what's stopping me from figuring out the darned pinout to this thing and then figuring out the pinout for another 10.4" display that is most likely a better component, more widely available, and possibly could be beneficial to us on the forum who can't find a replacement for our originals should they become cracked, calibration pots break (mine has 2 broken ones), and whatnot. Telling me no and driving me nuts are 2 of the best sources for me finding solutions for some odd reason.
So if anyone knows the pinouts of the ribbon cable or connector on the video card in this thing, or knows the pinout to the actual display itself, I'd love to know - or where I can get them, I'd love to know. I could easily graft the connectors from the Compaq screen onto a newer 10.4" 640X480 LCD and use that screen.
Something odd I've been noticing is a lot of the Sharp 10.4" 640X480 LCD displays on E-bay are considered "Industrial Displays" - ie - for Industrial devices, and use the same connectors. Assuming that these can use the same data-lines as the Compaq, I MIGHT be able to purchase one of those for considerably cheaper far more easily - it also looks like the screw holes may match too. Some seem to share the same connectors for the backlights as well - if this is the case, I may be able to just swap it out with a home-made adapter cable - which would be quite cool TBH.
This is the only part left standing between me using this thing on some basis other than at home. If I can't find the original 10.4" 640X480 LR Series display p/n 128902-001 - then I can dig up some other replacement method using newer and probably better parts. Might be nice to sit at the picnic table gathered around the Compaq and be able to see from the side and well in the sun.