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021231 - Stupid Planning, Maybe.
No. 1
Now I'm watching BUS riser cards of PC750 6886 and PC720 6860.
6886: Pentium 90-133, SurePass BIOS, Opti PCI IDE HD controller,
S3868, 2xPCI/MCA and 3MCA.
6860: DX2-66-DX4100, SurePass BIOS, standard IDE/ESDI (chip
unknown), S3864, 1x PCI/MCA, 1x MCA, 1 x ISA for PCMCIA, 1 x small PCI.
I once had a similar models which use same planar/BIOS but different
riser.
6883: Pentium 75-133, surpass BIOS, forgot other specs. uses same
body/outer case with PC750.
6863: A planar of 6883 is used in a PC720 case. Uses same BIOS
with 6883. 6863 uses same PCMCIA /A witch is used in 6860.
Planars of 6886 and 6860 are very different each other. One is Pentium and
the other is 486 design, but the risers seems to be almost same except
dimension. Length and key notches of the BUS connectors are same. 4 of main
chips used in 6886 riser are also sit on 6860 riser. Wondering if 6886 planar
can take a riser of 6860. If it is possible to use 6886 planar together within
6860 riser, then it would be a nice small PCI/MCA desktop PC smaller than PC730
6876. Though a PCMCIA connected to MCA BUS is not fully functional (but somehow
usable), it would be a interesting machine.
This summer I saw bunch of 6885/6886 planers sold in Akihabara. Didn't think
about this idea back then.
No. 2
Out of MCA but within IBM which I don't like these days. (sorry folks, it's
because of # 021228) I was given a ThinkPad i1400-436 with K6-2/300, CD
ROM/FDD, built-in audio, PCMCIA, 13.3" LCD. 3gig HD. It boots Win98SE nicely.
Pity, I get blank screen on the LCD. Actually speaking I can SEE something but
can't read, identify what displayed on the screen . Logic board is OK and full
functional. I confirmed it using CRT attached to the VGA port.
Two possibilities for the blank screen:
- The inverter board for the backlight unit (what do you call it?) is defective.
- The backlight lamp unit itself is broken or defective.
Last night I disassembled the LCD assembly. I thought the backlight unit was
on top or bottom of the LCD (I mean lamp pipe in horizontal setting). but
actually the lamp pipe was set vertically (side-light setting). The lamp pipe
is 20.8cm of length, 2mm of diameter. And oh my my..., at the bottom end near
an electrode the lamp pipe was broken apart.
Exact replacement LCD unit is FRU 05K9372. But it seems TP i1400-436 is not
so popular. No exact part came up on eBay (till last night). Many LCD units for
TP770, i1400 (but 2621) and X or A series are up for auctioning. Last night I
found two equivalents, one is LP133X3 by LG (noted as pulled from TP600E), and
the other is the one I have been looking for but the latter is noted as (also
"pulled" and) "ribbon cable might be bad". LCD in eBay may cost $100 and over
including shipping and anyway these are "used part" which are supposed to be
"short life" left. New replacement cost more than JY 80,000 and it's too much
for the K6-2/300 system.
Another approach is to get a new "backlight lamp unit". I've already found a
source for it but the lamp unit is not a genuine part by IBM. Problem is I
can't see or examine how the lamp units are look like.
I may go for:
- 13.3" LCD assembly i1400-436 (same part)
- 14.1" LCD assembly i1400 model 2621
- LCD unit equivalent to 05K9372
- backligh lamp unit
Humm... but for what?
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