I just got a new CMV 520D, I plugged it in and everything worked fine. After stripping it down however I again plugged it in and this time I got a picture only on the top 3rd of the screen. It appears that everything is hooked up correctly however something is obviously missing or I ruined it somehow. Any suggestions on this would be helpful.

I would try reseating the FFC('s), however take note that these connectors can only be used a limited # of times before they go bad. Also if it has the flip up type of latch be careful with the lever as these are also fragile and people have broken them.

This is kind of a generic response and I do not have that particular monitor.

Thanks I have tried that, a couple of times when I gently move the ffc around I get a better picture however still nothing on the other 2/3rds of the screen. Has anyone else run into this and if so any suggestions on fixing it?

Here is a picture of the actual screen. The top part sometimes get a picture. I have continued to try and mess with the FFC to no avail. Can someone tell me if it appears the LCD is still good or am I wasting time on one that is no longer good?

Try some canned air in the connectors. I think sombody else was having a similiar issues because of small particles.

heh, at least you got SOME picture!

the best i could do is get energy going to the screen (just some flickering or lines now and then). be real careful with these FCC's,
my new screen should arrive friday so i'll get the chance to hose another screen!

hopefully i wont hose it. Anyone who has stripped the 520D... do you know if its possible to NOT disconnect the main FCC's during the stripdown? i'm gonna attempt this cuz flushing 170 bux becuz of that really stinks! (sry for bluntly stating the obvious)

Yes. I stripped my 520D removing only the FFC for the small control panel. I never touched the 2 main FFC's coming from the LCD itself. I'm not even sure how you would disconnect them and reconnect once installed as the circuit boards will be upside down and very close to the LCD (i.e. No working room there)

I laid the LCD on a piece of covered cardboard. I put a piece of papertowel down on the LCD and then a small piece of wood. The circuit board laid on top of the wood putting no strain on the FFC's going to the LCD.

When I got ready to install, I laid my sled on its side and slide the whole thing into position. Then move the circuit board to its proper position when I turned the LCD sled upright.

...clear as mud ??

GADGETSMITH...
I LOVE YOU.
my only "but" and please forgive my note of angst as a simple emotion resulting from my 170 bux down the hole...

i really wish you or someone like you would have thrown that bit of information into the CMV-520D stripdown thread. It should DEFINITELY be ADDED now!

realizing you didnt start that thread (i think forkev did) ... but i'm just saying.. it "might" have saved my board. oh well, least i know for this one.. thx for the quick reply !!

FatScreen,
I'm sorry about your LCD problems, but this is mearly an alternative approach. There are many "right ways"; so long as you get the LCD installed without damaging it.

Please see my reply in Forkev's post. here

cheers,
gs

Yep mine will be here soon as well. This is actually my third monitor, but even so it is still cheaper (by a little) then buying a projector. And the cost is at least spread out some. Not to mention long term costs $38.00 for a bulb vs. $500.00.

Thanks for the tip on not taking out the fcc cables I was going to attempt that this time around as well.

trying my new stripdown tonite. if anyone is in the springfield MO area and has done this before.. come on over!!!

yea ok, none of you are. tck9199 i'll try to let ya know how i fare 2nd time around.

Well the 2nd stripdown went well for me. I went with a method hinted at by Gadgetsmith, the do-not-disconnect-the-2-FFC's method. Sry for the length, i strove for overly detailed rather than "you figure it out."

sidenote***: my current 520D that i've just received is different than my original 520D (as shown in Forkev's stripdown)... the 2 FFC's are narrower and actually have the hinge doors at BOTH ends (heh, 4 X the possibility of breaking one, YAY! ). The control panel FFC also can disconnect at either end (cant remember if thats how the original one was). And there is a alternate mfg name on the main processor rather than Pixelwork (dont know what that will mean as far as its performance... i couldnt make out the name last nite but will see if i can come up w/ it later. or if anyone else has seen it you might post for the curious).
** you will probably want to have your LCD frame ready prior to this, but not necessary. - i went w/ the alum frame + dremmeled plastic backframe method as many have used, no silicone needed. - then mounted this to some wood.

-No pics yet, as i'm waiting until completion to gather up my images and do a plog/pjgallery-

i'll be borrowing from images in Forkev's CMV-520D stripdown (since i'm lacking mine currently) if using this method there are obvious differences in the stripdown... would be nice if someone could do another stripdown describing/visualizing techniques of how to go about this method, i would but i'm UNWILLING to reassemble disassemble my current working LCD all framed up in its disassembled and working glory. Yes, seeing that upside down, reversed image from your stripped LCD is one of those "high" points of the DIY LCD Projector process.

Basically you would follow his strip down until STEP 12 in which you should take special note (and mark it draw it out if necessary) of where that one screw mounting goes to the underlying ciruit board for later positioning purposes. Continue to step 14 where you are instructed to disconnect the 2 FFC's between the strip connector and the main circuit board BUT DONT.
Though from an earlier step, look at this image:
Forkev image 1
on the metal backplate (right side of pic) you see the circuitry housing with the control panel FFC going out the right to the CP (in the pic). Disconnect the control panel FFC - choose which end seems easiest to you, one end has a hinge door but is easily accessible, i found the other end to be slightly cumbersome to get "back in the hole" due to the adhesive on one side sticking to your fingers as you attempted to "gitRdone." The aluminum Circuitry Housing AND tin underneath the circuit board is what we're after and the realy sexy part to all of this. Rather than disonnect the 2 FFC's you can remove the aluminum CB housing ( one screw-->KEEP<-- and simple clips that you slide it out of- but be gentle and constantly watchout for the strip connectors and those 2 main ffc's).

With your Circuitry exposed you'll want to unmount it from the tin (several screws-- KEEP the screws).
Forkev image 2
Now comes the somewhat "scary" part as it can feel awkward. I also had the aid of 2 other people and recommend at least an extra couple of steady hands to help you out-- as you read you might think "thats crazy" and you'll definitely think it if you try it; i'll just denote that its quite possible to do and we pulled it off without a hitch, just must be steady, calm, and again will probably need at least one extra pair of hand if not more to hold things in the air as you or whoever works.

Your circuitry is unscrewed, screws kept tidily nearby. You will want something like towels (preferably lint free), or some small cardboard pieces and papertowels to place in between the LCD and the circuitry boards when you get to this point (another reason why a couple extra people are handy - when you get to "this point" you will probably have fragile items in your own hands.
Have a "bedding" of whatever you choose already laying on the table, this is where you'll lay the emancipated LCD (seran wrap might be nice to lay on the towel to help keep the LCD clean and free of annoying dust). you'll still need "filler" materials too as they'll have to sit on top of the lcd with the circuit boards on top of other towels/cardboard .. whatever.

OK, you or someone else needs to lift up the circuit boards carefully, making sure to support the middle area where there is a small power bridge that connects the 2 boards (i believe this *might* be able to disconnect safely- i chose not to... if someone knows for sure, please post). Obviously the person holding the CB's is STILL connected via the 2 FFC and must be acknowledging them at all times- making sure not to stress them. Next someone needs to free the LCD from the metal backplate & plastic while the other someone holds the circuit boards in the air. This part is cumbersome and kind of scary since everything is supported by human hands, (i remember it being very silent and tense like we were in surgery) but be calm and gitRdone. Once you free the lcd, lay it on your bedding and get the filler materials laid on top of the lcd so you can then finally set everything down. WHEW!

Next, take the tin backplate and rip the backlights out (ok, you dont have to RIP them out other uses for them found HERE.)
Once you have just the tin backplate you want to use some cutters or dremmel etc to cut around where the aluminum CB housing sat, basically the area around the screw studs AND the lil clips for the alum housing. The idea is to cut that section out and you'll be able to remount the CB to it and the alum housing and have a PERFECT little CB housing (perfect since its what it was in to begin with- no messing with making a new mounting that will fit.. you already have one!) See the bend in the metal under the CP ffc ?forkev pic 3
you may want to cut that as well as part of a sidewall as this could stick up in your light path (depending on how high your LCD frame mount is).

You should see how you can now mount the CB back to the tin backplate you've cut out to nicely fit your box and then you can mount the alum CB housing back on as well for a perfect little cage.

its kinda sad all the people that are putting down forkevs stripdown i followed it to a t , and i have been so brutal with the lcd and pcb's that i cant imagine how the thing has lasted but it still has a crystal clear pic with no dead pixels. he also states to read over xanderphillips stripdown of the 529 for further reference. i also dont believe that people are blaming him for their user error when so many others have stripped the 520d with zero problems. i dont mean no offense here but the guy took his time and effort to take pics while stripping the lcd to help us not for his health and people are bashing him for his efforts.

i dont think anyone here is bashing Forkev's stripdown. I'm sharing my experience as are others. I"m very glad for Forkev's stripdown guide and even used it to remind me of the steps on my 2nd try, only i went a slightly different route. theres been several people have some problems with the 520d and many who haven't...
none of us are "blaming" him for our problems.. he just put in his opionion on how to do the stripdown, and others like myself have expressed some other methods while always using his stripdown as a base, sheesh, usually people like that sort of thing .. being the foundation for new ideas. please don't put words in other peoples mouths... er, text.. unless its clear that an "attack" is taking place. (in which case i believe a moderator would've taken care of such childishness quickly).
and is basically "bashing" the rest of us for sharing our experiences. Lucky you for making it thru the stripdown with no problems, others weren't so lucky and i dont think anyone has ever said it was Forkev's fault but simply were looking for help. I certainly hope Forkev and others continue making good stripdown tutorials as it really helps guide the newbie. The real issue in all these posts is the fragility of the FFC's and to express that you have more than one way to deal with them, i'm sure Forkev would agree even if him simply expressed one way. obviously it wasnt his job or intention to be the all encompassing guru of 520D boards hehe.

Fatscreen,
Congrats on the successful second teardown. My monitor doesnt get here until next wednesday which is ok because it gave me a chance to build a new box using Haas's design with a few modifications. When you get a chance could you post a couple of your pics showing the different steps you took then Forkev did.

I completely agree with your comments I never was mad at forkev, in fact I did my best to follow his guide to the T, and was very much appreciative that he made it. I am just chalking up the shot LCD as a learning experience and will use it to get the right fit before my new one gets here.

FatScreen,
Glad it worked out for you. Congratulations. If you think this was exciting, wait until you project for the first time !

tck9199,
Good luck with your upcoming strip. (wow, that sounds funny...)

davethr,
?? - no one bashing anyone here. we're discussing alternatives for someone who had a bad experience with an FFC and was looking for a way to avoid having to mess with them. as FatScreen found out, handling the LCD with the control board still attached is certainly more difficult (I could have used an extra set of hands when I did mine), but there is no need to undo the FFC's except for the small control panel one. My hats off to forkev's guide... he's one of the reason's I choose the 520D !!

-gs

my plog is beginning, i'm starting with the lcd circuit board housing stuff first for those interested in this step (as most of my other steps are pretty common).
FatScreen #1 plog
not the best tutorial type pics, but hopefully enough to visualize what i did.