9XR LCD dead after two weeks

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av8r
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9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

My LCD went dead on me after just tow weeks of using 9XR. I see there are some problems wiht LCD's both on 9X and 9XR, and thankfuly there is a replacement LCD module for 9x from here - http://www.r2hobbies.com/eurgle-l76-x-w ... nitor.html.

I wonder if anyone knows if this LCD module would fit in 9XR TX?

Thanks.
Last edited by av8r on Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Kilrah
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by Kilrah »

Are you sure the LCD is dead, not just badly connected?
av8r
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

Pretty sure - connector seems fine, but there are some traces on the connector ribbon, not sure if short circuited or just discoloration. I'll take a photo and post it here.

Do you know if 9x LCD module fits 9XR?
SkyNorth
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by SkyNorth »

The LCDs are not compatible with each other.
The ribbon connections are on the other side of the ribbon cable compared to the 9x.
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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

Did you have the case open before this happened?

Did you do any work on your 9XR before the LCD went dead?
What battery setup are you using?

Does your 9XR still work otherwise?

Just trying to narrow down what could have caused this.

If the regulator or voltage for the LCD failed for instance that would also keep the LCD from working. A bad trace connection also.

Does the backlight light up?
Have you reflashed the firmware from the original?
Have you checked the brightness and contrast settings in the menu?
More history on your tx please.
SM



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av8r
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

ShowMaster - I have opened the case several times before (to check the innards - very messy main board, btw, and change Mode 1 to Mode 2 stick). However, that's not the cause since everything was working fine for about two weeks.

I have, however, noticed from the begining that the screen would not always initialize on power up - sometimes I had to reset tx once or twice to get the screen going.

Backlight and the TX work as usual - the receiver is stil bound to the TX and works fine. Just that I cannot see any data on blank (but well lit :-)) screen...

Voltage regulator seems fine, but I'll check it. I haven't got to flashing firmware yet so I doubt it's a software bug.

Something in hardware is wrong. LCD ribbon might have something to do with it, but I'm not sure. As I already told Kilrah, there seems to be some discoloration on the LCD ribbon that might be the sign of short circuiting, or perhaps glue (epoxy?) traces. I'll post the photo of the ribbon later on.

Thanks for your help, guys.
Last edited by av8r on Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jhsa
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by jhsa »

Yes, a close good quality photo, if possible. ;)

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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

Yes a picture of the cable and the LCD connector. Be very careful there, the connector latch rotates up not out like the 9x so don't break it if you reseat the cable.
Maybe worth a try, with power on, case open, carefully push and probe the wires and board, especially in the LCD connector area. I use a Bamboo Skewer , sharp on one end, flat on the other, non conductive.
You may get lucky and find a solder blob or solder connection issue.
This is the first LCD display failure I've read about on the 9XR so what you find will help others of it becomes an assembly error?
SM


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av8r
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

Just so to disprove me, my screen turned on while I was about to take the pic. However, you can see there are some lines missing.

Image

I opened the case and took a serious look into the discoloration on ribbon and connectors (encircled) - turned out it had been glue or epoxy and I cleaned it with tisue paper and alcohol.

Image

Closed the case and turned on the TX - blank screen again. Opened the case and tried jiggling connectors with the stick as per suggestion - no joy. Connectors seem fine...


Image
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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

Well, that's not good! Thanks for trying it.
So maybe lift the connector "bail" carefully and slip the cable out and clean it and the contacts and reinsert it.
A good display minus a few lines says to me bad connections to the cable.
If it was power you should have seen a total display not a good display with missing lines I'm thinking. Then their's the old trick of some heat and cold on the display IC just to see if it comes alive?
It's always posable some driver IC pins are not soldered so maybe push down carefully on each one if you can see your display while doing it.
That IC should be at the end of the display trace going to the connector.
Just fishing here but since it came alive their's hope. Electronics usually don't heal themselves, only Mars Rovers are designed to do that!
Keep at it!
SM


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av8r
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

Is it possible to remove the ribbon cable from the connector (on the board, I presume)? Do I pull it (the the dark grey part inserted in white socket?) sideway or upward? Seems pretty unmovable to me, in both directions...

Agree with you that missing lines suggest bad connection.
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rperkins
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by rperkins »

Sorry -- <unrelated_comment>I noticed in his picture. No capacitor on reset.</unrelated_comment>
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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

rperkins wrote:Sorry -- <unrelated_comment>I noticed in his picture. No capacitor on reset.</unrelated_comment>
I also see the cap is missing so I guess that answers the question about current versions.
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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

av8r wrote:Is it possible to remove the ribbon cable from the connector (on the board, I presume)? Do I pull it (the the dark grey part inserted in white socket?) sideway or upward? Seems pretty unmovable to me, in both directions...

Agree with you that missing lines suggest bad connection.
This is a closeup posted. I've not tried to remove my cable as I had no reason to yet.

Notice where the latch ends up when open.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1361977621.638355.jpg

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av8r
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by av8r »

ShowMaster - you're genius! Opened connector, cleaned the pins and terminals on the ribbon and everything works fine! Thanks a lot.

Also, thanks to the rest of you guys for your inputs and suggestions.
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jhsa
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by jhsa »

Great.. another happy costumer then ;) :D

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ShowMaster
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by ShowMaster »

Good news for us all. Without your observations and photos it may not have happened.
Without that great picture of the connector latch operation posted earlier (forgot who but I'll look it up), I wouldn't have recommended you try it. I didn't want the latch broken off.
Tell us how to use the latch without breaking it off since you survived that.
SM


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blkfleet
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Re: 9XR LCD dead after two weeks

Post by blkfleet »

i am having kinda the same issue with my 9xr, except my pretty blue light has gone very dime but i can see all the info on the screen clear as day. when i turn off all the lights in my room i can see a very very dim blue glow on the screen. like barely visible and when i move the sticks even the very low glow kinda flickers with inputs, do ya think this process that AV8R did will fix my Tx? before i go opening up my TX......

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