5 replies to this topic

[Radfoo]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has ever replaced the backlight? On the original Lynx it looks like its soldered in place, which could mak ethings awkward.

If so, do you know where they can be pruchased?

Perhaps with newer technology now, a lower energy back light could be found? (just an idea).

Radfoo

[Atariman]

talk to the people at best electronics. (I believe the guy's name is Bradley) He seems to know how to fix just about anything. I'm not sure if this applies to the backlight or not, but the LCD itself cannot be replaced because the ribbon is soldered to the board. (website is www.best-electronics-ca.com)

[FlaScubaMan]

Actually, I disagree with the last post. If you can find a defective lynx with a working backlight/LCD assembly they can be swapped out, at least on the Lynx II. The ribbon is not soldered to the board, its a flimsy ribbon, but its just plugged in. Here's how you do it:
1. Remove the 4 screws under the rubber bumpers on the back of the lynx.
2. Remove the screw holding the battery compartment in place, and remove battery holder.
3. Carefully lift up the motherboard. You will see two wired connections, one is the high voltage power going to the backlight, one goes to the speaker. Carefully unplug both of these.
4. Next you will see two ribbon connectors going to the back of the motherboard. The large one goes to the LCD assembly and the small one goes to the front control panel. These are held in place by a clip at the top of the connector. Use a screwdriver to loosen each side of the clip until it is separated by about 1/16 inch from the rest of the connector. The ribbon should unplug now. Repeat with the other ribbon.
5. You should now be able to remove the motherboard and set aside.
6. Remove the four screws holding the LCD/backlight assembly in place. It can now be removed.
7. Using the same steps above, remove a working LCD/backlight assembly from another defective lynx.
8. Reassemble the lynx in reverse order. Plug the speaker and backlight wires in first. Next are the ribbon cables, there is very little slack so its kind of tricky. But you can plug them back into the motherboard. Make sure they are fully inserted and are straight. Use the screwdriver to push the ribbon clamps back in place.
7. Test the lynx. Sometimes you have to unplug and reinsert the ribbon cables to get them lined up correctly.
8. If working, replace battery compartment, and back of lynx.

My suggestion, is that while you have the lynx apart, do a spring cleaning of the push button contacts. Over the years they can get corroded or foreign matter can get under them causing them to fail to respond, or to respond in a way that the button appears pushed all the time. I have fixed several lynx's with malfunctioning buttons just by cleaning the button contacts. Here's how I have done it:
1. Follow the steps above and get to the point where you remove the LCD/backlight assembly.
2. Then remove the six screws holding the control panel in place and carefully lift out the control panel. Be careful at this point because underneath there are many loose plastic buttons. On the Lynx II, note how each button has a letter on it (A, B). Make sure the A button goes back in the A button slot, and facing in the same direction as how you read the "A". Same with "B" buttons. On the directional button, note a mark on the back of the plastic button and the direction it faces. Its important that these buttons are re-assembled in exactly the same position and orientation.
3. On the front of the control panel, note a black plastic ring that holds the grey rubber button contacts in place. Use a sharp knife or screwdriver to carefully release the little latches holding these in place.
4. Look at the inside of the rubber button contacts. You will notice a metalic disc contact. This is what contacts the circuit board on the control panel. Use a pencil with a clean fresh rubber eraser and "erase" the black corrosion on the metal discs. Also carefully, with slight pressure use the rubber eraser on the circuit board at the point where the disc contacts and remove the black corrosion on the circuit board contacts. Make sure you remove any trace of rubber eraser residue or any other foreign matter or dust.
5. While you have the control panel off, use a kleenex to remove any dust or marks from the inside of the plexiglass viewscreen and the front of the LCD/backlight display.
6. Re-assemble in reverse order and your button contacts will work as good as new.

Hope this helps.

Michael

[Atariman]

FlaScubaMan said:

If you can find a defective lynx with a working backlight/LCD assembly they can be swapped out, at least on the Lynx II.

I think that the Lynx mentioned above was the Lynx I, not II.

FlaScubaMan said:

My suggestion, is that while you have the lynx apart, do a spring cleaning of the push button contacts.  Over the years they can get corroded or foreign matter can get under them causing them to fail to respond, or to respond in a way that the button appears pushed all the time.  I have fixed several lynx's with malfunctioning buttons just by cleaning the button contacts.  Here's how I have done it:
1.  Follow the steps above and get to the point where you remove the LCD/backlight assembly.
2.  Then remove the six screws holding the control panel in place and carefully lift out the control panel.  Be careful at this point because underneath there are many loose plastic buttons.  On the Lynx II, note how each button has a letter on it (A, B).  Make sure the A button goes back in the A button slot, and facing in the same direction as how you read the "A".  Same with "B" buttons.  On the directional button, note a mark on the back of the plastic button and the direction it faces.  Its important that these buttons are re-assembled in exactly the same position and orientation.
3.  On the front of the control panel, note a black plastic ring that holds the grey rubber button contacts in place.  Use a sharp knife or screwdriver to carefully release the little latches holding these in place.  
4.  Look at the inside of the rubber button contacts.  You will notice a metalic disc contact.  This is what contacts the circuit board on the control panel.  Use a pencil with a clean fresh rubber eraser and "erase" the black corrosion on the metal discs.  Also carefully, with slight pressure use the rubber eraser on the circuit board at the point where the disc contacts and remove the black corrosion on the circuit board contacts.  Make sure you remove any trace of rubber eraser residue or any other foreign matter or dust.
5.  While you have the control panel off, use a kleenex to remove any dust or marks from the inside of the plexiglass viewscreen and the front of the LCD/backlight display.
6.  Re-assemble in reverse order and your button contacts will work as good as new.  

This part confused me. I assume that since the way you described taking the lynx apart, you were talking about the Lynx II (since I don't remember hearing about rubber grips on the bottom of the Lynx I). If this is the case, I am confused simply because I could have SWORN that the contacts on the flex circuit were encased in plastic so that there were no bare contacts. (It has been awhile since I've had mine open)

The Lynx II's LCD is not soldered onto the board, but I have been told that the original Lynx's LCD was not replaceable (by Best Electronics if I remember right) due to the fact that it is attached to the board in this way. Anyway, which brings me back to my same statement: Talk to the people at Best Electronics

When you say "soldered in place" do you mean the backlight itself or the power connections going to it?

[FlaScubaMan]

Sorry, I missed that part in the original question. All of my comments apply strictly to the Lynx II as those are the only units that I have personally disassembled. Also, I have never disassembled the LCD/Backlight module itself, and the other end of the ribbon may in fact be soldered in place on that module. However, on the Lynx II, all connections on the motherboard that lead to the LCD/Backlight module (or anywhere else) can be disconnected and reconnected as described above. If the Lynx I has similar ribbon connectors on the motherboard, I would assume that another Lynx I LCD/Backlight module could be substituted (and possibly a Lynx II LCD/Backlight module if no changes were made in this assembly). The only reason that I replied initially was because at a glance the Lynx II ribbon connectors on the motherboard appear to be one piece and the clip on the edge of it is not readily noticable unless you are looking for it and recognize that it is firmly holding the ribbon in place. The ribbons cannot be unplugged without loosening the clip and may mistakenly appear to be permanently attached to the motherboard. I don't know if the Lynx I connectors are of the same type. Sorry for any confusion I might have caused.

Michael

[FlaScubaMan]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, especially for someone as long-winded as me. Here are some JPG pics of the LYNX II ONLY. These may not apply to the Lynx I:

The LCD/Backlight Assembly

Motherboard Ribbon Connector with Clip Disengaged

Control Panel

Michael