controller and LCD being hooked up tonight!

SillyClown · 12-02-2002, 05:13 PM

Finally, after much cursing, ebaying, searching, and posting I will hope to have my 10.4 sharp screen up and running this evening. This is a big event for me as I have never approached hardware and electronics in this detail before. Sure I can put together a computer but I have never had to take a dremel to an IDE cable to make it only 8 pins across. Nor did I have to do any splicing or that black art they call soldering (satanic creation). So let's all cross our fingers. I will post pics this evening to show you the stunning brightness of my 200nit (don't laught) LCD.

Until then...is there any advice anyone has? Even though it's very unlikely I always have this fear of something blowing up or some crazy meltdown. Any tips? I am using the pinouts for the allen controller (I have the Rev E) and everything seems to match up.

The one thing I don't understand on the 'pinout' i used is this large ring that they have coming from the cable. it also appears on one part of the VGA connector there is some sort of coax connector.

I used a home made ghetto version of all of this. It actually will look quit nice and neat but it isn't anything like the picture portrays. I hacked part an IDE cable and made it proper length and then cut up some ethernet cable (RJ45) and i am using the 4 twisted pair to splice into IDE cable. At the other end of this RJ45 cable we have the D-sub15 connector(male VGA plug) picked up at rat shack that will connect to the Extended VGA cable that connects to the PC. The power will come directly from the PSU of course so I will just be testing this with a normal in home ATX PSU. The + and - will be spliced into the IDE cable as well.

Any suggestions or comments feel free to let this n00b know ;o)

also credit needs to be given to coconut924 who posted on here for a little while. we exchanged emails a bit and he gave me the run down on this whole idea. so in case he sees this thread have to give him thanks ;o)

t0ffluss · 12-02-2002, 05:22 PM

....Nor did I have to do any splicing or that black art they call soldering (satanic creation)...

loooooooooool

SillyClown · 12-03-2002, 12:53 AM

Ok so here is what I've got done this evening:

Here is what I had to work with
Sharp model LQ10D344 with Allen Rubles Datalux M1023 Rev E

Controller

I decided to hack apart some ethernet cable to use the wiring it housed

To interface with the actual controller here is the 'ghettomod' IDE cable

Here is the actual setup laid out on my kitchen linoleum

D sub connector I will be soldering *cringe* one end of the wire to

And then here is the IDE connector with the other end of the ethernet patch cable stripped

My project is still underway but will not be finished this evening. I still have yet to solve a couple of mysteries. I have to find out the exact pinout on what needs to connect where on the VGA plug and then the corresponding end - the IDE connector. I also hacked apart the opposite end of the IDE connector. I screwed up on the end that had pin1 and so I took action on the other end. I dremelled it nicely but now I do not know which pin to consider 'pin 1'. This picture will describe my question instead of babbling on (apologies for how crude it is):

And yes I know I still need to provide the 12V and ground from the PSU I just haven't gotten that far yet. Again, let me know if I am headed down the right road. Anything I am missing? I have seen some talk about using a metal housing to help connect all the common grounds...where can I pick one of these up at?

g60 · 12-03-2002, 01:22 AM

That's exactly how I made my cable. The ring is ground, it gets screwed into the hole right beside where the ide connects on the controller board.
To test which hole is what wire on the ide connector, I used a little speaker with a 9v battery and some ide wire to stick down the holes. It'll crackle if it makes a connection.

And it's a good idea to solder all your connections to keep signal loss down. You might get a bad picture if the connections aren't good. Good luck

SillyClown · 12-03-2002, 01:09 PM

Thanks g60 for the response! So the ring is the ground from which wires? Is that the 'digital ground' where all the wires from the IDE pin 1 and VGA pins 5 and 10 are all grounded at? Do I just solder those to the 'ring' and screw it into the controller card? What about pin 16 on the Vga end? It says 'Chassis Ground (shell)'? Do I actually need to go out and buy that metal housing to ground it to the shell? Or where does that go?

One more question. On the pinout for the IDE connector that plugs herself into the controlloer...it says:
(pin) 4 - RXD
(pin) 6 - TXD
and also there are 'NC's on pins 3,5,13 and 15. Are none of these used? I will only be working with the Hsync, Vsync, Digital Ground and analog RGB's and their respective grounds, correct? Do I just electrical tape off all the other IDE wires that have the 'NC' or 'RXD' and 'TXD'? Someone let me know. I don't wanna blow anything up.

Thanks so much for helping a real electronics noob.

SillyClown · 12-03-2002, 03:17 PM

I looked a little more in depth using the search function and see that 'NC' is 'no connection'. *duh* /me slams head into keyboard

I should have known that

edit: found out RXD and TXD is regarding touchscreen hardware. this is not needed in my setup.

that search button is handy

SillyClown · 12-04-2002, 12:40 AM

alright i am just ****ed....i am officially unable to solder. i just totally ruined a dsub(VGA) male connector i purchased. I got solder all over the different sockets. I purchased the soldering iron at radio shack and it has a pretty big tip...maybe that is part of my problem. That and I don't have a steady enough hand to solder wires into extremely tiny connectors without getting solder everywhere.

Anyone here want to assist me and make one of these friggin cables? I can solder wire to wire...that's a cinch. But soldering to a damn connector is the most frustrating activity one can engage in. especially if their are 8 different connections that have virtually no space inbetween them. i feel like giving up on this whole project as I am all thumbs.

What soldering equipment did any of you use and where did you purchase it at? And maybe it's just me and I am doing it incorrectly. Any instruction someone can give? Thanks in advance.

clown

inline4 · 12-04-2002, 01:49 AM

get a smaller tip and clean up the solder with some solder wick

jzgt · 12-04-2002, 12:12 PM

SC,
To quote the great stain maker, "I feel your pain."

I absolutely suck at soldering, too. I have yet to make a good connection. I have gone to crimp connectors...I can't (even though I have tried) screw those up!

- Jeff

allenruble · 12-04-2002, 12:35 PM

I think I got a vga cable for the controller at home . Pm me SillyClown

idlewild · 12-06-2002, 12:19 PM

As long as you add solder in control then you should be fine. Try buy thin solder and get a elipical tip instead of a point or spade.

SillyClown · 12-06-2002, 12:23 PM

Allen - thanks for the offer. i was extremely angry that night so I will decline your kind offer for the VGA cable. I need to get the hang of it.

Idlewild - Good band

And yeah I will be running to the hardware/local electronics store this weekend to search for smaller solder and a better tip then what i have. That is 90% of my problem.

Thanks!

4dalude · 12-06-2002, 02:33 PM

Allen..

If you find that vga cable that works with your controller, I would like a chance to buy it, if S.C. decides he doesn't want it. I know hes got first dibs.... but I could really use it.

Thanx,
johnny

SillyClown · 12-06-2002, 03:35 PM

hey go for it...just shoot allen a PM and talk with him about it. I am going to still attempt to construct my own. it's gonna take some doing but i have to complete something i started once in my life.

hey - post 100. i'm livin the high life now

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