+DarkLord Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hmm, vertical stripes? I've never had that problem here, just the usual dimming. Are you sure it's just the LCD doing it or is it the video signal? If you've got an SC1224 monitor, hook the Stacy up to it and see if still gives the vertical striping. That way you'll know. How about some pictures so we can see exactly the effect that you are talking about? (and besides, we just love pics!)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jovlie Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hi I can buy here in Holland an EL sheet in white and blue, which color shall I take for the Stacy ? Jos Finally, here is the reassembled LCD/lid, with the power off: and now, in all its magnificent (bright!) glory, with the power on: This is another item on my "STacy restoration project list" that I can now mark off. I'd like to take a moment again and thank Jo Even for the original idea of using a replacement El sheet instead of paying over $200.00 for a replacement (assuming you can find one). Thanks Jo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi I can buy here in Holland an EL sheet in white and blue, which color shall I take for the Stacy ? Jos I'd go with the white. Remember, the blue is merely the color of the STacy's screen (not the el sheet) itself. The original El sheet that I took out of my STacy was actually kinda pinkish. Look back at my pics - you can see more there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jovlie Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Well, I bought today an new EL sheet white for 35 dollars with inverter. Ten I removed the old EL sheet for the Stacy by pulling off the 2 plastic black pins. So now I have to cut the EL sheet for getting the exact format as the original. Then I can slide it back in and try if it works. With the EL sheet, came an inverter which I have to connect with the EL sheet. Any ideas where to hide this in the Stacy ? This inverter runs on 12 V DC . So I assume I have to build a little 220V AC- 12 V DC inside the Stacy ? Perhaps you can help somewhat with these questions. Would be nice ! Thanks Jos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guus.assmann Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) Hello Jos, The Stacy already has 12V DC inside. This is used for the HD and Floppy. It usually is a yellow wire on one of the outer sides of the power connector for the HD or Floppy unit. The usual layout for this (relatively thick singel wires) is two black ones in the middle of 4 total. And these black wires are the minus. One red is +5V and the yellow (or orange) one is +12V. Most likely the inverter in the Stacy is also seperate and supplied with 12V. Don't forget to disable that one. But it can also be, that the original inverter in the Stacy will work fine for the new sheet. Also, after cutting it's good to seal the sides. Consider "hot glue" from a "glue gun" for this task. BR/ Guus Edited July 2, 2012 by guus.assmann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Pretty much what Guus said. There are a couple of places to draw 12v and 5v from inside the STacy. I also sealed up my El Sheet after cutting it to fit. I used clear fingernail polish though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLund1 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 DarkLoard, I seemed to have missed this topic in my Stacy upgrade browsing. A few questions if I may. How great was the difference in screen brightness and clarity from the original to the new one you installed? Has there been a degradation over the past couple years since you did this upgrade? Did you use the power connection from the original panel with the new one? If you were to get one today, which would to get? a link, please,if you have a bit of time to look. Many thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 (edited) DarkLoard, I seemed to have missed this topic in my Stacy upgrade browsing. A few questions if I may. How great was the difference in screen brightness and clarity from the original to the new one you installed? Has there been a degradation over the past couple years since you did this upgrade? Did you use the power connection from the original panel with the new one? If you were to get one today, which would to get? a link, please,if you have a bit of time to look. Many thanks!! Oh wow, sorry you missed it. I'd like to say there was a huge difference but there wasn't. However, my old original el sheet in my STacy was very dim. It was so dim that sometimes I had to squint to tell the difference between the background and a drive icon, for example. Not good. That's why I decided to replace it. I was hoping for blazing, more powerful than the sun kind of brightness, but while I didn't get that, what I did get made it much more usable. I still think it could be better though. I've never owned a new STacy, and I never had a chance to use a newer model back when they were first released (1989?), so its hard for me to make that comparison. What I can do is point you to some videos I made, showing the brightness of my screen now: (note that any flicker is due to the recording camera, not the screen) I've seen no degradation that I can tell, so far. I used the power adaptor plug from the el sheet kit, it plugs into the sheet itself, then I used the end that was on the original Atari sheet, tied together, then plugging that end into the original Atari power supply board (so I'm saying I'm using nothing but the new el sheet and connector from the kit I bought - everything else is still from the STacy). Here, you can see where I plugged it into the original STacy P/S: Now...I did that for neatness, compactness and convenience. I mean, the power supply is already there, so I used it. Its my *opinion* though, that if you used another 12v source, like the one that comes with the el sheet, that you'd have brighter output. You'd have to wrestle with the problem of another power source though, inside the STacy. I can't help but feel the STacy's original power supply is a tad bit weak some times, especially when you consider all that I'm asking mine to do. That original ebay listing for the A4 sized el sheet has closed of course, but you can do a search on "A4 sized El sheet" and it will usually bring up what you need. For example I did that search just now and it turned up this, which looks like the same thing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/A4-297mm-210mm-EL-Panel-Sheet-Pad-Back-Light-Display-Backlight-/251564799590?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item3a926e3666 (wow - what a URL!) As you can probably tell, I love these machines. I really enjoy working on them and talking about them, so if I can help any way at all just let me know! PS I'm still hoping someday to get a working color LCD replacement into mine. That would just rock. Edited June 26, 2014 by DarkLord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji-Man Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 **sigh** I have to do this to my STacy soon. The display is getting pretty dim. or my eyes are going bad. probably the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 **sigh** I have to do this to my STacy soon. The display is getting pretty dim. or my eyes are going bad. probably the latter. Same problem I have Fuji-Man, I'm 52 now and the 'ole eyes just ain't what they used to be. When I finished this screen restoration project, it was a lot better than what I started out with, but I still want to do color one of these days, if at all possible. I can feed the STacy's signal to a color LCD via the external port and its wonderfully crisp and clear. Maybe one of these days, and with lots of hard work/experimentation, I'll see this dream come true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim N Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 I was playing with the thought of marrying the screen of the Stacy with the LED-backlight of a modern day PC. I never really took a closer look of the screen unit in my Stacy when I took it apart the last time, but judging from your photos that wont be possible? What about putting a led-strip on the edges of the screen, any opinion on that? Or is my best bet to do a similar operation such as yours?My Stacy is pretty beat up and I don't depend on it working perfectly, but it would be nice to have a working backlight on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) I think Jo Even Skarstein mentioned that idea of brightening it up with LED strips one time, in a message thread somewhere. I didn't go that route, so I don't know if it would have worked or not. You can take one apart, or at least take the STacy apart to get down to it - but if you followed all my message threads, here and over at Atari Forum, then you know I ran into some problems when I did split the screen itself apart. 2 of the sections "mate" together with a some kind of silicon gel contacts. Once I ripped those apart, I had a very difficult time getting them back together where they would work. Personally, I'd never do that again. I *think* Bruce at B&C Computervisions might have 2 replacement LCDs for the STacy. But they are about $199.00 apiece or so. I had actually ordered them at one point - but he didn't want to ship them until he checked them, and after -1- year of waiting I cancelled the order. Seems he was going through a divorce and lost all of his help so he couldn't find the time. You could check with him and see if things are better now... HTHs. Edited October 2, 2014 by DarkLord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji-Man Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Okay, I ordered my EL sheet. And the wait begins... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Let us know when you get it and how things go. We're here to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji-Man Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Okay, got it in the mail today from the Orient. I got a sheet, and a black box that says 12vdc that hooks to the EL sheet and a wire with a barrel connector and 2 tinned wires on the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dal_1978 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) That little barrel takes 12V from your Stacy and converts it to the power required by the EL sheet (generally >=65v AC). I imagine there must be some 12v kicking around in the display area somewhere (Darklord??) - failing that, you can tap it off the internal power supply that sits in the centre of the main board. Edited July 15, 2015 by Dal_1978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji-Man Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Okay, got it in the mail today from the Orient. I got a sheet, and a black box that says 12vdc that hooks to the EL sheet and a wire with a barrel connector and 2 tinned wires on the other end. Display was shipped in small box with shipping tube. A bad sign. Just fired it up to see it. long bubble at one end, 1/3 of sheet is ruined. I'm not sure if it is salvageable. Awesome, can't post a picture... Contacting seller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) That little barrel takes 12V from your Stacy and converts it to the power required by the EL sheet (generally >=65v AC). I imagine there must be some 12v kicking around in the display area somewhere (Darklord??) - failing that, you can tap it off the internal power supply that sits in the centre of the main board. I used the STacy's original internal power supply board - specifically the same plug that powered the original STacy LCD. In other words, I didn't use the power supply that came with my El sheet at all - used the STacy's. HTHs. Edited July 20, 2015 by DarkLord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Display was shipped in small box with shipping tube. A bad sign. Just fired it up to see it. long bubble at one end, 1/3 of sheet is ruined. I'm not sure if it is salvageable. Awesome, can't post a picture... Contacting seller. Oh wow - bummer! Hope you get it sorted out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLund1 Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 DL, I'm finally looking to update my STy4 with this upgrade. (my hobby budget is up) Any suggested sources that may not have this issue, but it like your experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share Posted August 12, 2015 Hey. You're just looking for sources to buy an El sheet? Am I understanding your question right? (apologies if I'm not). I just went to ebay and did a search on "A4 sized El sheet" and got some hits that way. Here are some now, for example: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xa4+el+sheet.TRS0&_nkw=a4+el+sheet&_sacat=0 HTHs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeezix Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 This is amazing And your Tacy is _black_ now? Crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted August 13, 2015 Author Share Posted August 13, 2015 Yeah, but it's only black until something *darker* comes along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2500x Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 (edited) On 8/12/2015 at 8:48 AM, DarkLord said: Hey. You're just looking for sources to buy an El sheet? Am I understanding your question right? (apologies if I'm not). I just went to ebay and did a search on "A4 sized El sheet" and got some hits that way. Here are some now, for example: Hello sir. I would like to try this upgrade and I did the search on eBay, but found many many options, with prices starting under $20 even! Not sure if I need the inverters or other extra part options. Would you be able to point me to the correct ‘white’ one with the lowest cost? Thanks in advance! Edited March 9, 2022 by k2500x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 Hey there. Something along these lines: https://www.ebay.com/itm/152146004508?hash=item236c9bca1c:g:-oEAAOSwOVpXcPvs Keep in mind, anything a little bigger is mostly okay, they can be trimmed to fit. I did this, and covered the part I cut with clear fingernail polish to protect it. I also powered mine off the STacy's original P/S, thus eliminating the need for the inverter. However, if your STacy's P/S doesn't make the el sheet bright enough, you might have to look at other options. Mine was good enough for me. Having said that, it's been *years* since I did this and it's starting to fade again. I'm told this is normal for el sheets, they will grow dim over time. I'm not going to replace it with another el sheet, although that would be the cheapest and easiest thing for me to do. The next time I open my STacy up (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for early summer), I'm going to attempt the modification from this thread: https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=40201 Make sure you read all the way through it. I know, it's quite long but worth it. Towards the last few pages, you'll be able to find links to either partially assembled or fully assembled kits, although soldering and work on the STacy will still have to be done. HTH's... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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