Lynx I Horizontal LCD Lines - Power Issue?

[Lythian]

G'day,

 

I recently was lucky enough to pick up a Lynx I with a collection of games. Unfortunately, while games do run, there are black horizontal lines on the LCD display. Of note, the lines are not consistent in either position, or number and vary as the console is on over time. Consequently, I suspect it is associated with a power issue.

 

I have spent some time checking all electrolytic caps (with a cheap ebay ESR meter) and they seem to be in good working condition. Additionally I have attempted to measure voltages in accordance with schematics while providing power (desktop supply) over the 9V battery inputs, yet I have been unable to isolate issues. This is compounded by confusion of the appropriate ground point to measure voltages, noting I am currently measuring continuity between the +ve battery terminal, the gold ground areas around the board (ground plane?), Vin and Pin 3 of the power module; while the power module GND point does not have continuity/is not common to the –ve battery terminal.

 

To assist could someone provide a few key locations to measure voltages in order to begin to isolate the issue and the appropriate ground point, or alternatively any other experience with such issues?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[McWill]

It's a defective LCD (the controller IC on the glass of the LCD are defective or off).
The only solution is to replace the LCD. Either the original LCD (but it will also be defective in the future) or my LCD replacement.

[Igor]

I had a similar issue with one of my Lynxes, a Lynx 2 specifically. It had black horizontal lines on it, my blog post shows what it looked like - https://www.igorkromin.net/index.php/2017/09/11/atari-lynx-repair-part-1-introduction-and-case-disassembly/

 

After re-capping the motherboard these lines did go away. I would highly recommend McWill's mod though (which I did do to that Lynx afterwards). It makes it so much better to play!

[+Stephen]

I had a similar issue with one of my Lynxes, a Lynx 2 specifically. It had black horizontal lines on it, my blog post shows what it looked like - https://www.igorkromin.net/index.php/2017/09/11/atari-lynx-repair-part-1-introduction-and-case-disassembly/

 

After re-capping the motherboard these lines did go away. I would highly recommend McWill's mod though (which I did do to that Lynx afterwards). It makes it so much better to play!

Nice write-up on your Lynx mods.

[GadgetUK]

I had a similar issue with one of my Lynxes, a Lynx 2 specifically. It had black horizontal lines on it, my blog post shows what it looked like - https://www.igorkromin.net/index.php/2017/09/11/atari-lynx-repair-part-1-introduction-and-case-disassembly/

 

After re-capping the motherboard these lines did go away. I would highly recommend McWill's mod though (which I did do to that Lynx afterwards). It makes it so much better to play!

Yeah, great job on that article and fixing that issue with caps

[Lythian]

Great thanks for the replies McWill and Necrocia. Necrocia your horizontal lines are as I am experiencing. I will retry recapping first - as it is likely due anyhow and then consider a replacement LCD. Ill let you know how it goes. Cheers.

[Igor]

Do share if that fixes your Lynx