bobmoo79 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 can somebody give me an opinion? look at the color bleeding etc. does the lynx ii screen always look this bad or not? could it be improved with a cap replacement? if it could be improved, which are the key caps to target? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 It's not supposed to look that bad, especially with the color bars in the second picture. It's definitely broken in some way, but I am not knowledgeable enough to say how you should fix it. My Atari Lynx is a PocketGo now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo-Torch Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 New caps didn't help mine when it got that way. I replaced the screen with a new one from Best Electronics and it looked new again. I'd also recommend a new speaker as the originals seem to fail over time for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Aged 90's tech. And LCD's weren't the best back then.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 Damn, I was hoping a cap replacement would sort this little fella out. I have a spare cap set here so may just do it anyway as it seems like a sensible thing to do. then if there's no improvement I can think about a new lcd from Best. im not interested in mcwill at this point. I want to change the MOSFET and diode too while I'm at it. they're original so, as with the caps, it seems sensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+madman Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Yeah, as long as you're in there, might as well replace the caps. Bummer about your screen, but luckily we still have Best around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 (edited) I haven't had this one long so haven't used it much but interestingly, when i switched it on earlier I thought to myself it wasn't as bad as I expected. it was 'chips challenge' and I'd never tried that one so didn't know what was normal. anyway after playing for a period of time the lcd suddenly got worse, similar to the photos I posted previously. so I took some photos of chips challenge after I got worse and im leaving it off for a while to see whether the screen improves again after s period of time. has anyone heard of this before? LCDs getting worse after a few minutes? I wonder whether the issue could be heat related or something to do with caps after all. Edited August 17, 2019 by bobmoo79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Getting worse after a few minutes sounds like a caps problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nop90 Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 One of my lynx does the same, after some minutes it starts to shows light vertical lines where there are brighter colours. Turning it off for some time the problem disappears. I think it's time to change the caps, and have to do it before some acid exits from the capacitors and damages the circuit. The lynx in the OP seems to suffer from the same problem, but there is something else too that causes the large coloured bars on the screen. I will try first testing the LCD on a another working lynx, then I'll try changing the capacitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 18, 2019 Author Share Posted August 18, 2019 (edited) ok so others do have the same issue..... I took more photos. the first is when it is first switched on then the second is after being left for around 15 minutes. theres definitely a difference. I do actually gave another lcd listing around. it's faulty but could be useful as a test unit. when switched in half the screen is just vertical coloured lines but the other half seems ok. so I could plug that in and run the same test to see usd it does the same. that would rule out the lcd as an issue. but I don't want to do any testing if that sort just yet. the mosfet I have laying around and was going to use in this doesn't work(I tested it last night) so I need to order another one before I start taking this thing apart. I don't want to mess with the unit any more than I have to because the flex membranes are so flaky. Edited August 18, 2019 by bobmoo79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
power Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 investigate benven or mcwill mate. you won't look back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igor Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 Or get the much cheaper BennVenn LCD kit... https://atarigamer.com/pages/using-the-atari-gamer-bracket-with-the-benn-venn-lcd-mod-for-atari-lynx-model-ii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 Christ, my last post was terrible - auto correct on my phone really screws up my posts! I love those screens but they're pricey and I'd like to keep the Lynx stock if I can, except for the changes I need to make to keep it alive (caps, mosfet, diode). I now have a new diode and am waiting on the MOSFET (which I hope will be there waiting when I get home) then I change everything at once to see if the screen improves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj1307 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I do not want to worry you, but it will not improve after replacing the diode and transistor, these screens are so damaged. I have several pieces so damaged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 23, 2019 Author Share Posted August 23, 2019 No I don't really expect either the diode or MOSFET to fix the screen. They're being replaced to stop a failure of those old components killing the mainboard. I was hopeful the caps would help but I'll only know once I've done it. The MOSFET arrived earlier so hopefully I'll get all the work done this weekend and be able to report back if there's any improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 (edited) so I replaced electrolytic caps , mosfet, diode but as we suspected there's no improvement to the lcd. BUT it was worth doing as now I know all of those are good to go for another 30 years! the speaker seems a bit extra distorted (though it could have been like that before) so I'll take it apart to check that but I think I may just order a new lcd and speaker, replace those and hopefully this baby will be sorted. fingers crossed!! Edited August 24, 2019 by bobmoo79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo-Torch Posted August 24, 2019 Share Posted August 24, 2019 3 hours ago, bobmoo79 said: so I replaced electrolytic caps , mosfet, diode but as we suspected there's no improvement to the lcd. BUT it was worth doing as now I know all of those are good to go for another 30 years! the speaker seems a bit extra distorted (though it could have been like that before) so I'll take it apart to check that but I think I may just order a new lcd and speaker, replace those and hopefully this baby will be sorted. fingers crossed!! When you get the new LCD, make sure you take the protective film off. I can't remember the exact details, but if Brad had not mentioned it when I was ordering by phone, I would not have noticed and left it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted August 25, 2019 Author Share Posted August 25, 2019 good to know, thanks for the heads up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 So in the end I ordered a replacement LCD from a guy in Italy (via Ebay) and that arrived yesterday. After letting the system run for a quite a while I didn't see any of the horrendous ghosting or colour bleed that blighted my old LCD, so I'm going to consider this unit fixed now. Perhaps not quite as good as getting new old stock from Best Electronics but it was certainly cheaper and did the job brilliantly. Oh and I also ordered a new speaker from Ebay too, so the sound is now much clearer too! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Sizes-Small-Speakers-8-Ohm-0-5W-Metal-Frame-Mini/233227469203?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=532726494967&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 This one is the right size (40mm) and clips into the case just like the original. As it's not a paper cone it should last longer with a cleaner sound - better than buying new old stock, and probably no worse than the one Best now recommend instead of the original. Can't wait to spend some time properly putting this old machine through its paces now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
power Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 i should buy new speakers, so what the 40mm is the go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmoo79 Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 yes 40mm is the one to go for. you have to desolder the wires from the old one and solder them onto the new one. the old one is clipped in to place so you may need to use a small flat screwdriver to remove it. the new one just clips in place. I assume it's the same for Atari lynx 1, mine is lynx ii. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.