The big question now is: how is the X201(s)? Same connection as the X200(s)?

I bought an HV121WX4-120 with a digitizer for $99 on EBay and a brand new CCFL WXGA X200 (for a lot more than $99 ). I should be able to do this modification early next week. It will probably take me longer to remove the digitizer and touch panel than to do the actual LCD removal/installation.

Depends. All the X201 will be LED panels while the X200 can come with either a LED or CFFL, which would will give it a different connector depend on the screen. Since the X201 and X200 share a HMM, my guess would be if you're willing to replace enough parts you could get the CFFL LCD to work in the X201.

Sounds like you're going to have a nice little portable on your hands Harry. Congrats. I'm kind of jealous.

FredGarvin - thanks!

Only if the seller knew that there is a higher demand for the panel without the writing surface than for the panel with one... he wouldn't have priced his panel with a scratched writing surface at such a low price. Even a TN panel costs more than $99.

Agreed, but the only way he'd know that is if he was a member here or at notebookreview.com. I am glad he isn't .

What's the difference between 100 and 110 versions of this panel? They seem to be both glossy. Are they both compatible with X200?


Are you sure you got the matte 120 version and not the glossy 100 or 110 one? Are there any more on eBay? I can't find them.

I don't know the difference between the 100 and 110's, but the 110 is glossy and it is compatible with an X200. As far as what I got, here's the EBay auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0413762198

I got my HV121WX4 panel on ebay for $50. I guess some people don't care enough to price them higher

I get used to both actually, but I may just be flexible.
There is no outdoor readable panel. That's only for LED-backlit.
There's only one type of CCFL panel.

X201(s) now comes with LED screen as standard. If you want to replace the screen, you'll have to replace the whole upper assembly.

So if LED is standard......

Why wouldn't they use the same connector scheme as the tablet? Might as well try to standardize, right?

Who wants to tear into their brand new laptop?

The X201 WXGA shares the same upper assembly as you call it with the X200, regardless of whether the screen is LED or CCFL backlit.

Ok, so I received the HV121WX4-120. It is a FRU# 45N6091, which is a CCFL LCD from an X200 TABLET 12.1 WXGA. It does not have any glass touch panel, but it does have a digitizer card taped to the back. My understanding in looking at the X200T maintenance manual is that there are (2) types of X200 tablet LCD's, one is a single touch panel, and the other is a direct bonding glass model (multitouch ?). I'd assume that I have the single touch panel model. Will this fit in an X200? It is very thin, so I am not worried about the thickness of it, just the connector. It appears to be 1.25 inches long or so. Also, I'd assume that if it does fit I can just leave the digitizer card in place? I'm not trying to be lazy here, it's just that I'd rather not take apart a one day old X200 for no particular reason .

So the scratch is on the screen itself?

I was under the impression that even the single touch model has a touch panel (may or may not be made of glass) on top of the LCD panel, since the LCD itself cannot sense touch input.

Anyway, I remember reading on a Taiwanese forum that someone successfully installed the screen with the digitizer still on the back. Can't find that page right now, so I may be wrong. But since it's only held by tape, you should be able to remove it easily.

The CCFL X200t model doesn't have touchscreen, so there is no touch panel on the front.

Thanks for the information. That's the LCD I bought then. @khtse, it has a small scuff on the upper left. Here's a pic of it installed. Look to the right of the IE icon...and yes the digitizer is still there.
http://home.comcast.net/~harryc56/Jpegs/X200_AFFS.jpg

By digitizer are you referring to the WACOM chip and circuitry on the back? That definitely does not need to be removed. I wonder if it consumes power even though its functions are not used?

There is no LCD cable hooked to it in this scenario, so it does not consume power.

I wasn't able to tell from this thread, but is a HV121WX4-110 a direct drop-in as well? I know the 110 and 100 are glossy. There are lots of 100s and 110s up on ebay (though no 120s)... are these directly compatible and a drop-in, like the 120?

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOEHYDIS-HV121WX4-110-Touch-Screen-12-1-inch-LCD_W0QQitemZ390164305945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad79ad819#ht_2265wt_940

Does that look like the right thing? I've got an X200s with the WXGA CCFL panel.

That panel will work. You will have to remove the glass though. The glass will be all scratched up but underneath the glossy screen should be pristine.

Once you receive that panel I would hook it up and test it out before cutting the glass off to be sure that it works.

I'm also thinking about getting the 110 (would prefer 120 but the glossiness of 110 is not that bad supposedly). Since I can't find a source here in Europe, I will probably have to get it from US (which means: higher shipping cost, long shipping time, customs taxes).

Is there somebody from Europe here that knows some local source?

My other concern was the choice between new and used panel. As Subliming pointed out, these screens come with glass writing surface which has to be removed so there is no need to worry about the panel underneath being scratched. But what about other defects? How old can these panels be? Should I worry about backlight not being bright as in a new panel? Any other problems these screens are prone to?

If the screen is a -100 or 110 it will likely be from 2006-2007 and may or may not have been used much. They are generally pulls from old gateway brand tablets.

The brightness of the CCFL will vary and is sort of a lottery with these used panels. Over time the CCFL will near the end of its life and you will notice it visually. Whites will have a pink tint, the screen noticeably darker and you might even see flickering.

Just wanted to say thanks to khtse for posting your .icm profile.

I did this mod back in September on my x200s with the glossy version of the HV121WX4 panel and it made a huge difference then. However the profile you posted is like the next step up and I'm really pleased. I don't own a Spyder and most of my time is spent in Linux so support for making and using profiles is slightly more difficult.

Until recently I had no idea what a vast difference colour management made. I've read that Safari and Firefox (with the optional colour management plugin) are the only browsers that currently support it. I've had to scrap using Chrome for browsing because it looks so washed out - I've been spoilt by the incredible colours within Firefox! (firefox is almost as fast as Chrome anyway when you load the profile into RAM)

Editing and viewing photos now also looks much better.

Thank you very much.

Why aren't you using a system-wide profile?

There are two HV121WX4-120 on eBay right now, here's one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/A-NEW-HV121WX4-120- ... 5191c979c4

They are advertised as GLOSSY. I was under the impression that 120 indicated a matte version. Can anyone shed some light on this?

There is no mention of a digitizer/writing surface.

-- ADDED --
Just saw they are advertised as LED too...

It is a matte LCD. That EBay ad also states "Hyundai HV121WX4-120". The HV121WX4-120 is a Boe Hydis LCD. That entire LCD auction is suspect IMHO.

Thanks. I've let them know and asked to check again what they have and correct it.

Got an answer:

OK, so they can't be trusted, maybe it's not even a HV121WX4-120. I'll skip.

Good idea...'LED' is also incorrect.