Splitting the MX222 boards?

phase · Post by **phase** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 12:25 pm

Hi,

This is probably a bit of a silly question, but is the front board of an MX222 effectively just a parallel display? Can i desolder then two boards and connect them together with a 1 or 1.5m long, 16core wire, to make a thinner external display and keep all the GPO controls inside my case?

Thanks in advance

RoB

Miles · Post by **Miles** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:25 am

Hello...

Yes this is a possiblity, however not a common practice. The only thing you might have to worry about is the length of the cable between the two boards. Shorter is better!! If your finding that the display is acting "strangely", you may have to adjust length accordingly. Be advised, if performed, warranty will be void...

phase · Post by **phase** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:48 am

thanks for the reply miles, do you have any idea of a max length? as i say im trying to use the front part as an external display only, so less than a metre or so isnt much use!
i expected the warranty to be voided....very few pieces of computer equipment i own still have one...

RoB

Miles · Post by **Miles** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:17 am

My best advice is to go by trial and error. This is something I've never tried, therefore a max length is something you'll have to experiment with...!

phase · Post by **phase** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:30 am

ok thanks for the info! ill post some pics when its done

RoB

Miles · Post by **Miles** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:58 am

No problem...Looking forward to those pics!!

phase · Post by **phase** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:27 am

hi,

Im just looking into this mod again, and wondered if you had a pin-out for the pins connecting the boards? Im wondering if i can make all the (if there are more than 1) ground pins common and such, to cut down on wires. Otherwise it looks like 16 core cable is going to be needed.

thanks in advance,

Rob

Paradigm · Post by **Paradigm** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:59 pm

Off hand, I don't think there are many "common" wires. Pins 15 and 2 are both Vdd, but that is about it. The only ground is pin 1. Although a quick glance at the schematic tells me that pins 7, 8, 9 and 10 aren't used, so you could omit those. This leaves you with a total of 11 conductors.

Just to be clear the pins are labeled alternating sides up the header. If you look at the back of a revision 1.4 board so the text is right side up and the USB header is in the upper right corner, the lowest left pin in the LCD header is pin 1 (it should have a little box around it). The lowest rigth pin is pin 2. Pin 3 is above pin 1, and so on.

phase · Post by **phase** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:29 am

thanks a lot, now i just have to find some neat looking 11 core wire.

ill let you know how it goes! :-)

RoB