Lighting up the screen of a TR-626 AND OTHER QUESTIONS FURTHER DOWN

[unrise_lyrical]

So I have a TR-626 laying around that I bought a while ago, and as I am doing more live stuff lately it would be nice to at least have the option of using it. I say that because anyone that has used one will know the screen is totally useless without a backlight. What I wanted to ask was how hard is it, or is it even possible...to mount a few LEDs at the edge of the screen inside the case or something to light it up? Iv seen someone mount some...mm..think they were called cold cathode tubes on his screen? basically looked like mini neons for cars...but yea, I would rather something that can go inside...plus those ones shone in your eyes as much as on the screen so it kind of defeated the purpose imo.

But yah...any advice/pointing in the right direction appreciated. I REALLY don't want to fry the thing trying to do this though...it is in too gooder condition to destroy.

[nILS]

Experiment with putting LEDs on the sides of the display. It usually helps if they've been filed down a bit to be more diffuse. I did that once on an old fax machine, when my mom complained the display was unreadable ;) I basically stole 5V off the fax's power rail, put in some resistors and 6 (iirc) LEDs along the sides of the display and made the stuff stay in place using hotglue.

[Echopraxia]

I wanted to do this for my tr-707. I remember seeing these flexible flat led strips about the size of a business card that I thought maybe would work. I will try to find them again.

[unrise_lyrical]

thanks very much for the replies guys! I will crack it open tonight and have a look to see how easy this will be :) Yea, if you could find a link to those flexi strips that would be fantastic...they sound like the easiest way to implement it :)

[SLP]

Another possibility (unfortunately only in german): http://www.modding-factory.net/how2.php?how2=7

Schrittmacher already tried this here: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,13315.0.html

and it worked. He said he'll post some pics as soon as his box is up and running.

[unrise_lyrical]

I really like that mod done on that website...after reading the translated version though it sounds very full on :(

I have cracked open the 626 and checked out the screen layout. It has also made me want to do a mod I have wanted to do since I bought it. Id assume anyone else that has used one would agree the feel of the buttons is pretty horrid. I have always thought it would be fun to replace them with rubberised buttons...and now I have cracked it open I cant see it being an overly hard thing to do really. Here is a photograph of the inside of where the buttons go:

I have never used the stuff before, but would it be possible to use the case itself as a mould for the buttons? Perhaps stick some masking tape or something over the front so it doesnt just run out, then fill it up to a certain level in each one (maybe using a syringe to get the exact same level of liquid). Would I need to coat the inside of the button areas on the case with something to stop the rubber stuff bonding with it? or would it just peel off when dry?

Cheers guys :)

[SLP]

I really like that mod done on that website...after reading the translated version though it sounds very full on :(

I'll translate it properly this afternoon. It doesn't sound too hard, actually.

[unrise_lyrical]

mate it would be fantastic if you could :) After pulling the screen out of mine, it looks as though it could be applicable to this design, but yea...the rough translation I had made it sound quite easy to break the screen if I screwed it up...and I hate to think how I could find a replacement screen...it would be impossible :/

[SLP]

ouch, I completely forgot about that...

the rough translation I had made it sound quite easy to break the screen if I screwed it up...and I hate to think how I could find a replacement screen...it would be impossible :/

sure, that's a risk. It's your decision.

Also the inverter could be quite noisy.

The Translation won't be a 1:1-Translation, but it'll do it's job.

pictures are taken directly from

http://www.modding-factory.net/how2.php?how2=7

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You'll need a sheet of EL-foil and an inverter. You'll also need a soldering iron, wire and solder.

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to illuminate a non-illuminated LCD

First of all, you have to remove the LCD from the PCB. You can do this by bending the metal ears of the bezel (red squares in the pictures), so they fit through the slots in the PCB.

After that, you can carefully remove the LCD from the PCB. I've left the LCD in the bezel, but It's recommendable to remove the bezel, so cleaning will be simplified.

It is very important to remember, where the Top and bottom of the LCD have been. Just take a piece of paper, draw an arrow and glue it  to the LCD with the arrow pointing upwards.

On the back of the LCD, there is an opaque white foil, which prevents to see the PCB through the LCD. Take a sharp (exacto-) knife and remove a bit of the foil, until you can grab it with your fingers and pull it off completely. You have to do this very carefully and you've got to pay attention not to damage the polarizing foil, which is just below the white foil.

It should look like that now. The glue makes the LCD unclear, so you'll have to remove it. I've used white gas because glass cleaner and spirit didn't work.

This is how it should look like. It took quite some time to remove all of the glue.

 

Now you can reassemble the LCD, cut the EL-foil so it fits neatly under the LCD, and slide it under the LCD.

The rest of the text is unimportant. Connect the inverter to the EL-foil, and don't forget a proper insulation.

good luck  ;)

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