Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

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Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. for Mac OSX
topaz
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Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:43 pm
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by topaz »

Long shot and a very old thread but would the dimness I get with the replacent lcd I installed be because of this pin 1 and 2 ?

Could you explain invert pins 1 and 2 please ?
siepino wrote:....mmmhhh.....just few years late....anyway I just get my second-hand ultralite with lcd brightness problem....solved in few hours with only 29 AUD.
What you need is:
have few manual skill
a bit of patience for understand how to disassemble......and how to fit everything in again!!!!
a lcd display like that http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?a ... m&id=Z7018" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
on that one you MUST invert pin 1 with pin 2 in order to make it work
That's it.....easy
....a gorgeous Ultralite with Blue eye.....

Image

:woohoo:
fdcfrank
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by fdcfrank »

Hi, I'm having the same problem and I found this one. Some one can help me about the specifications. At first sight looks fine. Thanks in advance...

http://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-p ... DXX-A.html

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ve/MLV ... d-2x16-_JM
fab672000
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:16 am
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by fab672000 »

Found a solution:

I also had a very dark (yet still working) LCD on my MOTU Ultralite.
So I checked the voltage of all inputs to the lcd ...
Then I ended up noting that the AK voltage was only 3.3 volts. To augment the intensity I used the pin 1 of the 14-pin connector on the other side to feed the A (top) pin with 5V (as it should be as it is supposed to be around Vdd).
I now have a much brighter LCD :D

Note that one could continue optimizing the (rather poor) LCD implementation on these series by optimizing the V0 (pin 3 of the 14-pin connector) input too. As an example, this value could be controlled via a 10k mini potentiometer for which the left and right connections are connected to GND/5V and the center to that V0 lcd pin. Then adjust the 10k pot to get the brightest text font as you like ...

For those who got their new blue lcds down you should really try this ;-)

Hope that helps,
-Fab
topaz
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by topaz »

Thank you for your finding but they are unclear to me.

Could you possibly give us more information please ?

Maybe a diagram, picture. What does AK mean ? Where are you taking feeds from etc.

Thanks
fab672000
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:16 am
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by fab672000 »

A K are the common backlite power connectors A is the Anode so positive, K the cathode so GND.
They are located when looking inside the box from the rear of the LCD (connectors side) on the top left, connected by two loose female jumpers. The top female jumper is A, the bottom K.

LCD schematics are available everywhere, here is as an example a schematics of a very similar LCD with same pinouts:
http://www.datasheet4u.com/datasheet-pd ... ?id=534701

The schematics will show you where all pins i discussed about are.
It requires a bit of understanding of hardware though, so beware :D

Also, note that i did not only try to repair it, but redesign it with a better approach from the various datasheets I could read and humbly understand for various LCD models.

Just start simple and try to provide Vdd (+5V) to the A pin (beware of removing the existing female jumper pin first of course as it is already 3.3 V. I used an empty capacitor location near the Vdd pin 1 where i could solder a wire from there to the A male pin on the back of the LCD to interconnect them.

Using a Multimeter is highly recommended too, Have fun !

-Fab
topaz
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by topaz »

I think the LCD's are blown on mine as I get not light but those 2 connectors will light up an LED no problem :-(
topaz
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by topaz »

I have fitted one of these from RS supplies to my ultralite mk11

I soldered a resistor on the + leg to reduce the lcd brightness, hopefully that will prolong the lcd life.. but lets see.

all the best
Matt

16x2 transflective STN blue/white,85x30
Part Details
Brand Displaytech
Mfr. Part No. 162D-CC-BC-3LP

£8.39Each
Valden
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by Valden »

I've just posted an UltraLite LCD screen repair video onto YouTube which I think users will find to be quite useful. I managed to get my dim screen fully bright again, without replacing it. :D Here's the link:

https://youtu.be/AOQ1BOnsCYs

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terrybritton
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by terrybritton »

Awesome! Thanks for this, indeed!

Terry
Computer: Sweetwater CS400v7 Intel Core i7-10700K CPU @ 3.80GHz | 64Gigs RAM | Windows 11 Pro x64 |
MOTU 828 mk3 hybrid

DAWs & Live: MOTU Digital Performer 11.31 | Cantabile Performer 4
Keyboard Synths: Kawai K5000s, Korg Wavestation
Controllers: NI Komplete Kontrol S-88 Mk3 & S-49 Mk2; Maschine Mk3 & JAM;
Akai MPK249 & 225, Alesis QX49, Behringer BCF2000 & FCB1010
Rack Modules: Ensoniq ESQm, Yamaha TX81Z, Wavestation SR

Tutorials: https://youtube.com/@CreatorsMediaTools
sergiosgil
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by sergiosgil »

hello!

im looking for a new display to change lcd of my motu ultralite mk3 hybrid
where you bought it?

today i found this-> http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTU-Ultralite- ... SwxN5WYREL (but not work with mk3 ;( )


thank you very much
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terrybritton
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by terrybritton »

sergiosgil wrote:hello!

im looking for a new display to change lcd of my motu ultralite mk3
where you bought it?

today i found this-> http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTU-Ultralite- ... SwxN5WYREL


thank you very much
I do not have an answer to that for you, but if you would prefer to avoid the hassle of buying the replacement LCD and doing the work, call MOTU tech support and ask if your unit qualifies for the $99 replacement deal they offer.

Terry
Computer: Sweetwater CS400v7 Intel Core i7-10700K CPU @ 3.80GHz | 64Gigs RAM | Windows 11 Pro x64 |
MOTU 828 mk3 hybrid

DAWs & Live: MOTU Digital Performer 11.31 | Cantabile Performer 4
Keyboard Synths: Kawai K5000s, Korg Wavestation
Controllers: NI Komplete Kontrol S-88 Mk3 & S-49 Mk2; Maschine Mk3 & JAM;
Akai MPK249 & 225, Alesis QX49, Behringer BCF2000 & FCB1010
Rack Modules: Ensoniq ESQm, Yamaha TX81Z, Wavestation SR

Tutorials: https://youtube.com/@CreatorsMediaTools
Valden
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by Valden »

The dodgy backlight in the original LCD display in my Ultralite ‘Classic’ or Mk I has totally given up the ghost - possibly from me hitting it with 5 Volts on the Anode when it’s a 3.3 Volt rated backlight (see video posted above).

Anyway, I bought a new LCD from Jaycar - part no QP5516. As discussed in this thread, the greater depth of some replacement LCDs compared to the original requires mounting behind the supporting circuit card rather than in front of it. With some crafty work, it’s in. I used the original Anode (3.3V) and Cathode cables, which made the screen go from anaemic with the Anode cable not yet connected, to blacked out when connected. Huh? Upon inspecting the paper data sheet that came with the LCD I saw that it was rated for 4.2 Volts ‘typical’. I tried the backlight with 5 Volts supplied to the Anode - boom - now it’s looking like a bought one! So the technique shown in my video linked above is working for me, with a completely new LCD this time, which needs more voom than the original LCD.
alex2035
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by alex2035 »

Very interesting reading, precisely because when I got my new UltraLite AVB (last month) first thing I thought was, does this thing has a dim panel control? otherwise how long before it dies on me? It is unnecessarily bright, it could well be worked (at least in studio lightning) at about 50% less brighness. How come such a simple control didnt make it in this product?
I can foresee this problem, Im also a marine tech, seen this happening in radars, GPS, VHFs , Pilots, Instruments, and the whole lot for 30 years. Thanks god we have this Forum. By the way, great Video Valden, thank you.

Now I want to unfold my parachute and be ready, would the solutions posted last be similar for the UltraLite AVB?, is there a way to dim the brightness? (I guess not easily), an experimented tech engineer would probably find this somehow easy, I used to have mine, it solved the unsolvable things, but he's out of reach at the moment.
Thanks all.
mvagz704
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by mvagz704 »

First of all, thank you all members for this topic which is full of useful information. I too have a display brightness problem (no light) with my ultralite mk1. Since i use it only in the studio, i really don't have problem reading the display, but it still bothers me that is defective.
As i saw in the previous posts, the TIANMA TM162A9GFU7 stock display is impossible to find, and also all the other displays (Displaytech etc) are thicker and need some mod to fit.
I live in Greece and the parts i can get are from RS:
1) https://gr.rsdelivers.com/product/displ ... ay/5326486
or
2) https://gr.rsdelivers.com/product/displ ... cd/5326492

I read the datasheets and they are both rated at 5v so they might work, i think. Thank you Valden for the follow-up post.

So, anyone has done anything recently successfully addressing the display problem?
(when i fix mine i will post the results..)

by the way, i don't thin i can have my hands on a Jaycar display, since this is only available in Australia, is it?
idanyaman
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Re: Motu Ultralite Display Brightness

Post by idanyaman »

Hi guys.
for some reason my characters on the screen don`t work.
the green backlight its fine.
do i need to change the screen?
THX[
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