Hardware Problem with aftermarket AGS101 screen

[locokoko]

I bought a custom made AGB-001 modded with an aftermarket AGS-101 screen. It works all fine and dandy except for one thing: when viewed from a certain angle, half the screen turns oversaturated like in the picture. This doesn't become noticeable in every game, but for games with lightly colored backgrounds like Pokemon, it can get annoying. I don't know how to solder which is why I bought a readymade one, but I tinkered with it to the best of my abilities. I tried to clean, detach and reattach the ribbon cables from both the LCD to the adapter ribbon and the adapter ribbon to the mobo, but it did nothing. Also tinkered with the pot but it did nothing to fix the halfscreen issue.

I'm thinking either the backlight itself or the adapter cable is the problem but buying a new LCD will set me back another 50 bucks or so. Buying a new adapter cable will force me to solder which I really want to avoid. I don't have the equipment for that either.

Should I gamble on a new LCD or does this look like an adapter cable issue?

Hope to hear expert advice from you GBATemp peeps! Thanks!

 

[r0ni]

You don’t HAVE to solder anything. The soldering is for extra brightness and IMHO isn’t needed for the mod. That being said, your issue could be any of the above, but seeing that the screen appears to work, I’d lean more towards the adapter cable. But it could also be an issue with the screen ribbon. Without a way to test it, it’s hard to say to replace either of them.

Another thing it could be is the potentiometer, which calibrates the electrical current the gba gives to the screen. That could just need adjusting and it could be good as new again with a turn of that.


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[locokoko]

I did adjust the pot. I turned it all the way until it reset itself, but it did nothing to adjust the half-screen issue.

The unit I bought already has the ribbon-adapter cable soldered to the mobo (it's a 32-pin btw), so if I want to replace the adapter, I have to desolder it (I have no equipment for this).

I can kinda live with it, but if it bothers me too much, I can try buying a new screen and cable after I've saved up again.

 

[r0ni]

You could always just cut the wire off at the solder point if you were to replace the ribbon.

I’d suggest you see if someone can look at it for you. Might save you some money in the end.


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[locokoko]

You could always just cut the wire off at the solder point if you were to replace the ribbon.

I’d suggest you see if someone can look at it for you. Might save you some money in the end.


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Cutting the wire never occured to me for some reason. Thanks! Unfortunately there's no one around to look at it for me here, but I have a cheaper option to test it out. I can get another ribbon adapter first (cheaper to test out) then use it to test the LCD on my spare unmodded AGB-001. If the half-screen discoloration doesn't happen, I can conclude the adapter's the problem. If it's still funky, I suppose I have no choice but to get a new LCD.

I wonder if anyone else had this half-screen discoloration issue before...

Anyway, just throwing this out here in case someone has the same issue.

 

[malheur]

i think i am too late, but it's neither LCD nor POT problem. it is because connection is bad. i saw this issue when i worked various jump/short pins and legs for finding correct connections for 40 pin GBA with white tap LCD.

i am sure this is not the hardware parts broken. it is either wrong connection soldering or wire disconnection.

 

[locokoko]

i think i am too late, but it's neither LCD nor POT problem. it is because connection is bad. i saw this issue when i worked various jump/short pins and legs for finding correct connections for 40 pin GBA with white tap LCD.

i am sure this is not the hardware parts broken. it is either wrong connection soldering or wire disconnection.

I'm glad to hear you've seen this issue before! I tried reconnecting the ribbon cables but it didn't fix anything, so I'm guessing it's the soldered wire (which I can't deal with) that's causing the problem.

I actually ordered new adapter ribbons and I'm still waiting for them in the mail. When they arrive, I'll test them out with my spare AGB-001 (without soldering), and if it fixes the issue, I'll be so happy I spared myself from buying a new LCD.

I can test it out now by cutting the wire the modder soldered, but I'd rather not take the risk ATM seeing as how a new adaptor ribbon is on its way.

I'll be updating this thread once I've tested it out.

EDIT:

Update: So I couldn't wait and went ahead to cut the wire that was soldered. It still has the same issue. I guess I should just wait for the new adaptor cable and actually learn how to solder already. ^^;

 

[r0ni]

Just curious but you mentioned it was a 40 pin... did you order a 40pin type b cable?

There is a cable out there for 40 pins that is junk, you’d want to make sure you have the type b for the replacement cable. (That could have been the issue all along)...


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[locokoko]

Just curious but you mentioned it was a 40 pin... did you order a 40pin type b cable?

There is a cable out there for 40 pins that is junk, you’d want to make sure you have the type b for the replacement cable. (That could have been the issue all along)...


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It's a 32 pin ^^;

UPDATE:

I got my new adapter cable. It didn't fix the issue. Looks like my backlight's the issue I don't think it's worth the money to replace, so I'll just have to suck it up, I suppose.

 

[malheur]

when i mess with 40 pin gba, i try to find if there is magical short jumper. things like "revc to gnd" stuff. then some pin to gnd makes screen just like that, now i forgot but it was kind of not important pins like LDR#/LDB#.

so if there is any jump/short on the board, remove that would be one way to fix. or check if cable is not chewed. of course there is possible hardware problem but even if it is, also it should be signal line issue.

 

[locokoko]

when i mess with 40 pin gba, i try to find if there is magical short jumper. things like "revc to gnd" stuff. then some pin to gnd makes screen just like that, now i forgot but it was kind of not important pins like LDR#/LDB#.

so if there is any jump/short on the board, remove that would be one way to fix. or check if cable is not chewed. of course there is possible hardware problem but even if it is, also it should be signal line issue.

My board's a 32 pin and my adapter cable's also a 32 pin. But that's beside the point. I tried switching motherboards with a spare AGB001 of mine (also a 32 pin) and hooking up the backlight screen but half the screen is still borked regardless.

When I get money to spare I might consider getting a new LCD to remedy the problem, but I just splurged on an HDMI solution for my Gamecube to use with my Gamecube player. Considering I mostly play on my GBP nowadays, my modded AGB mostly gets shelved at home, so out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

 

[Musashi131]

I did adjust the pot. I turned it all the way until it reset itself, but it did nothing to adjust the half-screen issue.

The unit I bought already has the ribbon-adapter cable soldered to the mobo (it's a 32-pin btw), so if I want to replace the adapter, I have to desolder it (I have no equipment for this).

I can kinda live with it, but if it bothers me too much, I can try buying a new screen and cable after I've saved up again.

Hi,
I just noticed your message about the potentiometer and I hope you can help me. On your 32 pins you can keep turning it and and some point it resets and you can keep turning? My GBA is that way and I am trying to understand if it is normal or the potentiometer is broken, because I thought it should stop at some point...

 

[locokoko]

Hi,
I just noticed your message about the potentiometer and I hope you can help me. On your 32 pins you can keep turning it and and some point it resets and you can keep turning? My GBA is that way and I am trying to understand if it is normal or the potentiometer is broken, because I thought it should stop at some point...

Yep, it keeps turning forever and the "quality" of the screen resets. When it does, I usually fine tune it and don't turn too much so I won't break anything. You should stop when you think you got the best picture. Best to do this when you have a game running so you don't keep turning the system on and off to check. Your case seems normal to me. I have two 32 pin AGB001s and their pots can both turn till forever.

 

[Musashi131]

Thanks locokoko, I’m happy my GBA is not broken and now I know what to do

 

[locokoko]

Thanks locokoko, I’m happy my GBA is not broken and now I know what to do

No problem Glad I was able to help.