Replacing the LCD-Backlight(EL-Foil) on Neutrik A1, Edit: New Display wanted - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 09:59:59 pm
content: Hi,I thought it might be helpful for others if I described how to change the backlight of an older LCD display, in this case of an audio analyzer system, Neutrik A1.At first I didn't know that its display is illuminated...I came across it by chance in the manual, because the switch-off after a few minutes was described there - with my A1 I had never seen anything light up...But in fact, when it is completely dark in the room, you can see a very faint glow...LCD-Display is a 5.3" one fromOptrexand the backlight is realized with a EL-foil...Afaik EL-foil get several advantages, e.g. ultra-thin, but at least two disadvantages:-Must be driven with "high voltage" (appx 100V/400hz)-Lifetime....1000...2000hrsIt gets darker and darker until at the end only a barely perceptible glow remains...Aha.The display-module is obsolete and EL-foils are rare but I had luck and find one very similar here:https://www.backlight4you.com/EL-Panels/EL-Replacements/EL-Panel-pink-white-77mm-x-140mm-laminated::839.htmlThis store specializes in backlighting, including hard to get ones, very nice.Yesterday the foil arrived and I´ve started to disassemble the frontpanel of the analyzer.Tomorrow it should be finished..edit: link to shop fixed.

author: inse
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 10:13:47 pm
content: Further disadvantage: very low efficiency.And 100V 400Hz is surely beneficial in an audio analyzer, no?

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 12:57:12 am
content: I think the engineers at Neutrik were aware of this.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 04:07:50 pm
content: Nice!That reminds me that it's still on my to-do list to replace the EL backlight on my Keithley 197A...P.S. FYI, in English, the word "foil"exclusivelymeans very thin sheets of metal; for any non-metal material, it is a "film" or "sheet". ("Film" also has the second meaning of "coating", e.g. a thin layer of one thing on a substrate. In this case, you'd typically use "film" even for metals, like in metal resistors, where a thin film of metal is used, or in antireflective lens coatings, where thin films of minerals and metals are applied.)

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 04:53:50 pm
content: Type "Leuchtfolie" in the deepl translator, it shows two possibilities, foil and film.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 05:33:46 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on January 15, 2023, 04:53:50 pmSo what? The output of a machine translation system, no matter how good, is not an authority on anything, and is more likely to be wrong than a human translator.And in this case, it is wrong. Yes, "Folie" can be translated into "film" and "foil", but the ML doesn't know when to use each. Or it's been trained using non-native translations, which themselves are often wrong. (Can you find examples of the phrase "luminous foil" that deepl spit out? Yes. Are those on native English sites? Nope.)English is my native language, and I also have looked this up before to be 100% sure. What I told you is correct.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 05:55:41 pm
content: Quotenope,it can also mean several other things that have nothing to do with metal

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 06:00:37 pm
content: So...The new light () is assembled - Well...the light is very descent, but the difference is remarkable.Am I happy now? Not at all, look at the pic, I think I must clean the contacts...Or must adjust the panel before assembling together, before there were no blanks visible.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 12:28:48 am
content: Quote from: themadhippy on January 15, 2023, 05:55:41 pmWe're not talking about the entirely unrelated words (like to "foil an evil plot" or the related noun "a foil" i.e. something that thwarts something else). In terms of very thin sheets, the point here, "foil" can't be used for non-metal materials. Go look it up, I'll wait!

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 12:31:13 am
content: Quote from: Martin72 on January 15, 2023, 06:00:37 pmTry using a piece of sticky tape (Kapton is ideal) to lift all dust from the rubber zebra strips. I've had good luck with that method. (The PCB contacts of course just wipe with lint-free cloth and alcohol.)

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 03:51:55 pm
content: Fu....Opened it again and indeed, there was some dust/crumbles on the zebra strips.Took them away with tape, cleaning the pcb contacts with isopropanol, reassembled it....Worser than before...Now it´s open again and I have to think what´s the matter, my suspicion is the tape used for the lighting.It is quite thick, thicker than what was stuck before.Before the exchanging everything was fine, never touch a running...

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2024, 07:59:04 pm
content: In the end, I bought a used display that works better, but its backlight is also almost at the end.A completely new display would be best, but that's where the problems begin.5.3”, 256x128 dots and 4 bit parallel port....Not to be found.The stupid thing is, at the time the displays were ‘naked’ and only had columns and line controllers on board.So it is here too.On the A1 is a Z80 processor which in turn drives a SED1330F - and that controls the display via the 4 bits.I would like to use a modern display, but I don't know how to connect it to the SED1330F.I'm sure you would need some kind of converter in between, that's beyond my knowledge in the display area.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2024, 09:39:33 pm
content: datasheet attached, should be like thisyou seems to have a controller less display, column and row drivers onlyon ali i did saw you could replace your backlight with some "cuttable" ones ??and for a subst display on Ebay they start at 100$ usd outchtheses : are supposed to be equivalent ??PG256128CPG256128ERS-CNN-HEG4401S-FR-1DMF6104Nhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/164903212712?

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2024, 10:23:16 pm
content: Hi,QuoteYep, see my post before.I also know the datasheets and the prices for the so-called replacement types are steep.Optrex Replacement

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2024, 02:25:04 am
content: try the posted numbers, some are less expensives ...alas prices have become crazy as .....i paid 25$ usd for 256x128, and 37$ for 320x240 ones before covidgood luckunless finding ones with the SED controller on them and do some magic directly from the z80 mcuthis one on ALI ? a 5vdc backlight ??https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805232721356.html?a search on ebay.de ?https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=RT256128A-1&_sacat=0dmf682anf on ALI 97 euros ??https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800807401192.html?

author: misonic
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 13, 2025, 10:08:31 am
content: HiNot sure if this thread is still active? I have an A1 which needs a replacement screen. Can anybody confirm that the Chinese made DMF682A displays on Aliexpress work as a replacement for the Optrex DMF682A in the A1? Has anybody actually replaced their A1 screen with an Aliexpress DMF682A? If so, aside from soldering in the ribbon cable, are are they fully 'plug in and play' i.e work 100% the same, don´t need any additional modifications etc.. I´m not too bothered if the quality is not as good as the Optrex.cheersMike

author: pinyoro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 05:52:33 pm
content: I am looking to buy one too. Did you order one from China?

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2025, 09:42:21 pm
content: Hi,I didn't trust it, so I bought an original, but used display on eBay.

author: pinyoro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2025, 02:42:19 pm
content: Thank you very much