Mainboard with bad LCD connector : should backlight and docking mode work?

[broleke]

I bought a second hand mainboard to repair my console (issue with the original mainboard, very early model, unpatched).

When trying to plug the LCD flat wire, I saw that the connector on the mainboard had various pins bent… Which of course I didn’t checked when buying this spare.

When I put everything else in place, the console does charge the battery very quickly (15V mode) thus I’m assuming that everything is not bad after all.

But when I try to boot the console (LCD connector not fitted), the backlight does not light up.
I have 2 questions :

• should it be the case if the mainboard is in working fine (except the connector) ?
• could I use the console in non-handled mode then ?

[Severence]

You shouldn’t really be powering the console or leaving the battery connected at all if you know there’s bent pins in the LCD connector. a fair few lines here are going directly to the SOC, coupled with the various voltage rails also present on this connector and it’s asking for trouble.

@broleke

should it be the case if the mainboard is in working fine (except the connector) ?

It’s quite possible something is getting pulled high or low that ought not to be because of the bent pins.

I’d first attempt finding out what the pins are, you might be lucky and find they’re no connects or a redundant grounds…In which case you can bend and snap them off (for testing purposes)

If not, I’d remove the connector entirely and replace later.

You can also check backlight ribbon contacts and also carefully measure the voltage on backlight connector pins

Though if i remember correctly certain lines have to be present with the LCD/ribbon connected otherwise backlight voltage won’t boost

[broleke]

Thanks for your help.

From what you said and the picture below, I guess I will change the connector asap (I ordered two).

[Severence]

Good plan.

I mean i would replace it regardless but if you just want to see if you can get it working temporarily you can attempt to follow the below instructions, theyr’e just copied from another post of mine in another thread, but same issue.

@Severence

If you can bend the pin to a point where it is not touching any of the other pins and then test the corresponding pad at the back of the connector in diode/resistance relative to ground and it show OL (in both polarities) then it would suggest the pin is a no connect (NC) and it’s safe to just remove it, I’d wiggle it until it fatigues and breaks off.

On ribbon reinsertion/s, just keep the ribbon as low as possible in the slot trying to keep it as parallel as possible, if you feel any resistance at all just back it all the way out and try again, the pins can only bend if you take them past a certain point of force when pushing the ribbon in, if they never get the force they’ll never bend

[broleke]

seems risky to me (or my skills :)), I’ll wait for the connectors.
what is the best way to swap the faulty with a new one ?
I have a hot air station, good quality flux, but no binocular or fancy magnifying stuff (I use to control my solder joint with my smartphone and its numerical 7x zoom after).