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HDMI expert advice desperately needed!

J.C.Rox

J.C.Rox

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1 10 Years
Joined
Apr 11, 2015
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Haddington East Lothian
So I've basically blown up the screen on the worlds most expensive topper! Help!!

My issue is HDMI resolution/conversion related, but read on if you just want a laugh at my missfortune and general stupidity!

Mando topper has a small screen that points upwards and reflects off glass to give the hologram look. My topper was a gamble importing from the states and had taken a beating in transit, all was ok and working fine originally but the screen needed pulling forward as the bottom of the image was cut off, info on how to do this was on pinside.

However, when I did this the ribbon cable came out the back of the screen, this connects to the node board in the topper. Its a terrible fiddle and in a nutshell the screen no longer works. Whilst balancing on a stool working within the topper to try and get this short ribbon cable back into the tiny connection on the back of the screen I clearly put it in wrong and when I turned on the game the screen started to smoke, nice effect for Mando tbh but not ideal for the screen.

The topper has a node board that runs the lights and HDMI imput from the backbox. Lights still work fine and I took the HDMI from the backbox and plugged it into my older Phillips TV and the image works fine. I found a replacement same sized screen with a small board with HDMI here

https://uk.farnell.com/dfrobot/fit0476/10-1-1280x800-ips-hdmi-vga-av/dp/3517852?ost=fit0476

My goal is to have the board that runs this new display placed in the gap under the display and this board will be powered via its own power supply fed into the back of the topper.

Sounds easy and I've tested the new screen from my laptop and it works fine, but taking the HDMI feed from the backbox directly to my new screen doesn't work. On closer reading I find my replacement is only HDMI 1.2 and I can assume that Stern's HDMI output is a higher resolution and needs a converter to bring it down to the required 1.2. The new board for this screen also has VGA so I tried a simple HDMI to VGA convertor but still nothing.

In summary I don't know the HDMI output quality but its clearly not compatable with the HDMI 1.2 which my new screen requires. Is there a gimmick that can convert high resolution HDMI low enough to either HDMI or VGA for the image to get onto my replacement or will my Mando Topper forevermore resemble the Razor Crest after its explosion in the appropriately named Mandalorian episode "The Tragedy"?!

A case of beer to be delivered to the door of whoever can help me solve this issue!
 
Not an expert but Im not sure if its a 1.2 vs 2.0 issue but might be more likely that the screen resolution isnt compatible.

If you still have the original screen and controller board it might be worth googleing the part numbers on it to get the specs.

I would also plug your TV back in and see what resolution its getting from the Pin via the info button, possibly its trying to run at 1920x1080 and the screen youve bought wont handle that correctly, being 1280x800, likely it worked from your laptop as your laptop would have detected the supported resolutions that it runs at and set its output to match but the game doesnt and just outputs a set resolution that may not be compatible with the new screen.

There isnt really anything on the product spec to say what the screens supported resolutions are.

If you find the game does output at 1080p and you have something like a BluRay play that you can set the output resolution on you could try playing with that starting at 720P and plugging into the new screen and then it that works seeing what happens when you change to 1080P.
 
Actually you laptop should give you a good idea of what resolutions it will run as well when plugged in as it normally will let you select compatible ones to try.
 
HDMI 1.2 isn't the resolution, it's the standard and is from 2005! Whilst higher standards support higher resolutions, most of the bandwidth increases are more related to things like increased bit depth and HDR. If the output requires HDCP (copy protection) then it is unlikely to work with a screen that only supports 1.2
 
cyberkryten said:
HDMI 1.2 isn't the resolution, it's the standard and is from 2005! Whilst higher standards support higher resolutions, most of the bandwidth increases are more related to things like increased bit depth and HDR. If the output requires HDCP (copy protection) then it is unlikely to work with a screen that only supports 1.2
Click to expand...

That is a good point about the HDCP copy protection, I hadnt considered that.
 
Hi fellas, thanks for the imput, I'm not home till this evening now but will look into all the suggestions and advice and report back ASAP, really appreciate your help so thanks again 😀
 
Marvello said:
Is it worth reaching out to Stern?
Click to expand...
I have asked them via the US distributor who sold to me. Asked for the output resolution from the back box and also help sourcing a replacement screen. Nothing back yet so reached out here.

Just having a play now. The TV is wall mounted and a heavy plasma ba**&rd so can't get the info but it's circa 2006.

20230913_192323.jpg
Sadly too big to insert in topper or I'd be sorted! Can't get any info from it on what it's displaying in terms of resolution.

This is the back of the original screen, note the tiny area to clip in the ribbon cable and the burns next to it 😫



20230913_193144.jpg
20230913_193153.jpg

So connected my new screen to laptop,

Had a look and it said...
Recommended 1280 x 800.

I pushed that up to 1920 x 1080, the highest resolution laptop offered and it still showed the screensaver but a bit smaller.


Looking online at the back of the original one I think it's also 1280 x 800 but obviously newer, sadly I don't want to buy a minimum order of 10 from China!

The original control board is a stern node board in the topper that also does the lights so not too keen to mess with this. I guess at this point looking for a HDCP gimmick that bounces down to 1.2 would be ideal, I think I've seen one that bounces down to 1.4, perhaps that'll work?!

https://cpc.farnell.com/proception/...7507&s_kwcid=AL!5616!3!224635168920!!!network}!426338467408!&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9fqnBhDSARIsAHlcQYRLg_21CSZNy6YNgRRvZ-GZl4sAL0flWFYtoFuz2YI7bjnKQh4KXBkaArp-EALw_wcB
 
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Amazon has a lot of screens - and the beauty is you can send them back!!!

On a few projects I have ordered a few screens to get one that works.

What is the actual physical size of the old screen (ie width, height and corner to corner)?
 
 
Pick Holder said:
Amazon has a lot of screens - and the beauty is you can send them back!!!

On a few projects I have ordered a few screens to get one that works.

What is the actual physical size of the old screen (ie width, height and corner to corner)?
Click to expand...
Thanks Phil, I'll take a look, the dimensions of the replacement are pretty much the same as Sterns one, but sterns is a few mm thicker, this is from the Farnell one that I bought
  • Screen dimension is 217 x 135mm/ 8.54 x 5.31inch (16:10)
  • Display dimension is 230 x 149 x 5.0mm/9.05 x 5.86 x 0.2inch, weight is 358g
 
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Can you access the board the original screen plugs in to, might be worth a look at that to see what controller chip it's using for the specs.

It's possible maybe if the controller isn't broken to just replace the screen part.

Kind of the reverse of what people do with arcade 1ups where they replace the original game PCB that connects directly to the screen with a video board to attach to a PC or Pi.
 
Fantazia2 said:
Can you access the board the original screen plugs in to, might be worth a look at that to see what controller chip it's using for the specs.

It's possible maybe if the controller isn't broken to just replace the screen part.

Kind of the reverse of what people do with arcade 1ups where they replace the original game PCB that connects directly to the screen with a video board to attach to a PC or Pi.
Click to expand...
The board is hard to get to and is a stern node board or a HDMI incorporated variant that I don't want to touch for fear of making things worse, best to leave that to run the lights and find a separate stand alone screen given my track record! I've ordered the one I linked above so will see if I can get that to work and will report back tomorrow, fingers crossed!
 
J.C.Rox said:
The board is hard to get to and is a stern node board or a HDMI incorporated variant that I don't want to touch for fear of making things worse, best to leave that to run the lights and find a separate stand alone screen given my track record! I've ordered the one I linked above so will see if I can get that to work and will report back tomorrow, fingers crossed!
Click to expand...
Ah so it's an all in one custom board, was expecting it just to be a monitor controller for the video separate from all the controlled lighting etc.
 
Pretty sure this is the display you've got: https://rongendisplay.en.made-in-ch...p-10-1inch-IPS-1280-times-800-LCD-Module.html

However, that doesn't help because it is just a totally dumb display that really doesn't do any processing. There must be a controller box at the other end of the ribbon cable that has the HDMI cable connected which is doing the HDMI decode, HDCP strip and running the output for the LVDS ribbon cable interface into that screen.

You need to figure out the specs of that box and match that with whatever display you are using.

I'd think any modern HDMI 2.1 (possibly 2.0) display should work.

Or you could contact "Ms. Cindy" from Rongen and see if they'll send you a sample 'for the big pinball project you are doing' and then see if you can get the ribbon cable lined up this time....
 
J.C.Rox said:
View attachment 231747

We have a winner!! With a bit of jiggery pokery this will fit just fine and the Razor Crest can be restored! Thank you fellas for the advice and @Pick Holder wins the beer for sending me to Amazon! Phil pm me your address you legend!
Click to expand...
Super, can you please post a link to the one you actually got working in case anyone else has a slip up?
 
J.C.Rox said:
Question, this looks good, it'll fit if I remove the bracket that secures the old screen, it says supports ps4, would I therefore assume that would overcome the HDCP issue if that is a concern? Suck it and see perhaps?

Click to expand...
It was this one, tho I hope no one else has this issue!
 
J.C.Rox said:
We have a winner!! With a bit of jiggery pokery this will fit just fine and the Razor Crest can be restored! Thank you fellas for the advice and @Pick Holder wins the beer for sending me to Amazon! Phil pm me your address you legend!
Click to expand...
@J.C.Rox
You do not owe me anything.
Stern knark me off so much with the screens they use.
Batman66 uses a small screen on playfield. The versions on amazon are £11. They have a different pin out. The stern ones are over £300.
They do seem to really 'care' about the customer.
I know companies that charge very little for spare parts. Marshall amps charge you a 10% mark up on any spare you buy from them. That covers the admin side etc. Stern are rob dogs.
 
Pick Holder said:
@J.C.Rox
You do not owe me anything.
Stern knark me off so much with the screens they use.
Batman66 uses a small screen on playfield. The versions on amazon are £11. They have a different pin out. The stern ones are over £300.
They do seem to really 'care' about the customer.
I know companies that charge very little for spare parts. Marshall amps charge you a 10% mark up on any spare you buy from them. That covers the admin side etc. Stern are rob dogs.
Click to expand...
Thanks Phil, I'm seeing Martin soon so will give him a box of milk tray to slide under your pillow whilst you sleep....

Yeah, a plastic standup in the topper had snapped at the base, a sure sign of a rough ride, I sent a detailled email to my distro in the US about the screen who forward it on to Stern, who replied with "they'll look for a spare plastic for me"....nothing about the screen! When pressed he said check the cables, we explained its clearly fried, asked if they could supply a spare or tell me the output HDMI resolution so I could source a replacement.....radio silence. Thank god for you knowledgable peeps on here! :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumbs:
 
J.C.Rox said:
Thanks Phil, I'm seeing Martin soon so will give him a box of milk tray to slide under your pillow whilst you sleep....

Yeah, a plastic standup in the topper had snapped at the base, a sure sign of a rough ride, I sent a detailled email to my distro in the US about the screen who forward it on to Stern, who replied with "they'll look for a spare plastic for me"....nothing about the screen! When pressed he said check the cables, we explained its clearly fried, asked if they could supply a spare or tell me the output HDMI resolution so I could source a replacement.....radio silence. Thank god for you knowledgable peeps on here! :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumbs:
Click to expand...
Ha - dont send me chocolate @J.C.Rox

Reason 1 -
Diabetic on insulin
Reason 2 -
Wife works at cadbury world

Seriously - I do not want owt Sir.

I do not drink at home.

I also do not smoke.

Glad you are sorted and this info is shared to help others.
 
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