Pictures of X200AFFS-X200 equipped with Flexview screen

[zephir]

Several people asked me to take photo of my X200 equipped with Flexview screen, and today I finally have the time to take some pictures. For those wondering, the model number of the screen is HV121WX4-100, and the manufacturer is BOE-Hydis. I was lucky to buy the screen from a guy who sold it separately. This screen is only available for tablets. However, the seller of the screen I'm using said that he got the screen directly from BOE-Hydis themselves, before the tablet manufacturers put a digitizer on it. I just did a search on ebay, and several of these screens come up. My advice is to AVOID THE SCREENS WITH DIGITIZER. The digitizer, based on what I know, is securely attached to the back of the LCD, and you will risk damaging the screen by trying to take it off. Believe me, I've been there before. Just keep looking on ebay for a while, and you may see a barebone screen like the one I bought. With that said, here are the pictures, enjoy

[ernstloeffel]

congrats on THAT screen. is it sunlight readable (transflective or what it's called)?

if would a wuxga 15.4" screen of this type for a w500 i'd pay say up to 700€ for it.

[threedaysrest]

Oh, that's gorgeous! I'm extremely, entirely jealous. Stupid Lenovo, if we ordinary people can get them, why can't you source and utilize screens like that?!

[zephir]

Originally Posted by threedaysrest

Oh, that's gorgeous! I'm extremely, entirely jealous. Stupid Lenovo, if we ordinary people can get them, why can't you source and utilize screens like that?!

Tell me about it. As far as I know, the manufacturer of X200s screen is TMD, and they are the sole manufacturer, so the argument that Lenovo needs multiple suppliers of the same LCD to use it in their laptops is horribly flawed. They can probably make a contract with BOE-Hydis as the sole supplier of Flexview panels for their laptops too, but I don't think it will happen.
However, I have some good news for you I have an MP3 player with OLED screen (Cowon S9), and let me tell you, the colors are even more amazing than the Flexview screen. It is like looking at a Pioneer KURO HDTV. The black is extremely nice, especially in low ambient light environment. It also has wide viewing angle. To tell the truth, I love to use it for movies even more than my laptop now It should tell you how good it is, such that I prefer a 3in screen to a 12in screen. Within a few years, OLED screens will come to laptops, and then this frustration will finally end

[zephir]

Originally Posted by ernstloeffel

congrats on THAT screen. is it sunlight readable (transflective or what it's called)?

if would a wuxga 15.4" screen of this type for a w500 i'd pay say up to 700€ for it.

You're thinking of 'glossy', I believe. Yes, the screen is perfectly readable outside. I have taken this laptop on a few trips. There are a few glossy panels that are compatible with Lenovo laptops, so if you're feeling adventurous, you can replace the screen by yourself, and I can guarantee you that even that is better than default Lenovo screens. I should know since I used a glossy Samsung LCD with this X200 before I got the Flexview screen.

[threedaysrest]

Originally Posted by zephir

Tell me about it. As far as I know, the manufacturer of X200s screen is TMD, and they are the sole manufacturer, so the argument that Lenovo needs multiple suppliers of the same LCD to use it in their laptops is horribly flawed. They can probably make a contract with BOE-Hydis as the sole supplier of Flexview panels for their laptops too, but I don't think it will happen.
However, I have some good news for you I have an MP3 player with OLED screen (Cowon S9), and let me tell you, the colors are even more amazing than the Flexview screen. It is like looking at a Pioneer KURO HDTV. The black is extremely nice, especially in low ambient light environment. It also has wide viewing angle. To tell the truth, I love to use it for movies even more than my laptop now It should tell you how good it is, such that I prefer a 3in screen to a 12in screen. Within a few years, OLED screens will come to laptops, and then this frustration will finally end

Suppose I purchase an x200s and find such an LCD; would you be willing to perform the customization and accept payment for your time and trouble?

Only half-kidding,
~tdr.

[zephir]

Originally Posted by threedaysrest

Suppose I purchase an x200s and find such an LCD; would you be willing to perform the customization and accept payment for your time and trouble?

Only half-kidding,
~tdr.

I do have a X200s as well and thus had tried to performed this mod on the X200s.
Unfortunately, I have confirmed that it is not possible to perform this retrofit on the X200s. The LCD cable of the X200s is weirdly shaped, and can't be bent to the correct shape to allign with the connector of the LCD. The X200 is the only one that is able to accept this mod.

[ernstloeffel]

Originally Posted by zephir

You're thinking of 'glossy', I believe. Yes, the screen is perfectly readable outside. I have taken this laptop on a few trips. There are a few glossy panels that are compatible with Lenovo laptops, so if you're feeling adventurous, you can replace the screen by yourself, and I can guarantee you that even that is better than default Lenovo screens. I should know since I used a glossy Samsung LCD with this X200 before I got the Flexview screen.

no, i actually hate reflective glossy screens. transflective means that the screens inner layer "uses" sunlight reflection so that the screen is readable even in direct sunlight.

perfectly readable outside sounds great though.

[Dreamer]

Actually, that's quite a good job there, probably the first (and possibly the last) X200 that I like.

Originally Posted by zephir

Tell me about it. As far as I know, the manufacturer of X200s screen is TMD, and they are the sole manufacturer, so the argument that Lenovo needs multiple suppliers of the same LCD to use it in their laptops is horribly flawed.

The story is a bit different however, Lenovo isn't interesting in quality displays (probably their corporate customers aren't either) so they just pick up the cheapest lowest quality TN panels they can find for most of their notebooks. HP and Dell do the same with their 12.1-14.1" business notebooks, the only exception to the rule are some of the workstation models where display quality matters and of course business tablets.

The problem isn't just TN vs IPS, it's whether you want to deliver quality displays or not. There are better TN panels on the market, which some of the other companies use in their notebooks (e.g. Sony Z, TT, Macbook Air etc.). Not to mention that the supplier of some of the Sony screens is the same TMD...

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...ok.7979.0.html

The TN technology is fine for 90% of people, the problem, however, is that the displays that you see on the X200/X300 etc. are from the ice-age with horrible black levels, contrast ratio and viewing angles, and it's a shame that they even exist in 2009.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.14531.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...ok.9852.0.html

Originally Posted by zephir

They can probably make a contract with BOE-Hydis as the sole supplier of Flexview panels for their laptops too, but I don't think it will happen.

Yes, but it's unrealistic to expect that Lenovo will do something that no one else does, considering they don't even offer the better TN screens that the competition does, obviously it's not profitable for them.

Just one example, Dell is now offering 15.4" WXGA+ screens for their business notebooks, which are the same that Apple used in the previous Macbook Pros and that most people will be more than happy to have in their notebooks.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.11958.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.11959.0.html

Also, I should stress that they come from four (LG, Samsung, AUO, CMO) different suppliers...

Btw, Flexview is the marketing name that IBM made up for the 15" IPS displays before, it's the same as the different marketing names that brands use for "glossy" displays.

Originally Posted by zephir

However, I have some good news for you I have an MP3 player with OLED screen (Cowon S9), and let me tell you, the colors are even more amazing than the Flexview screen. It is like looking at a Pioneer KURO HDTV. The black is extremely nice, especially in low ambient light environment. It also has wide viewing angle. To tell the truth, I love to use it for movies even more than my laptop now It should tell you how good it is, such that I prefer a 3in screen to a 12in screen. Within a few years, OLED screens will come to laptops, and then this frustration will finally end

We will probably see some OLED displays for notebooks in 2010, Samsung is one of the major players here and there was some information about their OLED roadmad and even a concept for a notebook.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/16/s...makes-us-swoon

Originally Posted by zephir

You're thinking of 'glossy', I believe. Yes, the screen is perfectly readable outside. I have taken this laptop on a few trips. There are a few glossy panels that are compatible with Lenovo laptops, so if you're feeling adventurous, you can replace the screen by yourself, and I can guarantee you that even that is better than default Lenovo screens. I should know since I used a glossy Samsung LCD with this X200 before I got the Flexview screen.

No, transflective displays are modified to reflect back the ambient light and use it as a backlight, so the brighter the ambient light, the brighter the display.

Here is more about the different sunlight readable displays:
http://www.sunlightlcd.com/sunlight-...echnology.html

Now Hydis claims that their AFFS displays for tablets also have improved outdoor readability, so they are probably even better since the transflective screens suffer from the typical TN limitations.
http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_10.asp

[erik]

zephir - great work!

did you have to cut any mounting tabs off of the display panel before installation?   was the LVDS connector in the same location or did you have to bend the cable at all?

the only thing keeping me from this mod is the 1280x800 resolution.   1400x1050 has spoiled me and i really like having the extra space.   however, once the X61s gets tired, at least i know the X200 is a viable option.