Resurrecting old laptops with a Framework motherboard

[mxxivcz]

So I finally managed to print the motherboard: FramePad / ThinkWork - Album on Imgur

There’s plenty of space in X230, but it will be probably necessary to cut the frame around the original battery.

[prepaidpyramid]

While it is a cool project, I recommend getting a 51nb board for an old ThinkPad. The work needed to make a framework board fit in a ThinkPad is insane (keyboard begin the hardest to get to working since a custom board would be needed)

[Larry_Tate]

@prepaidpyramid , You don’t think someone could use or modify the existing Thinkpad keyboard with trackpoint to work?

[prepaidpyramid]

It is possible, but not worth it.

[mxxivcz]

@prepaidpyramid

I recommend getting a 51nb board for an old ThinkPad

I’m aware of 51nb boards. They are incredible piece of hardware and for example X2100 is awesome machine. OTOH they are even rarer, more expensive and mostly one-man shows with no warranty.

I believe it would be beneficial to have Framework board in ThinkPad.

[mxxivcz]

Two interesting projects:

Input connector shim - for power switch, USB 2.0 and LEDs

Heyo! I’ve developed and now tested this nifty board that lets you attach an external power button to a Framework mobo, as well as exposes a USB 2.0 port and backlight/fingerprint/capslock LED connections. I sell these, and you can also order the PCBs and assemble one yourself, just needs a kapton tape fix before reflow. Hope this can help! [D7BFA156-0786-49CA-AE1B-EEFE79135F24] [1500E395-1594-4D37-B2AD-B7555576A9B7]

HDMI controller board for display panel

I guess so too, however, one would need to disconnect the powerlines from the module, because otherwise both the Framework eDP and the USB module will start backfeeding power e.g. for display backlight into each other, which won’t be a good thing. And also, as you said, one would need to carefully check the pinout to make sure nothing goes wrong. I guess the best solution would be to take your documentation of the Framework eDP connector and manufacture a small board with the Framework IPEX c…

[mxxivcz]

I changed the target to W530 - I have one with bad motherboard at home. It offers more space, so it should be easier to put everything inside.

I also already have 15.6" FHD eDP display. I hope it can be powered directly without USB-C convertor, although 30pins to 40pins cable adapter will be needed.

[Arya]

30pins to 40pins cable adapter will be needed.

hmm, as far as I can tell from connector closeup pictures, the Framework display is 4-lane eDP (despite what Panelook might tell you). 30-pin cables are 2-lane. Makes me wonder if it’d work without these two lanes!

[Arya]

@mxxivcz

Current display connector specs are “eDP (2 Lanes), eDP1.4, HBR1 (2.7G/lane), 40 pins Connector”

hmm, where is this info from? Panelook, or?

[Larry_Tate]

@mxxivcz with reagard to your 15.6 FHD eDP display-if you had to a USB C converter, it wouldn’t be the end of the world right?

[mxxivcz]

@Arya

@mxxivcz

Current display connector specs are “eDP (2 Lanes), eDP1.4, HBR1 (2.7G/lane), 40 pins Connector”

hmm, where is this info from? Panelook, or?

Yes, Panelook. It would be great if eDP connector on mobo has 4 lanes. Is it possible that the panel in current Frameworks uses just 2 lanes (the resolution is not that too high), but mobo has 4 lanes available?

I was looking a bit more into documentation. In https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Mainboard/blob/main/Electrical/Pinouts.md there are four EDP_TXP_x / EDP_TXN_x pins.

[mxxivcz]

@Larry_Tate

@ajtakrajta with reagard to your 15.6 FHD eDP display-if you had to a USB C converter, it wouldn’t be the end of the world right?

You are right, USB-C convertor would be fine. It can be rather small: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33046726903.html

[Arya]

@mxxivcz

Is it possible that the panel in current Frameworks uses just 2 lanes (the resolution is not that too high), but mobo has 4 lanes available?

I am looking into that possibility and will do some tests isolating 2 of the lanes. @Kieran_Levin it’d be wonderful to have insights on this! I’m currently working on a custom adapter for the Framework display and trying to grok this specific point.

[Arya]

We’ve done some preliminary software tests on the Framework discord, and it seems the current display does indeed utilize all 4 lanes available. Bummer! I have to get my Framework hardware and see about lane isolation, but I’m not sure this is as plug&play as PCIe is in that regard, sadly

[Christopher_Brown]

@Arya

it seems the current display does indeed utilize all 4 lanes available.

Does this mean you can’t use a lesser resolution display which only uses 2 lanes? I would have though it still would work but you say the display must use all 4 lanes? That’s okay if we change out the screen to a higher res options correct?

[Arya]

@Christopher_Brown

Does this mean you can’t use a lesser resolution display which only uses 2 lanes?

I do not yet know and I’d like to check. I haven’t had an opportunity to check that yet, sadly. It’s very likely it will work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t get an image.

[Paul_Combe]

If you have the Framework eDP cable, you can use a 40 pin to 30 pin adapter on the other end to force only two lanes to attach. Those are simple adapters and cheap on e.g. eBay.

[Arya]

@Paul_Combe

you can use a 40 pin to 30 pin adapter on the other end

No. These adapters are between two pinouts: non-touch 30-pin and touch-enabled 30-pin 40-pin, they don’t work with the 40-pin high-res pinout that the Framework cable uses.

• if you find one that works with high-res, that’d be cool. The ones that I’ve seen, don’t, and it’s visible if you take a look at how these pinouts are structured.

[Paul_Combe]

You’re right, my bad.

[Doctorwheauxdat-Alex]

Not sure if any of you are still digging, but I found this:
DIY DisplayPort to eDP passive adapter | deprecated brain dump (wordpress.com)

In regard to this:

@Arya

We’ve done some preliminary software tests on the Framework discord, and it seems the current display does indeed utilize all 4 lanes available. Bummer! I have to get my Framework hardware and see about lane isolation, but I’m not sure this is as plug&play as PCIe is in that regard, sadly

Wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that because the DP spec covers detecting connected lanes, that the two ends of the chain have negotiated using all 4 lanes at slower speed since all 4 are available?