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)
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@prepaidpyramid , You don’t think someone could use or modify the existing Thinkpad keyboard with trackpoint to work?
It is possible, but not worth it.
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.
Two interesting projects:
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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.
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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!
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hmm, where is this info from? Panelook, or?
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@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?
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.
You are right, USB-C convertor would be fine. It can be rather small: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33046726903.html
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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.
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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
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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?
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.
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.
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.
You’re right, my bad.
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:
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?
Came across this thread on a Google search, thought I would bump just to link to my thread - a 40-pin to 30-pin adapter is absolutely possible: 40pin eDP (Framework/4Lane) to 30pin eDP(2 lane) - #15 by Dylan_Evans