JVC PC-55 PC-550 Display ribbon problem - anyone find a good fix?

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
For those of us who have the PC-55 or PC-550 with the amazing lovely display in the cassette deck, we know the risks of that ribbon and the conductive glue it is attached with.

How did they do this in 1983? is that glue no longer available? Was it applied precisely in only the gaps?

Is there any way to fix this when elements stop lighting up and connection is lost?

Has anyone figured this problem out?

It's not a catastrophic problem, but it is one that happens, and I imagine will eventually cause many 55s displays to lose integrity. We need a fix. Any methods out there anyone has come up with?

I saw the soldering of wires - that's extreme, but an option. I'm thinking some type of fine and stiff metal wire clamp that's laminated should do the trick. The force needed here is not great. On the circuit board clamps should work, but what about the edges of the display? Doesn't seem like it would be complicated. Just needs to be bent to correct shape.

Other ideas suggestions? Anyone solve this? Was it on the board on at the display?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9601.JPG
    IMG_9601.JPG
    167.6 KB · Views: 37
  • IMG_9602.JPG
    IMG_9602.JPG
    147.4 KB · Views: 35
  • IMG_9605.JPG
    IMG_9605.JPG
    124.2 KB · Views: 35
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
OH...I did see this in the past. Anyone try this? "Cures overnight"?
 

Attachments

  • 61B7alfFmnL._SL1000_.jpg
    61B7alfFmnL._SL1000_.jpg
    105.8 KB · Views: 40
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
Also...here is the beautiful PC-55 deck display close-up for us to enjoy. Coincidentally (for real!) snapped with 55 on the tape counter. Tell me these aren't worth the effort to save? Is there any boombox deck out there that's as beautiful as this one? :-)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9589.JPG
    IMG_9589.JPG
    104.6 KB · Views: 37
  • Like
Reactions: Brutus442
Brutus442

Brutus442

Member (SA)
I'm not sure of the solution but I know how fragile these bands are after changing the bulbs in my 55. I believe DocP used the thin wire (in a home made ribbon) with success.
And yes there's nothing like these beautiful displays. the 55/ 550 in tandem with the Sony FH series marked the end of the square box era before the CD's introduction into the boombox and LCD displays took over. I love these old boxes
IMG_1737.JPG
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Just MV, Radio raheem and RoZyBoom
Tinman

Tinman

Member (SA)
Years ago (maybe 15) when I had my Saab, a very common problem was the information display would start pixelating.
One of the fixes was to solder the cable back onto the screen and board.
I can't remember if the original cable would solder back on or if you had to buy a new one.
They have a T-tip or T-bar tip for soldering irons that has a piece of silicone on the top that contacts the cable and heats it.
I'm not sure if that would work for this.
Also, I talked 3M into sending me a free roll of conductive tape.
It was basically a thin, clear, double sided, stretchy tape which, I believe, only conducts within a very small area so one contact wouldn't jump to the next.
I can't remember if I tried it or not.
Now it looks like they have various types of conductive tape which might work if you find the right one.
 
hopey

hopey

Member (SA)
I have fixed LCD screens on game and watch Nintendo's. The silicone conductor between the ribbon and the glass can be out of alignment or dirty. Just disassemble clean with alcohol and reassemble.

I can't see any problems with your screen it may just require a master reset. If you tare down the box it may reset by itself.
 
floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
hopey said:
I have fixed LCD screens on game and watch Nintendo's. The silicone conductor between the ribbon and the glass can be out of alignment or dirty. Just disassemble clean with alcohol and reassemble.

I can't see any problems with your screen it may just require a master reset. If you tare down the box it may reset by itself.
Click to expand...
Basically when they start degrading there's a loss of connectivity at the ribbon cable joint where it goes into the LCD display the only thing you can do is make new connections or replace the connections that were there the same way they were which is not easy. These connections are very tiny you have to wear glasses to see what's going on down there when these were assembled it was probably by a machine and it's hard for a human to replicate with that machine did.
 
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
Tinman said:
Also, I talked 3M into sending me a free roll of conductive tape.
It was basically a thin, clear, double sided, stretchy tape which, I believe, only conducts within a very small area so one contact wouldn't jump to the next.
I can't remember if I tried it or not.
Now it looks like they have various types of conductive tape which might work if you find the right one.
Click to expand...

This maybe the solution. It is double sided too. Has anyone tried this? The key point is for the wires not to cross from one contact point to the next. So cutting into small squares would be required, which is doable, but kinda sucks for an easy fix. However, obviously we're not likely to get so lucky as to find a double sided tape with the perfect spacing for the contacts.

Other option is some type of conductive glue, precisely applied to each contact point and then re-glued. Just don't press hard and make it run between contacts!

What about something like this?
www.henkel-adhesives.com

Electrically Conductive Adhesives

Lead-free solder alternatives for active and passive component attachment
www.henkel-adhesives.com www.henkel-adhesives.com

Or this?
 
Last edited:
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
hopey said:
I have fixed LCD screens on game and watch Nintendo's. The silicone conductor between the ribbon and the glass can be out of alignment or dirty. Just disassemble clean with alcohol and reassemble.

I can't see any problems with your screen it may just require a master reset. If you tare down the box it may reset by itself.
Click to expand...

No, this one doesn't have issues. But I've had one that did, and others have had the issues. And eventually, this will become more problematic for all PC-55s. Solution is needed, and a good one to save these beauties.

In this case, the glue that holds the fragile ribbon dries out. There is no way to remove the ribbon and re-align or re-attach with original adhesive. In fact, current NO ONE SHOULD TOUCH this ribbon, until a workable solution or adhesive can be found. I like the one that's above with the fine needle applicator, because a tiny amount can be inserted in the detached contact point of a PC-55 display, either on the board or on the display. This COULD be what we need.

Also, as a side note, in the factory they applied clear tape to hold the ribbon in place again display, board - you can see this in the first post photos. This definitely helps prevent some issues at the display, leaving remaining ones mostly on the circuit board.
 
Last edited:
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
Brutus442 said:
And yes there's nothing like these beautiful displays. the 55/ 550 in tandem with the Sony FH series marked the end of the square box era before the CD's introduction into the boombox and LCD displays took over. I love these old boxes
Click to expand...

Brutus442, these are beauties! Have you seen white PC-55?

Also, HUGE fan of the Sony FH. Especially the linear load cassette 7-band electronic equalizer FH-909R with CDP-S27 and PS-Q7, or the very hard to find home system version FH-919CD. Incredible units.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brutus442
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
Seriously...what did they use on these to glue it down originally in the 80s? What 80s mad technology is involved here?

Did they maybe have the glue already applied between contacts only to the ribbon, and removed the backing and stuck it on at the assembly point to complete the display? The contact is not fixed? It just seems insufficient. And when you look at damaged ribbons, it doesn't look to me like there is a difference in glue. It looks like a uniform adhesive that was put on the tip - and this was attached, without any cross conductivity between the points. Like a miracle glue!
 
Brutus442

Brutus442

Member (SA)
RoZyBoom said:
Brutus442, these are beauties! Have you seen white PC-55?

Also, HUGE fan of the Sony FH. Especially the linear load cassette 7-band electronic equalizer FH-909R with CDP-S27 and PS-Q7, or the very hard to find home system version FH-919CD. Incredible units.
Click to expand...
I have seen the white 55 in pictures only. It's rarer than a unicorn! LOL
 
caution

caution

Member (SA)
A common method of electrical attachment to glass displays is by way of a zebra connector - if you've ever aken a digital watch apart it's that thin strip of rubber sandwiched between the glass and the circuit board. It's got very fine alternating layers of conductive and non-conductive material, fine enough that it will transmit power at each contact point without shorting to its neighbors.
 
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
caution said:
A common method of electrical attachment to glass displays is by way of a zebra connector.
Click to expand...

This would make sense. What is ideally needed is double sided tape that has conductive strips embedded into it at intervals of lets say 1 mm, or one that satisfies the gaps between the ribbon in the PC-55 display to avoid cross connection. But when I look up zebra connector tape or glue it looks quite thick, and would not fit for example on he display of the PC-55 between the face glass - the room there is very limited. On the circuit board it may work, but not on the display itself for example. It's something.

I think I'm going to order some of that conductive glue and maybe try it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brutus442
hopey

hopey

Member (SA)
I didn't think they were glued at all certainly not in other LCD screen applications. Maybe they appear to be glued due to contamination.

From the picture it appears that the flex is clamped between the White plastic housing with a thin silicone conductive strip.

lcd flex point.jpg
 
R

RoZyBoom

Member (SA)
It may appear that way hope, but it isn't. The white enclosure for the light bulbs has these spacers on each side, 3 on each side. The glass is wider on the front layer than the back and the ribbon is glued to the back of the front glass. It's holding in there by the top and bottom tabs. You can see in that photo the top contact isn't pinched by that plastic for example. Then this glued-to-glass ribbon is held in place by clear tape on top and bottom to prevent it from "tearing" away form he glass. But without the glue holding it to the display, there is no contact and no element lighting up. Really delicate stuff on here. DO NOT DISTURB whenever you're chasing the back light. Brake the damn tabs on the aged and brittle plastic to get the bulk circuit board free, but DO NOT DISTURB the ribbon...on no, I just thought of Seinfeld with all this ribbon talk.

WHO, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO WEAR THE RIBBON! :-)
 
Last edited:
Radio raheem

Radio raheem

Requiem Æternam
Anyone seen a red pc55. that is rarer than the hair on brutus head lol.....the 55 is the most beautiful box that jvc ever made.....forget the mickey mouse m90 lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brutus442
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom