A lot of people have asked me over the past months how to modify a Sharp QA-1xxx model LCD panel for use in a Pico or other LCD projector. The method I will explain and show pictures for requires only a small cross-head screwdriver and no electrical knowledge at all, though it couldn't hurt!

The basic method is to remove the plastic frame/cover, exposing the innards of the LCD panel and circuitry. 

STEP 1
Turning the LCD onto its front, remove the several screws that cover the rear of the LCD panel case. They do not always come out of their recesses easily, so just loosen all of them and then carefully turn the LCD panel upside down to let them fall out. Make sure that you pull out the rear glass panel before flippling the LCD over or it will fall out! At this point, you can pry the plastic away from the LCD panel. The image below shows what you are left with.



STEP 2
In the image above, undo the connectors circled in green by carefully tugging on them (you don't need to be ginger, but mind the thin wires). Then use your screwdriver to undo the 4 screws that hold in the LCD (some circled in red), and undo any other connectors that your particular LCD model might have between the LCD and other components.





STEP 3
Now continue to remove the screws that hold each of the circuit boards into the plastic frame (circled again in red). You will want to hold on to all of these screws in case you decide to reassemble the LCD panel.



Now that you have extracted all of the screws, you can remove the circuit cards. Now, to install this panel into your LCD projector, I like to use something called RTV gasket, which comes in a tube, to secure the LCD panel against the fresnel lens inside my Pico. This is done by using a liberally applied dot to 4 metal corners of the LCD panel (apply only to the side of your LCD panel that will be facing the fresnel lens). If you get some on the LCD panel, then DO NOT try removing it while it is wet - you can always peal it off very easily once it has dried. If you have applied the goo correctly, then you can now put your LCD panel on the fresnel lens, goo-side down. This will take about half an hour to dry sufficiently, and the gasket is also not a very strong adhesive, so don't jerk the projector too much.

After you have got your LCD fixed to the fresnel, re-attach the connectors from each of the circuit cards. You will need to find places inside your personal projector to tuck these circuit cards. The Pico has just enough room to secure these in the upper compartment (see early Pico projector thread posts). The specifics of how and where to secure these circuits varies by LCD model and projector design, but in general you should use some skinny and short wood screws to fix the circuits to the MDF insides of your LCD projector using the holes in the circuits that originally held the circuit into the LCD assembly (before you removed them). DO NOT apply too much pressure on the circuit cards or they will crack. Also take care to not have metal objects touch the circuits in any way except for the mounting screws or you will short out your panel! 

The way that I typically install my circuits is to use a little RTV gasket in a tube on the backside of the circuit and then basically glue the circuit to the MDF panel that it goes on. This is safe to use on electrical components, but I recommend letting it dry before powering up your LCD panel.

© 2006 DIY For Life Inc