Akai S1000 / S1100 samplers

Hi
PeWe
the display was an old Noritake sample unit I had lying around. The current model looks to be the Noritake CU40025-UW6J  (available from  Farnell Order code 1495418 £84.32).
 
I originally started the project because I was changing the old low intensity green LEDS in the D50 LCD display to much brighter PLCC2 style SMD Cyan  LEDs, this was successful and I had to back off the brightness a bit as the light was showing through the dark sections as well. Unfortunately whilst documenting the 'mod' I knocked the display glass off the workbench and broke the corner off ( shame) hence the VFD was worth a try.
The brightness control situation was not implemented electronically and the unit defaults to max brightnes, but you do need to put some dark filter material in front of the glass anyway to get a good light/dark contrast. I just added two layers of filter material to make it viewable.

Incidently, the LED mod would have been successful if I had not been clumsy enough to knock the display off the bench. The LEDs were mounted onto a thin piece of stripboard and replaced the original LED backlight board. You do have to dissassemble the entire LCD module (PCB/Glass/elastomers etc)to get to the LED board, this is the bit that makes it tricky.
I will post some pictures later maybe on the D50 forums

thanks
Carl

--- In akaiS1000S1100Samplers@yahoogroups.com, PeWe <ha-pewe@...> wrote:
>
> 
> May I ask which VFD display you used for the D50 and how you did the 
> conversion incl. the pot ?
> I have to decide for a new backlight or a new display unit for my D550.
> 
> thx
> 
> PeWe
> 
> 
> Am 14.02.2011 23:58, schrieb carlscargill:
> >
> > Hi. I have changed the LCD in my Roland D50 for a vfd. The display 
> > looks good but the contrast is set On full. This is because the 
> > contrast is meant to be software controlled (from firmware) but an LCD 
> > is voltage controlled such as the pot on the s1000 front Panel. I Only 
> > mention this as it is an extra point to watch out for when converting 
> > to vfd units.
> > Regards Carl.
> >
> > --- In akaiS1000S1100Samplers@yahoogroups.com 
> > <mailto:akaiS1000S1100Samplers%40yahoogroups.com>, Damir Rogina 
> > <roginator1@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi guys
> > >
> > >
> > > did anybody ever tried Noritake VFD display on akai s1000 or s1100
> > >
> > > I will order some small displays for my EII and Studio 44o but it 
> > looks like it
> > > might work on AKAI too !
> > >
> > > D
> >
>