Gameboy screen lines

[rbudrick]

So what heating methods do you think would be best? A blow dryer, maybe? Still very interested in hearing methods and outcomes...

-Rob

[davidleeroth]

I had a problem like this, a loose connection between the LCD and the blob on the cable. I tried the heat method and I didn't work for me (I used a heat gun) but given the fact that I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to do, I won't say it won't work for you guys. :P

[Jorpho]

(I guess this is the thread linked to in this thread.)

Just out of curiosity, there hasn't been any bold new discovery in this field over the last three years, has there? I did some repair work on my old GB a while ago (one of these days I'll put the video on Youtube) but apparently put a bit too much strain on the ribbon cable - one vertical line is now slightly fainter. (I suppose I'm lucky it wasn't worse.)

[kikaida2013]

(I guess this is the thread linked to in this thread.)

Just out of curiosity, there hasn't been any bold new discovery in this field over the last three years, has there? I did some repair work on my old GB a while ago (one of these days I'll put the video on Youtube) but apparently put a bit too much strain on the ribbon cable - one vertical line is now slightly fainter. (I suppose I'm lucky it wasn't worse.)

I know i'm ressurecting and old thread but it's the most popular one on google about it.

Today i went to fix my gameboy that had vertical lines. I tried to follow tutorials online on how to fix it, but that did not work. After reading your thread and people wondering whether heat might help with the screen i decided to go for it and reflow the connectors on the screen.

Using a rework station(i don't know if a heat gun on low might work so do so at your own risk) i put a nozzle on to make the heat more pin pointed, began reflowing both the bottom ribbon connection at the screen and the left side cable connection at the screen.

100C temp waving across the connectors for for 10-20 sec(but not directly on the lcd), if it's getting too hot the lcd will get darker where it's hot, if it begins to do that, take the heat off and let it cool, it should go back to normal unless you burned it too much.

Let it cool down a little, and do the samething at 150c(be more careful about the lcd).

For me the screen had a lot of vertical lines on both sides, I couldn't fix it with any amount of pressure on either side. Now after the reflow all lines are working good.

Hope this helps someone.

I am not responsible if you break your device.

[Tokimemofan]

Get a low wattage soldering iron (I used a 15W radioshack one) and use that, after peeling back the rubber pad and the adhesive tape (which rarely stays on the rubber pad), use the side of the soldering iron tip to rub outward from the the innermost affected area. You need to do this with the system powered on and the contrast dial turned all the way up to black, I have done this to several units and taught others how to do it, the hard part is learning the details. Too much pressure will lift neighboring connections, too little and the joint won't form, the wrong angle will also make additional connections break, The first one took me about 30 minutes of experimentation to get right, second one was done in about 1 minute. Just don't hold the soldering iron on the same spot for too long (more than 2 -3 seconds) or you may crack the glass and let it cool on its own for the same reason.

[Polygon]

Vertical lines on a classic Gameboy display indicate that the connection between the motherboard and the LCD is getting weak. I have heard stories of using heat to reseal the connection, or perhaps it's just some solder points that have to be retouched, I've never gone inside a GB personally.

This would be my guess as well. I've tried the heat method, and it worked for me.