[Acer 1410/1810T/1810TZ] Successful webcam update!

Good news... After few research on Internet, some datasheets i found a good webcam you can use to replace the original worst one (i already did it!).
I took an MSI Wind U100 webcam, it has the classic USB connection you expect for! The connector is at right instead at left like the original one.
You need:
-A WindU100 Webcam (1,3 Megapixel, a very good framerate),
-Dremel
-Some wire
-A decent soldering skill
-A lot of patience, and much more crazyness.

I don't want to post a Tut how to do it, you need only to know that pinout is the same and the colours are the same.
1<->1 Black 3.3V
2<->2 Purple D+
3<->3 Red D-
4<->4 Orange GND
Don't care about the fifth (GND too).
You need four wires to move the connection from the right to the left,and some dremel to leave out some "plastic keys" about the old one. Newer is a little thicker that the old one, so dremel the plastic at back of the webcam too.
The WindU100 Webcam has a led to show when it's used, so if you want you can do a hole to see it in the Acer. I didn't: the plastic is white so i see it too...!

A good idea is to change the whole cable if you have the MSI original one, but i didn't dismantle all....

If you need any detail or any photo please ask... Don't worry.

Happy upgrading!

GM

Notes
1) I also had few notebook webcams, but the VCC was different, 5Volts instead 3.3Volts. And much thicker...
2) Windows 7 recognized the new one in a bunch of seconds, that's all!
3) Sorry for my english!
4) If someone has any very very good webcam to hint...

 

although i doubt i'd have the chutzpah to do that mod, it sounds great! can you please post a pic?
cheers,
-charlie

 

Nice mod... can you please post pictures?

 

You should use the webcam from a intel macbook, much better image quality.

 

Thin and with 3.3V?

 

can you post pictures, please

 

I'm very very sorry, i sold the 1810TZ (with a such beautiful webcam!) to buy the 1820T... Of course i will update the webcam here too!

Tools needed:
1) New webcam, 3.3Volts as thin as possible. In following procedure i used an MSI Wind U100 webcam, pin to pin compatible, thin enough to replace the older one;
2) Soldering iron, very low wattage (15W or so);
3) Four thin cables, not much long (10 cm), better if different coloured;
4) Soldering skill, not much difficult, but not the easiest work i did;
5) A bunch of bad words to use when something goes wrong...

To partially help you i will describe the procedure:

1) Disassemble the lcd panel, six screws, four up and two down in the corners (under rubber covers); detach the frame with something plastic, to not damage the frame edges; leave out the whole frame;
2) Detach the webcam cable from the webcam;
3) Leave out the other two screws that keep the lcd panel attached to the plastic cover (down too);
4) Gently separate lcd panel from plastic cover, and the webcam cable too (pay attention to the microphone).
5) Dremel out all plastic keys behind and around old webcam, the newer is thicker, but without plastic "borders" it will go in place perfectly! I suggest to close the lcd panel over the keyboard, cover the acer and then dremel...
6) Now soldering time! I thought to not to solder, but 1810TZ wires are really thin, so solder is better!
Solder four wires to new webcam, cut the connector into 1810TZ cable and solder every pin to the right one. If you didn't write down you find pinout in the first post. Isolate every pin you solder, a little bit of insulating tape is enough. EVERYONE, not ALL TOGETHER!
7) Open as much as you need the notebook and try the webcam before closing everything.
8) Put in place everything gently, you have enough place to put wires under (not behind!!!!) the webcam.
9) Close everything and that's all!!!

No drivers are needed, you can remove Acer webcam utility, it is useless (not recognized), you can take drivers and utility from MSI site! Webcam firmware too....


So i'm really sorry about missing photos, but believe me, nothing special to do...!


GM

 

P.S. On HP site you can buy spare parts at very cheap prices. I didn't find a 3.3 Volts webcam, but if you do...
I have bought the best netbook webcam i found on Internet, HP Mini 5101 webcam. And very cheap too. Sadly i discovered when arrived that is a 5V one. Pinout is written on webcam. The part code is 577927-001.
Maybe i'll try to change voltage in someway i don't know. But if you need a very good webcam to replace the old one (5 volt of course)... Almost all notebook use the 5Volts type. And it is very thin too!

So stay tuned....!


GM

 

Anyone find any other webcams that will work? If I'm going to do it, I would prefer to upgrade to a 2mp.

 

So you were not satisfied with Wind U100 Webcam??

 

I'm going to watch this thread. Sounds like something I'd like to do.

 

Hey, I found an used U100 webcam, so I tried to install it, but I found some problem. The connector of the msi one is bigger, and the colour do not match, nor with the one you posted, nor between acer cam and msi cam.
Here I posted some picture of the acer and msi cam and the plug of the acer cam with colours in evidence.