The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Looking to buy a cheap T420

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by MrSatan, May 20, 2012.

  1. MrSatan

    MrSatan Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
  2. AboutThreeFitty

    AboutThreeFitty ~350

    Reputations:
    814
    Messages:
    1,705
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Wouldn't you also need to buy a different screen bezel since there wouldn't be a hole and a light indicator for the webcam?
     
  3. MrSatan

    MrSatan Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Probably but it doesnt matter. I could just drill some holes. My question is would there be a connection on the screen or the motherboard for the cam and would it work.
     
  4. AboutThreeFitty

    AboutThreeFitty ~350

    Reputations:
    814
    Messages:
    1,705
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Erik is usually really good at answering these types of questions. Hopefully he sees this along with others that might be able to answer that for you.
     
  5. muol

    muol Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    126
    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    I bought a T420 without webcam from Lenovo Outlet last year. It turned out that the screen bezel from my machine had a camera hole, it was just covered by a black plastic strip.

    Then I was lucky to snatch an 'empty' T420i screen assembly without LCD on ebay, and transferred its camera into my machine. All I needed was the camera board itself and the covering plastic strip which has two transparent spots for the camera's lens and LED.

    So I don't think they have two different bezel versions in stock for the T420, but only different cover strips.
     
  6. MrSatan

    MrSatan Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    where did you connect the camera to? was there a connection on the lcd or on the motherboard? or on the lcd cable?
     
  7. muol

    muol Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    126
    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    16
    The cable is already there, and it powers multiple components. It was attached to a small circuit board identical in size and shape to the webcam board. This board is not just an empty place holder, but has a couple small ICs on it. I'd guess it terminates the cable electrically. You basically have to exchange that board with the webcam.

    The cable by the way originates from somewhere on the system board. It branches at the display bottom to power the LED board, and then goes all the way around the LCD panel to the top, where it branches again to the webcam board and the Thinklight. The Thinklight is actually firmly attached to one of the branch ends.