touchscreen hardware on CF-28

One thing I've wondered about is the hardware aspects of changing a non-touchscreen for a touchscreen on a CF-28. My system is non-TS and I'd like to either replace the system with one that has a TS natively, or obtain a good 13.3" touchscreen unit to replace the existing display and housing.

Besides actually swapping the basic hardware over, what else is needed hardware-wise for the touchscreen function to, well, function?

I believe there is some sort of driver module required to control the touchscreen aspect. Where is that located and are there any issues involved with fitting one and the associated extra cabling to a system which didn't have one when originally made?

Craig.

 

Craig,
Take a look not too far back. This got fairly extensively discussed. I believe Ohlip had the definitive answer. There is no module, but IIRC there are a couple of resistors on the mobo which need to be removed/moved in some marks. In others I think they are plug and play after you load the drivers.
CAP

 

The swapping can be done very easily as long as the monitors CAN be swapped. Some models of the 600MHz can't be used on the 800MHz or 1GHz models for example. One good way to figure it if you see one on ebay is... The CF-28 screens on the 600MHz were square while the 800MHz & 1GHz models have little "ears" at the top of the screen.

With that being said... I just swapped over a great 13" touchscreen from a 600 to an 800... The 13" is okay... But earlier I tried to swap a 12" over and it wouldn't work. The 800 wanted to force 1024X768 onto a 800X600 screen...

No can do!

 

Ok! what model do you have? If it is CF-28 800Mhz or 1.0Ghz you will have no problem on swapping the lcd between non(do not touch.......that) to a touchscreen panel either 13.3" or 12" screen. The problem discuss.. on the previous post is for CF-28 600Mhz model. It explained that if you originally have a 13" screen model and decided to swap a 12" screen you need to take out 0 resistor soldered on the specified location. And when you have 12" screen and decided to swap with 13" you need to solder or short J4 as I remember. Just review the posted disc.. in relation with screen swap.


ohlip

 

my system is an 800 mhz one with 13" display.

just changed white kbd for a backlit rubberised one - works first go. yay. noticed the ribbon cables are a bit shorter than the ones on the white kbd but it's all gone back together fine.

I noticed two extra connecters near the kbd ribbon connectors - are they for the touchscreen control board?

Craig.

 

Craig,
There is no control board for the touch screen as far as I know. Just hook up the screen and load the driver. Remember, its just a mouse. If you're talking about the connector I think you are, its part of the emissive keyboard, inverter arrangement which I have never seen although I got stuck with one of the keyboards. TB seems to have actually seen one of the inverters.
CAP

 

Hey, CAP! look at your points now, its all 5. Is that your lucky no. too?


ohlip

 

You are correct, those two extra connectors in the keyboard compartment are for the emissive backlight components. The inverter itself mounds underneath, accessable through the bottom cover plate.

There IS a control board for the touchscreen but it mounts up in the LCD panel. Fortunately, the main wiring harness connecting the LCD panel to the mobo is common to touch and non-touch models, so adding touchscreen hardware is easy. just add the touchscreen panel, the controller, and the little wiring adapter (converts the flat circuit tape coming from the touchscreen to individual wires) and you're good to go. The BIOS automatically detects the touchscreen hardware if it is present.

 

Kevin,
So if I've got you right the complete touch lcd has all of the parts inside and attaching a touch lcd assembly to a non-touch computer is basically plug and play after you install the drivers?
CAP

 

Yup, you got it right. The panasonic BIOS is really elegant in the way it detects optional equipment.

 

You gotta love it! Actually... If you plug up a Touchscreen onto a Toughbook that already has everything loaded... The Touchscreen driver will magically appear. (At least it has on the ones I did.) The mouse uses the same driver whether it uses a touchscreen or not. I'm pretty sure. You just don't NEED to install it with no touchscreen as Windoze will use its own.