Clevo p570wm: eDp vs. LVDS connectors on motherboard

The first two photographs (which I have provided links for below) may serve as illustrations of what the eDp connection to the motherboard looks like vs. the conventional LVDS panel connection. In this case we are looking at two different p570wm computers. One is motherboard revision 2.1A, about which we have been warned by Eurocom that it cannot support GTX 10XX series cards, even though the required eDp connector seems to be present. Eurocom tells us also that GTX 10XX series cards need the 120hz eDp panel and that also seems to be present in this case but I must assume that the motherboard revision is not high enough for the GTX 10XX series cards. The second photograph shows motherboard revision 2.3a which has the conventional LVDS panel connection as well as the solder points for a missing eDp connection. Eurocom tells us that revision 2.2a or above is needed to support GTX 10XX series MXM cards, and now it is clear to me that it is possible to have a motherboard revision 2.3a which lacks the eDp connection. I have also seen an example of a revision 2.2a board which lacks the eDp connection. The third photograph shows how to expose the display panel connector for examination, but one must first remove three screws from the underside of the computer at the edge near the hinge using a very fine screw driver to reach into the deeply recessed holes, and then gently apply a guitar pick or similar tool to dislodge the touch sensitive led control panel which is located above the keyboard, while being careful not to accidentally disconnect the hidden ribbon connector from the motherboard. Does anyone here think that it would be possible for an experienced technician who has soldering skills to successfully remove the eDp connector from the older motherboard, and then solder it to the newer motherboard? I am wondering if there will be an appropriate controller available on the motherboard which currently lacks an eDp connector, if I go ahead and solder an eDp connector to that motherboard.



https://ibb.co/BzN8Hfh



https://ibb.co/bWSyVgF



https://ibb.co/q5PJMPS


Here are two extra photographs which show the white stickers which contain the revision numbers for each motherboard. I was surprised that they were not in the same location on both computers. The sticker is located near the cpu heatsink in the revision 2.3a example and in the revision 2.1a example the sticker is located near a memory socket.

https://ibb.co/xs4JPBx

https://ibb.co/25yR8xf

 

An experienced tech could move it but you need to be careful for any related passives around.

 

Motherboard revision won't matter for 10 and 20 series (only for 7 and 8 series). All that matters for non-clevo cards is if eDP is present or not. Clevo 10 and 20 series need several additional mods to the MXM slot.

Enabling the eDP is a lot of work. There are about 20 capacitors & resistors that need to be placed in addition to installing the physical port, and this is easier than figuring out compatible eDP cables and screens unless you want to be stuck with the 120Hz 1080P screen as the only option.

 

Thank you to Meaker@Sager and Khenglish for your replies. Khenglish, are you saying that I should simply install GTX 1060M into my existing revision 2.1a motherboard because it already has the required eDp connector and related capacitors enabled? I did not know that I would need to add any capacitors to a revision 2.2a or 2.3a motherboard for a Clevo p570wm. Will that be required to get eDp to work? I forgot to mention that my Clevo p570wm3 with the 2.1a motherboard stopped working immediately after I tried to disable security settings at the BIOS level. I am not sure if Clevo can repair the damage if I send the unit back to the factory. That is why I had hoped to simply transplant the eDp connectors and cables and panel from the broken Clevo p570wm3 to the working Clevo p570wm.

 

I can't think of any reason while the older model with the eDP wouldn't work. I would first try a 1060 in the older board assuming it gets revived. To switch the parts over you need to spend a lot of time looking over the service manual's motherboard schematics and be good with a heat gun to pull off the operation.

 

If the eDP port is not present the associated passives will be too.

 

Thank you kindly for the replies which have been given here. For Meaker@Sager, I must apologize because I am confused by the grammar and logic of your most recent reply. Could you possibly rephrase it if you have a moment? For example, do "associated passives" refer to things like missing capacitors or controllers on the board that cannot be replaced easily? I assume that I will be able to add the correct cables and display panel from a broken machine but I need to know if it makes sense to solder the missing eDp connector to the board which lacks it. There is a visible area on the board which is reserved for the missing eDp connector, so does anyone know if the boards are basically the same except for the connectors?

 

No, does not make sense due to small passives that are required to work normally.

 

Thank you Meaker@Sager for your explanation.

 

In the Service Manual for p570wm there is a schematic diagram for "LCD, eDp, 3D Emitter" which is located in Appendix B. Additional details about eDp vs, LVDS voltage requirements are mentioned here:

Sheet 20 of 63
LCD, eDP,
3D Emitter

For example, in the sub-diagram called "PLVDD Power" I found guidance about required voltage differences between eDp and LVDS modes of operation:

PLVDD eDP 3D : 5V @3A
LVDS : 3.3V @2A

There is an additional piece of guidance contained within a box which surrounds the previous statement:

-----PLVDD_SEL: LO
-----PLVDD_SEL: HI

I interpret the above statements to mean that there is a simple master switch onboard which can support conversion from LVDS to eDp and vice versa but given my limited understanding I will defer to the expert opinions kindly given by others here.

 

PLVDD_SEL is handled by the eDP cable. This signal is present on the eDP header, and when an eDP cable is plugged in PLVDD_SEL is grounded and 5V is set. I don't know if the P570WM has the 5V logic already installed. It probably doesn't, but for some reason the P150EM had it installed by default for its iGPU eDP header even though the P150EM never shipped with any eDP screens, so who knows. In the service manual you will find an * next to the value of components if the component is removed for the manual's particular motherboard revision.

 

P570WM can be equipped with EDP by itself, 10 series cards need edp to use, if there is no existing card, only 120hz edp can be used. In fact, in China, I know that there are three users who have installed edp cable and used it normally. In addition to installing the slots, they need to add dozens of resistors.

 

Yep, that's the bit that needs some equipment and skill. Adding in the passives.