[NTLK] OT: Casio Zoomer Z-7000 contrast problem

Sorry for the OT discussing "the competition", but from what I can see
there is no Zoomer community still left on the internet.

I purchased a Casio Zoomer Z-7000 off ebay a few weeks ago that seems
to work fine except the screen contrast is totally gone. When you
power the unit on the screen goes immediately black in the same way I
Messagepad 110 would do if you had the contrast wheel turned all the
way up. There is a hardware contrast wheel on the Zoomer but no matter
how I turn it it doesn't change the blackness.

Right before the screen goes black when I power it on I see a glimpse
of a UI, and it makes noise when I push the buttons, so I'm guessing
the machine itself is all right.

My guess would be the contrast wheel is defective. Does anyone here
know about these parts on a Zoomer? Is the contrast wheel a
Potentiometer, a varistor or what? Is there anything else on an STN
screen like this I should check? Can anyone think of a way to test
the contrast wheel "in situ" before I desolder it from the logic board
and totally destroy this toy?

(Yeah, I'm a collector -- I started with a used 110 in high school
which eventually expanded in to a 2100, eMate, Sony Magiclink, a
Datarover and a Fossil Wristpda)

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Received on Mon Apr 27 11:25:51 2009