Author Topic: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter  (Read 127133 times)

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Offline marcopolo

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #175 on: December 30, 2019, 02:59:54 pm »
In France, 96 € + 20% VAT + shipping
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Offline Terry01

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #176 on: December 30, 2019, 03:02:56 pm »
I agree it is expensive but if the screen went on mine i would pay the £100 to get it sorted.
I sold my 289 a couple of weeks ago so have been using my U1273 a lot more and am warming to it more as I use it. Once you get used to it it's actually quite easy to use, just a bit different from the Flukes.
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Offline rsjsouza

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #177 on: December 30, 2019, 04:25:26 pm »
Terry, I agree with you that I would also strongly considering paying for that. Its visibility is superb and it looks really well on camera. Since I got it, the U1273A is my preferred meter with very few drawbacks and "sins" - it even surpasses my BM857 in several aspects, which was my prior top one. Recently I got a 87V on the cheap that may be a replacement for the 27/FM, but at the bench the U1273A is still the one to beat.

Oh well... The heart desires what it desires... :P

I agree it is expensive but if the screen went on mine i would pay the £100 to get it sorted.
I sold my 289 a couple of weeks ago so have been using my U1273 a lot more and am warming to it more as I use it. Once you get used to it it's actually quite easy to use, just a bit different from the Flukes.
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Offline Lockon Stratos

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #178 on: January 13, 2020, 02:44:49 am »
Hi everybody,

I found a Chinese vendor that provide OLED display for U1273A and U1253A/B,after my trial,it's ok on my U1273A and U1253A.

List price as below:
For U1273A,59.99 USD
For U1253A , 69.99 USD

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.101.7c43260eXXQFvS&id=591402268582&ns=1&abbucket=19#detail
Hi!

How did you managed  order from there? Its all  jumbled and there is no visible way to change it to a readable language.....
(Google translate didnt helped either)
« Last Edit: January 13, 2020, 02:49:54 am by Lockon Stratos »
 

Offline Terry01

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #179 on: January 13, 2020, 06:37:54 am »
Hi everybody,

I found a Chinese vendor that provide OLED display for U1273A and U1253A/B,after my trial,it's ok on my U1273A and U1253A.

List price as below:
For U1273A,59.99 USD
For U1253A , 69.99 USD

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.101.7c43260eXXQFvS&id=591402268582&ns=1&abbucket=19#detail
Hi!

How did you managed  order from there? Its all  jumbled and there is no visible way to change it to a readable language.....
(Google translate didnt helped either)

I am sure there is another thread somewhere on the forum that is similar to this one. I will have a look for it and post here if I find it.
Sparks and Smoke means i'm nearly there!
 

Offline unromeo

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #180 on: March 22, 2020, 08:41:57 pm »
Hi everybody,

First of all, I would like to thank this community. For a hobbyist like me it's an invaluable source of information and inspiration.

And thanks to this post, I am now the happy owner of a self repaired Agilent Multimeter!

Instead of going the mcookiemans way and building a OLD Screen PCB board from scratch, I decided to add a second PCB, just to deal with the un-mirroring of the display. It does the job for me and the resources invested were the SSD1309 OLD display and the two logic IC's in total of 20€. A local distributor was quoting 140€ for the original Agilent display..

I don't know if the SSD1309 is to blame, but the last column is displayed first, even in the mirrored version. You can see it in the second picture. The rest is displayed correctly, the missing pixels are caused by the refresh rate and the camera shutter. 

So here I present to you my... hack job..

 
« Last Edit: March 23, 2020, 03:32:44 pm by unromeo »
 
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Offline exe

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #181 on: March 23, 2020, 10:59:45 am »
Can you please post the picture of fully assembled unit?
 

Offline ultrasmurf

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #182 on: June 01, 2020, 12:26:36 pm »
Built PCB using satanistik design with abit change here and there. Using 1309 display, there is column offset. I have bunch of spare pcb if anyone need it, just throw some beer my way. Gerber file attached, so anyone can just send to manufacturer like seeedstudio or other cheap pcb builder. It's panelized so go grab your friend to share the mfg cost. You can attach the PCB directly to 1253B pcb.
U1 is 4071, im using Nexperia HEF4071BT, mouser pn 771-HEF4071BTD-T
U2 is 4078, im using TO CD4078BM, mouser pn 595-CD4078BM
U3 is 74AHC1G00W5-7, im using Diodes inc, mouser pn 621-74AHC1G00W5-7
Decoupling/bypass capacitor use 0805 smd cap. I'm using 100nF 16v just because it wander near my soldering station.... 
Aligning the PCB to go to the display daughterboard is trivial, I forgot to print alignment mark on the PCB, just scrape off a bit on the edge of the PCB to mark the edge location of pad 1 and pad 31, align it on the daughterboard and solder it like you would soldering any smd component.

File for the PCB is uploaded to Seeedstudio fusion galery as well, not making any money out of this link, it just make it easier for any of you that need the PCB in the future.

 
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Offline ApertureScience

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #183 on: July 05, 2020, 08:04:29 pm »
I tried the taobao seller. PCB is pin compatible, no desoldering required. I just snipped the pins pertruding the board to the side.
 

Offline Ginum

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #184 on: July 12, 2020, 06:51:16 pm »
And my edition.
Special thanks satanistik !
« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 07:58:48 pm by Ginum »
 
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Offline voltsandjolts

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #185 on: July 13, 2020, 01:23:04 pm »
Ginum - very tidy and nicely documented.
What software did you use to draw the schematics?
 

Online wraper

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #186 on: July 13, 2020, 01:44:19 pm »
What's the point of placing 2 decoupling capacitors (C2, C3) 1mm away from each other? Rather than placing them like this, throw out one of them instead.
 

Offline exe

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #187 on: July 13, 2020, 02:42:21 pm »
What's the point of placing 2 decoupling capacitors (C2, C3) 1mm away from each other?

My guess is one to decouple U2, and the other one for U3 :). Indeed, putting just one will lead to significant cost savings, simplify assembly and improve reliability (I'm joking).
 

Online wraper

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #188 on: July 13, 2020, 03:26:30 pm »
My guess is one to decouple U2, and the other one for U3 :).
That's pretty obvious. But decoupling won't be a tiny bit better by using two caps in such a way. There is nothing criminal about this, just looks extremely lame.
 

Offline Ginum

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #189 on: July 13, 2020, 07:54:17 pm »
Oh yes of course, my mistake. At some point, during routing, U2 turned 180 degrees, then a capacitor followed and did not even notice how they ended up together :-DD
 

Offline johns

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #190 on: July 30, 2020, 12:21:59 am »
Hello,

I have two OLED screens on board developed by OLED supplier for direct replacement on U1253A  Agilent multimeter
The OLED board was tested on Agilent DMM and it is working fine.
The price is US$55 plus postage (the cost of what I paid for).
I can provide pictures of those screens but I do not have Agilent DMM so that's why I am selling it.
This is direct replacement.
 
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Offline Tarloth

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #191 on: July 30, 2020, 08:09:01 pm »
Thanks Johns, I'm interested because, off course, I have a U1253 multimeter with dim to death screen, but looking at pictures the conector it's different that multimeter connector. Are you sure that this boards work?
 

Offline ilciumbia

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #192 on: August 02, 2020, 10:07:23 am »
I am interested too, tried to pm you but inbox is full... Do you still have any?
 

Online wraper

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #193 on: August 02, 2020, 10:23:46 am »
Thanks Johns, I'm interested because, off course, I have a U1253 multimeter with dim to death screen, but looking at pictures the conector it's different that multimeter connector. Are you sure that this boards work?
IMHO it's a spam from some Chinese folks. And this display has nothing to do with U1253A, connector looks similar to generic OLED display boards.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2020, 10:28:05 am by wraper »
 

Offline Tarloth

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #194 on: August 02, 2020, 08:31:53 pm »
Yes, I did send some messages to John (and he answer me) and it's clear that this board it's a standard module with the correct (maybe??????) screen but not a direct replace for the U1253 board.

I are very busy now, but in few months I will make a new board that permit to use any other screen even a LCD. The OLED obsolescence its a PITA, but te multimeter itself if wonderful and I will like to use it for many more years.
 

Offline Rollin Hand

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #195 on: August 08, 2020, 03:22:09 pm »
Im interested on the board .Keep me inform.
 

Offline crohamson

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #196 on: August 22, 2020, 09:09:28 pm »
I came across this topic while searching for information on replacement OLED displays for a different product, internet radios made by Pure. They used a different RiTdisplay display, the P19301, but that suffers the same fading with time.
As supplies of these old displays is almost non-existent, I have sought alternatives and found that most new ones do not display correctly, but show a mirror image. Hence my interest in this blog. But as satanistik has pointed out, the solutions so cleverly applied to the Agilent multimeter will not work for my application, as the Pure radios use an SPI serial interface.
I have noticed that the displays are commonly identified here by the driver IC, e.g. SSD1303 0r SSD1305, and that the mirrored image is due to the different driver in replacement displays. But I believe that the cause of the mirroring is due to the different pixel address mapping in the screen. The Pure radio display uses an SSD1305 driver, and substituting a display with an SSD1309 or SPD0301 both give a mirror image. This is due to the different start address of  the Segments (columns) and Commons (rows). Also, the SSD1303 and SSD1305 are both 132x64 pixel drivers, hence most new 128x64 display drivers will show a 4 pixel offset.
 

Offline Tarloth

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #197 on: August 23, 2020, 12:24:02 am »
Hi, I think that the only "final" solution it's use a microcontroller to translate the multi meter commands to a new display command set. If the communication it's parallel and the new display it's pin compatible and software compatible, the solution cleverly proposed by forum members it's perfect. If not the only solution to me, it's translate the commands and offset/scale the pixels when it's necessary.

In my case, I doubt to use again an OLED display that's probably not available the next time that screen fade away and perhaps seems useless to store another screen because they ages without use. My screen did fade away without use and even without a battery in the meter.

I'm thinking in change the display technology expanding by the way the battery duration, but I haven't time to do this until almost end of year.

I'm very disappointing with Agilent, If the screen not exist anymore they must develop a new board adapted to a new screen or a new firmware to manage a new screen. I's a shame that a beautiful multi meter ends his life in only few years. BUT, internet is plenty of appliances with the same screen problem, it is not only Agilent.
 

Offline marcopolo

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #198 on: August 23, 2020, 06:38:58 am »
I fully agree with you.
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Offline joncl

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Re: Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter
« Reply #199 on: September 09, 2020, 06:49:11 pm »
Thank you very much ultrasmurf for posting your solution! My 1273A was basically useless. Display was so dim, could no longer read anything. Total disappointment for a $350 MM, especially since it's had such light use! I ordered your PCBs from Seeed, and components from Newark. Total cost was around $50 with shipping. Soldered up the board (after a couple of tries getting the soldering technique down), and my 1273A is working again! Nice and bright green display now! Super stoked! As others have noted, the last column seems to be displayed first, which is close enough for me (you can see this in the attached photo). I have a stack of boards left and a few components, so if anyone needs one let me know.

edit: link to ultrasmurf's post: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/replacing-oled-screen-on-an-agilent-u1253a-multimeter/msg3085696/#msg3085696
« Last Edit: September 09, 2020, 07:03:53 pm by joncl »
 
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