[rescue] Q about Voyager screen repair; bonus: pictures of T-SPARCstation 2

Todd Vernon todd at toddvernon.com
Wed May 6 22:05:36 UTC 2026


I too need one more memory module if anyone is selling.

-t

Todd Vernon
Entrepreneur | Investor
Email: todd at toddvernon.com
LinkedIn: toddvernon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddvernon/>


On May 6, 2026 at 3:55:24 PM, Dave McGuire via rescue <rescue at sunhelp.org>
wrote:

>
>   I have thought about cloning that memory module.
>
>   LSSM has a color Voyager, but with a physically broken display. :-(
>
>           -Dave
>
> On 5/6/26 17:32, Peter Stokes via rescue wrote:
>
> I have sort of got two working ones, the problem is finding memory as I
>
> only have one memory module and never seen another for sale.
>
>
> Peter
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
> > On 6 May 2026, at 22:05, Todd Vernon via rescue <rescue at sunhelp.org>
>
> > wrote:
>
> >
>
> > 
>
> > I would say that it true.  There are two kinds of Color Voyagers.
>
> > Those that are broken, and those about to break 🙂. The machine is
>
> > solid, the screen is a nightmare.  Some dude has been trying to sell
>
> > the same one “working” but no screen image posted on eBay for over 2-3
>
> > years.
>
> >
>
> > -t
>
> >
>
> > Todd Vernon
>
> > Entrepreneur | Investor
>
> > Email: todd at toddvernon.com <mailto:todd at toddvernon.com>
>
> > LinkedIn: toddvernon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddvernon/>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > On May 6, 2026 at 2:59:41 PM, Steve Hatle via rescue
>
> > <rescue at sunhelp.org <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>> wrote:
>
> >> I guess I got lucky when I sold my Voyager last year when everything
>
> >> still worked!
>
> >>
>
> >> Steve
>
> >>
>
> >>
>
> >> ------ Original Message ------
>
> >> From "Todd Vernon via rescue" <rescue at sunhelp.org
>
> >> <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>>
>
> >> To "Dan Moisa" <dmoisa at gmail.com <mailto:dmoisa at gmail.com>>
>
> >> Cc "Todd Vernon" <todd at toddvernon.com <mailto:todd at toddvernon.com>>;
>
> >> "The Rescue List" <rescue at sunhelp.org <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>>
>
> >> Date 5/6/2026 3:43:02 PM
>
> >> Subject Re: [rescue] Q about Voyager screen repair; bonus: pictures
>
> >> of T-SPARCstation 2
>
> >>
>
> >>> Point me to it.  I looked and looked for one with a parallel output.
>
> >>> -t
>
> >>>
>
> >>> Todd Vernon
>
> >>> Entrepreneur | Investor
>
> >>> Email: todd at toddvernon.com <mailto:todd at toddvernon.com>
>
> >>> LinkedIn: toddvernon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddvernon/>
>
> >>>
>
> >>>
>
> >>> On May 6, 2026 at 2:17:12 PM, Dan Moisa <dmoisa at gmail.com
>
> >>> <mailto:dmoisa at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> >>>> Before you guys drill more irreversible holes in that aging
>
> >>>> plastic, wait up. You can plug into the RGB stream from the
>
> >>>> connector inside the screen housing and have a fully enclosed panel
>
> >>>> that externally looks OEM. It's all off the shelf components as
>
> >>>> well, though if more ppl have this problem a PCB can be easily built.
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>> I've also tried resurrecting dead screens by replacing caps, and no
>
> >>>> dice. Voyagers on the whole are unreliable though, I've had every
>
> >>>> single component fail on me - the regulator, the graphics card,
>
> >>>> Ethernet, you name it.
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>> Dan
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>> On Wed, May 6, 2026, 12:48 Todd Vernon via rescue
>
> >>>> <rescue at sunhelp.org <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>> wrote:
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>     Yeah, I replaced the caps.  I ultimately went with the new
>
> >>>>     option as you simply never see old voyagers with screens that
>
> >>>>     work.  Went with the slightly
>
> >>>>     Less elegant but more future proof option.
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>     I was actually surprised the problem wasn’t pixel streaks
>
> >>>>     problem, but there way go.
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>     -t
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>     Todd Vernon
>
> >>>>     Entrepreneur | Investor
>
> >>>>     Email: todd at toddvernon.com <mailto:todd at toddvernon.com>
>
> >>>>     LinkedIn: toddvernon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddvernon/>
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>
>
> >>>>     On May 6, 2026 at 12:42:05 PM, Andy Piercy
>
> >>>>     <andy.piercy at gmail.com <mailto:andy.piercy at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> >>>>>     On the Voyager, have you checked the inverter module and its
>
> >>>>>     output, as the surface mount caps go bad.
>
> >>>>>
>
> >>>>>     On Wed, 6 May 2026, 15:42 Todd Vernon via rescue,
>
> >>>>>     <rescue at sunhelp.org <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>> wrote:
>
> >>>>>
>
> >>>>>         I tried and failed.  I’n my opinion all the color screens
>
> >>>>>         eventually die.  Here is how I fixed mine with a new screen:
>
> >>>>>         https://www.oldsilicon.com/workstations/sparcstation-
>
> >>>>>         voyager/ <https://www.oldsilicon.com/workstations/
>
> >>>>>         sparcstation-voyager/>
>
> >>>>>         If you ever want to get rid of the B/w one let me know.
>
> >>>>>         T
>
> >>>>>
>
> >>>>>         ---
>
> >>>>>         Todd Vernon
>
> >>>>>         Entrepreneur | Investor
>
> >>>>>         Email: todd at toddvernon.com <mailto:todd at toddvernon.com>
>
> >>>>>         LinkedIn: toddvernon <
> https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddvernon/>
>
> >>>>>         On May 6, 2026 at 8:36 AM -0600, Walter Belgers via rescue
>
> >>>>>         <rescue at sunhelp.org <mailto:rescue at sunhelp.org>>, wrote:
>
> >>>>>>         Hi all,
>
> >>>>>>
>
> >>>>>>         Continuing the testing of all my systems, I have found
>
> >>>>>>         that I have 3 Voyagers, one with bwtwo that works; two
>
> >>>>>>         with cgsix, both of which do not display anything on the
>
> >>>>>>         screen (but do work on external monitors). Does anybody
>
> >>>>>>         have tips for repair/problem finding? Originally I had
>
> >>>>>>         one that I thought the backlight was broken and I tried
>
> >>>>>>         swapping screens to determine the defect but now I have
>
> >>>>>>         two that are not working.
>
> >>>>>>
>
> >>>>>>         Meanwhile I have gotten my SSA100 working with the
>
> >>>>>>         SS1000. I printed some hinges (see earlier mail of Steve
>
> >>>>>>         Hattle) and have ordered batteries to replace in the SSA100.
>
> >>>>>>
>
> >>>>>>         I also powered up the T-SPARCstation 2 (4/75T) again. I
>
> >>>>>>         got this from Whitfield Diffie, whom I got to do the
>
> >>>>>>         keynote at the 25-year anniversary congress of the Dutch
>
> >>>>>>         UNIX Users Group I was leading at the time (2007). It
>
> >>>>>>         took until 2010 until Joep Vesseur of Sun Netherlands
>
> >>>>>>         could physically fetch it and bring it back to me in his
>
> >>>>>>         hand luggage. I always thought the casing was riveted
>
> >>>>>>         shut (I was expecting this due to it being tempest
>
> >>>>>>         proof). But now when I looked I saw the rivets were
>
> >>>>>>         actually T8 torx screws (duh)! So after 16 years in my
>
> >>>>>>         posession I finally was able to open it and fix the
>
> >>>>>>         NVRAM. The system works fine but is missing disk trays.
>
> >>>>>>         It uses a 29-pin Hypertronics milspec "KA type" connector
>
> >>>>>>         for the disks. Slim chance of finding trays.. After
>
> >>>>>>         opening up I now understand that the hole in the front
>
> >>>>>>         has nothing behind it. And the weird power cable setup is
>
> >>>>>>         to route mains to the power switch on the front and then
>
> >>>>>>         back to the normal PSU.
>
> >>>>>>
>
> >>>>>>         I put some pictures online at https://cloud.giga.nl/apps/
>
> >>>>>>         photos/public/1RpIilmfnAgqfDEiSen1QgGhgRww0gYq <https://
>
> >>>>>>         cloud.giga.nl/apps/photos/
>
> >>>>>>         public/1RpIilmfnAgqfDEiSen1QgGhgRww0gYq>
>
> >>>>>>
>
> >>>>>>         Walter.
>
> >>>>>>         _______________________________________________
>
> >>>>>>         rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>>>         rescue_sunhelp.org <http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>>>         rescue_sunhelp.org>
>
> >>>>>         _______________________________________________
>
> >>>>>         rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>>         rescue_sunhelp.org <http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>>         rescue_sunhelp.org>
>
> >>>>>
>
> >>>>     _______________________________________________
>
> >>>>     rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>     rescue_sunhelp.org <http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/
>
> >>>>     rescue_sunhelp.org>
>
> >>>>
>
> >> _______________________________________________
>
> >> rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org
>
> >> <http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org>
>
> > _______________________________________________
>
> > rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org
>
>
>
> --
> Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
> New Kensington, PA
>
> _______________________________________________
> rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org
>
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