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

Dan Moisa dmoisa at gmail.com
Fri May 8 02:41:07 UTC 2026 

I got jailed for sending images that are too big, resending.

I couldn't find a parallel input LCD under the same spec either, but I'm
sure it's possible. I'm using basically a VGA signal generator on a chip
that takes RGB and puts out VGA, and patching to a LCD internally in the
frame so I don't have to drill and I'm using the original interface. Dave
if I get one more display working, I'll ship it to you. The original B&W
display looks great. They are not interchangeable, the graphics card inside
is different, but you can move them around as a pair.

RE: memory modules, they can be replicated "easily". The 32MB and 16MB are
basically the same PCB, just one or two sides populated.
The board is trivial to trace, the connector is readily available and the
memory chips can also be "found". There are two concessions: SUN used some
mirror image parts (pinout is literally mirrored between the chips)
undoubtedly for cleaner PCB, we'd have to ditch that. The other thing we'd
ditch is low-power auto-refresh, so you wouldn't be able to suspend (on
battery?) and get back, but I didn't look into it more.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N-1HbpxhCvszUFYAwsYkuVSEjONagAJr/view?usp=sharing

This project is in the queue and I have the part numbers/etc to run it. I'm
not going to pick it up until I'm done with the CG4, but if anyone wants to
play along we can make it happen faster.

Dan.

On Wed, May 6, 2026 at 3:07 PM Todd Vernon via rescue <rescue at sunhelp.org>
wrote:

> 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
>>
> _______________________________________________
> rescue list - http://sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue_sunhelp.org
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sunhelp.org/pipermail/rescue_sunhelp.org/attachments/20260507/c9c27fd5/attachment-0001.html>

More information about the rescue mailing list