okay... blah blah.. i'm not responsible if you mess up.. blah blah.. legal tidbit... said... done.

best method would be to completely replace the filter with a new one that has adhesive on it... but those filter sheets cost alot of money..

so.... we're just gonna reuse one in this diy, k? :wink:

oh and yes.. this can be done to ANY LCD screen.. my old calculators... the HVAC.. the uhm... yeah. whatever :P

first step... take out whatever from car (i.e. gauges in diy)

you don't have to take apart the gauges completely (as in the board and such... as i did in the pic..) but as long as you get to lcd.. you're good..

so.. second step... where it begins... take prying instrument (i.e.. razor blade)
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/1.jpg
aim downwards and get under that filter..
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/2.jpg
pry a little bit more (NOTE:.. do aim the blade downwards... the filter CAN get scratched.. so take it easy..)
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/3.jpg
you don't really have to do too.. much... once enough... you can grab the filter and peel off the rest.. make sure not to angle it too much either... crease in filter... hmm.. bad? ohh and do support the lcd itself... it's glass afterall...
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/4.jpg

now.. to be able to reverse the LCD, the filter needs to be flipped around.. all that adhesive crap that was on there? it needs to be removed... cause that side is going to be facing outwards now... so... use adhesive remover of choice... and soak..
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/5.jpg

blah blah... clean all that crap off... and on the lcd too.. sure...

and place it back on.. (maybe tape the edges down..) and voila!
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/LED%20swaps/6.jpg

:P

Great write-up!!!!!! :clap: :bow:

Do you have an pics of it lit in the car? If not, can you take some? Please...

alot of pics can be found here:
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=151534

:)

Awesome!! Thanks!!! I see a new mod in my future.

What kind of adhesive you using to put it back on?

Trung, great write up! I might have to do this!

wow, feeling dumb now, thinking it was going to be more complicated than that. Thanks for the write-up. and the point in the right direction :)

great write up trung.. but where are the cheese nips? lol :P

Any pics of this without an led swap? I wanna get something to be black background with white numbers like my alpine HU.

wow i never thought of that, well i never knew one could even do that. i def have to try now.
great DIY

looks much better...

What kind of adhesive you using to put it back on?
none... reusing the orginal filter.. i had to remove all of it..

hmm.. a small piece of tape at the edges will hold it in place and you wont see it after you place the gaugeface back on.

Any pics of this without an led swap? I wanna get something to be black background with white numbers like my alpine HU.

if you want white numbers, you are going to have to switch to white LEDs or else youd just end up with orange numbers against a black bg. i have white leds behind mine to give you an idea of how white would look.

you said the filter sheets cost a lot of money. ok, if somebody happens to break one, where do you get another one from and about how much would it cost? or do you just have to buy a whole new lcd unit?

Any pics of this without an led swap? I wanna get something to be black background with white numbers like my alpine HU.

if you want white numbers, you are going to have to switch to white LEDs or else youd just end up with orange numbers against a black bg. i have white leds behind mine to give you an idea of how white would look.

Thanks, I get it now.

you have very nice nails for a man

you have very nice nails for a man
:rofl: :rofl: :silly:
Yes, Trung is a sexy bi+ch!

So it's just a plastic layer? I was assuming originally that it would be like a laboratory slide, with two panes of glass. Maybe I should dig out one of those el-cheapo calculators I always get for christmas (I have a TI-89 as well as a PalmPilot with a program that works like Matlab) and try this out.

What's being flipped here is the front polarizing layer. Was it flipped "top-to-bottom" or "right-to-left"?

you call a TI89 and a palmpilot cheapo? lol

and its flipped top to bottom. what was once sticky, is now the side up.

you have very nice nails for a man
:rofl: :rofl: :silly:
Yes, Trung is a sexy bi+ch!
it's more cleaner... my buddy took these pics with his camera phone.. the color is a little off.... can't beleive my nails look so ugly yellow in some pics.... :doh:
you said the filter sheets cost a lot of money. ok, if somebody happens to break one, where do you get another one from and about how much would it cost? or do you just have to buy a whole new lcd unit?
break the filter? or break the lcd? you break the lcd.. you're screwed.. you damage the filter? you gotta either buy a sheet....

or sacrifice a calculator... :P

This here is just one link that i have found to buy the polarized filter and its not that expensive. http://polarization.com/shop/catalog/

Looks like you had a samich with alot of mustard

Some pampered hands.

you know.... a nice manicure is good every so often for everyone. :wink:

(and note... for guys.... opt out for the clear coat... that's over the borderline.. :shock: but a good buffin'? sure.. :P)

you know.... a nice manicure is good every so often for everyone. :wink:

I get a pedi combo......it feels guuuuuuud

whats wrong with clear coat? :rofl:

so this is doable with the center console aswell?

yes. :)

hey once again, can you show me where to buy the filter to make the rest of the gauges go dark blue, same with the hcav. and do u guys have blue leds in there? or white?

This here is just one link that i have found to buy the polarized filter and its not that expensive. http://polarization.com/shop/catalog/


this is one place i have found that is reasonably price. i havent ordered it from here yet but probably will be in the next few weeks

hey once again, can you show me where to buy the filter to make the rest of the gauges go dark blue, same with the hcav. and do u guys have blue leds in there? or white?

if you are talking about gauges like mine (white numbers w/blue dials) i have white LEDs behind there, and the filter option isnt avail for the HVAC (at least at the moment) since i have yet to try anything there just yet.

as for the filters i might start a gauging interest thread to see how many people would be interested in getting some filters in diffrent colors.

about those filters...

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2161011#2161011

i've seen this mod before, but on cell phones that use the same type of lcd. good mod tho, would of never thought of doing it on the HVAC unit.

i think the only person that has it on his HVAC is squall.. im not to sure if 05TRDtC and dakine got their hvacs done.. i didnt cause i lke the white. .:P

im guessing u sharpie the back of the buttons?

its so weird tho that when u put white leds behind the lcd it turns blue on the background, i would think it would be black

so did i.. but it worked out for the better imo :P

i guess you could do that on the buttons i havent tried. .lol

I have flipped my hvac with perfect results. have blue led backlights. Definitly mellows out how bright the interior of the car is. Suprising how much light those 3 led's behind the hvac are. Will snag some pics tommorow. It is definitly a special kinda mod and not for everyone. Does add massive WOW factor for sure!

yeah... at night the HVAC makes a BIG difference! looks awesome, imo...

during the day though... hmm... a little.. i dunno...
it's different :P

Yeah in the day it is... different. I have blue led's behind right now.. white would be so much better in the daylight.

Here is a video of the effect of polarized film on an LCD... Vid is 18mb... 56K talk to ya next week.

http://www.garage1217.com/GAUGECLUSTERS/POLARIZED/effectofpolarizedfilm.MOV

link..?

Linked yo!

thank you :)

o man, idk which to do, stay with blue leds? or go with white?

garage can i see how the lcd looks with the blue leds in the daylight and night?

thnx

I have a cluster with white done, it is WAY more visable in the daylight. With blue I have to kinda glance twice at it to make sure I am seeing what I think I am haha!

lmao nice, ok i already ordered the whites!!!

Thanks for the write up Trung! Always there to help when I need it!

you're welcome! :P

remember folks... my number is posted.. but please don't abuse the privilege :)

Cool. I might give it a go. Thanks for the write up!

So, I have a question...

In order to accomplish Blue BG with White writing, I have to get Blue LED's obviously, but where does the white come in? or do i have to get a blue Polarized sheet with white LEDs?

So, I have a question...

In order to accomplish Blue BG with White writing, I have to get Blue LED's obviously, but where does the white come in? or do i have to get a blue Polarized sheet with white LEDs?

x2

looking to get my lettering in white. what to do? I already have blue LEDs soldered on

You actually need white leds. The led color dictates the letter color. The background will be dark navy blue if the film is oriented correctly as it color shifts as it is rotated.

Thank you very much mr. garage... check your PM.

This is with white LEDs

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/carbonxe/DSC_0011.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/carbonxe/IMG_0089.jpg

is that hard to see in the daytime?

It's actually much easier to see in the daytime.

Here is how they look with the lights off during the daytime.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/carbonxe/DSC_0061.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/carbonxe/DSC_0063.jpg