Qualia recognized but no image

[Sigmoid]

Hey,

I just assembled my Qualia display, and at first it connected to my Macbook just fine, and showed up in Displays, and showed the desktop.

However, after disconnecting the computer to stash away some cabling, when I replugged the cable into the TB/Displayport, the Mac recognized it, but the screen stayed dark. The computer apparently sees it as a display, it's there in the Displays settings window, the computer recognizes the resolution correctly, and I can adjust the backlight from the back panel, which makes me think most of the logic board must be working... but the Qualia shows no image at all.

I'm afraid something blew on the board, but still, stuff blowing from reconnecting the DP cable sounds pretty farfetched... DP should be hotpluggable. Unfortunately I do not have spare DP cables or other displays to rule out cable or computer trouble, but I'd be surprised (and somewhat taken aback) if it turned out the Qualia killed the Thunderbolt port on my Mac. Not that I'm happy with the other way around.

I have no idea what to do and what the applicable returns policy is, the device clearly isn't unopened. :/ I hope it can be resolved. Any ideas? What could be causing it, how I can potentially troubleshoot the board (I have two multimeters and a 100Mhz DSO), and if all else fails, can I send back the board alone for a replacement?

[adafruit_support_mike]

Double-check the flex cable between the driver board and the display. It's easy to move the connectors slightly, especially when moving things around, and a misaligned cable looks almost exactly line one that's seated properly.

[Sigmoid]

That was a half fix, it seems. The flex cable seems to be under some tension with the unit assembled, so I took the backplate off and carefully resated the cable in the molex connector. When I connected the unit up this way, it displayed the screen.

However, after re-assembling it, once again no image. And this time even though I tried disassembling the unit and re-seating the cable again, it didn't solve the issue. I'm afraid the flex cable itself may be broken, or that getting an image when I first turned the unit on had nothing to do with the cable after all, and was just coincidence.

Double-check the flex cable between the driver board and the display. It's easy to move the connectors slightly, especially when moving things around, and a misaligned cable looks almost exactly line one that's seated properly.

[Sigmoid]

Okay what I'll do is try the device with another displayport cable, and make sure the DP in the Mac works perfectly. I want to rule those out. If it doesn't yield a result, I wonder what I can do.

[adafruit_support_mike]

Post a photo of how you have the display assembled. There shouldn't be any undue tension on the flex cable.

[Sigmoid]

Post a photo of how you have the display assembled. There shouldn't be any undue tension on the flex cable.

Well, I assembled it according to the instructions. Maybe the plastic parts were mis-cut, or this display unit has a shorter ribbon cable than normal?

Here it is, with the feet removed:



My new cable has arrived, and the symptoms are exactly the same:

- I plug in the display in the Macbook Pro (early 2011). Screen displays perfectly.
- I unplug the cable from the Macbook (without touching the Qualia), and then re-plug it.
- Macbook Pro screen flashes, as it recognizes the second display, but the Qualia won't show a thing.
- No fiddling with anything produces different results. The screen won't come back. (Maybe if I try it again tomorrow )

This has happened 3 times already. With 2 different displayport cables.

[Sigmoid]

I sent a mail to support about a product return, as I am unable to pinpoint the problem or troubleshoot the unit. It seems independent of the cabling, as the signal comes and goes without even touching the ribbon cable. (And it's not like it flickers or anything. It first works, and keeps consistently working until I power off the unit or disconnect the cable, and then it's consistently dead.)

In mail the reply was that returns are handled over the forum... so could you help me out with this? Any further photos or tests you'd like me to do first? Thank you.

[adafruit_support_mike]

I don't see any problem with the flex cable, so I think the issue may require hardware beyond the budget of the average hobbyist.

Send another note to [email protected] with a link to this post and I'll have them arrange shipping for an exchange.