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[How To] Invert the colors of the AC Display (Black background + orange symbols)
Hey guys, a few weeks back I saw a picture from an acquaintance that had the AC display with the colors inverted, I mean with the black background and the numbers in orange. Unfortunately he had bought the car that way and had no idea how to do it.
Anyway, I decided to do a little digging into the subject and found out the you can invert the colors of a LCD display by removing, rotating and reapplying the polarized film that goes on top of the display per se.
I'm not very good with this kind of stuff but it seemed easy to do, so I decided to give it a go. Well, it worked... kinda. The colors are inverted now, and it looks pretty cool, but it seems that I damaged something, most likely the polarized film itself, but I'm not sure yet.
The symbols sometimes disappear and I have to squeeze the screen so they come back. I bought some new polarizing film that come with the adhesive and I'll try again when I have time.
Well, here's how it's done. Do it at your own risk, and have in mind that I'm no specialist in this and I might have done something that I shouldn't. So if you have any tips, let me know, cause I'll give this another try soon.
I forgot to take a picture before the moddification, but here's the final Product:
Step 0 - Remove the center console with one of those trim removal tools. I forgot to take pictures of this step but there's another topic in this forum full of PDFs that show this kind of stuff, and it's where learned how to do it.
Step 1/2 - First remove the two screws on both sides. Then push the two tabs on each side and but watch out not to them.
Step 3 - Push the AC control unit inwards. Don't worry, it won't go anywhere you can't reach. Rotate it, disconnect the electrical plugs on the back and take it off the car
Step 4 - Open it up gently, there are many connecting points, pry each one of them up and open the casing slowly. You don't want to break it.
Step 5 - Now you can see the PCB and the back of the screen. Take it out of the casing.
Step 6 - There are 4 little metal tabs that you have to twirl with some pliers and align them so you can take the screen off. Take the screen casing off. Watch out because there's a little rubber strip that apparently makes the contact between the PCB and the LCD. If it falls off, just put it back in place.
Step 7 - Remove the screen, grab a heat gun or a hair dryer and get it hot so you can use a razer blade or something sharp and pass it between the screen and the polarized film to remove the adhesive. I used a heat gun, and I'm stupid, so I damaged the film in one of the corners. But it's fine, because of the screen being round, it doesn't show up.
This is the most complicated part. It takes time, be gentle, otherwise it the film my rip (as mine did as well in on side). Use some 99% alcohol, or kerosene, or something to dissolve the glue. After you remove it, clean it off good, as well as the LCD. Remove all the gunk.
Step 8 - Ok, now you have three options. Buy some new polarizing film (I recommend this one. I bought it on the ebay equivalent in my country. they sell it for mobile phone screen repairs), glue yours back or just place it back on without glueing (in my case it didn't work because my film was bended). Whatever way you do it, DO NOT FORGET TO ROTATE IT 90º (or flip it! it doesn't matter)!
I used regular white glue on mine. Left it drying overnight in between some books to keep pressure. It does the job, but there's that problem I talked about in the intro. i don't know if it's because of the glue, the film, or the screen itself.
If you're putting new polarized film on, check the position. On one angle, it looks darker then the other. Orient it to be darker when the screen is up.
Step 9 - Reassemble the damn thing.
It should look like this.
Now, in my case it isn't perfect, but once the screen is on, you really can't tell. And if the screen is off, you can only see the poor job I did when the sun reflects off of it.
Really hope it helps. You should be able to do this with any LCD screen, including the dashboard if you want to...
Any questions just let me know.
English is not my first language, so if there's a better way to explain something, or I wrote something wrong, just let me know!
Hope you guys like it.
Anyway, I decided to do a little digging into the subject and found out the you can invert the colors of a LCD display by removing, rotating and reapplying the polarized film that goes on top of the display per se.
I'm not very good with this kind of stuff but it seemed easy to do, so I decided to give it a go. Well, it worked... kinda. The colors are inverted now, and it looks pretty cool, but it seems that I damaged something, most likely the polarized film itself, but I'm not sure yet.
The symbols sometimes disappear and I have to squeeze the screen so they come back. I bought some new polarizing film that come with the adhesive and I'll try again when I have time.
Well, here's how it's done. Do it at your own risk, and have in mind that I'm no specialist in this and I might have done something that I shouldn't. So if you have any tips, let me know, cause I'll give this another try soon.
I forgot to take a picture before the moddification, but here's the final Product:
Step 0 - Remove the center console with one of those trim removal tools. I forgot to take pictures of this step but there's another topic in this forum full of PDFs that show this kind of stuff, and it's where learned how to do it.
Step 1/2 - First remove the two screws on both sides. Then push the two tabs on each side and but watch out not to them.
Step 3 - Push the AC control unit inwards. Don't worry, it won't go anywhere you can't reach. Rotate it, disconnect the electrical plugs on the back and take it off the car
Step 4 - Open it up gently, there are many connecting points, pry each one of them up and open the casing slowly. You don't want to break it.
Step 5 - Now you can see the PCB and the back of the screen. Take it out of the casing.
Step 6 - There are 4 little metal tabs that you have to twirl with some pliers and align them so you can take the screen off. Take the screen casing off. Watch out because there's a little rubber strip that apparently makes the contact between the PCB and the LCD. If it falls off, just put it back in place.
Step 7 - Remove the screen, grab a heat gun or a hair dryer and get it hot so you can use a razer blade or something sharp and pass it between the screen and the polarized film to remove the adhesive. I used a heat gun, and I'm stupid, so I damaged the film in one of the corners. But it's fine, because of the screen being round, it doesn't show up.
This is the most complicated part. It takes time, be gentle, otherwise it the film my rip (as mine did as well in on side). Use some 99% alcohol, or kerosene, or something to dissolve the glue. After you remove it, clean it off good, as well as the LCD. Remove all the gunk.
Step 8 - Ok, now you have three options. Buy some new polarizing film (I recommend this one. I bought it on the ebay equivalent in my country. they sell it for mobile phone screen repairs), glue yours back or just place it back on without glueing (in my case it didn't work because my film was bended). Whatever way you do it, DO NOT FORGET TO ROTATE IT 90º (or flip it! it doesn't matter)!
I used regular white glue on mine. Left it drying overnight in between some books to keep pressure. It does the job, but there's that problem I talked about in the intro. i don't know if it's because of the glue, the film, or the screen itself.
If you're putting new polarized film on, check the position. On one angle, it looks darker then the other. Orient it to be darker when the screen is up.
Step 9 - Reassemble the damn thing.
It should look like this.
Now, in my case it isn't perfect, but once the screen is on, you really can't tell. And if the screen is off, you can only see the poor job I did when the sun reflects off of it.
Really hope it helps. You should be able to do this with any LCD screen, including the dashboard if you want to...
Any questions just let me know.
English is not my first language, so if there's a better way to explain something, or I wrote something wrong, just let me know!
Hope you guys like it.
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