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Commander LCD replacement service

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Old 04-06-21 | 04:57 PM
  #51  
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Thanks so much Dale.
I'll try and message him on here or look for his instagram/facebook some how. Thank you!
Old 04-06-21 | 05:05 PM
  #52  
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Smile

Originally Posted by Str3atWarrior
I'm now proud to announce that i can also replace OLED screens! I designed a PCB to allow the use of new screens since the old SSD1303 are discontinued! I've posted the results on my facebook and instagram, feel free to check there for future updates!
Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone knows Streetwarriors instagram or facebook details..?
I am wanting to send my power FC hand controller to get repaired.
Many thanks!
Old 04-06-21 | 06:16 PM
  #53  
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michael_gagne ..is his instagram I believe.

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Old 04-06-21 | 07:40 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by Nosferatu

michael_gagne ..is his instagram I believe.

Thanks man really appreciate it !
Old 04-06-21 | 07:53 PM
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BC Gateway Repair

I was so amazed and pleased with my rescreened commander , I sent Michael 9 (nine) gauge clusters for recovery/repair. He saved 7 (seven) of them.

( I suspect his day job is in Santa's Workshop!)

Last edited by Redbul; 04-06-21 at 07:54 PM. Reason: added info.
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Old 02-10-22 | 05:53 PM
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Sorry to revive and hijack the thread
Wanted to update regarding OLED repair..

@Str3atWarrior aka #michael_gagne doesn't do OLED repair anymore, I've asked recently...
I am pretty sure you already figured out your issue with SST39 flash memory since you and john made a new conversion board that works.
I was able to replace mine using SST39 flash and it works perfectly and i think its the easiest way, just program and solder it in, no custom board needed.
It is definitely a tedious work and requires soldering skills and programmer for the flash chip.
All details are here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testge...20/#msg3999520

PS, a bit of rant.. i think it makes you look bad for not sharing your design or at least how you did it. Some hobbyists like me just like to do it ourselves even if we can afford the service, or maybe we just don't feel comfortable shipping.. Folks with necessary skills will figure this out anyways (as i did) and the ones without will look for someone to do it for them whether they know how its done or not. Just my 2cents... /rant.

I haven't considered offering the service but more than happy to help a fellow car enthusiast out

Old 02-10-22 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by brainhouston
Sorry to revive and hijack the thread
Wanted to update regarding OLED repair..

@Str3atWarrior aka #michael_gagne doesn't do OLED repair anymore, I've asked recently...
I am pretty sure you already figured out your issue with SST39 flash memory since you and john made a new conversion board that works.
I was able to replace mine using SST39 flash and it works perfectly and i think its the easiest way, just program and solder it in, no custom board needed.
It is definitely a tedious work and requires soldering skills and programmer for the flash chip.
All details are here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testge...20/#msg3999520

PS, a bit of rant.. i think it makes you look bad for not sharing your design or at least how you did it. Some hobbyists like me just like to do it ourselves even if we can afford the service, or maybe we just don't feel comfortable shipping.. Folks with necessary skills will figure this out anyways (as i did) and the ones without will look for someone to do it for them whether they know how its done or not. Just my 2cents... /rant.

I haven't considered offering the service but more than happy to help a fellow car enthusiast out

Sorry i could not help regarding the oled design, i understand how you feel, but the way we were doing it, most people would've just damage their commander instead of fixing them. I did give some pointers to some guys, with the logic gated and such. It's really a no brainer if you understand how logic gates works and you check the screens datasheet. All the info is readily available online. I stopped providing the oled service as the time and money required to do them the way we were doing them doesn't justify the risk involved and the little (less than 20$) profit in the end.

Then again, there is more than one way to do it, Petros Mazdaspeed found a nicer way to so them for cheaper, i now just redirect everyone towards him.

Didn't mean to hurt anyone feelings by not sharing. I still worked almost 2 years trying various ways before finding a way that work, and was the first to do so when everyone was saying to just dump in garbage and that it was not worth it. Glad you got it working using SST39
Old 02-10-22 | 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Str3atWarrior
Sorry i could not help regarding the oled design, i understand how you feel, but the way we were doing it, most people would've just damage their commander instead of fixing them. I did give some pointers to some guys, with the logic gated and such. It's really a no brainer if you understand how logic gates works and you check the screens datasheet. All the info is readily available online. I stopped providing the oled service as the time and money required to do them the way we were doing them doesn't justify the risk involved and the little (less than 20$) profit in the end.

Then again, there is more than one way to do it, Petros Mazdaspeed found a nicer way to so them for cheaper, i now just redirect everyone towards him.

Didn't mean to hurt anyone feelings by not sharing. I still worked almost 2 years trying various ways before finding a way that work, and was the first to do so when everyone was saying to just dump in garbage and that it was not worth it. Glad you got it working using SST39
No hard feelings at all and definitely lots of time and risk involved but very fun project. It would save me a little bit of time if i knew that Apexi is opposite of Agilent (A1>A0 vs A0>A1)
Would love more details on how Petros doing it...
Not trying to step on any toes just a guy with passion for electronics

Old 02-10-22 | 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by brainhouston
No hard feelings at all and definitely lots of time and risk involved but very fun project. It would save me a little bit of time if i knew that Apexi is opposite of Agilent (A1>A0 vs A0>A1)
Would love more details on how Petros doing it...
Not trying to step on any toes just a guy with passion for electronics
Right on with your analysis 🙂 we found out the hard way too.

You can ask Petros, he gave me the big lines, his approach works pretty good too. Another reason i don't share much is many texts me at 4am asking how to use a multimeter, or what exact part to use, and most have no ideas how to even solder. I have guys everyday asking me what capacitors to use to fix their clusters, when that same info is printed on said capacitors 😅 so imagine explaining how to chase burnt traces, testing transistors, and such to theses peoples after...

My method involve drilling a via without ripping the traces on each side of the board, very delicate operation using s smaller than 1mm cutting bit on a very fragile pcb, it's not something everybody can do, i did many and still have a micro hearth attack each time i do it
Old 02-10-22 | 06:48 PM
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Also the genius behind this really is John Sobon from FC-Hako, i just designed the PCB from his findings. It was my first shot at it too, so it was a pretty fun learning curve!

Also have to add, i have no degree in electronics, all i know comes from reading and fixing **** from since i got a cheap soldering iron when i was a kid, and experimenting. I got a passion for electronics too 🙂
Old 02-10-22 | 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Str3atWarrior
Right on with your analysis 🙂 we found out the hard way too.

You can ask Petros, he gave me the big lines, his approach works pretty good too. Another reason i don't share much is many texts me at 4am asking how to use a multimeter, or what exact part to use, and most have no ideas how to even solder. I have guys everyday asking me what capacitors to use to fix their clusters, when that same info is printed on said capacitors 😅 so imagine explaining how to chase burnt traces, testing transistors, and such to theses peoples after...

My method involve drilling a via without ripping the traces on each side of the board, very delicate operation using s smaller than 1mm cutting bit on a very fragile pcb, it's not something everybody can do, i did many and still have a micro hearth attack each time i do it
Wow, I've never had to deal with anything like that but i can imagine your pain
And yeah that sounds really dangerous, not sure why you did it that way, i just cut D0 trace on the board, easy to do since its far away from everything else.
I honestly don't even know who Petros is or where to find him lol
Old 05-13-22 | 12:25 PM
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Hey,
Just wanted to see if FC-Hako is still legit.
I contacted them and it just seemed extremely informal. I was told to send my handheld and wire cash from my account, include shipping back costs.
No receipt, no repair request form, basically no paper trail showing we had any interaction. Makes me nervous to blindly send an expensive piece of equipment and money to a person I don't know.
I'm sure he is a great guy, but, in this day of hackers I want to make sure it's John I'm actually talking to.
Old 05-13-22 | 11:24 PM
  #63  
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I can vouch for John, got mine repaired by him last year. Shipping to Australia took hella longer than expected (IIRC 6 weeks), but as soon as he got it he has it repaired and back in the mail in a day.


Old 05-13-22 | 11:27 PM
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Originally Posted by ZE Power MX6
I can vouch for John, got mine repaired by him last year. Shipping to Australia took hella longer than expected (IIRC 6 weeks), but as soon as he got it he has it repaired and back in the mail in a day.

The guy I'm talking to is saying he is in WA. Interesting
Old 05-13-22 | 11:40 PM
  #65  
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Hmmmm, I think they might have a few people in that group. But I found John to be the main guy behind this on some UK GTR forum, so I email him specifically. His email is john@fc-hako.com.
Old 05-13-22 | 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Smith
The guy I'm talking to is saying he is in WA. Interesting
Maybe he meant Western Australia?
Old 05-13-22 | 11:59 PM
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Originally Posted by ZE Power MX6
Maybe he meant Western Australia?
Bingo, 6065. Thanks for helping me figure that out.
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Old 06-26-22 | 07:41 PM
  #68  
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For anyone that used John for the repairs, who did you ship with? My rates are between $187 and $205 with FedEx and UPS, 1 way.
USPS is $75 one way, still $150 round trip.
Going from 92065 San Diego, CA to
LANDSDALE, WA 6065.
For round trip shipping alone I can buy a new commander from Banzai.
Thanks for the help.

Last edited by Tom Smith; 06-26-22 at 07:46 PM.
Old 06-27-22 | 01:33 AM
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USPS International Priority, it fits in a small flat rate box which is ~$40 to WA.
Old 06-28-22 | 11:45 AM
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Thanks, $80 is much easier to swallow.
Old 06-28-22 | 03:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Smith
Thanks, $80 is much easier to swallow.
When he repair mine his price includes return shipping, I only have to pay shipping there. Unless his pricing changed.
Old 12-18-22 | 02:08 PM
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Pmed

Would like the blue screen and buttons
Old 12-18-22 | 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Vansera11
Would like the blue screen and buttons
I got the blue Screen, nice in the dark
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Old 12-18-22 | 03:58 PM
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Good to here

I have a black on black s5 turbo that I would love to convert the dash to blue as well. Think it would look really nice along with the blue color pfc
Old 12-18-22 | 06:26 PM
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My blue commander is still working beautifully. Also I just sent 5 gauge units to Michael for repair and he turned them around in 36 hours.
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