Beomaster 8000 (all types) - Replacement Display Modules

While I am in the Beomaster 8000 restoration mode I wanted to try out a new option on replacing the 7-segment display modules of the Beomaster 8000.

Many years ago I started out repairing these displays by taking them apart and replacing all of the original 7-segment display LEDs with new, surface mount LEDs...regardless if the original LED had failed.

The reason for that is that the new surface mount LEDs are not an exact match for the original LEDs and side-by-side, you could tell the difference (brightness, intensity).  So to make the Beomaster 8000 displays uniform, all segments need to be replaced.

After doing a few of those display restorations, the task quickly became a real chore.  Very time consuming.

Fortunately some new options have come along where now, there are replacement display modules available for the Beomaster 8000.

Beolover tested and reviewed one option earlier this year.  I have also tried the Roslinde display module kit and agree that it works really well.

My latest Beomaster 8000 display restoration however, uses a new display kit from Danish Sound Parts.

A nice difference with the Danish Sound Parts Beomaster 8000 display module kit is that the new displays are ready to use out of the box.  They come already assembled and with module header pins installed.

The picture below shows the Danish Sound Parts modules as I received them, my bench testing of the modules and a comparison to original Beomaster 8000 display modules.

I was a bit concerned at first that the header pins are angled on the original modules, but straight on the new modules.

However, it turns out that wasn't an issue as the pins do fit into the display board.

I did find it necessary to remove the black, plastic header pin standoff on the pin that goes next to the Beomaster 8000 display frame guide.

I have highlighted that on the Volume display module in the photo below.  I also ended up removing all of the black plastic standoffs on that module.

Here is a photo of a Beomaster 8000 display board with the new display modules next to a display board with original display modules.

...and here is the display board with the new display modules installed.

Very nice and so much easier of a replacement task than the original way of rebuilding the displays myself.

Still...I will caution a beginner that the installation of these display modules can be a little tricky and frustrating.  The same is true for the original displays.  The tricky part is having the volume, source and FM station displays aligned in the black, plastic frame while trying to fit the header pins of each display into the Beomaster 8000 display board holes.  

Make sure you completely de-solder and clean the display board holes where the pins go.
I recommend using solder wick to de-solder the displays and prepare the holes.

Use the pin guide/stop on the black, plastic display frame to align the display modules.
After that, slowly and carefully fit the display header pins into the display board holes.
Once you get the header pins started, work on pressing the black, plastic frame into the display board.

For me, that part of the installation has never been quick.  It always takes time.

Not as much time as trying to replace each LED of the 7-segment displays with surface mount LEDs so that is a huge savings there.

After I finished the installation of the new display modules though, I began wondering if I could improve the process.

What I came up with, and decided to try, was to remove the new display module header pins and replace them with my own.

This is completely optional of course but I wanted to try it.

Here are the new display modules next to a couple of header pin substitute options.

I ended up using the gold plated contact, Samtec Flexible Board Stacking Header (50 pins).

After replacing the header pins on all of the modules, I removed the black plastic stops on the header pins.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Volume display and FM display modules are dual layered boards so the header pins need to be soldered on both sides.

Here are the new modules with my new, longer (and flexible) header pins.

As I had hoped, the longer header pins on the displays made installing them much easier.

Once installed and soldered in place, I cut off the excess length of the pins.

I reinstalled the Beomaster 8000 display board and tested out the display modules (again).

My conclusion on the new Beomaster 8000 display modules from Danish Sound Parts is that they are a good choice for restoring a Beomaster 8000.  They work great and save a lot of time and aggravation from having to replace all of the LED segments myself.

The modules will work right out of the box but if you run into some sort of installation issue with your Beomaster 8000 display board, try changing out the header pins to longer ones.