[Premium-Rx] WTB: LCD Conversion Display for ICOM IC-R9000

[radio at 8zo.com]

The Icom IC-R9000 included an integral full CRT display assembly made by the Japanese firm Eizo Nanao Corporation that included all of the CRT related electrical support components for HV and the tube interface requirements.  The input was a single 1 Volt p-p composite NTSC (or PAL on special order) standard input signal.  This Nanao Model MG-550CDM display was beautifully designed and made with minimal radiated noise thanks in part to the use of mu-metal shielding.  We used the exact same CRT chassis on a number of medical instruments and if I remember correctly, OEM cost was $163 in 1000 piece quantities - a bargain at the time.  The item of note is the NTSC-standard input signal, which is the old TV standard from 1954.  At the end of production, Icom manufactured and sold a version of this outstanding receiver called the IC-R9000L that sported an LCD monochrome (greyscale) display at an impressive price in the $10K area.  It was an easy manufacturing change as there were many LCD panels about that size made that would use an NTSC composite signal; just pull out the old Nanao assembly, shoehorn in a small TFT LCD panel, connect the composite NTSC signal and you had a product with an LCD display!  This was also offered by Icom as a retro-fit kit for the older IC-781 and IC-R9000.  The Nanao display was monochrome only, and most manufacturers who used it used a monochrome composite NTSC signal.  The considerations of using a color CRT at the time included switching the video signal to RGB and this took three times the PC board space.  In addition, the competitive Sony color CRT at the time cost $699 in 1000 piece quantity and the size and weight of the CRT assembly were about 30% larger.   

The bottom line is that the Icom IC-781 and the IC-R9000 will only support a monochromatic display unit.  Almost any LCD (or any technology) display will work that accepts a 1 Volt p-p composite NTSC input signal.  Of course, with a visit to your local theatrical lighting supplier, you could buy a color film optical filter overlay and make that monochrome grayscale display any color you’d like!

-Paul Kluwe  W8ZO


> On Feb 23, 2022, at 5:13 PM, Bruce Gentry via Premium-Rx <premium-rx at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> I am looking for the LCD conversion kit for an ICOM R-9000 receiver. I don't care for amber CRTs, and it is weakening a bit anyway. I know there is someone in Poland that sells a kit for the ICOM 761 transceiver, and remarks that the kit will work in the R-9000. It is monochrome, and looks good. I think the "official" kit from ICOM had a color display, I would prefer color if possible. What have your experiences been?
> 
>    Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY
> 
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