We've been notified that there are some folks out there that plan to reverse engineer the display so they can build their own or tell people where to buy it "off the shelf" for $50.
I'll grab the popcorn. In the meantime, I'll let everyone in on a little secret.
There are three parts to each display: the main LCD, the interface board and the firmware. The LCD
can (kinda, sorta...in 1000 piece minimums) be bought off the shelf, but the custom hardware configuration will cost around $3000. Hey, that's $27,000 right there! And...it's just a dumb display that can't do
anything on its own.
The interface board can be reverse-engineered without problems but every part on the board has to be purchased in quantities to get the lower price - or to get them at all. Both the ribbon cable and ribbon connector required a 2,000 piece minimum order. The board-to-board connectors required a 5,000 piece MO.
$50 displays? In your dreeeeams.
The firmware is hardware encrypted and cannot be retrieved by any method short of CIA-level forensics (even then, it would be very difficult if not impossible). There is a final hardware key that locks the display to the interface board so that neither can be separately used, but each are 100% interchangeable for servicing.
And last, but certainly not least, is the OEM display manufacturer. I've said this many, many times in this thread already, but here it is again:
The key to making it happen is knowing exactly what you have. Some day, long after the displays have been discontinued, we'll reveal how it was done. It was simple, but required a knowledge of the displays that many people do not have, including every failed attempt before and, I'm sure, after. Someone will figure it out, but not before we've sold thousands of replacements.
We did our homework. We didn't get to this point by chance...it was a calculated risk to produce one of the most sought-after products on the market and we have succeeded.
