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Wednesday
Feb212018

Replacing a PURE Evoke Flow Display

** UPDATE 17th January 2023 **

Dear visitors,

For the latest Evoke display news, please check through all the comments section (best start with newest/ last  and work backwards) about replacing this display.

The current suggested source for displays is Shenzhen Liyuan Huida Technology Co who have a good history of offering individual displays for various PURE radios. See their web page and contact form (Jack Wan) at the bottom. You might also find displays on Ebay - see below.

The reader comments here contain a wealth of background, advice and experience from other PURE repairers and are well worth wading through.

Some radios (eg the Avanti Flow) can turn out to be complex with lots of scope for problems, so please consider whether you want to gamble on fitting a new display yourself. Please note I cannot provide any specific advice on repairing or fixing problems, all the information I have is published on my website.

Lastly, folks, I'm sorry if this has become a bit convoluted or messy. My blog wasn't designed for such heavy traffic or 'chat' and large numbers of comments, and I'm trying to keep things going as orderly and easy to use for everyone (myself included!). Please remember, I can't retain or display personal email addresses etc on this web site, though I have successfully put a few people in touch with each other.

PURE SSW-1817 Power Supply Repair

A reader has shared details of replacing the power transistor and capacitors on this common switched-mode power supply used in several PURE DAB radios, more details here

Other sources of suitable OLEDs for PURE Evoke / Flow / Avanti Flow etc

17th January 2023

New PURE Evoke 1S 2S D4 D6 etc Marshall Mio Display Screen

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114638725086

NOT suitable for the Pure Evoke Flow, Avanti Flow, Oasis Flow, F4

Some repair notes for the Evoke 2S are in this PDF.

20th February 2020

On Alibaba - Shenzhen Liyuan Huida Technology Co (Jack Wan) had offered some new stocks of higher brightness OLEDs and are known to offer a good service to UK individuals. Several people said they have been very successful replacements recently. See https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/22pin-yellow-white-3003319301002-Pure-Evoke_60671545961.html

PURE EVOKE 1s (early version)

I've received step by step guide notes on swapping these displays which are now here.

PURE Avanti Flow Display

Looking to replace a PURE Avanti display instead? I've written up instructions here.

PURE Evoke 1S Marshall Display

13/6/2019 - A reader has posted instructions on replacing the (same) OLED on an Evoke 1S Marshall in the reader comments, please scroll through them to the end. 

PURE Sirocco 550

2/1/2020 - A reader has posted instructions on replacing the (same) OLED on a Pure Sirroco 550 in the reader comments, please scroll through them to the end. (Happy New Year by the way.)


In 2008 I received a PURE Evoke Flow DAB/ Internet radio as a birthday gift and this cherished radio receiver had been on duty ever since as a portable Internet tuner (thanks to a Chargepak rechargeable battery), doubling as a bedside radio with dual alarms and wireless remote control.  The radio recharged overnight ready for a busy day ahead, seated on my desk. The PURE Evoke Flow opened up a new world of online streaming radio with integral services such as Pure Sounds (rainfall, babbling brooks, breaking waves etc.) and BBC Listen Again, both of which, sadly, have long since been discontinued and are greatly missed.

PURE was launched back in 2001 by the higher-end VideoLogic division of UK graphics chipmaker Imagination Technologies. This was at a time when DAB radio was emerging as an exciting new radio standard and PURE was being positioned as a premium consumer brand. Imagination hit hard times and the PURE brand itself was sold off in 2016. Imagination’s major customer Apple also pulled the plug, deciding to make its own graphics chips instead, and a bitter trade dispute followed. Imagination was snapped up by a Chinese/ US private equity firm in 2017. The PURE brand still lives on, thanks to Austrian financial backers.

A Display of PURE Genius

One of the PURE Evoke Flow’s finest features was its yellow OLED graphics display which needed no backlight and had much greater clarity, luminance and viewing angle than an ordinary LCD did. As every Evoke Flow owner doubtless knows by now, unfortunately the display would fade after a few years (say six or more) as its organic element deteriorated until the display blanked out altogether, rendering the radio nearly useless.

Sad to say, the same fate befell my own radio and I have searched in vain for a replacement display for several years. Spares became unobtainable once RS Components discontinued the Bolymin 128 x 64 pixel BL12864KERNH$​ (Stock No. 668-6124). I failed to find any foreign source that would ship a single replacement display (but read on).

New OLED Display for PURE Evoke Flow, Avanti, Evoke-1S.

The search for a new display having defeated me (and I don’t give up easily), in 2018 I was really delighted to learn that an enterprising individual has managed to source and import replacement yellow OLED displays that fit the PURE Evoke Flow, Avanti Flow and Evoke-1S Marshall, PURE's guitar amp style DAB radio.

I feared it might be too good to be true but, sure enough, after placing an order online with the UK seller AJSDyno a small carton soon arrived containing a new display for my ten year old radio. Perfect! They have since run out of stock so you will have to source one yourself from eg China (read the comments section later for guidance).

Next was a learning curve to figure out how to fit the new part, so here’s my photo sequence and instructions to help those wanting to replace their displays with minimum fuss.

Only basic tools are needed but a lot of ‘sympathy’ and some dexterity when handling delicate parts is also required: allow yourself half an hour of quality time and work carefully, don’t rush things and you should be fine.

DIY Instructions to replace a PURE Evoke Flow OLED

Unplug the radio from its a.c. adaptor and if a Chargepak battery pack is fitted, remove it. The display is accessed from the rear of the radio, which is secured by six Philips screws, so start by removing them.

Remove 6 x Philips screws holding in the rear panel [click to see]... and swing the panel out, as if it's hinged on the left hand sideThe rear panel can be gently prised out with a plastic spudger or similar tool, swinging it gently out from the right and allow it to rest on the worktop. It carries the main board and some interwiring. Note how some wires and ribbons hook the mainboard to the SnoozeHandle, loudspeaker, front panel controls and the Imagination Technologies display controller.

The rear panel resting on the workbench. Take care not to strain the taut blue wire (SnoozeHandle PCB)A word of warning,

THE SINGLE WIRE (ARROWED) CONNECTING THE SNOOZEHANDLE IS QUITE TAUT. IT IS SOLDERED AT BOTH ENDS AND CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED WITHOUT DESOLDERING IT. TAKE CARE NOT TO TUG OR STRAIN THIS WIRE OR THE TINY PCB CONNECTING THE SNOOZE HANDLE MAY BE DAMAGED!

So ensure you don’t strain this wire.  You can easily pull the two-pin loudspeaker wire connection off the main board. This frees up things to give more access to the innards.

The main front panel connection cable (a silver ribbon, 15mm wide) is quite sturdy and simply slides out of its PCB connector embedded in the front panel on the left, so note which way round the blue ‘pull tab’ goes and pull the ribbon wire gently out. (You can choose to leave this connected if you have the dexterity to work around it, but you may find it slips out accidentally anyway.)

Main board resting on the worktop, display PCB arrowedThe OLED display ribbon in situ, note pins 1-22 markedThe OLED display connects using a flexible printed circuit board ribbon. The connector is probably hidden under some masking tape which can be removed.

Showing how the connector latches must be disengaged before disconnecting the ribbonDO NOT PULL THE RIBBON OUT! It’s numbered 1 and 22 to show the polarity of the flexible cable. Look closely at how the OLED ribbon is seated in the connector, which has a black plastic clamp to secure it in place.

Use a pointed tool or maybe a fingernail to slide out the retaining latch at both endsA pointed plastic tool (or your fingernails) must be used to slide the black plastic clamp outwards to the edge of the PCB. It’s effectively just one latch with two handles on the end that pop out evenly about 2mm, and then gently slide out the display’s flexible ribbon.

Then remove the flexible ribbon from the connectorThe rear of the OLED plastic housing is detached by removing four small Philips screws.

The four Philips screws (circled) are removed nextYour display is probably screened with adhesive copper foil stuck to it. The display is merely stuck with double sided tape around the edges of the display. It is easy to gently pry it off using a plastic spudger tool and it will come away.

Carefully pry the display away off the adhesive border

I FOUND THE NEW DISPLAY NEEDS TO BE STUCK ON ‘UPSIDE DOWN’ COMPARED WITH THE OLD ONE, TO ALIGN THE 1-22 PINOUTS OF THE PCB CONNECTOR.

On this new display, the ribbon sprouts from the TOP edge and needs folding back. Compare yours carefully!Clean the window if necessary with eg a little Isopropanol. Unpeel the clear protection poly film off the new display.  The OLED can be applied and stuck down, aligning it in the radio's display window as best you can. Depending on the type that you purchase, the flat flexible ribbon might sprout out of the TOP instead, if so, fold it over downwards towards the controller PCB so the 1-22 pinout markings are visible on the ribbon as before. The old adhesive should still be strong enough but you'll be able to lift and reposition the display if necessary.

My replacement display fitted in place. Yours might look different. Main thing is to ensure the pinouts 1 > 22 align the right way roundRe-assembly, as they famously say, is the reverse of the above. Pass the OLED ribbon through the slot in the black plastic housing and screw down with 4 Philips screws.

I obtained a small reel of 50mm adhesive copper tape from Ebay and stuck it over the black plastic housing. That's optional.

To re-connect the OLED to the PCB, you must ensure the black plastic latches are STILL OUT by a few millimetres then gently slide the connector ribbon in as far as it will go. You'll know it's right when the bare copper conductors on the end of the flexible ribbon disappear into the housing, after which it can't go any further. Gently but firmly slide the black plastic latches inwards again to clamp the ribbon evenly in place.

If necessary, re-insert the silver front panel ribbon, the right way round, into its own connector ensuring the flat ribbon is even and flush with the connector.

Reconnect the loudspeaker and close up the housing by 'swinging it back into' the case, starting at the left-hand (telescopic aerial) side, always taking care not to strain the blue SnoozeHandle wire, then screw the rear back onto the housing.

Powered up and working again! [click to see]The radio can then be powered up and tested.  Mine worked immediately,  even after all this time it remembered the settings and found my LAN again. The remote control worked again too with new batteries (remember there is a 'Hardware Bind' button in the remote, to pair it that way if needed). Surprisingly, my radio then updated its firmware over Wi-fi to V5.1.The display active/ standby brightness can be dimmed via the Options menu if it is too bright.

LEGACY LINK : Replacement Evoke Flow OLED Display from AJSDyno

Reader Comments (241)

Replacement yellow OLED display for PURE EVOKE FLOW Radio, from davidmpye.com

I didn't realise that this displays typically have a 6 year life!

My PURE radio now 10 years old, and still giving excellent sound, but no display.
The kit from David Pye cost £30, and the fitting instructions were beautifully clear.

Allow an hour. Work slowly and v carefully! V fragile components!

Worked first time. So grateful to David P!

Also available in blue and white (longer lasting?)

Very Happy!! Chris Moyler

December 25, 2020 at 12:15 | Unregistered CommenterChris Moyler

This is a really useful site. I have the same problem with my Pure Evoke MIO and I'm now confident in attempting the repair and save a very good piece of kit needlessly going into landfill. The only problem I have is I can't see how to remove the back to get inside the MIO to repair it. Can some kind person please describe the process of removing the back?

January 3, 2021 at 22:14 | Unregistered CommenterKikis Orphanos

I also have a Pure Evoke Mio radio - one of the Orla Kiely ones - with a dead display. After discovering this site I've ordered a replacement display which has now arrived, so I'm ready to attempt my repair but like the commenter above I can't see how to take the back off my radio to get into it! There are no screws visible? I'm assuming it may be a case of levering / prising the back off but don't want to cause any irreparable damage. If anyone has any advice it would be much appreciated!

January 11, 2021 at 17:14 | Unregistered CommenterTara

Hi, Alan.

Thanks for this article. I got a yellow display for my Evoke F4 from Jack Wan on Alibaba (~£27) and fitted it today. The instructions you provided were very useful. When I tested the radio first after fitting the new display the buttons on the lower front didn't light up or work. Taking the unit apart again, I found that the ribbon connector for the buttons had come out (originally glued, I think), so I just poked it back in and it all worked! Nice and bright and readable. Great - saved me the cost of a new bedside radio for a while longer. :-)

All the best.

Neil.

January 30, 2021 at 15:00 | Unregistered CommenterNeil Weightman

2 February 2021 - I ordered a new display for my wife's Pure Evoke Flow, from Shenzhen Liyuan Huida Technology Co (Jack Wan), as recommended elsewhere on this page. The order was placed on 23 Jan 2021, and delivered today (2 Feb 2021) - which is pretty good from China > UK with custom checks and ground delivery etc.

Took me no more than 30 minutes following these instructions to have it installed and up and running (NB the screen was a tiny fraction wider than the plastic 'frame' it sits in, but this was easily sorted with a craft knife); can confirm the colour and brightness is as good as new (and the OLED colour is a perfect match for the touch buttons on the Evoke too.

Couldn't be happier - thanks for the instructions and the supplier link.

February 2, 2021 at 15:00 | Unregistered CommenterNeil

11 February 2021 - Another happy camper here, in Australia. Many thanks for the tips and advice. I have two Evoke Flows - one was given as a gift, then returned to me once the screen failed. Both now fixed and I will return the gifted radio. I have the white oled display, unfortunately didn't see the instructions to specify colour, but all good. Very quick delivery from Jack Wan. Thanks again, really pleased to be able to change radio stations and set the timer!!

February 11, 2021 at 0:43 | Unregistered CommenterJohn

Pure Sirocco 550 - Update on my mail of 27th November 2020
I've had another look at this unit and checked my work. It turns out that I fitted the ribbon from the new OLED display the wrong way round on the circuit board that sits behind the display. I've reversed it and it now works fine - a clear usable display and the lesson learnt is don't dismantle and ignore the way ribbons are fitted and then wait 3 months for the arrival of the new display from Alibaba ! As mentioned elsewhere you have to trim the display frame a bit to accept the new display.
I've now got a usable Hifi with so many methods of playing music - I have struggled to find anything like it with the same features. A job worth doing if you like these units

February 13, 2021 at 20:16 | Unregistered CommenterDave Shere

Tara and Kikis-

I just opened my Mio by removing the rubber feet which reveals 4 screws. There are a lot of screws inside too. Remember to undo the 2 nuts for the volume and input rotary controls to get PCB off.
Here's an instructables page I published. Hope it helps someone https://www.instructables.com/Pure-Evoke-Mio-Radio-Replace-OLED-Display/

February 27, 2021 at 15:28 | Unregistered CommenterJason

Has anyone tried to replace OLED display on Pure Evoke D6?
I've dismantled it as much as possible but still cannot get to front of display to remove it.
Any hints gratefully received.

April 2, 2021 at 12:47 | Unregistered CommenterAlan French

Hi Jason, thanks, I followed those instructions and it's all working again. I purchased one other white displays so not OLED which seems to have a major flaw in that it has a limited life span. I used to have an OLED TV which started retaining logos so I have replaced that with a QLED.

Anyway, thanks Jason! Absolute star!

April 2, 2021 at 20:55 | Unregistered CommenterKikis Orphanos

I'm trying to replace the OLED display on Pure Evoke D6 and need to remove volume and tuning knobs as I presume there are nuts behind which I need to undo to remove PCB. I've tried pulling them off with some force but will not budge. Any hints very gratefully received.

April 12, 2021 at 11:36 | Unregistered CommenterAlan French

Well, long after most posts on here went quiet, my display on my Evoke Flow finally faded to nothing.
Managed to detune radio and couldn't get any station back😟.
Found this post, and found the potential replacement screens still advertised on Alibaba by Jack Wan.
Cost me $25 + $7 shipping, so about £26.
Anxious waiting followed, but have to say the tracking information on the order was great. Saw it moving through lots of stages, until it popped through my door today. Time taken 15 days from order.
I'm not an expert, fumble fingered, and a real klutz, so was nervous of my ability to install.
Virtually everything went as in the blog post on here. Great instructions. Only confusing thing was which way the little black clips had to slide to get the old cable out. At first I tried sideways, then realised you pull them back in the direction of the cable (doh).
Then the first real issue. The replacement screen is 2mm wider than the old one, so had to trim out the inner lugs on the screen holder. Craft knife no good, plastic too hard without risk of losing fingers, so I melted them down v carefully with my soldering iron!.
Worked well. Then realised the new ribbon cable has some sort of bracket part way from the end, and that would NOT go through the little strain gauge sleeve the old one went through. So didn't bother with it (the sleeve).
Final pain was trying to get the new ribbon end back into the slot Just kept twisting out again, and I was really nervous of breaking the tracks on the cable.
Finally, after 20 minutes of cursing and trying, in it went!.
Quickly snapped the little lugs in place, screwed the black plastic carrier in place, and wondered whether to put replacement copper emf tape in place.
In the end I didn't bother and then came the big moment.
Turned it on... Nothing....I was so impatient, I was just about to take it all apart and start again, when suddenly the Pure logo appeared😀😀😀
Just took a while to start up.
And the display is a white led (I assume) display on completely black background. So I assumed it's not an oled display.

Very pleased. All told, probably took me about an hour.
If I can do it, anyone can.

Absolutely delighted with the result.
Thanks to the blog owner for great information, and a very happy listener again!

April 15, 2021 at 17:54 | Unregistered CommenterDavid Tunstall

I replaced the display with one from Italy a while back (you'll see my post somewhere above). All good, and actually I ordered a spare at the same time as well.

*** Off topic question ***
However, and not because of the display I'm sure, the radio reboots itself when using the internet radio (I have not detected it reboot when listening to DAB, and don't listen to FM, so it's likely something to do with the WiFi radio side of things).
Has anyone else had this experience and do you know how to 'fix' it? I read elsewhere it could be a firmware/software issue, but since there are so many Evoke Flow fans on here I thought I would ask! Also, getting hold of past software seems to be an issue.

Failing that, I may have to reluctantly replace the radio and that would mean I'd probably make the two displays available for sale.

May 11, 2021 at 19:07 | Unregistered CommenterIan

@ Ian my radio used to reboot randomly as well, there was no known cure :( It was very annoying sometimes. AW

May 16, 2021 at 22:39 | Registered CommenterAlan W

Hi,

Seeing as Pure have decided to remove their firmware files for the Pure Evoke/Avanti/Oasis series, I have managed to download them from one of their partner sites, and have them here:

http://www.davidmpye.com/files/pure_fw/

These are the last version Pure made for Evoke/Avanti/Oasis.

Hopefully this might be of use to people.

Thanks

David

May 29, 2021 at 19:36 | Unregistered CommenterDavid

Really great instructions Alan, got my replacement screen from https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pure-Evoke-Flow-Avanti-Oasis-Replacement-Yellow-OLED-Display-Screen-Brand-New/114725360148 - only had to trim the 4 inner brackets where the screen set-in, the rest was a breeze, thanks a lot.
Any idea how to update the firmware on the Evoke please?

June 22, 2021 at 22:03 | Unregistered CommenterShandy

Pure has removed the firmware info from their website (thanks for nothing) but David Pye offers the files for download (see comments earlier).

There is a user manual here

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1342520/Pure-Evoke-Flow.html?page=36

IIRC just run the firmware file and Windows will find your radio on USB and update it. Follow the prompts.

AW

June 23, 2021 at 12:29 | Registered CommenterAlan W

Thank you for these instructions, and to Neil for the Marshall 1S instructions. I was always hopeful of keeping my radio 'pure' and original as they started to go for silly money in the UK. But, we had the house rewired and the sparky kept moving it from room to room and bent the aerial (gold ones are no longer available to replace).

The screen has suddenly gone dim, so I've ordered the AliEpresss £10 one. Disassembly was fiddly but straight forward following these guides.

Fingers crossed when the replacement arrives we'll soon be back in business.

August 31, 2021 at 21:15 | Unregistered CommenterJoe Boss

Thank you for the information, I've finally replaced my display after suffereing for years unable to the change stations or change the alarm settings!

cheers
Gary

October 23, 2021 at 12:37 | Unregistered CommenterGary L

Pure Sirocco 550
First, many thanks to Alan for setting up this site, and to the many contibutors for their advice.
A quick report on my experience: I obtained a replacement screen from Shenzhen Liyuan Huida Technology, via Alibaba specifically for the Sirocco (total cost about £36 including VAT and shipping) and managed to replace the old one by following the steps of Gary Lane (Feb 29th 2020).
A few points:
I had more screws on the back and base than Gary, but the principle was the same.
As pointed out by Andrew (28th Dec 2019), the front PCB is held to the front panel by a very short soldered lead which made the final steps difficult and I also could only replace 3 of the 4 screws fixing the screen holder to the front panel.
My new screen ribbon was not numbered 1 to 22 but I oriented it by comparing the pattern of leads with the old one (eg. no 1 and 2 join together).
Like the new screen, the old screen had the ribbon coming from the top, so no change was needed.
Embarrassingly, one of the steps I wasted most time on was trying to separate the front PCB from the front panel after I'd removed all the screws. I finally found this note (June 13th 2019) to pull the knobs off the front. I guess the step was so obvious to most people that it's hardly ever mentioned!

Thanks again to everyone and Good Luck to those about to attempt the surgery.
Alan

December 8, 2021 at 14:30 | Unregistered CommenterAlan J

For those asking about a Pure Evoke D6 screen replacement (in my case a D640BT), I successfully managed this today, and I thought I'd share the steps below, since Google seems to bring people here.

Tools required - PH1 screwdriver, 10mm spanner, tweezers and pliers are also helpful

First, remove the Volume and Select buttons, which do pull off, although I ended up using a pair of pliers with the jaws wrapped in cloth.

Next, remove the screws on the rear and gently take the back off. Disconnect the speaker cables by unclipping them.

Look through the frame of the radio and you should see screws holding the front panel on - undo these and set aside. We now need to remove the PCB from the front panel

Disconnect the ribbon cable - you may have to peel the adhesive pad away a little to get the ribbon through.

Use a 10mm spanner to remove the nuts on the spindles for the volume/select buttons and set them and the washers aside

Unscrew the white plastic screen panel

Pop the whole screen unit out and replace - the screen comes as a whole, so no need to peel adhesives or anything. Pop the screen panel back on and screw back in.

The front panel should now be completely separated from the unit - now comes the slightly tricky bit - you need to thread the ribbon through the gap and get the volume and select buttons back through the PCB at the same time. Once you have it through, use tweezers or similar to seat it and clip it back in - make sure it is properly seated, the numbers on the ribbon should be just visible and the ribbon should look level.

Replace the front of the unit and screw into place. the magnets in the speakers will make this tricky, but persevere, you're nearly there!

Once that is complete, clip the speaker cables back in, seat the rear panel and screw back in.

Plug your power in and cross your fingers! If it all works, replace the volume and select buttons - if it doesn't these are a pain to remove again.

I hope someone finds this useful!

December 8, 2021 at 20:12 | Unregistered CommenterTony

Just resurrected my pure Avanti flow with a new display from Alibaba via Jack wan. just wanted to say thank you for the information on your web site which made this repair easy for a plumber. Pure should hang their heads in shame for not supporting their products.

December 16, 2021 at 15:03 | Unregistered CommenterSteve

Many thanks for this great tutorial. Worked perfectly for my old Pure Evoke Flow. I confirm that the Chinese supplier still provides the component, however only in white.

December 17, 2021 at 15:04 | Unregistered CommenterThierry FAVRE

Hi Alan, after repairing the screen last time - Jan 13 2019 post - I’ve had it running daily until last week when screen went again. Ordered part from China through same route - no custom vat charged this time and all is well again for another 2.5 years or more!

August 2, 2022 at 15:48 | Unregistered CommenterSteve J

Just reiterating others' comments really. Bought new display from Jack Wan (Alibaba). Very fast - 8-9 days from order to delivery!
Installing OK, but some minor issues:
1) make sure the black catch which holds the ribbon cable is fully open before trying to remove/replace cable (it seesaws a bit, so check both ends are open)
2) not immediately clear which way round cable of new display fits. As stated above, the new display must be orientated so the cable comes out from the top, unlike the original.
3) Bit of a pain getting the end of the cable into the holder - patience required!
Finally succeeded. LED is white, not yellow, which I prefer. Now listening happily to Radio 3.

September 11, 2022 at 16:34 | Unregistered Commenterwoodnth

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