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Crazy Jayhawk

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2001
Location
Hutchinson, KS
Since this question comes up so often, I figured I'd try to help matters by making a single thread where people could go for answers.

Using a laptop LCD in your system isn't impossible, but it can be very expensive. LCD controllers can cost $200 or more.

www.earthlcd.com
One of the best resources on the web for laptop LCDs and accessories.

If you have more info, post it here. :beer:
 
While this could go either in General Hardware, or here, this is a good subject. I see a lot of rigs integrating LCD's in...might be good to have a source of info on this right here in our own backyard.

*sticks thread*

B.
 
You'll probably have to order LCD controllers directly from manufacturers. The only one that I could get to answer my inquiries through e-mail was
www.displaze.com
The only other company I found is based in Germany and I couldn't get ahold of them. There are others, but they won't take individual orders.

Their most cost-effective kit is a 12.1" 1024x768x16-million color LCD screen that comes wth everything you need for only $220. (see here)This is the most inexpensive kit I have yet seen that supports an XGA connection. If you want to go a little cheaper and can handle running only in 800 x 600, here's a kit for $205

In order to make things easier you'll need to shop for the controller BEFORE buying a screen. Screens are very hard to find information on and most of them do not have compatible controllers available.
 
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toastyfishands said:
I have an old LCD screen from a laptop, i just want it to display stats and such, do i still need a controller
Yes, and it will take alot of research to figure out exactly what screen you have and if there are any compatible controllers available. If there are they're still going to cost alot of money.

For system monitoring, it's far less expensive monetarily and time wise to just buy a small video LCD or a character LCD kit.
 
So, What you are saying is buy a LCD monitor and mod it would be the easy way...:D

Here is what I found but it's EXPENSIVE:eek: LCD Kit

Edit:I removed the pics
 
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Mark620 said:
Here is what I found but it's EXPENSIVE:eek: LCD Kit
Same kit for $299

different kit, same screen for $220

I have the bare screen from those kits and if I were to save up $150 I could purchase the controller and cable set to make it work. The screen is very rare in the effect that it was made for an analogue signal, rather than a digital one.

NEC NL10276AC24-05 12.1" XGA TFT

I'm currently tracking down a few manufacturers that supposedly manufacture the control cards and cables for this screen. If they respond with a price quote on the parts I need at a resonable price, I may have found a way to build an XGA LCD monitor for under $200.
 
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Has anyone used one of the 12.1" screens Capt Slug mentioned? How would they be to stick in the side of, say, a LAN gaming machine? Or how about just sticking an LCD in and pluging into my vid card? Would that be too hot?
 
BrassClackers said:
Has anyone used one of the 12.1" screens Capt Slug mentioned? How would they be to stick in the side of, say, a LAN gaming machine? Or how about just sticking an LCD in and pluging into my vid card? Would that be too hot?

Laptop LCD screens do not have a low enough response time to be usable with fast-paced games anyways. For an LCD worth buying to play games on you might as well save up $350-$500 for a nice one.
But, as long are you can find the right control hardware they're actually much easier to flush-mount because they already have holes you can bolt them down with.
 
How about buying an old laptop? They'd have to have the controller already (unless integrated into the motherboard), and there may even be a few more parts you can salvage.
 
The problem is that laptops use different form factors from PC's. Recent laptops have an AGP bus, but the slot is a different size and shape to make it more compact.
 
Second problem is you actually have to find the controller AND all its pieces on the mainboard of the laptop. then manage to get it all off there and somewhere else without ruining something

Dr.Octopus said:
How about buying an old laptop? They'd have to have the controller already (unless integrated into the motherboard), and there may even be a few more parts you can salvage.
 
I bought a regular LCD screen by a company called SYS
you can get them on Ebay...I pulled of the body and mounted it in a briefcase...the power adapter was mainlined directly into my pc power supply it worked great and cost under $350.
front%20view.jpg

LCD%20shot%20speakers%20on%20right.jpg

Pioneer%20DVD.jpg

Inside%20shot.jpg
 
Heat is no problem at all...if you notice the intake fan, the cpu fan and the power supply outtake fan are dang near in line...also I added a second blow hole directly under the handle of the briefcase. I never get above 45c The cpu is an AMD 1.7..or 1.6 I forget now....512 memory...it games flawlessly and the lcd does not shadow or lag.
 
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