does anyone know if you can mod a laptop monitor so it will work on a desktop compute

[Warlord2]

does anyone know if you can mod a laptop monitor so it will work on a desktop compute

^^^^

I just found a lot of 10" to 15" laptop monitors on ebay for cheap and was wondering how hard it would be to make one work on a normal desktop computer?

I mean it cant be THAT hard to rig something up sence they all attach to a normal graphic cards chipset right?

I am I correct to asume they use 12v?

 

[socretes]

I've been emailing and looking around, and even got the data sheet for a particular laptop screen, but nothing yet. I think it would be great to have some winamp AVS display on a little screen. dream on my friend as i am.

 

[Illah]

I'd like to hear more about this... Maybe mod one into the side of my case or something. When you say 'a lot', how many is that? What would you be paying per unit? My birthday is coming up so if the price is right and it seems do-able I might be interested in buying one of them off you.

If I do do this, I'd need a second vid card. Anyone know a going rate for a simi-sort of decent PCI GeForce 2 or early model radeon?

--Illah

 

[Illah]

I've been emailing and looking around, and even got the data sheet for a particular laptop screen, but nothing yet. I think it would be great to have some winamp AVS display on a little screen. dream on my friend as i am.

Oh, and for this you could get a ~5" LCD screen. I've seen people get them for less than $100 and mod them into the 5 1/4 bays or on the side next their window mods. Don't remember where I saw it, but it might be something to look into.

--Illah

 

[Warlord2]

I came across this guy

I shouldnt of said cheap sence I donno what they will be after people start biding on thim

I know it can be done sence I saw a pic of someone who has done it and put it on his wall (yes he said it was a laptop monitor ).

 

[Captain Slug]

WARNING: HUGE POST

THERE ARE NO LOW COST OPTIONS.
The minimum cost of getting an LCD display to work with a VGA or DVI connection is atleast $300. Unless for some extremely lucky happen-stance event where you can buy an LCD MONITOR (not laptop screen) for under $250 (usually when stores close or companys are liquidating inventory before tax season).

Hooking up a laptop LCD screen can be a huge pain. Each LCD can have one of 4 different connector types and there's no labelling that specifically tells you it's native resolution. Plus they don't refresh very quickly, which will cause a motion blur in faster games.

Option #1 (laptop monitor + controller = headache)
Even if an XGA (1024 x 768) laptop screen falls in your lap you'll still have to purchase a CONTROLLER. Earthlcd.com and ApolloDisplays.com sell AGP and PCI video cards (which aren't really made for games) that can hook-up to all different types of LCD screens for $175.
The other option is an external controller. The EPAP-200 (Earthvision AD/2) converts a VGA or RCA and feeds it to any TFT LCD (per configuration setup by coordinating with the company selling it to you). One of those can eat a $200-240 hole in your wallet

Option #2 (Video LCD + Scan Convertor)
This is MUCH easier than option #1. If you can buy a Video LCD monitor ($80-$180) you can hook it upto a computer via a scan convertor ($73 at PCstop.com).
The problems with this setup are that most Video LCD displays are small (4"-12") and usually don't have large resolutions.

Option #3
Get really lucky and find one on sale or liquidation for cheap. This option takes the longest but requires less stressful setup procedures. A few ideas for getting them cheap...
Buy refurbished displays, goto computer expos and shows, ask for display models at large chains like Best buy, Circuit City, etc...

No matter what you do LCDs cost alot.

Taking option #2 and using a second PCI video card w/ TV-out (intead of a scan convertor) would still cost around $200. Plus the resolution would be so low it wouldn't be useful beyoned visualization on statistical display.
And if you're looking to just display just those, a SERIAL LCD would cost half as much.


Hope this HUGE post help

 

[Captain Slug]

SUMMARY OF ABOVE
OH yeah, the screens themselves can be bought on ebay for $1-$100 (averaging at $10).
But it's the damn controllers that cost so much.

If anyone needs help regarding this type of project, just PM me and I can give you a dozen or so resources.

 

[IFMU]

Ok, Captian, your post confused the living hell outta me!~!

LoL..... Not hard to do really thou!

Ok, Im at a loss here..... hmm... Ok, by my understanding of your post your saying getting the lcd is the costly part? or?

I have an older 486 laptop here.... what would it take to use it?
Im ,...... hmm..... Ok, try to explain what you mean in lamens terms please... lmao.......
Sorry, but Im actually interested in this.... but cash IS a consideration.

 

[Warlord2]

here what he means

laptop LCD monitor = cheap
controllers so you can use the monitor for a desktop = expencive


anyways thanks for the info, I just wish it was easyer to do.
what the difference between a Video lcd and the others and what are the ones in that link? video or other? a lot of thim are only 10", that is why Im asking this. and what is a scan convertor? can you use any video card you want with one? and can you post a link to one sence I have no clue of what they look like.

if I get a Video LCD for $20 and a scan convertor for $73 thin Im only out ~$90 instead of $250 for a normal lcd monitor. and like I said Im only going to be using the computer for a server and maybe a lan computer if its fast enough.

 

[Illah]

Video LCD's are usually some type of NTSC or PAL screen, usually used for car TV's and the like. Resolutions are low, they'd max out somewhere around 720x480 (sometimes it doesn't make it that high), but with a .9 pixel ratio it's still 4:3, so it'd look like 640x480.

As for the laptop monitor deal, that does sound tricky.

A while back I was considering the whole 5" serial LCD deal, but then I got into overclocking (modding was my first love). Now my machine is pretty much maxed out with what I have so I'm back to modding, and now the whole LCD display is interesting me again.

I'd basically wanna use it as a winamp visualizer or something. If I could get the laptop screens working well that'd be even cooler. I'm a film student so I would love to build an LCD screen array and run video loops at parties and stuff. I love the whole stylized fast paced cutting, and overstimulation is a theme I'd like to work with. I got ins with bay area promotion companies so I might even be able to market myself a bit and maybe make this money pit of a computer earn it's keep (well, it IS a video editing workstation, but still ) Just a thought, I ramble on sometimes...

Oh and Cap Slug, I sent you a PM.

--Illah

 

[techspy]

Check this site out. Everything you would need to know or buy about lcd's. They have a deal where you can trade in your laptop screen towards a complete lcd setup with the controller and all.

http://www.earthlcd.com/

Spy

 

[Owenator]

I bought a 15" LCD monitor at Costco for $275. It was the last one thaty had so I got $25 off the ususal $300 price. Sounds like the easiest way to go is just get a used/refurb one. I am even considering getting a converter box from EarthLCD so I can put it in my van as a movie viewer. My kids have all DVD's and a flat screen at XGA would be about perfect for those long road trips. I'll need a AC/DC power converter but all together I'll have a car DVD system for around $500, with a 15" screen and the built in ones are usually that or more and only have 6" LCD's.

O

 

[Captain Slug]

REVISED SUMMARY OF ABOVE

ANSWERS

1. MOST LCDs below 10" in size will not be able to draw resolutions above 640 x 480.

2. Trying to use a laptop replacement screen with a desktop computer isn't easy. What is easy is getting a good deal on an ACTUAL DVI or VGA LCD monitor.

3. A Scan convertor converts a VGA signal into S-video or RCA. It resamples the image data in real time and gives much better results than a video card w/ TV-Out.

4. An LCD controller is a very complex type of scan convertor made only for LCD displays. They dance to the tune of $250 and aren't very easy to come by outside of EarthLCD.com


5. As Illah said, Any VIDEO LCD has a much simpler scan convertor built-in BECAUSE it's not drawing large resolutions. Therefore it would make one LOUSY primary display, but a very handy secondary visualization\movie display.

6. There are only 3 video cards available that can drive a laptop LCD display directly. All 3 can be purchased via sample order at ApolloDisplays.com

Part list in order of average cost

Bare Laptop replacement LCD = $10-$100 used
Scan Convertor = $73-200
NON-3D LCD driving Video card = $175
LCD Controller = $250 (for usable resolutions)
Discounted\refurbished\used DVI or VGA LCD monitors = $275

So getting a good deal on an LCD MADE for use with desktop computers would be the best option unless you're making a secondary display.

If anyone needs help regarding this type of project, just PM me and I can give you a dozen or so resources.


And per the advice that tech spy gave I may be able to do this on the cheap. I started researching this project when an LCD landed in my lap. It's such a pain to setup that I may just have EarthLCD.com do it for me through a trade.

Which brings me to...
Option #4
Swindle the parts off of someone!!!

P.S. If you still don't understand my last 3 posts, THEN THIS IS NOT A PROJECT YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT.

 

[Captain Slug]

SCORE!!!

EarthLCD.com just released an new model. 14.1" XGA only 1" thick for only $269

Tada!!!

Maybe If I do some trade-ins I can get myself one for under $100...

 

[Warlord2]

yea I saw that one when I was looking through there site. looks pretty nice for what you get.

I guess Im just stuck with a normal LCD monitor thin