help with small monitors

[S!CKO]

Hi guys im hoping you'll be able to help me out, im mobing my xbox 360 to where my pc is for easy access to the router for gaming online, so im going to have a wall mounted 26'' hd tv as monitor for the xbox and pc, but i would like just a very small somthing around 8'' monitor that will just display what happening on the pc so i dont have to keep switching between the two, had a look on ebay and all the small monitors i can find are touch screen, i dont want anything fancey and this will be an external screen so sit on my desk, my first thought was the trusty old PSone portable screen but how would i fix a vga input to it?

or if anyone could point me in the right directon of a nice small monitor??

thanks guys!!:banana:

EDIT: Is there anyway of displaying the pc desktop on a psp?

[OvRiDe]

Here is an article from Bit-Tech outlining the PSOne to VGA mod.
http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2004/07/07/psone_lcd/1
The resolution is only 640X480 on a PSOne screen, so I am not sure how well this will work out for you.

Good luck and hope to see what you do...

[Outlaw]

What are you looking for price wise?

If in the UK area... HERE (http://www.flyonthewall.uk.com/erol.html#3285x0&&http%3A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252Fsearch%3Fhl%3D en%26q%3D7in+vga+monitor%26btnG%3DSearch) -The first 2 are under £199.99 and not touchscreen

Again in the UK...
HERE (http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/tft.htm) -Few different sizes, looks like 9.2" (w/TV Tuner) starts at £125.99 with VGA, also an 8.4" for £135.99(There's even a 10.4in with a TV Tuner and VGA input, you can watch TV and play xbox, lol)

[S!CKO]

Hey, thanks for replys guys ive found a nice little in car motorized dash monitor, which hopfully i can get to run off the computers psu or make a psu for it, fingers crossed, has anyone else come across a pc/in car audio combo before?

BTW this is what ive won on ebay [URL="http://www.cartoyvn.com/Shop/files/t_57_01.jpg"]

[Outlaw]

Nice, I personally haven't seen it done, but have thought about it before. As long as you get it mounted nice, it would be a pretty sweet mod. You should be able to run it off your PSU if it has the power to spare. The stereo will run off your standard 12V just as if it were in a car.

What'd you win that for if you don't mind me asking?

[Luke122]

www.mp3playerstore.com has loads of small screens on the cheap.

As for running it from the PC's power supply, I'm always wary of something like that. I'd say either grab a dedicated power supply just to run that, or use an external regulated power supply.
-Luke

[Outlaw]

Not to go off subject, but I am curious. What would make you wary of running the stereo off the PSU? Maybe it is just something I overlooked.

[Luke122]

I always worry about the current draw of car audio equipment, and whether or not it will result in other devices not getting enough power.

There have been a few threads lately about people wanting to use car audio amplifiers in their cases and powering them from the CPU, and I know that I wouldn't try that, but nothing great was ever created by being cautious.

[S!CKO]

i see what you mean about amp's the do draw alot of power but this is simply a monitor its not a player it needs an external source, so really it would only be the lcd and the motor to move the screen

[Outlaw]

Point taken Luke, but... (not to start any arguments) from the information he has provided, it is just the deck that he is wanting to power, not an amp for some 1000W system...That I would agree with not doing, but just the deck, I wouldn't see that being an issue, even if he were to put 2 speakers (W/O an amp) on that deck, just have to worry about shielding.

[Luke122]

:)

Dont worry about the argument, I'm a big supported of letting people do what they want. I agree that it's unlikely to be a dangerous thing to do, or difficult, but if you were to say short something out, you risk destroying the deck, and the PC. Be careful, take your time, double/triple check everything and get someone else to do the same BEFORE you power it up.

:)

[Outlaw]

:)

Dont worry about the argument, I'm a big supported of letting people do what they want. I agree that it's unlikely to be a dangerous thing to do, or difficult, but if you were to say short something out, you risk destroying the deck, and the PC. Be careful, take your time, double/triple check everything and get someone else to do the same BEFORE you power it up.

:)

You run that risk doing almost anything in the PC.... BUT I do agree... Make sure everything is correct before hitting the button/switch and seeing that cloud of smoke and burning smell. AND MOST OF ALL, GIVE US PICTURES!

[S!CKO]

well the screen has arrived, ive powerd it up with no problems at all, ive also come across the added bonus that it has a tv tuner and built in speakers, which is pretty cool now the only problem im havin is getting a picture to it, it has a rca plug in at the back, but no matter how i connect it, i get nothing from the pc, any idea's here ?

P.S im hopfully goin to be starting a worklog at the weekend on this so pics will be up!!!

[Outlaw]

Sweet! to the pictures of this

...and for your picture issue. How are you trying to run video to it? Obviously you said there are RCA jacks on the back of the deck. Make sure they are for video (usually yellow). Also you probably have to set it to video input on the deck itself. You will also probably have to set your PC to run "dual view" and set it to "extend" so it will use the deck as your second monitor...

Hope this gets you pointed in the right direction

[S!CKO]

im using the small round output between the 2 dvi outputs on my gfx card, not sure whats called to be honest, but it doesnt detect another monitor in display manager, hmmmmmmmmm

[Outlaw]

You might have to go in your graphics card wizard and setup the second monitor. What card do you have?

For example: I have the 8800GTS and I can go into the "NView" and go through the monitor wizard to select the type of cabling and how I want the monitors to display (ie. clone, expand...etc.)

[S!CKO]

i Have an ATI X1650 PRO

[Outlaw]

I couldn't find anything direct on running dual monitors with your card (at work). You should have some kind of Control Panel for your card (usually with newer drivers). Or if you do a right click on your desktop, their may be an option for a "video manager" or something of that sort where you can open up some software to run the dual monitors.

Anybody else here have a card similar or an ATI card that could give a general idea of how to run the duals?

[S!CKO]

ive been in the display manager and it does pick up a 2nd display but i cannot get it to show, i need a vga to rca lead, i have one that i have used but its a component lead which to me looks exactly the same as rca but different colours anyone up on there connections??

really wanted this sorted today wanted to make a work log :dead:

[Outlaw]

Yeah, kinda.... Component is the same type of connection but the way it sends the video is different. On that adapter there isn't a yellow one? Mine has a yellow (analog), s-video, and red/blue/green (component). I was looking at newegg for the type of connectors but there were a few cards to choose. I assume you have these connectors (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?Image=14-103-020-09.jpg%2c14-103-020-02.jpg%2c14-103-020-03.jpg%2c14-103-020-04.jpg%2c14-103-020-05.jpg%2c14-103-020-06.jpg%2c14-103-020-07.jpg%2c14-103-020-08.jpg&CurImage=14-103-020-09.jpg&Description=DIAMOND+X1650PCIE256SB+Radeon+X1650PRO +256MB+128-bit+GDDR2+PCI+Express+x16+CrossFire+Supported+Vide o+Card+-+Retail). You could go with something like this (http://www.amazon.com/Video-Card-Tv-Adapter-Cable/dp/B000BSLSYI). 2.99 for the adapter from Amazon.com

Hope this helps.

[S!CKO]

nice one outlaw orderd it, hopfully it will work, so annoying

anyways with this mod the idea is to generally tidy up my desk, so i can either go one of two ways

either build this flip up screen into a kinda desk tidy think like a box with drawers in, or simply cover it in a nice black glossy acrylic box.

hmmmmmmmmm:think:

[Outlaw]

You already ordered it? The reviews aren't very good for it but hope it works if you did already order it. If you were going to do one of those routes, I would do the box with drawers since it would probably be easier to work with the wood. the acrylic would be a little more tricky and risk cracking unless done with care. Also if it is anything like here, it has to be special ordered from most places. When I ordered my mirrored acrylic, I had to get it in a 4'x8' sheet which took about 2weeks to get and cost about $120(US).

[S!CKO]

ooooh costly well i was just going to make a single din sized acrylic box just nice and simple lines to hide all the stuff at the back,

think i need to brush up on sketch up, and get the ideas flowing.... thanks again for the heads up matey!:up::up::up::up:

+rep for u

[Outlaw]

I think the acrylic would look better. If you can just get enough (plus a little extra to practice), I would do that. If you get the acrylic, take your time with the drill and put it on a scrap piece of wood to prevent cracking. That was my mistake. I used several pieces of heavy duty cardboard which wasn't sturdy enough. Thanks for the rep.

[S!CKO]

heres a little teaser of the screen itself, ive also made it own power supply instead of running it from the computer psu,

hope this link thing works http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/tinycruiser/th_MOV00511.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/tinycruiser/?action=view&current=MOV00511.flv)

[Outlaw]

I don't see any link

[S!CKO]

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/tinycruiser/?action=view&current=MOV00511.flv try this one

[Outlaw]

Cool, will have to look when I get home. Work proxy blocks that site. :/

**update**
Nice, can you take a picture of the connectors?