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View Full Version : Where are all the monitor mods?



The_Crippler
02-22-2011, 11:52 PM
I'm starting to get bit by the mod bug again. I have a few spare LCD panels around and a line on some affordable controller boards, so I figured that might be the route to go.

Thing is, I need inspiration and can't find much out there. The only ones I've see are this one (http://steampunkworkshop.com/images/M16.jpg) and this one (http://multimonitor.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/monitor_mod.jpg) (along with variations of it)

Anyone see anything good out there? Anyone have any wacky ideas?

I'm thinking about making a secondary monitor for the Archangel in my sig line.

d_stilgar
02-23-2011, 12:32 AM
Well, there's always this mod (http://www.keithwakeham.com/lcd.htm). I'm not going to attempt it until my monitor craps out. I would hate to make a mistake.

The_Crippler
02-23-2011, 12:36 AM
Heh...yeah. I'm thinking that's why there's not a lot of monitor mods out there - the stakes are high.

I had a laptop I was working on that I thought the panel was shot, so I bought a new one - turns out the panel was fine, and it was graphics hardware. So, I have two spare 15.6 wide-screen panels. Assuming I can get the controller board and it works...what do I have to lose, right?

x88x
02-23-2011, 12:44 AM
Assuming I can get the controller board and it works...what do I have to lose, right?

Well, unfortunately, last I checked, at least about $200 in controller boards. :( Since stand-alone controllers for LVDS screens aren't very common (and didn't even really exist until a couple years ago), they're quite expensive. Expensive to the point of turning most people away from the idea, which then makes the market even smaller, which drives up the price again....you get the idea. Every few years or so I'll get the bug to try and make a giant, ridiculously huge resolution, display by stitching together laptop panels...and every time I end up giving up because I would end up spending more than if I bought similar resolution monitors. :(

Not to discourage you from looking though. If you can find a decently priced one, that would be awesome!

The_Crippler
02-23-2011, 12:47 AM
Yeah, I know that they're generally pretty expensive. Sorry for not being clear - I have found some, and they're ridiculously cheap; just trying to get my hands on it.

Cheap enough to be suspect in quality, but also cheap enough to say "eff it" if they don't work. Once I have gotten that part squared away, I'll be settling a bit more on what my project will be. In the meantime...I figured I'd whet my appetite with a little dream/idea thread.

jdbnsn
02-23-2011, 04:42 AM
Here's a couple..

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8080


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6802

x88x
02-23-2011, 04:45 AM
I have found some, and they're ridiculously cheap; just trying to get my hands on it.

Ooooh...prices? Specs?

The_Crippler
02-23-2011, 12:47 PM
jdbnsn - thanks for the links. Yeah, that's what I meant in the OP about ones similar to that. Seems that the vast majority go the "clear plexi and lights" route. Don't get me wrong, it looks great and isn't hard to to do. I very well might end up going that route myself. Can't help but think that there's an opportunity for me to come up with something totally different, though... :D

x88x - Uuuuh...I'll let you know. Still doing some research and waiting for a bit more info from the seller. Right now, it's totally in the "If it sounds too good to be true..." category, and I fear posting anything here will result in floods of "You idiot!"


I already know I am....but sometimes I get lucky. :D If it actually is what it's supposed to be, I will fully tell everyone far and wide about it.

LiTHiUM0XiD3
02-23-2011, 04:37 PM
heh what ever happend to defyant... his worklogs always got my blood pumping lol

Kordova
02-24-2011, 11:48 PM
Ya know I was thinking about the same thing today... My little idea was to have a Keyboard come sliding out behind the monitor. It was just a thought and maybe spring an idea for ya.

Kordova
02-24-2011, 11:56 PM
Oh if ya got two monitors, why not try and make a dual sliding monitor similar to this...
When I first say this notebook, I couldn't believe my eyes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDGHWzdnVI8

The_Crippler
02-25-2011, 12:00 AM
That's a pretty cool idea, Kordova. If you run with it, be sure to let us see.

Well, I have ordered my rather suspect board. I was able to contact some other customers that shopped through the supplier (hey, I'm super unsure about the product, but I'm a sneaky SOB) and they all had good things to say. One guy gave me very detailed talking points including - surprise - cheap construction, but serviceable with a few simple precautions. Should hopefully have it next weekend, and then I can find out if I wasted my money. If not, it's on.

AmEv
02-28-2011, 01:06 PM
iAES.

Gutted a 17" Gateway monitor to put in one case.

Still in progress as of now....

Kordova
02-28-2011, 01:47 PM
I just found a mod with a couple monitors and posted it to my blog, nothing tooo spectacular but might come as inspiration for someone. Still a awesome case!:D

http://www.willudesign.com/Computer_Pics/cinematographclosed.jpg

http://www.willudesign.com/Computer_Pics/Cinematographopenhinge.jpg

altec
03-01-2011, 05:35 AM
Well, there's always this mod (http://www.keithwakeham.com/lcd.htm). I'm not going to attempt it until my monitor craps out. I would hate to make a mistake.

Here is what I did to a lappy with a dead back light. Wish I had a better picture. It is 26 white LED's (I think it was 26). Split in the middle so it uses two resistors. It worked decent.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/Mrjunior/100_3241.jpg

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 08:10 PM
Holy eff'n crap, it worked. (That should be my sig-line at this point.)

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn169/modmakerpics/Archangel/DSCN0472.jpg



Okay, to spill the beans, here it is: I found the board on Ebay, from a seller in China...for $30 (plus $7.50 for the power adapter.) Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too - repeatedly. China? Ebay? That cheap? Gotta be a scam...but the seller was really helpful. Also, he had a lot of good feedback. Finally, I was able to contact some other people that bought from him, and they all had generally favorable things to say (one guy had a board short out, but it seems the seller replaced it without problem.)

The seller posts under the name 'njytouch.' I have no idea what the long-term quality of these boards are, but this one worked out of the box, plug n' play. At $38+shipping, it's not like it's an alternative to a brand new monitor...but for people like me with a number of spare panels? Seems to be the ticket.

This particular board has both VGA and DVI input, plus a separate board with all of the normal front-panel buttons.

So...now to fully plan what I'm going to do with it.

x88x
03-01-2011, 08:18 PM
Nice! The cheapest I've seen anything like that before was about three times that price. :D Do you know what resolutions the board supports?

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 08:45 PM
Exactly! This is why I was so tight-lipped. Like I said above, I expected everyone to tell me that I was an idiot and it was a scam. Every fiber of my being railed against it, but I just had to know.

This board supports 1440*900, but that's the one that they reccomended for my panel, which supports 1366*768. One of their many helpful things was to check their stores of panels to match the board to panel, so they might have ones for other resolutions.

A note on shipping: China Post was $14 or so, but that can take up to 2 months. DHL was $28, but it got here in 4 days. (And is still cheaper than these boards normally are, as you point out.)

x88x
03-01-2011, 08:51 PM
Hmmm....I wonder... *runs to ebay to search for 1080p/UXGA IPS laptop panels*

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 08:52 PM
I'd just contact the seller. Like I said, super responsive. Tell him what you're looking for, and he'll help from there. He (or one of his associates I dealt with) will ask for info about the panel (model number from the back, etc) and then let you know what they have.

x88x
03-01-2011, 09:19 PM
GRLRLALDJFHJDHKHFGADGHFD>SDF>..
8D
15" UXGA IPS...for $98 shipped. 8D
http://cgi.ebay.com/15-UXGA-LCD-SCREEN-IBM-LENOVO-T60-p-13N7076-Glossy-/170425816831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ae2b96ff

Umm...I might have to shoot them an email...damn, I really wanted to..you know...have money... :P

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 09:22 PM
LOL...so you don't already have a panel? I hate to say the thing I didn't want people to say to me...but is buying a panel and a board gonna save you anything, or is there something about that panel that is special?

x88x
03-01-2011, 09:36 PM
I've had this dream for many, many years of making a custom monitor out of high resolution, IPS, laptop panels. That way I could finally have a lightweight, low power, stupidly high resolution display. Plus, with the tiny bezels on laptop panels, the transitions would be minimal. The panels have always been relatively cheap. The problem has always been the DVI-LVDS driver boards. ...but if I can get those now.... Using those 15" panels I linked, I could build a 6-panel, 40", 4800x2400 resolution, 2:1 ratio, IPS monitor. 8D ...for only.. $900? ...damn, I really shouldn't do that...maybe just three..yeah...and I can do nVidia's "totally not Eyefinity" thing with my GTX260's now, so it could act as a single monitor...yeah...but turn them on their sides so I get a 21", 3600x1600, 18:8 ratio panel. :D

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 09:42 PM
OH! Okay, so this and your earlier comment about multi-panel display were the same...Wow, that does sound impressive.

Well, find out what the seller has in stock, but try to keep it in your pants for a few more months while I do my mod - then you'll have a better idea how these cheap-ass boards hold up. Let me be your guinea pig just in case.

Then, if it works, you can unleash your opus and rep the hell out of for finding it for you.

x88x
03-01-2011, 09:49 PM
Heheh, yeah, good idea. I'll be watching closely. If it does fail, try to see what on it failed. If it's just cheap caps or weak solder joint, those are easy to fix. :D


rep the hell out of for finding it for you.

Done.. :whistler:

The_Crippler
03-01-2011, 09:55 PM
Heheh, yeah, good idea. I'll be watching closely. If it does fail, try to see what on it failed. If it's just cheap caps or weak solder joint, those are easy to fix. :D

Yeah, the one guy I talked to had one of the high-voltage lines disconnect from the plug (wasn't crimped well) that disconnected and arc'd out on the board. Another guy got cheap and didn't pony up for their matched PSU.

Second issue, I paid the extra $8. First issue, I'm gonna put a dab of super glue on each one.

So...I guess I might need to start a build thread for this monitor...or keep it here and still try to brain-storm.


Done.. :whistler::D

The_Crippler
03-03-2011, 12:50 AM
Well, I've ordered a wall mount, so if nothing else, I can start planning the back.

One idea that I have is this: faux stained glass.

As mentioned, I'm trying to go with something that will go with the slightly reserved Archangel case in my sig. I found this tutorial (http://painting.about.com/od/decorativepainting/ss/JCumberCardinal.htm) for a glass painting effect. Now, it wouldn't be as "busy" as this one, but that's the general idea. Mine would be more clear glass (Plexi), with blue mini-panes describing the tips of wings to the sides of the monitor, and then Archangel along the bottom.

Now, I think it could look really cool...but I'm not sure if it would be way too much of a departure from the case.

x88x
03-03-2011, 02:50 AM
If you have any LCD panels with dead backlights, you can make cool 'stained glass'-ish windows with them that you can change on the fly.

The_Crippler
03-04-2011, 12:13 AM
Hmm...don't quite follow you on that one.

x88x
03-04-2011, 12:43 AM
Remove the backlight panel, so you just have the transparent LCD panel. Then, either use that as a window or put it in a window. Then, display whatever you want on the screen and it looks kinda like stained glass....sorta.

The_Crippler
03-04-2011, 12:44 AM
Huh...interesting.

I think for this one, I'd only be doing stuff around the border and keep the screen clear.

x88x
03-10-2011, 05:58 PM
How's the controller board holding up?

The_Crippler
03-10-2011, 06:00 PM
Haven't touched it since the first attempt. Don't want to monkey with it unmounted an risk damaging it. And, as I haven't settled on an idea for the mod...

The_Crippler
03-30-2011, 09:38 PM
Okay, I think I've finally come up with my idea. To go with the Archangel theme, I'm going to resin cast a wings-and-chest-armor form for the top. It will be mounted on a plexi faceplate like some of the others we've looked at, with vinyl lettering like I have on the case below. Also, the plan is to back-light it with blue LEDs.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn169/modmakerpics/Archangel/LCD.jpg



What does anyone think?

x88x
03-30-2011, 10:30 PM
Nice. ...kinda looks like a license plate cover though...

The_Crippler
03-30-2011, 10:31 PM
Ouch.

x88x
03-30-2011, 10:34 PM
lol. I think it's more the proportions than anything else. :P

billygoat333
03-31-2011, 09:32 PM
Haha...,x88x does have a point but in reality it won't I don't think.

The_Crippler
03-31-2011, 11:10 PM
Oh, he's certainly not wrong, that's for sure.

Funny thing about the dimensions: Since I was just getting a mental picture down on "paper," I used the measurements listed in the data sheet as opposed to measuring the panel itself - it's proportions aren't anything like the above.

The_Crippler
04-03-2011, 09:48 PM
Okay, I started work and re-opened the Archangel II build thread.