converting laptop screen to RGB

[martinf]

I've got old laptops around. It occurs to me that I could pull the screen to run as a flat LCD video screen. Anyone know how about what it would take to convert a composite video signal to connect to the incoming wires up to the screen assembly?
thanks for any ideas
~martin

[Mitternacht]

Huh, if you mean taking out the laptop screen and using it as a monitor, that's uncharted territory to me.

[DaveW]

Hmm...i don't think this is possible. Not unless you were planning to use the screen as a computer screen, and use a video capture card. If it can be connected up to a D-sub, then you can hook it up to a HDTV signal, but that's all. I don't think it works this way around.

-Dave

[AKA_RA]

i think you can just make your own adapter and use a dvi-to-vga adapter on top of that for exactly what you want to do, but it most likely wont look like HDTV, but you never know. the LCD will have either a dvi or analog vga pinout, if its dvi ill have to get differant pinouts, lol. if i find them ill post it for you

EDIT: i hate to say it, but this was the second or third link when i searched for 'VGA to RGB' on google.

http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/vga2rgbs.html

[martinf]

EDIT: i hate to say it, but this was the second or third link when i searched for 'VGA to RGB' on google.

http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/vga2rgbs.html

Yep, I had already seen that one, too. It's a good article. My question really is more about the wires coming off the laptop screen down onto the motherboard. Are those going to be already in a VGA format or in some company propriety format? I can definately handle getting from vga to composite, but just wondering how I can take the laptop screen and turn it into a video module,so to speak, that I can use as a auto lcd screen or what-not.

[AKA_RA]

ok, now that is a problem. you will need to look up the model number for the LCD display in question and pray that at one point in time it was either popular or used in a mod. there are actually websites that sell just the controllers for laptop LCD screens, i believe. i have one myself, i cant find a controller for it anywhere. beautiful ~11" display never to be used again -_-

[Murader]

this is something i really need to find out about as i have laptop parts at my house from my Dell Inspiron 8500 with the Wuxga screen that i spent big $$$ on and the unit is dead but the lcd only has 3 Dead pixels.

[AKA_RA]

what do you mean by "the unit?" that thing got guts or what? i know a lot of people on here would jump at the chance to employ the services of a laptop hard drive. which i will be most likely doing as part of my 7-day mod. its a 30gig and its gonna end up spinning up my OS or the cylinders will be spinning from fishing line as it dangles from my ceiling

[intergalacticman]

hmmm, unless you have extreme soldering and electronics skills, its going to be dificult to atach some input device to the monitor's proprietary input socket.

[OvRiDe]

This question has been asked a few times in this forum. Check out these posts they may have the information you are seeking.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3203
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1977
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2917
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1051
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2243

Good luck!

[martinf]

So, the answer is, for all of you who have a laptop LCD and wonder about being able to turn it into an LCD moniter or DVD player screen or whatever is...NOPE. CANNOT DO.
See this great link for the full answer. http://www.eio.com/lcdintro.htm
And thanks to all who helped me get this question answered.
~martin