The Ultimate 7" LCD mod

[Ali_2k]

Alrighty, This is a mod i have had planned for ages, i started
it a while back and it kinda tailed off as i got stuck with school work and
stuff... but now, the real modding begins!

The idea i have is like this:
It is a barebone system, so its gonna be "great fun".. apparently

The screen is mounted on some kind of "hinge" so it can be layed flat, or
lifted up to be viewed. The only problem was, i wasent ready to start cutting
holes all over the damn thing, so i did some other things to the comp:

I needed to mount the Video/power input board, so i filed some holes
out of my network card's PCI bracket

Next up is the side panels, cut out with funky hex heads (i dont enough room
to screww them on, so i guess some double sided tape will do)

I got emensly fed up with drawing all my ideas for the screen mount
and then getting them all wrong so i moved onto computer drawing! i
got sketchup and been fiddling for a few hours, made a nice shockplate
for my RC car and then the front of my comp lol...

Sweet huh?

Funny.. i was just gonna model the front and top sections... but i just couldent stop!

So im now at this stage.. the sides are cut, but not yet fixed with fans.
the hinge needs to be finalised, and tested, then i can start cutting some holes wheheee

[Mountain Dew]

what do you need to do to hook up an LCD

i have a 12" and an old PDA screen laying around

i love that idea tho
but will teh top be open when your using the LCD tho?

[Ali_2k]

First of with LCD's is.. they couldent be any more arkward for modders.. the main reason being is, you can get hold of them so easily, but they are a real bitch to get working.

A basic screen will need:
- The correct video type (for computer thats RGB/S-Video)
- the "control board" (this is tha board that converts all the data comming from the computer output into a format sent through the ribbon cable
- a screen

Although possible, it is very very hard to run across a device screen, such as your PDA ones, that will be adaptable for Pc use. the best bet is to look at buying a "Raw" LCD from a wholesaler or manufacterer.

and about the case being open when the screen is up, yeh i think it will be, as when its down it will be set down partially into the to panel.. i mightbe able to mod the chassis, but that could make the whole thing have the rigidity of a jelly.

[Mountain Dew]

ah ok thanks for the help

[Ali_2k]

Weeeee, im finally gathering a bit of pace on this, today i ran down to Argos after school, and picked up a Dremel, fantastic 10% employee's discount ftw!

a quick between the leg shot of the box lol

anyways, after a bit more sketchup i realised that if i want the face of the screen to sit flush against the top case, im gonna have to let it sit down into the drive bay... :sad: i then remembered about some guy using one of these on a case mod, and thought that would be just about perfect to square this problem.

Now what i need is some help, whats the right cutting disc for me to use for getting a hole cut in this damned case, the alu is 1mm i think, can anyone direct me wich one is best on the Dremel Uk site?

[a.Bird]

Yum. I would track an I.P., investigate, travel to the United Kingdom, stake out, sneak in, stare at him in his sleep, and "kill" for a dremel.

[chedabob]

Ali: you did a mint job on that connector mount. how come you arent mounting the board internally? im sure with a soldering iron, you could possibly re-route the composite connector off your graphics card to the lcd, so that you dont have a messy cable on the back.

hell, if you had some car dent filler, you could desolder the connector completely, then fill in where it went. would look tight.

[simon275]

Nice Idea having the screen ontop. Would be good for lans you could games reasonably well on a 7" if u sat close.

[Ali_2k]

Ali: you did a mint job on that connector mount. how come you arent mounting the board internally? im sure with a soldering iron, you could possibly re-route the composite connector off your graphics card to the lcd, so that you dont have a messy cable on the back.

hell, if you had some car dent filler, you could desolder the connector completely, then fill in where it went. would look tight.

aye dude, i did think about that idea, but never considered it a viable option, if that makes sence.. i mean it could be done that way, or it could be done another way, and i felt personally that just mounting it inside with the ports on the back seemed like a simpler way.. and i dont tend to look at the back of my comp much lol

but asides from that, a little update, i hopefully will get the hole cut tommorow, and if not then deffo over the weekend... im gonna take this slow, so i dont mess anything up (there are no "replacement parts" unlike my Tamiya Wild Dagger )

[YoungBlood]

Hmmm Dude.... WHY U SPEND SO MUCH ON A SAITEK ECLIPSE.... helll... you cudda saved 20 pound making your own >.<