Projection Monitor

[lordofduct]

I have an old Laptop that I have no use for, I also can get my hands on an overhead projector. (I've seen this done before) I am planning on removing the LCD screen from the Laptop and building a little frame for it to sit on the over-head projector with proper cooling so then I can have a projection monitor for movies and vidgames in my living room on my GIGANTIC wall (my ceilings are 15-16 feet up). I have one lil' problem though.

I know SHIT about Laptops and circuitry and all that hoo ha. I am handy with a soldering iron though, so how hard would it be to solder on a VGA port or any video port onto a Laptop screen. (just the screen, the rest of the comp is getting trashed, oh and im not into getting a standalone LCD screen because this is free)

oh and to those who thing this is another one of my wash brain projects that never go through... well it is, sometimes they do follow through, others they prove to difficult for me and I toss em'.

The idea is basically exactly like this

oh and if you think there could be a better light source that is more space conscious, please give input.

 

[it290]

I don't think it should be that difficult. It's very likely that the screen is hooked up to the motherboard using a flex cable, and since the laptop's video circuitry already generates a VGA signal, it should just be a matter of figuring out which wire goes to which pin.

 

[Zziggy00]

I've done this, but I bought an overhead panel instead of disecting an old screen...it's neat and works fairly well, but all I can say to you is BUY THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR THAT PRODUCES THE MOST LIGHT, AND WHOSE BULBS ARE EASILY FOUND! :cheers

 

[lordofduct]

thanks guys! yeah the projextor i can get my hands on (for free too, most likely) is pretty bright.

 

[lordofduct]

oh my... ive been researching this for a little while to no availe! Seeing how it has something to do with the projector im gonna make.

How the hell do you decipher between Candelas/meter and ANSI lumens. If a bulb is 50000 CD/M, is that suitable for say my project which asks for a projector of 3000 ANSI lumens?

 

[it290]

http://www.electro-optical.com/unitconv/convertcalcs/energy/illumina.htm

Try that. It looks like it should be enough, but I'm not totally sure.

edit -scratch that. I entered 50,000 rather than 5,000 candelas. Still not quite sure though.

 

[lordofduct]

thanks it290... that is perfect, the 50000 candela cold cathode tube i want will make more then enough light! I was hoping so, it would help with temperature and longer life of the bulb!

 

[Scared0o0Rabbit]

I currently have a half built projector rig where I'm using an overhead lcd panel. So far I've managed to project an image up on the wall and come up with a way of focusing it (I'm currently using fresnal lenses). The project is on hold though now because I've been working on my car.

 

[Zziggy00]

http://forums.segaxtreme.net/index.php?sho...224

Here's the old post where you can see my results/rig as well as others...

 

[lordofduct]

Those projection LCD panels look cool. Im watching some on ebay right now.

But, this post is mainly for anyone who comes across the thread looking for info., so they don't get misinformed I want to clarify some stuff that I found out.

Laptop LCD screens are NOT VGA native. VGA being analog and laptop screens being digital display, a "LCD controller card" is required. These cards can cost anywhere from 200USD all the way into the 1000's. If you rip a screen off a laptop make sure to get the controller card along with it. Problem is most of the time the controller card is built right onto the mobo... but if you are lucky enough to get it on its own card you may be able to get it hooked up into your PC. As for receiving VGA for it, highly doubtful! It is actually much more cost effective to take apart a LCD monitor with the controller card and everything set up in it to receive a VGA signal.

DAMN IT! well atleast I haven't invested any money into this yet... except 10 bucks on a 7" wide screen LCD screen, but this is also useful in other applications of mine... I just couldn't pass up the good deal!

Ill keep yall updated if I get this any further, I have hit some walls both in research and in financial placement. (spring cleaning causes me to shop for new furniture, although its winter and im a guy... DAMN YOU MOTHER!)

 

[lordofduct]

OK...

I got a 8 inch wide screen LCD with controller card for a car DVD player for 10 USD. Its actually pulled out of one of THESE!!!

Like I said its just the LCD

My question is I need to figure out what the pinout is for the video and power on it. I can't find any info. There are 3 spots on the back.

one plug has 13 pins and they seem to all go to these 2 rows of silver drum looking things that say "33 VFC OC4" on them.

then the middle plug has 14 pins and seems to go through a large circuit and then off into the LCD through the LCD digital cable.

the 3rd has only has 9 pins and goes through the circuit like the middle one does. it also looks like it crosses over with the middle one. Im thinking it is possibly for a video in for an extra parapheral. The item description says it has video in to hook up extra things to it.

SO, can anyone here help?

 

[lordofduct]

Heres some pics of the LCD controller on the back. (it comes off of the LCD screen easily)

they are REALLY high res, so you can see detail.



clicky to make me grow



clicky to make me grow

sorry a little blurry

 

[ExCyber]

Let's talk chips. Can you identify any that the inputs go into? Particularly interesting would be anything from Silicon Image (part number starting with "SiI") or Analog Devices (part number starting with "AD"), though the components I'm interested in could be other manufacturers too.

 

[lordofduct]

Those are all the chips on the side i believe to be the video stuff. Im not positive though. If you want info on the other side I will gladly list them.

 

[ExCyber]

Is there any other text on the #4 chip? None of what you got really looks like a part number.

 

[lordofduct]

no. that is all it says.

Toshiba

200002F0002

9909FAI

Japan

 

[lordofduct]

Alright, I figured why start a new thread when this is relatively close to what I was discussing here.

Along with the projector im working on (gah i am still hunting down the pinout, still ok for the 10 bucks I paid... or something like that) I just got me a 56" wide screen Projection HDTV. YEY!!!!! My father offered to help me get one after he had just got himself and my sister one. Of course I said YEAH!

So, I've been setting all my vid games and stuff up to it to take full advantage of it... XBOX looks gorgeous at 1080i, I will own anyone in halo2. So onto what I wanna discuss.

my TV is max 480p and 1080i... I have an extra computer with a GeForce Ti4200 on it which has a VGA, S-Video and DVI port on it. Of course I can get the comp to put out progressive, its freakin' native. But that means a max res of 640X480. Is there a way to make my comp put out interlaced video through the DVI port? I know it can put interlaced out the S-Video (it has too, thats the TV out and TVs, unless there HD, only except interlaced) but S-Video is really low vid quality. I've looked around the web and I read that it can be done with some vid cards, but I can't find explanations, I can't find any verifications, its only small talk about it in some forums.