LCD panels

[remp]

DragonzTeeth

I had a look at your first link

http://www.bellmicro.com/flatpanel/pages/linecard.asp

The Dicon range of single board controllers looks very interesting. Input is only VGA no digital input but still they have 16 on board settings for different panels and output TTL and LVDS for a large range of panel resolutions and panel sizes.

Any chance you could get a rough idea of one off price.

The Dicon controllers that take in VGA and VIdeo seem a bit limited because you need factory support to match different panels.

This brings up an interesting point.
Modern LCD panels have a identification string.
The controller says what are you ? and the panel says "I am a 14.1 inch TFT panel with 1024 x 768 resolution here are my driver specifications" and the controller adjusts itself to drive the LCD.

Plug and play

Clever stuff but you need to be using LCD's that support that feature. Since this thread is still ? mainly about using cheap laptop LCD's I dont think they will have plug and play.

Some may be wondering where this thread is going but its very simple. Morien originally opened the thread asking where to get cheap LCD for his projector. I am looking under every rock to find a dirt cheap way to drive cheap laptop LCD's. Along the way various other options pop up which some of you will say hey thats just what I want. Thats good. Multipurpose investigation.

So far for my money the SpectraH ARV-468 looks the best find. Its a pity its $256 US. At $100 it would be absolutely ideal because it takes in analogue and digital and outputs TTL and LVDS. You could then buy a really good LCD.

Anyway I have asked if there is any way they can drop their price for us poor struggling enthusiasts. Somehow I doubt they will but worth a shot.

[zardoz]

Hi folks: here's some specs I gathered from the S3 folks

http://www.s3graphics.com/features.html

This is the graphics processor on the S270M. Now I'll admit...it's not nearly as good as my Rad8500. It wont "game" like the ATI but will it " DVD "? Read the data. Just how good is good enough?

Hmm I think I'll start a thread if there isnt one allready " DIY DLP "

zardoz

[zardoz]

Hi I like the idea allready....if the folks at VIA will help us out and give up some secrets on LCD BIOS'S as are used in their board it will be an excellant low cost sollution ( I can get this board from my local supplier at cost ). Keep us advised please?

zardoz

Originally posted by lemming
Been following this thread with much interest, thank you.

Wondered if anyone had any thoughts on using the new Via EpiaM mobo which has LVDS output and good DVD/multimedia performance (see my post on p.7).

This could provide an efficient and relatively cheap solution to linking the PC to the LCD monitor, but we need a bit of guidance on the pins spec. We are chasing the Via people for more info and will copy any response to you, but any feedback greatly appreciated.

[Lifter]

Originally posted by zardoz
If you had taken the time to read my post lifter...I do have other concerns with regards to my selection of product. I have other uses for powering LCD screens...other than JUST for a projector.

I took the initiative and phoned the owner of a rather "up and coming" fast mover in the security industry that I have had the pleasure of working with. Want to know something? That card that you are so willing to call down as a "bust" just might make some serious money for my business. So I think I made under the circumstances a very educated, well placed purchase... one that I can use for two purposes. If it isnt the PERFECT card for a DIY projector OH WELL! I'm quite certain it will fit my needs nicely.

So far the best advice you have given me is to not plug my keyboard or mouse into my Svideo port.
When others in the forum give advice most of them do so with a little patience...and never with sarcasm. You on the other hand seem to revel in "what I know that others dont" (the fact that it can output standard flat panel signals (like I was telling everyone about) syndrome. If you arent going to do the work and find the answer dont keep telling us how it ought to be, and how we NEED to READ MY POSTS! ARGH and how we are wrong. Then jump in and GRANDSTAND yourself into looking like it was your sollution. I spent 11 years in the army ...I dont play the game anymore. If ya got something to say ...just say it, dont get all "high an mighty". We... myself anyhow.....are here to get advice and to try to learn something...maybe even contribute some help with a little bit of effort. If I want a lot of attitude and ranting I'll go back to the army.

Zardoz- I was trying to save you money and keep you from making a mistake. It's possible at the time of the post that they hadn't shipped it yet and you could cancel the order. What's wrong with trying to help you not waste money? I did read your entire post and I didn't see anything in there that would indicate why you need a PCI controller instead of the converter board. And when I said that it was no good for projections, I was speaking to everyone. $140 is pretty cheap, but I personally think the LDS270 is not a good investment for 99% of the people here. If you think I'm being negative then I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help everyone here.

DragonzTeeth- Remp posted the prices and the shipping charges. Wouldn't that mean he's contacted them and found out you can buy individual units? Remp, correct me if I'm wrong. I actually called them years ago and had trouble communicating with them because only one guy spoke English and and not very well.

Remp- I would have loved to tell you all about the TTL signals you asked about, but I don't know anything about that. My best guess is that the TTL signals don't have anything to do with how many bits of color there are. They split up all the information (color as well as everything else) in different digital signals that only the reciever can decode and translate into color signals, etc. Some have more pins because it allows faster transmission. But that's just a guess, I really don't know. I do know that LVDS hard drives also use "TTL signals", and they don't have anything to do w/ color specific signals. I was curious why you wanted to know- I was not trying to be an ******* about it. If I knew the relavence, or what you were trying to figure out in general, I might be able to help you. I understand your grateful for Zardoz actually commiting money to this, but I have spent a lot of money myself and I don't want anyone else wasting their's.

3 years ago I spent a countless amount of hours trying to find an LVDS kit that worked for my panel. I ended up buying a kit from Trident. (http://www.tridentdisplays.co.uk/pro...itscards.shtml)
These guys will sell to end users BTW. Anyways, look at the picture at the very bottom of the page. That's the kit I bought. It coust 250 pounds (which was over $300 plus expensive int'l shipping). Anyways, it wasn't compatible w/ the PCI card I bought from Earth, so after many days trying to find a bare 44-pin connecter (luckicly found them at an electronics hardware store), I spent many hours w/ a soldering iron making a custom cable to match the pinouts. You have no idea what a pain it was, and I'm very good w/ an iron. Out of the 36 or so wires, I got two mixed up. One of them was a power lead, and it fried my kit. Returning it was not an option, and exchanging it would have meant $80 to ship both ways.

I see tons of people in this forum asking if they can get their panels to work without knowing jack about it. Then I see a bunch of regulars telling them their "expert" advice, which is usually "You can't". I can't stand that crap. Then there are you guys who are saying, "We're gonna figure out how". That's awesome and you guys have the right attitude about that, but figuring out how with no prior knowledge is a serious pain in the ***. I know because I've done it and all I've been doing here is trying to save you guys some unnessecery work and money. I have been down this road before and I have a lot of experience w/ this stuff you guys don't. I'm not trying to sound high and mighty about it, but it is a fact. Check out this MP3car thread if you don't believe me.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...+color+screens

There was a 6" VGA touchscreen monitor built by a company who made wearable computers for the military. That company went under, and an company (MPJA) was selling them for $30 a pop. It came w/ a 68 pin connector and nobody knew what the hell it was. Skim through the thread and you'll see that after many months I got the pinouts for the thing, learned all about LVDS systems. I contacted Advantech, Silicon Image, Trident, Sage, Spectrah, Quadrangle, Averlogic, Earth, National, TI, ELO Touch, Dynapro, and quite a few others. You read the story about the trident kit, and you saw what happened. I eventually ended up ripping it out and using a regular flat panel controller from Earth. But at least I got it to work. Touchscreen too (thanks to Dynapro). Nobody else got theirs working till almost a year later. I STILL get emails about it occasionally.

The only reason I'm saying this stuff is because I've been getting this attitude from you guys like I don't know what I'm talking about. I initially said in this thread that no laptop made up until 1999 had LVDS systems built in. I was not wrong about that. I said I doubted that newer ones did, but I only doubted it, I didn't say it couldn't be true. I'm still conviced that the LVDS reciever is a seperate unit on these panels that can be removed, but w/ the Spectrah products it doesn't matter. Sorry I didn't post the Spectrah link first (I have known about them for a long time) but I'm new to this forum.

[Lifter]

Originally posted by remp
[B
So far for my money the SpectraH ARV-468 looks the best find. Its a pity its $256 US. At $100 it would be absolutely ideal because it takes in analogue and digital and outputs TTL and LVDS. You could then buy a really good LCD.

Anyway I have asked if there is any way they can drop their price for us poor struggling enthusiasts. Somehow I doubt they will but worth a shot. [/B]

I agree that the ARV is the best option. It gives so many choices. Having both DVI and VGA inputs is priceless. However. $256 is still too much for any panel that's less than 1280x1024 res, because desktop panels cost no more than that. But for panels that are SXGA and up, the AVR is worth every penny.

Have you asked them the price of the DRV-200? I've been wondering that for a while. If that thing is cheap (like under $100), it would no doubt be the best option for people with old school non-LVDS panels. And of course, I still don't know if a newer panel's LVDS reciever can be removed. Can it?

[remp]

Lifter

Your negative posts are taking up far too much valuable space and time and energy to read them.

If you knew about the Spectrah link why did you not post it. Would have saved an awful lot of time.

Then there are you guys who are saying, "We're gonna figure out how". That's awesome and you guys have the right attitude about that, but figuring out how with no prior knowledge is a serious pain in the ***.

As far as not being qualified I have 6 electronics certificates sitting in the drawer. The highest being advanced trade in Electronics including semiconductors and television systems.
Took me 5 years hard work to get it and I also have 20 years hands on experience in electronics.

Just shows you dont know what you are talking about.

Find out for sure before saying things like that.

You my friend are a thread breaker. You have such a negative attitude that people don't even want to bother anymore. I have tried to be pleasant and polite to you but now I am sick of your negative attitude. Why dont you go somewhere else and let us get on with it.

[Lifter]

I was trying to be polite and explain that I am not trying to be negative- just relaying my prior experience. Then you give me **** about my attitude again. I don't get it. I said nobody on this board had prior knowledge about hooking up panels. WTF is wrong with that? It's true. I said it because I was trying to justify why I'm trying to help. But you got 6 degrees so I guess you don't need it. I'll send you pics when I'm done w/ my project.

[remp]

Recap on driving cheap laptop screens or similar

Yander26 has shown it is possible to get a 14.1 inch Monitor and make it suitable for projection. VGA drive. Hook it straight up to your computer. Resolution 1024 x 768. See his post page 8
Price $220 (with rebate)

Rajkumar has shown you can buy a 10.5 inch Monitor complete with video card for $119. 95. See his post page 8
PCI video card. 800 x 600 native resolution. Works at 1024 x 768 in virtual mode. 16 million colours. Plug and play with WindowsSE and above.
Full motion video - not known. Email supplier.

Zardoz has found and is buying a Spectrah LDS270M video card that has 20 pin LVDS outlet. Approximate one off price $150 USD. Plus freight from Taiwan. We are hoping he can drive a laptop LCD screen.
http://www.spectrah.com/LD-S270.htm

Remp has found a Spectrah ARV-468 card that takes in Digital, VGA and analogue and drives quite a few models of LCD. Has LVDS and TTL. Price $256 USD. See page 9
Price seems a bit steep.
http://www.spectrah.com/arv-462.htm
The link leads to the ARV-462 - ARV -468 page.
See item 4

Lemming has posted a controller card that looks like it has quite a number of input/outputs. More details coming. See page 7

dragonzteeth has posted 2 links regarding controllers.
This one from his top link,
http://www.dicon.co.kr/english/product/controller.asp
shows 5 Dicon controllers that take in VGA only but can drive a large range of panels. Panel settings is by 16 switches. TTL output and LVDS in either 6 bit (2 million colours) or 8 bit (16 million colours) See his post page 10.
No prices as yet.

[zardoz]

The motherload of laptop screen cross referance charts...

http://www.laptops-r-us.net/Oldweb/crosref.htm

zardoz

[DragonzTeeth]

Remp,

still waiting to hear from BellMicro contact... since they sell to resellers I will try to get pricing
but also see if they will give me a l ist of resellers we could get them from. Gave them my
home and cell number to get me anytime. I will ask about the Dicon you mentioned.

Lifter,

as for you, WTF is your problem.

Sorry, I may be not as perfect as you but did not see the prices that Remp put up.
Most of my posts have stated "Hope this helps" , that's all I am trying to do.
Most places like Spectrah will not sell to individuals or small businesses.

For example, before mentioning Digital View in the previous link, I called them and got
an A$$ of a SysEng stating he does not have time for these "one offs" telling me to go deal
with a reseller. Hence, BellMicro, which has Spectrah, Digital View, Dicon, etc....

Your type of comments are one reason why so many will just read these threads instead
of joining in, because they don't want to deal with turdZ like you flaming EVERY
little thing they type!

And please, don't try to stomp over every little line we post -
Quote" DragonzTeeth- Remp posted the prices and the shipping charges.
Wouldn't that mean he's contacted them and found out you can buy individual units?"

Don't know , maybe he contacted a reseller in the states. I'd have to go and re-dig up
his info, or maybe, ask him politely where his contact is. Remp is more entitled to rip on me
than you if he's concerned about it, which I really doubt.

Its not that I contest your knowledge of systems at all, I have an Electronics degree
but have been doing Systems Admin work, troubleshooting, research and development
and support for almost 20 years but I sure as hell don't know it all. Nor will I
punch down every little thing someone types.

Sorry everyone for this. If you feel the links I put up are not
productive to this forum or thread let me know and I will not intrude anymore.

I enjoy the thought process going through this thread and reading the ideas individuals
are throwing in the idea bin!

Thanks,
and hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

DragonzTeeth