http://www.digit.nl/download/pdf/lcd/Lotus1.00.pdf
Jaco sells these. I'm not sure how much though. This thing has DVI, RBG, and HD component inputs. Very sweet.
Some of you might be familiar with the 24" WUXGA LCD monitors. Apple sells one, so does Sony, and a few others. They run anywhere from $2200-3000. It seems that they all contain the same Samsung LCD:
Here's the specs:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Semiconductor/TFTLCD/Monitors_n_industrial/LTM240W1/LTM240W1.htm
And here's the datasheet:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Sem...ors_n_industrial/LTM240W1/ds_ltm240w1_l01.pdf
I could almost garantee that these monitors use the Lotus controller. Now obviously 24" is too big. My interest is in the Dell Inspiron 8500's 15.4" WUXGA LCD. I'm 99% sure that it's this Samsung:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Semiconductor/TFTLCD/NotePC/LTN154U1/LTN154U1.htm
I imagine that the Lotus controller is perfectly capable of driving this LCD. I've requested a datasheet from Samsung (they're supposedly very good about that) and I should be able to compare it to the 24" model. I imagine that registers needed are not too different.
If the bios and cabling are the same or at least very similar, I'm sure a single unit could be bought for a reasonable price.
So basically, we're talking about $500-600 for the panel (when available in the aftermarket- unless you buy the laptop and have a nice PC left over), anywhere from $250-600 for the controller, and probably $150-250 for 2 large enough fresnels.
So lets just say $900-1500 total (plus your OHP). That sounds like a lot. But remember that we're talking about true 1080p here. No commercial LCD or DLP that I'm aware of is capable of that. If there is, expect a price tag similar to that of a Mercedes.
Also keep in mind that a 15 year old CRT capable of resolving anything close to that is going to run $5000 minimum. I almost spent a grand on a Sony VPH-1272Q until I found out that despite it's 1600x1200 input capability, it can really only resolve 600p. Not to mention that it's dimmer than a candle.
Jaco sells these. I'm not sure how much though. This thing has DVI, RBG, and HD component inputs. Very sweet.
Some of you might be familiar with the 24" WUXGA LCD monitors. Apple sells one, so does Sony, and a few others. They run anywhere from $2200-3000. It seems that they all contain the same Samsung LCD:
Here's the specs:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Semiconductor/TFTLCD/Monitors_n_industrial/LTM240W1/LTM240W1.htm
And here's the datasheet:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Sem...ors_n_industrial/LTM240W1/ds_ltm240w1_l01.pdf
I could almost garantee that these monitors use the Lotus controller. Now obviously 24" is too big. My interest is in the Dell Inspiron 8500's 15.4" WUXGA LCD. I'm 99% sure that it's this Samsung:
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Semiconductor/TFTLCD/NotePC/LTN154U1/LTN154U1.htm
I imagine that the Lotus controller is perfectly capable of driving this LCD. I've requested a datasheet from Samsung (they're supposedly very good about that) and I should be able to compare it to the 24" model. I imagine that registers needed are not too different.
If the bios and cabling are the same or at least very similar, I'm sure a single unit could be bought for a reasonable price.
So basically, we're talking about $500-600 for the panel (when available in the aftermarket- unless you buy the laptop and have a nice PC left over), anywhere from $250-600 for the controller, and probably $150-250 for 2 large enough fresnels.
So lets just say $900-1500 total (plus your OHP). That sounds like a lot. But remember that we're talking about true 1080p here. No commercial LCD or DLP that I'm aware of is capable of that. If there is, expect a price tag similar to that of a Mercedes.
Also keep in mind that a 15 year old CRT capable of resolving anything close to that is going to run $5000 minimum. I almost spent a grand on a Sony VPH-1272Q until I found out that despite it's 1600x1200 input capability, it can really only resolve 600p. Not to mention that it's dimmer than a candle.
We'll see. I wouldn't even fathom spending that kind of money unless I was sure I'd get results similar to what the thing looks like on the laptop. There is an order of steps I must first take.
1) Get some polarizing film and a piece of glass. My panel is too hot, and my fans are too loud. I'm also experiencing glare problems.
2) Buy a large fresnel. The whole doublet vs. sandwich method is still very unlcear to me. I can promise you that visible rings on the screen is not an option. I'm most likely going to buy a few from AWI within the next 2 weeks. Having a longer focal lenth for the bottom lens should also help eliminate the glare problem. If everything works out and my 1545 is a good looking as it can be, I can procede to better things.
3) Obtain the datasheet for the Dell screen. Samsung's website praises itself for being "open" about their LCD modules. We'll see if they send me one. Chances are they will unless they're not allowed to because of Dell (in which case, I don't see why they'd list the thing on their website).
4) Compare the datasheet with the controller's supported panels. Email Jaco w/ the datasheet attached and ask for a quote.
5) Find the LCD from an aftermarket reseller. The thing is brand new so it will be hard. I may even just buy the laptop cause I need a new PC and the 8500 is pretty sweet.
6) Make sure the LCD can be disassembled. The datasheet should contain the names of the connecters, so it's likely that I could buy a longer flatflex cable from digikey.
7) Order the controller.
8) Build an enclosure/cooling system (been there, done that).
1) Get some polarizing film and a piece of glass. My panel is too hot, and my fans are too loud. I'm also experiencing glare problems.
2) Buy a large fresnel. The whole doublet vs. sandwich method is still very unlcear to me. I can promise you that visible rings on the screen is not an option. I'm most likely going to buy a few from AWI within the next 2 weeks. Having a longer focal lenth for the bottom lens should also help eliminate the glare problem. If everything works out and my 1545 is a good looking as it can be, I can procede to better things.
3) Obtain the datasheet for the Dell screen. Samsung's website praises itself for being "open" about their LCD modules. We'll see if they send me one. Chances are they will unless they're not allowed to because of Dell (in which case, I don't see why they'd list the thing on their website).
4) Compare the datasheet with the controller's supported panels. Email Jaco w/ the datasheet attached and ask for a quote.
5) Find the LCD from an aftermarket reseller. The thing is brand new so it will be hard. I may even just buy the laptop cause I need a new PC and the 8500 is pretty sweet.
6) Make sure the LCD can be disassembled. The datasheet should contain the names of the connecters, so it's likely that I could buy a longer flatflex cable from digikey.
7) Order the controller.
8) Build an enclosure/cooling system (been there, done that).
OMG! This is too funny. Jaco Electronics, the reseller of the controller, has a sales office that is WALKING distance from my house here in Westlake Village. What a coincidence. It must be a sign. Maybe I should show up there in a suit or something.
I don't think that would work. For one, you'd have to own the laptop and be registered with them. And then of course, they will ask you to send it in and they'll replace it themselves. I doubt that a tech support rep would have the ability to sell you a panel that new. Besides, they would probably want $800-900 or some ridiculous amount for it. It's more economical to buy the laptop and use the thing as a PC (assuming it works w/o a screen attatched).
Hmmm maybe a suit and tie is a good idea...then you could chum up to guys at Jaco (hell invite them offer for a barbecue) and convince them to use their connections to order you up one 🙂
Oh yeah, BTW, I thought that Jaco just had a sales office near my house. It seems that it's actually their home base and their warehouse as well.
Lifter said:
That doesn't sound quite right because
1) You could have picked it up in any number of places and not registered it.
And i guess that's it...no 2).....So you're probably right...But worth a try anyway.
Maybe you could tell Dell something like, you have very important data on it, and you have it connected to a monitor via the monitor out and you desperately need it and cannot spare it for the time it would take to send it out to them.
Those phone reps are obstinate though.
Those phone reps are obstinate though.
So i guess now the question is...How long will it take commercial WUXGA projectors to lower to a price below what this DIY stup would cost.
Lifter, I did a quick search and found a 1080p projector that is 1080p, but is only XGA resolution. The price tag on that puppy is ~$3000. I dont think you can even get near 1080p for the $1500 range you would probably spend. I for one could never afford HDTV, but hey, it seems like you have the resources to do it. Good luck.
So I asked Samsung for the datasheet, and they gave me a reply saying, "Thank you, here are the specs you asked for" and listed the same thing that's on the website. A simple no would have worked. I replied and asked for the actual pdf datasheet. It's available for most of their models, so can't imagine it being a problem unless the thing is "proprietary".
The good news is that I got an immediate response.
The good news is that I got an immediate response.
Samsung hasn't replied yet. Not good.
I've come to understand that a very smart programmer type could easily get any panel to work w/ any controller that has a compatible LVDS transmitter and flatflex cable.
The key is to understand the registers in an LCD controller's bios. I would imagine that a hardcore programmer/hacker type could easily snoop through the bios image file of any laptop and find out the correct register settings for that laptop's LCD.
The Dr. Berghaus contollers actually have a serial port and Windows software that allows you to manually adjust all the settings in the controller's bios. Check out the screenshots on pages 18 and on:
http://www.dr-berghaus.de/pdf/Manuals/grafik/CRTtoLCD-3_M10.pdf
Notice how it also supports image flip, so you could mount your PJ on it's back.
I really like that controller, and it's designed to be universal, unlike just about all the others. They even have bios files you can download for newer panels. Unfortunately, no WUXGA, but I'm wondering how difficult it would be for a smarter person than myself to get a flash-reader/writer and re-program the bios files for other controllers.
I've come to understand that a very smart programmer type could easily get any panel to work w/ any controller that has a compatible LVDS transmitter and flatflex cable.
The key is to understand the registers in an LCD controller's bios. I would imagine that a hardcore programmer/hacker type could easily snoop through the bios image file of any laptop and find out the correct register settings for that laptop's LCD.
The Dr. Berghaus contollers actually have a serial port and Windows software that allows you to manually adjust all the settings in the controller's bios. Check out the screenshots on pages 18 and on:
http://www.dr-berghaus.de/pdf/Manuals/grafik/CRTtoLCD-3_M10.pdf
Notice how it also supports image flip, so you could mount your PJ on it's back.
I really like that controller, and it's designed to be universal, unlike just about all the others. They even have bios files you can download for newer panels. Unfortunately, no WUXGA, but I'm wondering how difficult it would be for a smarter person than myself to get a flash-reader/writer and re-program the bios files for other controllers.
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