Hey all Total noob here, but very interested..

I have an old Compaq Celeron 400 laptop w/ 15" screen.

Would this be a viable LCD to use, have many used LCD's from laptops in the past?

It actually gets pretty expensive to use an LCD from a laptop. If you're thinking of using one to be frugal; don't bother. If you have a laptop screen that has better features (like the "WUXGA" screens many of us use) then check out the WUXGA Kit thread in the Beginners' Forum. If you start at page 24 or so I'll bet you'll get most of the info you need.

Oh, if you'd like to incorporate your laptop in your projector it will work, it might be good for experimenting also, but there are inherrant problems with going this route as well (heat, lack of inputs, lack of computing power, CD/DVD drive tray must be accessable, many more wires, etc.............

Why would it be more expensive using an already existing laptops LCD? I don't get that.. Only problem, like I mentioned that I'm immediately aware of is as it stands I don't have the current wiring diagram of which wire is what in the cable that runs to the LCD.. I don't see how cost is a factor, unless you misunderstood my post, and thought I was wanting to BUY a laptop to do that with.. I simply HAVE the laptop here, and want to destroy it possibly to use the LCD out of it. How would doing this be any more expensive than say, ripping my Viewsonic LCD apart (which I am NOT going to do, lol, as it it my current screen!!)?

Because using a laptop LCD means you need a laptop LCD controller, which costs 300 dollars. Trust the forum, it's been here a while.

Laptop LCDs are proprietary, they require some sort of special control device. Either the laptop it's designed to work with, or a third party model, which as stated above cost a ton of cash.

If you want to use the actual laptop, then you can take it apart, strip the panel, and use the Laptop but it's simply not going to be as effective as stripping a new LCD panel.

You're going to be limited to the preexisting laptop, the only way you're going to get other inputs is via a USB capture box, and even then, it won't be that high of quality.

Trust us, preexisting laptops are not the way to go. This is all in the forums, if you use the search feature.

to rizzo:
are you sure about what you're talking ???
are you an engineer??

I can ensure you that laptop panels have nothing mystiqye and can be connected to vga,dvi etc...

maXer

They CAN, if you do the necessary conversions, or have a controller to do them for you, or simply rewire the thing manually, but for someone who is a self described "Total noob" I doubt that would be practical, even to figure out what he'd need to do. Hell, I would say even doing the basic lumenlab wiring is a bad idea for someone with no technical experience, it's potentially downright dangerous.

Laptop Panels generally don't have a standard connector, at best he'd need to track down a cable converter, at worst he'd need to find the appropriate diagrams and do the direct wiring.

I've looked at it before on an old Powerbook, it was no picnic. If he doesn't know enough to diagnose the exact situation, it wouldn't be smart to get into.

heh, I looked around, and most will say it is either more money/trouble than it is worth and yer better of just buying an LCD.

I got lucky and scored my LCD for $105.27 with tax.

Stats?

Boy talk about a subject line that needs to be stickied.

This question is asked like 5 times a week I think.

I know what you mean. We really should just start responding with "SEARCH THE DAMN FORUMS!!!!", there's got to be a million of these threads.

If you want to get techincal (which I do) it is already stickied. We're just too polite to say "READ QUESTION #3 OF THE FAQ!!"

Oh I know it's stickied but I meant a big thread titled "You can use a laptop screen for a projector but it will either cost a LOT of money or you have to use the ENTIRE laptop in the projector or use a WUXGA kit"

Kind of a long title , huh ?

Stats on my LCD are 8ms r-time, and 600:1 contrast ratio. Here is a link. Stats

Now, some might say it isn't that great, but for $105 new... Well, lets just say i'm happy and that's all I care about

Nice find on that monitor! Ebay?

I would say that's great. It's a Samsung, a good monitor. Should make a good projector.

Okay... First off, to Rizzo.. Yo. Einstein.. I am a total noob HERE, not to electronics.. Do you really think I'd be asking stuff like this, or even READING this website if I had no clue what circuitry is, how to solder, repair electronics, and troubleshoot?? My Goodness man.. I've 21 years of electronics experience. Simply meant I'm a noob HERE on this forum...

Second off, I did read the FAQ, specifically section three:

Can I use the LCD from my Laptop? Yes, it can be done, but it may be what you want. The Laptop LCD needs a controller, which can often cost as much as an LCD monitor. Alternately, it can still be left connected to the laptop itself. It will be more difficult to strip, and these panels tend to be slower (lower power consumption) than their stand-alone counterparts. Last but not least, you're restricted to soing what the laptop can do. No cheap and readily available PCI card upgrades, and when the laptop becomes otherwise obsolete, you've got to change the whole thing out.

And, as I indicated in my 2nd post, I'm aware things have to be wired (gosh, since there's no handy dandy vga plug at the end of the dangling wire from the lcd...). I simply was looking for posts from people who mighy've done this, what comments they had on it, etc.. Ya know, a little insight..

And it'll be done without buying fancy controllers.. All the wires/power needed are inside the laptop, why spend hundreds of extra dollars for stuff you already have?? Ahh well.

So - Rizzo, and the few others with your snyde remarks, perhaps if the FAQ was updated with more information, you wouldn't be getting people in here "5 times a week" asking questions about this.

Back onto topic, HAS anyone done this, and how complicated was it for you? No silly 3rd party boxes, and NOT physically 'USING' the laptop inside the projector. Simply using the lcd (and necessary parts) from the laptop, rewiring it, possibly modifying/building a seperate power circuit (my compaq has a power distribution board inside, which I am hoping to harvest and wire into an 'always on' mode, else something will have to be rigged). Thnx in advance, mods are welcome to submit any replies to this to the FAQ to please the others complaining..

Rooster

Look at the French DIY site www.allinbox.com.

There at least two with laptops with pics.



Regards,
Traynor

Rooster,

With your electronics experience, you may well be able to get your laptop LCD to acept an external video signal with only the parts in the laptop. I'm looking forward to seeing how you do it. I think it would be a first here, and extremely informative.

Let us know how it goes, OK?

Tgreenwood

If you want to be a douche, then at least take the time to be good at it.

Your original post was poorly phrased and vague. None of the questions you're asking here were in the first one. If this were the first post, this whole thread would be a lot cleaner.

If you had said "Has anyone PERSONALLY used a laptop LCD, as the FAQ explains how bad an idea this is but I'm still looking into it?" instead of "Hey guys can I use my Laptop LCD!?" then perhaps you'd have gotten the answer you were looking for.

Now, as for your actual question:

It depends entirely on the laptop in question. That's why it's damn near prohibitive. YES in theory, you could wire pin to pin the laptop LCD to a VGA cord and a power supply. But you'd need to know exactly what the pins were, and you'd have to do the soldering which is probably pretty damn small on a laptop LCD. Simply finding the information will be next to impossible, it's just not out there, because it just isn't done. However, if you knew the pins then you could, in theory, very carefully solder VGA and power connectors to the LCD. Good luck if you try it, but I can assure you it's a complete waste of time.

heh, got it at office max. Was on sale They still go for $180 normal there now, but i'm sure they can be found elsewhere for a better price.

Wow just wow.

21 years of electronics experience. Was that using a remote control or a microwave..

HAhahahaha I'm so funny....

But seriously if you had explained it better to begin with you would have received a much better response. Your first 2 posts indicate just using the Lcd.

But to answer your question as others have. It would be very diffcult. It would probably be easier to leave the laptop base in the front of the box and just extend the Lcd wires. You could always cut a slot for the dvd tray through the side for dvd access and then use a wireless mouse/keyboard.

But unless your laptop has inputs I don't think you caould just harvest the motherboard and hack in any inputs.

Rooster (and maxer), I'm really trying not to feed the flames here, so I'm choosing my words carefully.

The majority of the active members of this forum are mature adults. If we choose to give you advice, it will usually be based on accepted methods and procedures, and it will be based on our understanding of your question/situation. I think Rizzo put it very well when he said "Trust the forum, it's been here a while." That's not to say that it's a good idea to blindly follow anything anyone tells you, but it will serve all of us better if you take into consideration your own knowledge of the subject before you challange the wisdom of the other members.

Simple questions receive simple answers here. We cannot go through every possible caveat in every response. If we did there would be more 70 PAGE threads, and nobody needs that.

Everything remotely similar to what we use here CAN work. If you want you could use an LCD from a gameboy in your projector, but if someone asks: "Should I use my gameboy screen for my projector?" I would hope that person doesn't respond that they in fact could use the gameboy screen, because simply by re-wiring it they can increase the resolution to 800x600, incorporating $100s worth of prisms and reflectors, and their extensive knowledge of robotics they can make it work.

If you had truely read and understood the FAQ you would have already known the answer to the question you posed originally. Don't come back with nonsence about the theoretical possibility of rewiring the circuitry of the laptop's motherboard! As Ice Cube might tell you: "You don't gotta lie to kick it."

Ok, I am sorry for smacking Rizzo around a bit, was uncalled for, but so were the comments to me..

There's no magical circuit work needed that I have to 'theoretically' do, it's more a matter of whether I can simply rip it from the laptop and use it or not.. That's all I meant.. Apparently, doing this isn't favored, which I get now, but I'm still going to do it because mainly, the laptop serves NO use to me, and I think that this project would be really fun to do. I still wonder what others who have done it think, IE are laptop lcd's just as good as stand-alones, etc., in terms of quality.. Giving up on tips from others, since again, seems unwanted and too vague..

My first two posts DO in fact indicate only using the LCD. Because that's all I really want. I do NOT want the entire laptop sitting inside the 'rig'.. I just want to use the lcd portion of it (and nonmentionably, but necessarily the powering portion inside the laptop, as something has to power it....).

21 years, yes, maybe even 25 And ironically, yes, it did involve a remote. A company called HeathKit, based out of Michigan. I built an H8 computer (monitor, "CPU box", floppy, etc, all hand built and soldered), several variations of digital clocks, temperature displays, and the console TV (you know, the big floor TV's of yesteryear), WHICH, had a remote.. (and a motor attached to the rotary channel dial).. Also big into amateur radio, where I have built my own rigs.. Repair pretty much anything electronic, just as any other electronics guy.. Not looking for a badge, just stating what 21 years means.. Not remote control cars, lol.. REAL electronics. Business-wise I'm a tech for a contract manufacturing co., where I troubleshoot/repair PCB's for just about everything, from runway lighting systems, to cars, to Cpap machines that help you breathe. I'm no wizard, but it is my hobby, one I love. Which is why when I saw the site, I thought, how cool. Sadly, I've not run into anyone who has done what I want to, though many say it can be done, and I get the whole "Trust the forum, it's been here a while." I was hoping to, which is why I posted here looking for advice from those who've done it. Not working out to well, however. And as I said, wiring is really not an issue. Compaq has ALWAYS freely made available ALL their service manuals since before my Celeron 400 was made. Maybe they don't anymore now that they are under HP(you know they build the HP laptops and iPaqs, right?, If you don't believe, look inside the case anywhere, you'll see the Compaq name plastered all over the place), but I've got the stuff on mine..

Anyway, like I said, sorry to stir up a can of worms, guess a longer original post would've solved alot of the trouble. Can't fix that now.. Point is, I want to do it, it's NOT that hard, and I'm just (still) wondering / waiting to hear from anyone who HAS done it to get their thoughts.. Sorry if things came out wrong (again) with the whole 'challenging the wisdom of other members', but as you said, I figured I was addressing mature adults. I thought maybe moreso after my second post, it would be fairly clear what I wanted to do. If I want to operate a remote control, I'll ask somewhere, tnx. But since we all agree this is the place for mature adults, I'd love to hear from some people who have DONE this. I get it's challenging, I get that it's not as easy. I'm not asking about that. I'm asking, "if you have done this, were you happy with the outcome?" I'm asking, "did you have any problem when you wired the laptops lcd to a vga connector, did you run into any problems, like that it was expecting/sending a different, native signal or something other than vga input/output?". "is a laptop screen built as well as a standalone due to it's smaller, more compact casing?".. That kind of stuff... I was hoping that it would come out by simply asking the experiences of others who've done it.. But yea, that, and anything else you can thnk of..

Oh - and @ Rizzo's last - Thanks, that's somewhat what I was looking for.. As far as wiring to vga, not a huge deal because my laptop has a 'thick' cable that runs from the lcd (which I've never uncased) to the mainboard (body of laptop). My plan, since that's the only connection between the laptop and monitor (IE, vga/signal and power are ALL in it) is to simply wire my connections to that cable, not actually wire anything to the lcd display. This will also (I think) keep it a little cleaner near the lcd.. Whick does bring up another concern for others who've done it, that being I don't know exactly how hard it's going to be to remove the 'casing' on the laptop.. There are NO screws/mechanical holders in place to the visible eye, in other words, I think I'm going to have to crack plastic and pray I don't damage the lcd in order to get it out of there!

You start off by removing the battery, hard drive, memory covers, etc. And then you will find screws under them. There is usually a screw under the cd-dvd drive aslo. Eject it and flip the laptop over and you will see it. Also where the power buttons and lights are above the keyboard will be a panel which you pop off. This will allow access to several screws that hold on the screen and a few screws attached to the bottom half.

It's a little complicated but not that hard. Try to think like an engineer and you'll figure it out. (In other words think a$$ backwards).

Good luck.

Hehe, I meant casing to the laptop lcd screen.. I've torn the body of the laptop apart like 5 times for various fixes, but there's no seams or anything on the laptops lcd.. My appologies for not wording that right, seems this is my forum for that error, lol

The 2 swivel arms that hold the Lcd to the base can be pried apart. There should be 2 screws under the plastic part that you remove. Then grab the bottom part of the screen casing and pull it out all the way around. Then there should be 6-8 screws holding the screen on. Not to hard really.

First, great post above! Thanks for showing that you're not just blowing smoke...

If you do manage to get the LCD's monitor to work without buying any additional (major) electronics that would be amazing! So, I take it you plan to add a VGA or maybe even DVI plug on to the mobo?


Wow, no seams... that's odd... Could it possibly be such a tight fit that you just can't see them? Or maybe painted over or something?

I'm sure you've thought of this, but I'll just throw it out there anyway. The screws are often under little plastic/rubber pads. Pry them up and the screws are underneath. But for this to work there would still have to be some kind of seam...

http://www.allinbox.com/youpi77/youpi77.htm
http://www.allinbox.com/lepau/lepau.htm

to rizzo that said (and others that may be interested) :

If you want to be a douche, then at least take the time to be good at it.

Your original post was poorly phrased and vague. None of the questions you're asking here were in the first one. If this were the first post, this whole thread would be a lot cleaner.

If you had said "Has anyone PERSONALLY used a laptop LCD, as the FAQ explains how bad an idea this is but I'm still looking into it?" instead of "Hey guys can I use my Laptop LCD!?" then perhaps you'd have gotten the answer you were looking for.

Now, as for your actual question:

It depends entirely on the laptop in question. That's why it's damn near prohibitive. YES in theory, you could wire pin to pin the laptop LCD to a VGA cord and a power supply. But you'd need to know exactly what the pins were, and you'd have to do the soldering which is probably pretty damn small on a laptop LCD. Simply finding the information will be next to impossible, it's just not out there, because it just isn't done. However, if you knew the pins then you could, in theory, very carefully solder VGA and power connectors to the LCD. Good luck if you try it, but I can assure you it's a complete waste of time.


i'm sorry to answer so late simply because i had no time to check the forum.
Now let me clear some concepts:
i'm not the guy who give any mystical answers "yes you could ...but if not etc etc)
if you do a search you could see that i have already explained the lcd and vga matter anyway i can repeat it once more.
A lcd cannot be connected to a vga directly by wiring or soldering or what else.The reason is that vga is analog signal while the lcd's interface is a digital one and not only but a lvds one.
Lvds means that the ones and zeroes travel in the flat cable not as a form of 0V and +5V or whatever else you may think but as voltage differences between the voltages in each 2 pins of cable.The reason for this is that if intereference affects the cable it will affect both pins and the difference will remain the same.Doing this way very high speed of video transmission can be permitted to go to the lcd resulting in what you call:
RESOLUTION.So the controller is neccesary to make a lcd panel work directly from the vga or dvi(which i'm trying to construct as soon as possible but this is another matter)
In case you have the laptop and want to put the lcd inside your pj and want to extend the cable from the laptop to the lcd you should keep 2 things in mind:
1.do not extend too much because a long cable means more interference and a bad or no image.
2.the pins of the cable should be kept parallel to each other for the same reason as above.

This thoughts are valid for ALL type of lcds.

regards
maXer

i forgot:

to rooster:
if you need help make some pics at the internal of your laptop and i'll guide you.

maXer