Can I turn my lcd laptop monitor into a desktop monitor?

Any of you guys know where I can find a pinout for a samsung LTN154X3-L03? Or if I bought this http://www.kitsparts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=608 how do I wire this up? I want to try and mod this screen so I can use it as a regular computer monitor.

 

These converter kits come with the correct cable for the display if you tell them what display model you have. Before you order I suggest sending them an email and ask if your display model is supported and if they have the correct cable for it.

As for the pinout, I have a Samsung panel too. I had sent an email to Samsung support and they sent me a PDF with the pinout. What they weren't able to provide was the pinout for the backlight inverter.

 

Thanks for the help I will try that...

 

Holy cow! 3 1/2 years of jam in one thread.

All 11 pages in < 2 hours. And all the necessary info too! Good stuff. With a data bomb detonated in the middle.

Whatsa' chance of gettin' a step-by-step compilation??? I'm not afraid of pics either!

 

Wow, I missed a lot. My old email was in afterdawn, and I never got around to changing it. I guess I could provide a step by step compilation, but not right now. Its 7:13 AM and I'm a high school student, too tired to think. After the initial problems of being sent a bad board, everything works really really good. They redesigned the board and power inverter so that it is smaller. I Recommend you all buy the one with the backlight inverter, its a b***h to make one yourself. I have an older style inverter that I THINK still works, that I will sell cheaper than kitsparts' newer one if anyone needs it. I am going to do all this with a different make of controller card for a 10.2" lcd I pulled from a broken portable dvd player. Can you say CarPc Display? Add me on msn, edited by ddp, and I will try to help with any questions. I'm usually on between 4:30 - 11 pm (minus the time between 6:45-8) central, -6 gmt.
Brad

 

Hello All,

Great info going on in this thread.. amazing really...

I don't want anyone to repeat information that's already been said.. I have a generic laptop LCD wondering if it can be used in this task..

I sent and ebay message to the guy selling the converters.. i'm a bit impatient.. lemme know...





I'm completely new to all of this.. most of the thread was a foreign language to me (both figuratively and literally.. back when german was spoken)

 

Well, you are going to have to get over your impatience. Parts from hong kong usually take several weeks and their sellers don't exactly reply immediately. I'm looking around on the sellers website, www.kitsparts.com and I can't seem to find their lvds lcd controllers on it anymore, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place, are they still selling them on ebay?

 

Ive been looking at the pins of both dvi and lvds which is found on many lcds. Now I only need a digital signal, so i dont need the extra circuitry to convert an analogue signal into a usable data signal. What I want to do, and youre probibly gonna laugh at me, is to see what it would take to build a gaming laptop from the ground up (no barebones) using desktop components, and custom build the chasis. Of course the thing would be massive and heavy and have no battery life but im willing to live with that. I want to get a 17" uxga panel for it, as I will never go back to xga.
Now the digital portion of a DVI (good pic at wikipedia) cable has red+, red-, blue+, blue-, green+, and green-. I only need single channel as im not using a qxga monitor so the second set of data pins doesnt matter. Then theres 2 digital clock pins, + and -. Theres also a pin for sensing that a monitor is connected, a 5volt power pin, and a bunch of pins for plug and play. There are also some sheilding pins and a ground pin but im not worried about those.
Then the pinout I found for a lvds shows that it has 2 3.3v power imputs which I could easily get from a power supply. Then theres a red+, red-, blue+, blue-, green+, and green-. Then theres 2 digital clock imputs (+,-), and a whole lot of pins that are grounds. Now I cant imagine the monitor companies like samsung, sharp, LG, etc having different voltage/amperage/frequency imputs for laptop panels vs desktop panels. Seems like they would just be reinventing the wheel by doing that, especially noting that at the end of the day they work the same anyway. Would it be possible to connect these data cables from a dvi-d to a lvds, use the 3.3v from the power supply, and just hotwire the monitor detection pin, or does DVI run at a different voltage/amperage/frequency? or does it use a completely different code altogether? The only conversion I can imagine is that the output signal from the graphics card be transmitted at a high voltage low amperage to ensure minimum loss of the signal while spanning a long distance, than be converted into a usable lower voltage signal by the monitor. Anything else just seems like an unessisary step.
Im trying to do this without buying a kit, as space is an issue (I need it all for cooling). Worst case scenario this build is impossible and i just build a tower. Same preformance minus the insane nerd points for the sweet custom lappy.

 

Unfortunately it's not as easy as making an adapter from DVI to LVDS. DVI and LVDS are coding the signal in different ways (LVDS is transition minimised, meaning that there are as few 0->1 and 1->0 transitions as possible; DVI doesn't do that). So your LVDS panel will not "understand" the DVI signal).

However, if you are going to strip a 17" monitor for the panel anyway, why not use the circuit board from inside the monitor that has the DVI decoder already on it. You just need to figure out how to use a different power supply for the board and the panel.

 

I was origionally going to just buy a replacement panel for cheap and make an adapter but it looks like that would take some serious work. How large are the boards that come in lcds generally? It would probibly have to be a desktop lcd as I would need the DVI input. The casing on a desktop lcd is pretty big, how much of that volume is the board? Is the actual panel on a desktop lcd thicker? I know they use a brighter backlight, how much extra cooling does that require to run? Would a desktop board fit inside a laptop lcd casing with the panel, or will it have to go in the body of the laptop? Im sad to say, of all the things Ive tinkered with, Ive never actually taken apart an lcd. Having to put the board in the body of the laptop would not be preferable. I need the space in the laptop for the other components and the cooling, but I still dont want to have a 2" display hanging off the back of my lappy. If the the boards are really massive, do you know of any kits or boards that are small (low profile), and only do digital conversion as I imagine the conversion for a vga input (which id never use) would take up most of the board. Also if I did just buy a replacement laptop panel online, then found an old desktop lcd that supported dvi from the same brand (lets say samsung I like their monitors), are they likely to use the same connector? or do lcd companies change the connectors often?
Thanks so much for your help

 

heloo friends,
My requirement is I need to connect the DVI signal as input to the FPGA, and inside FPGA I have to convert this DVI vedio signal into LVDS and send the data to the display. Now I have one question in mind whether I can directly connect the DVI vedio signal to FPGA??
If it is possible to connect and then what steps are required to convert from DVI to LVDS. As I have seen some display development kit details from xilinx : http://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/application_notes/xapp928.pdf. which shows the block diagram where the DVI interface recieves the DVI input and then it is passed to colour temperature correction(CTC) block then the output of CTC is given to Precise gama correction(PGC) block then the output of PGC is given to image dithering engine(IDE) block then it is passed to LVDS interface block where this block provides LVDS output.
Here my doubt is whether is it necessary to do the processes like CTC, PGC and IDE to convert the DVI signal into LVDS. As per my understanding DVI(TMDS) and LVDS are both serial differential signals which are similar. Now another question is,
1. "Is it possible to do DVI to LVDS conversion inside FPGA??"
2. "By converting DVI signal to LVDS signal whether the information or quality of the signal will be affected??"
Can anyone please suggest me which is the best website to understand DVI, LVDS and conversion between both.And also any development kits or refference available for converting DVI to LVDS.

Thanks.

 

I'm borrowing this thread a little bit , i've got a toshiba TFT 15" monitor from my sattelite laptop. The thing i want to do is to turn it into VGA so i can use it as a regular monitor or something fun.

this is what it looks like:

So what i've got is the screen and everything the inverter and the cable sticking out from both the inverter and the video cable with 40 connectors in it.

My question is: can i do something with it?, if i have to buy something.. what exactly should i buy? thx!!// Plutie

 

Hi plutie,

it has all been said in this thread. I understand that it has gotten slightly long but I'm afraid there's no way to summarise all the posts in a single reply to you. You'll have to take some time and read the whole thread... ;-)

The very short answer is: Yes, you'll need a converter circuit to make it work.

 

Thx, i've read it . I have no idea what converter i should buy :/.
Should i send a picture to a manufacturer so they can tell me what model i should get?

 

You may have read the posts but you missed some of the most important stuff, like there are many different types of displays and they are not all the same so one converter will not fit all and most manufacturers
could care less if you have a screen that works and a dead system out of warranty. They'll just refer you to a repair shop or suggest you buy a new one. anyway, if you want to see what an adapter looks like send me an e-mail and I'll respond with pics.
bytedawg

 

okay i want to make a dvi monitor and this is all the info i can think of. if any one thinks i could do this i will bother with pictures ect.


Hey Guys, i have read through this forum and i am very impressed with all that has been accomplished, from the beginning of no its not worth it to oh yeah just click here push that and badda boom badda bing. My problem is a little different, you see because i got my display from a portable dvd player. basically what i have is the physical screen connected to another chip via a long orange sheet? much like the ones in calculators. And that chip has a cable with 13pins that separates. into one cable with 11 and one with 2 for video, and back light respectively, i am assuming. the reason i have not gone to the web site you have accredited is because all that my lcd has on it is serials no actual company name. Now after reading everything i believe i have the lcsd or lcvd chip thing that it was said that i need, but i obviously do not have the corresponding dvi to w/e chip i need.

personally i was hoping that i could avoid that all together some how seeing as i am under age and unemployed, but know and have the tools to solder something.

i do not expect high resolution or anything from this screen seeing as it is meant for dvds which i am assuming run at 640x480 like regular televisions.

Thank you for reading this

ps kreyon, did you ever get anything working for your self, im just wondering cause when you post, it is easy to understand what you are getting at, as if you are sitting in the reader's shoes.

edit i found this much out.
Manufacturer Samsung
Part Number LTS500Q1
Screen Size 5.00
Panel Type TFT
Resolution 320X240

Is it worth any effort at all?

editII the random chip is a back light inverter well it looks incredibly similar to the one at kitsparts, except mine has the orange cable coming from it.

 

emenblade - Thanks for the nice words, indeed I have built a few of these using 13" and 14" monitors, but it was for friends,one embedded in a dash board, for a DVD player, and two in a mini van in the back of the seats for the kids, but these were done so I could make money, so sadly I have not taken any pics as of yet.

lately I have been looking into other avenues for us to get the converter cards as they are hard to come by once again. and I have a couple of projects slated for as soon as I can find the correct cards for my 17" screen and also I am trying to get a hold of a 17" to 19" touch screen and controller for it. I plan on putting the touch screen in the dash of My Ram 1500, and the 2 17"'s in the back of the seats for the kids.

now as for your little 5" monitor, it would be a great outside panel for a laptop, you put it on the outside of the case and set it up to run widgets that check email and possibly a messanger application among other stuff and it would run all the time and show you information as it comes in( in other words you would see when email arrives or when friends are online, without opening the laptop.)

or if you wanted to you could embed it into a headrest or sunvisor, or even in the dash for a cool extra monitor in the dash(if you have a video signal to feed it.)

if you have a motorcycle you could mount it on it for a video screen, or mount it in the steering wheel and hook it to a reverse camera.

if you have ever seen cars with video screens all over it then you can get an idea of how it could come in handy, it may not have all the lines of resolution for a TV signal or whatever but it will show video and with the correct converter it should look good!

ok yes I know you are under age and un employed but you asked for ideas. heck if you have a bike and a ipod video, you could mount it on the handle bars and play the ipod video through it.

if you are a musician and play guitar, you could embed it into the guitar and play video throught it while you play (ok I like that Idea and may have to do this to my guitar soon!!!!! LOL) how cool would that be!?!?!? (i have a couple old Toshiba libretto's I don't care about any more. they have like 6" or 7" screens) ok I hearby Copywrite this idea, and call patent pending!!! oh here's an add-on idea, mount the monitor up on the neck of the guitar and show chords through it to teach people how to play, they would not have to look far to see the chords and it could be a great teaching tool! I call this one too!!! *LOL*

I guess bottom line is how creative you can be with whats around you!
I know it will be tough but you will have to spend a few bucks to make it work.
having soldering skills will help but you will also need to know how to read schematics and circuit board maps.
you need to know the general components and how they interact with each other.
and the Most Important thing, Have a Clear Picture(in your head) of what you want in the end before you start, and spend a few days gathering the information and making sure you have all required tools and parts, this way you can complete the project without major delays and it will come out better, nothing is more frustrating or stops more projects in their tracks than finding out you will need something (part or tool) that is going to be back-ordered or too expensive, or whatever.

ok, enough for now!!!

Hope this was helpful.

 

well now kreyon, you do have some impressive ideas. me i just would like to mount it in my desk or beside my regular(old crt) monitor. I could be considered a gamer and when im listening to music while in game id love to not have to alt tab out. also my video card (ati sapphire hd3659) has a dedicated video feed thing. My brother explains that i could play a movie and it wouldn't impact my game's performance. Id live to have south park or something running while im doing soemthing else, especially seeing how my computer would do it np.

Any way what i could do with it isn't the least of my worries. im personally not worried about the back light, im thinking of using some leds instead of the halogen bulbs any way. Better economically, and i have them lying around. My only concern is how do i get my lcd to connect via dvi-d rca, vga, scvideo, hdmi(lol), It doesnt really matter which one i have adapters and such.

Also i have a simply understanding of schematics, i have hooked up a ranged car starter before. also my dad is a mechanic, so in terms of tools hes got plenty, multimeters included , not just the cliche' wrench ect. But im still not sure on what i need. i read on here that i need a dvi interface card but i didn't hear anything about that after ward. I can get cables and stuff ( my bro is a computer technician).

Thnx -emen

 

emen - take a look at this http://www.spectrah.com/product/lcd_controller_board_arv_1700/arv_1700.htm
or check here http://www.spectrah.com/product/index.php ( the main products page, they have a few for different things, even touch screen.)

it is the kind of thing you will need to make your project. there are different models for different functions so call them before ordering and make sure you are getting the right thing. this is only one place to get the cards, there are others, but they are hard to find.

 

thnx, but none of those controller boards supported on their list, a samsung 5 inch LTS500Q1. And i was eyeing that board, and the board i have in front of me has that little white thing for the orange to plugg into. It came with the lcd. keep in mind that it is from a dvd player and not a computer. any possibility of soldering a vga cable on lol.?

oki and here are some pictures, i warn you they are big. IF they look blurry stand back 10 feet
the pink and white, is for the backlight.
the orange is for the actual lcd
the white going to the lcd is a ground i am assuming
and thing on the bottom is the input, and the power.