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An LCD Display for an Ultra-Portable Desktop?
dark_requiem asks: "I've just built a new system based on a Shuttle SN45GV2 XPC, and it's a great little system. However, I'd like to make it more portable by attaching a flip-up LCD display (preferably with speakers) to the top of the case. My video card has TV Out, so connecting via composite or s-video is no problem. The case is just under 8" wide, so the width of the LCD cannot greatly exceed this (it wouldn't fit in my carrying bag then). Thus far, I have been looking at the various 5.4" displays for console systems like the Gamecube, but all of these connect to the systems via proprietary connectors that stick out of the front of the displays and would interfere with mounting it to my case. Has anyone from Slashdot ever attempted a mod like this, or does anyone know of an LCD display that would suit this purpose well?"
Have you heard of these things call "laptops" or "notebook computers." They're freakin' amazing. They're just like this ultra-portable desktop you want to build, but get this, _They're Flat!!_ How cool is that?!? Hasn't technology brought us so far?? Maybe you could strap one of those old CRTs on top? You'd have a portable computer that everyone from West Beverly High would admire... in 1992...
There have been attempts at modding the PSOne flipscreen to work with other systems (Gameboy Advance, for example). Although I do not have any links at present, I recall that the GBA modification was extensive enough to ultimately discount the proprietary VGA plug entirely.
Upgradability is a major concern for geeks. Shuttle PCs afford users the option to upgrade. Laptops, with their carefully budgeted proprietary systems, usually do not.
" Thus far, I have been looking at the various 5.4" displays for console systems like the Gamecube, but all of these connect to the systems via proprietary connectors that stick out of the front of the displays and would interfere with mounting it to my case."
The only thing that's really proprietary about the connector is the shape of it, not the signal. It's just an analog signal that's sent out to RCA cables. A brief trip to Radio Shack and a little trial and error will help you figure out which terminal goes to which analog input. The sad thing, though, is that you'll have to figure out a way to get your computer outputting that signal. Some vid cards have an output like that. In that respect, yeah, you could make it work with that screen. If you don't have NTSC-out, well forget what I'm saying entirely.
"Derp de derp."
I haven't looked at to many of them, but they are likely just using either: RGB out, S-Video or Composite from the system. You might just have to crack one open and see what they are using, you should be able to find pinouts for the video game systems. (And If it uses RGB, it is probably using it at 15.75 KHz) (My personal favorite for pinouts is GameSX.)
I haven't found any small screens with VGA input, but I didn't google too much for them.
Your best bet would be to look into the car video monitors. These displays come in sizes from 5-9 inches(and larger), and range in price from $150-$500.
They even make widescreen ones. =)
Take a look on eBay - you can generally find 7-8" LCD monitors for cars that take S-Video or RCA input. You can get them cheap, take a look: http://listings.ebay.com.au/aw/plistings/category1 4946/index.html?from=R11
(Note that that is an Australian URL).
I don't know where you are located, but around here, I would go to a high-end electronics dealer that dealt in in-car entertainment systems, the kind where the kids can watch TV in the back seat. You should be able to find a video-in LCD display from 5 to 10". Most will probably run off 12V power, but this is not that hard to get out of a PC PS.
Around here (Orange County, California) this would be Frys, Best Buy, or one of the independent auto shops. And if you mod me down because I said Frys, then I agree with your judgement.
LCDs for car installation usually have standard composite or RCA connectors on the back side so they can be flush with seatbacks or on the side for ceiling/dash installations.
Since you have a tv out, these two are about the right size.
(note, I'm biased. Feel free to check out someplace else)
Here's one, 7" 800x480 seems to be available all over the place (review).
09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
I've thought about doing this very thing...
For LAN parties I wouldn't downgrade my well crafted system to a second rate LCD with slow response rates.
My personal thought was to add a baffle to the shuttle case to sufficiently cover/protect the LCD.
I've actually considered going with a non-shuttle case thats Tall, deep and narrow (can't think of brand but similar in shape to the Compaq small form factor PCs)
Good luck, cool system, I had one pieced out at $2500 with matched Corsair and a RADEON All in Wonder 9800 to double it as a PVR when I'm not LANing. Could you post the specs?
---- Smokin' another sig.
CliffH
sigs are like a box of chocolates, they all suck remove the underscores to email me
Second is you can get little 640x480 displays on the surplus market that are about the right size (the screens that go in those little LCDs for the consoles). Look around on the Hard|Forums (HardOCP's forums) and you'll find people who have put such things in their cases (might even find guides on how to do it!) These things usually take a standard RCA video input too. That's another thing. Find a LCD you like, and build a frame. Some of those frames (like the one for the PSOne or XBox) are wider than they need to be for asthetic reasons. As for the speakers, you can always attach two little speakers above/below the display or on top of the computer and have 'em "fold down" to the sides of the PC for use.
Third, and possibly most important, is rotation. Have you considered that? If you mount the display on a little thing that would allow you to rotate it 90 degrees for storage (and maybe let you fold it down), then instead of being limited to 8" of width, you could be limited to 8" of height. That means instead of a 8"x6" display (frame included that's 10"), you could have a 10.6"x8" display (frame included that's 13.3"). That is a whole extra 3.3" of screen space, which might make viewing easier. But making the pivot and such (probably mounted at the corner of the display) might not be easy (unless you can find a pre-made one used for something else you can "borrow").
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
The question someone asked Slashdot was about small computer screens, like the type that fit inside a standard 5-1/4" bay, then slide out and flip up/down. Search through the old postings here to find it.
While a specific display isn't cited, most of the porta-console displays will take an RCA input (at least my PsOne screen does). Some of the nicer ones will take s-video. The solution to the ugly bit in the front? As a slashdotter, take that screen apart and remount it on custom hardware, everworkable wood or a very slick custom fiberglass mount. Fiberglass is surprisingly workable with smaller sizes. As long as your reworking it, the RCA input can probably be made nicer. If that sounds like too much effort, you could always unscrew it, cut off the plastic bit and the connector, and just leave the parts required for the screen to work. My problem is I want to flip the horizontal orientation of the display, so its a mirror image. I have yet to find an easy solution to that.
http://www.madcatz.com/MadCatz/product_details.jsp ?product_id=6080
about 19 months ago: LCD Displays That Fit In A 5.25" Drive Bay? (about 15 seconds to look this up, slacker parent poster)
mini-itx.com has a very nice 7" widescreen display
5 03
VGA and Composite (AV) inputs
Screen Size: Diagonal 7" 15:9 Aspect Ratio; Supported Resolution: 1024 x 768 (HxV); Dot Resolution: 2400(H) x 480(V) = 1,152,000 (dots); Display Brightness (w/ Touchscreen): 280 cd/m2; Touch Screen Interface: USB port; Operating Voltage: DC 11-13V; Power Consumption: 9W; Dimensions: 188mm x 125mm x 33mm; Weight: 0.55Kg
http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=9#p
be the first with a projecter modded into your case. That way you don't have to worry about flipping up the lcd, and you can project doom3 onto the sides of barns, etc.
stuff
Note that I am a Linux person at heart and have my gripes with Apple -- the stupid spanning block in the iBooks, for example -- but this is one thing they do very, very well.
http://store.earthlcd.com/
more LCD display options than you can shake a stick at.
I follow the SDK and GDN principles.. Spelling Dont Kount, Grammer Dont Neither
7" widescreen touch screen, and it's only 250 bucks!
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
http://www.hackaday.com/ had a mod of a $40 joystick with 2" LCD display for use with a Media Center PC a few days ago (look in the archives)- I bet you could do something with that (and it seems to use standard connectors to boot).
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Were you wanting this to do actual work (coding and such), or just to play games? The answer will affect what screen and input type you need. Standard composite or s-video will not be enough (unless your screen is lower-res 640x480) to do any serious work with - but it would be ok for game playing (though icon text and the like will be difficult to read). Finally, if it hasn't been mentioned already, get in contact with these guys - they will be able to help you with your problems and needs.
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
- The display uses OLED technology, which has a shorter lifetime than certain other LCD panel technologies.
- The viewing angle is 40/60(Up/Down), 60/60(Left/Right).
- This is not a flip up, but I thought it was cool cause its touchscreen and is inexpensive.
- It's made in China.
I'm looking at a similar project, and I had decided on using a touchscreen on a small arm like this. So I can grab it and move it around and tap it... like in the matrix (not really).
I was not able to acquire the information about viewing angle any way but by emailing the manufacturer. That information is valuable.
JB
I don't know if I'm a little late to post, but I think the best solution would be a 7.2" touch screen. You can buy these on eBay for under $300 (I hope money was not a concern in this project). They have VGA connections, hence a much sharper and higher resolution picture than anything you will get with S-Video or composite. I can tell you that running a PC off TV resolution is unbearable for anything but watching movies or music visualizers. They also have a nifty USB touch screen, great for when you have these things on the road, and you want to set it up without trying to get your mouse to work on your leg.
My friend mike just built a shuttle machine, I don't get why.
He doesn't use it for games, because he doesn't play games. It cost 50% more than a comperable standard computer, it has less upgradability, and theres no room to add alot of add in cards.
PLUS! He already had a good laptop. He did it because he "wanted a desktop, but one like his laptop". What the hell does that mean?
hey thanks, that's just what i was looking for; well, as far as subjects go. still haven't found a slide-out lcd that fits in a 5.25 bay.
i imagine this is just for (perceived) lack of market. it's not as if there aren't similar displays used in in-car dash systems.
You can do this hack http://starfox.ucc.asn.au/carcomp/serio_lcd.htm there's also a couple of links in that page for other brands of PS1 LCDs.
Hold it. I thought OLED displays didn't have viewing angle issues. Are you sure about that?
Whats the deal with all this Fry's bashing? I don't have a Fry's anywhere near where I live (not even in this State), but when I first heard about Fry's I heard nothing but good. Now, it seems, all I hear is bad. What am I missing?!
-Daniel
KD5UZZ
www.w5yj.org
I use a portable (AMW) DVD player with my PS/2. Has line in for audio/video and works great in the car. My daughter uses it to watch movies and when we get to where we're going she uses it to play the PS/2. The only problem is converting the proper format. Just a thought.
those kind of people don't play on five inch screens. It does seem a bit like the article is a solution in search of a problem.
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Wow, that could almost have been funny if someone else hadn't already mentioned the same thing about 5 times. If I wanted a notebook, I'd get one. As I explained in my original post, I'm trying to use a very portable desktop system. Why? More easily (and less expensively) upgradable and more powerful (unless you really want to pay an extra $1000 for a notebook with equivalent specs).
Well, I'd say it's the follow up poster who's lazy here. Either didn't read my question, or didn't read the article he linked to. First, this requires an available 5.25" bay, and that is not an option for a shuttle, unless you omit the optical drive, but who would do that? Second, why would I want a screen so small it could fit into a 5.25" bay anyway? The method I'm interrested in is mounting it ON TOP of the case, so it can flip up. This would allow me to use a screen that was a couple of inches wider, or alternately one that had integrated speakers (however crappy). Finally, the author of the posting you pointed to is lamenting the lack of availability of such a device, and no one seems to be able to point him to anything useful. So thanks for your insightful help, but next time, read the article you point to, not just the title.
speaking as someone who's built upwards of 20 shuttles in various configurations, i can tell you've never had your hands on one.
all components bar the mobo are off the shelf, standard desktop components - which makes it very easy and cheap to put whatever you like in it.
oh, and the cheap shot about the heatpipe is pure bullshit - it's an elegant solution that works very well.
Here is where I bought my LCD for my carputer project. Im sure it wouldnt be too hard to rig up something to your case to support this LCD.
Bill Gates took my pants, and I thank him for it.
http://www.bit-tech.net/article/136/ cheap enough and easy enough
Well, its not a shuttle http://www.msicomputer.com/pressrelease/MEGAPC.asp butthatswasthewayIfinallygotaboxintothelivingroom, thethinghasahighWoman Approval Rating and its nice for parties indeed.
Life has become the ideology of its absence - T.W. Adorno
Well, its not a shuttle http://www.msicomputer.com/pressrelease/MEGAPC.asp
but thats was the way I finally got a box into the living room, the thing has a high Woman Approval Rating and its nice for parties indeed.
Life has become the ideology of its absence - T.W. Adorno