Reusing LCD from Laptop

THRobinson

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May 17, 2009
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I am attempting to make a portable arcade system and I have a couple of old laptops... good shape but too slow to be of any real use.

I see on eBay you can buy controllers for old lcd screens for about $25. Not generic of course, they're specific to models of screens.

Is there a way to know what screen you have without dismantling the whole laptop? Like, with using HWINFO or based on model of laptop? I would rather avoid dismantling all of them if there was another way to know. Plus if none of mine will work, I'd like to find one that will.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I am attempting to make a portable arcade system and I have a couple of old laptops... good shape but too slow to be of any real use.

I see on eBay you can buy controllers for old lcd screens for about $25. Not generic of course, they're specific to models of screens.

Is there a way to know what screen you have without dismantling the whole laptop? Like, with using HWINFO or based on model of laptop? I would rather avoid dismantling all of them if there was another way to know. Plus if none of mine will work, I'd like to find one that will.
You can almost certainly find a used flat screen for $20 or so.
No laptop and controller needed.
 

THRobinson

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May 17, 2009
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True, but how much power do they take?

My goal is to make a portable arcade unit that runs off a single 19v AC adapter from the laptop.

I have a pair of computer screen, 20" 4:3 ratio Samsung (not 5:4) that I was going to use to build a full size arcade machine with. Caps were blown, known issue with that model, soldered in new ones and they work great... but too big, heavier because board components much bigger, and designed for 120v.

Plus, I like to recycle what I have if possible.