[ReverendHorton]

so the LCD idea is not such a big deal... but im a cheapskate.
i have an old IBM 380 laptop which has no use as a computer anymore, so i want to make it into a dedicated mp3 machine, in my car.
i have no problem with audio, and powering the laptop, but i wonder if anyone knows if its possible to relocate the LCD screen somewhere besides stuck onto the main part of the laptop???
it would be sweet to have the screen mounted somewhere, and the rest of the laptop as a sort of remote controller (with cables of course)

 

[MADBUG]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (ReverendHorton)

That is a pretty neat idea.You'd have to take it apart and see if there are ribbon cables connecting from the mother board to the monitor.I'm not sure exactly how to tell you to go about it,but you'll have alot of wires to solder,I'm sure.

 

[ReverendHorton]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (MADBUG)

yeah.. i oughta just start taking it apart and see what it looks like. hmm...
what i really want this laptop for, more than an in car mp3 player (might as well just burn mp3s) is an in car NES emulator

heh heh. i would get a big kick out of being able to drive along with my friends playing zelda in the back.

 

[Guvs97JettaGT]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (ReverendHorton)

Zelda...hehe...*remembers those wasted sick days as a child*
My little brother took a $30 portable TV from K-Mart and hooked up an NES. This is only logical cause he drives a Geo Metro. LOL
What I want to do is mount the whole laptop on a swinging table thing that is mounted along side the center console on the passengers side. Thats my plan, dunno when tho.

 

[DjVooDoo]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (Guvs97JettaGT)

if any of you are familuar with how hacked dream cast has become but DC has the ability to play all emulators sony/gameboy/gamegear /nes ect.......
its only 50 bucks now because sega is going to rerelase a no hackable version of DC i own 50 game and i havent paid for one .. no mod chip needed..... i have a nes emulator rite now that has 1456 emuations of games for more info msg me
i want to put a dreamcast in my system for the pure fact u can have 100s of hours entertainment for 50 bucks ......little bit easyer then running a labtop
just a idea

 

[coomoob1]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (DjVooDoo)

I think a laptop screen is a little big to deal with in a non-SUV vehicle. You could use a smaller LCD, and then increase the view size to like 640 and then you can see your files.
I use to own a Kenwood P-907 in my Golf, and imputed the moniter view on the LCD for control of my MP3's. Sadly my car and system were stolen. =( But I've started over and at least have the TV back with my Clarion TVX-5653, which just adds on to the exsisting radio.

 

[Aloha-boy]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (ReverendHorton)

What size is the laptop's screen?

 

[ReverendHorton]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (Aloha-boy)

the screen is 12.1".. but then theres some blank space around it as well.
heres a pic of a similar 380

the dreamcast idea is cool... my roomate has one. i love the fact that downloaded games boot without the modchip.
but my main motivation for using the laptop is that its free

i would probably try to mount the screen somewhere besides the center console. hmm... maybe hanging from the area of the sunroof controls

12.1 is kinda hard to fit somewhere. maybe it should just be for backseat entertainment. i really dont need any distractions.. but my best friend has been denied shotgun by the addition of a girlfriend to my GTI, so he would enjoy having the laptop to play with. i still need to tear it apart and fool around... if i break it i can get another one no problem though http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[vwgtirob]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (ReverendHorton)

You can't extend the laptop screen wires directly without much special circuitry. After a few inches the display will blur to the point where it's unreadable; much more and it probably won't display at all.

 

[rtmeikle]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (vwgtirob)

And you do realize the screen will only be viewable at night, right?

 

[ReverendHorton]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (vwgtirob)

vwgtirob- I did not know that.. hm.. that changes things. maybe i'll just leave the laptop in the backseat for entertainments sake, with power and audio cords running to the front, and not try to seperate the lcd then. it could still be a fun toy...
rtmeikle- thats just flat out not true... i appreciate the advice ive been given, but no offense, I've used that laptop for two years during the day and I'm positive the screen was plenty viewable

thanks though.

 

[rtmeikle]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (ReverendHorton)

I hope you're right and it does work in the day. I just know I thought it would be a good idea to bring my laptop on a roadtrip to watch DVDs, and it was almost impossible to see the screen. Maybe on a day that wasn't so sunny it'd work better, or if you have a dark tint.
You might wanna' try it out there first before going to a lot of trouble though.
Good luck!
ROB

 

[coomoob1]

Re: ambitious idea... Installing an LCD (rtmeikle)

Laptop LCD's are very hard to see in the day...but those small LCD's usually have anti-glare coatings on them. All of the LCD's I've owned have been perfeclty viewable during the day. You will LOVE DVD or VCR movies on road trips. I drove from FL to CA last summer...thank GOD for my VCR and TV system. It cut at least 8 hours of sitting time off of our trip. You will be amazed how fast 2 hours will go by with a movie playing. Good luck!