Converting Laptop Screen Into External Monitor

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tenks

Senior member
Apr 26, 2007
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I'm trying to convert a 16" RGB LED laptop screen into an external monitor to use. Its from my old dell studio xps 16. It's a fantastic 1080p display with great colors and I really don't want it to go to waste. I'd love to use it for a second monitor but so far I'm not having any luck finding a controller board for it, as it's a unique and expensive display. I've tried some of the chinese brands on ebay, no luck so far. I'd be grateful for any help or guidance...or am I just SOL?


It's a Samsung LTN160HT02, 1920x1080p panel. It has a custom/rare LVDS cable and is 50 pins I believe. I also think that is why I'm having a hard time finding a board for it. Here is the data-sheet: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/21720967/Panel_SAMSUNG_LTN160HT02-001_0_[DS].pdf


Any insight or help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
Burpo

Burpo

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2013
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Ebay..
You can sell it for enough to buy a 19" monitor..
 
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tenks

Senior member
Apr 26, 2007
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Burpo said:
Ebay..
You can sell it for enough to buy a 19" monitor..
Click to expand...

That's not really the point. The 16" screen would fit perfectly on below my 30". Plus the screen is gorgeous. I would really love re-purpose it.

I finally found a few 50pin lcd controller boards but I dont know if it would work with my specific screen...
 
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tenks

Senior member
Apr 26, 2007
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fralexandr said:
quite a few ebay stores sell LCD controllers for laptop displays for users converting them to desktop displays.
a lot of them say they will prepare a kit for you if you give them your display model information.

an example store. I have not used them before.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110977522562
Click to expand...

Yea I've hit up a few from ebay and AliExpress so far. I'm like 0/4. And when I ask if they can point me in the direction of who might carry a board that would work with my panel, they never respond. I'm sure one out there may exist, but it's like finding a needle in a haystack at this point. I just got keep emailing different stores/companies and hope someone has something I guess?
 
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tenks

Senior member
Apr 26, 2007
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0/6. Tried 2 more spots, one of them from the instruction the guy posted here.

Man..do you think there is someone I can contact at Samsung and maybe they can direct me to a possible board? This is bumming me out, I don't want to give up but I don't know who else to hit up.
 
edro

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
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Sometimes you need to realize there is a better way.
You are fighting really hard for something that has little to no benefit.
You are glorifying the monitor, but in reality, it's just another laptop monitor.

Do as was suggested... sell it and buy a real monitor or TV.
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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tenks said:
0/6. Tried 2 more spots, one of them from the instruction the guy posted here.

Man..do you think there is someone I can contact at Samsung and maybe they can direct me to a possible board? This is bumming me out, I don't want to give up but I don't know who else to hit up.
Click to expand...

No, there is no chance anyone at Samsung is going to pull engineer(s) to figure out if there's a ready made product to do what you want, besides what was custom integrated into the laptops that used it.

Edro has the right idea. If it's such a great screen then it has resale value on eBay.

You could have saved a lot of time just researching reuse of a laptop display as the question has been asked 1000 times across the web.
 
eliminatehumans

eliminatehumans

Member
Mar 20, 2015
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never give up never surrender. i have some screens and like you interestd in hooking them up. i have yet to research it. seek out the schematic of that unit for determining what each wire does. the video circuit from the original board if isolated may be usable. possibly just a video card will do it. its just knowing where each wire hooks.
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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Give up and surrender. The way mankind prospered and advanced was to not reinvent the wheel, to take advantage of advancements already made and use them, paying for them with work put forth towards further advancements.

Even if it is just a matter of knowing where each wire hooks, it's obviously not as simple as that to actually do it. Merely soldering up a reliable custom connector is a lot of work relative to what the panel is worth.

It's your time to waste but my emphasis is on waste. You can't get the time back.
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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It's like being too cheap to buy new tires for your car so you spend a week tooling away at wagon wheels to use instead because they were already in your back yard. You finish the challenge and feel a sense of pride, are now skilled at wagon wheel conversion, but the whole thing was just silly because tires already exist and they would cost no more than the value of the week spent plus the resale value of the wagon wheels.

You can't just apply idealistic notions to a bad idea and make it the equivalent of applying idealistic notions to a good idea. I did plenty of electronics tinkering in my past and found that there's little point trying to replicate what you can buy off a shelf, possibly with the exception of some luxury items that are absurdly priced but 1080p computer monitors aren't such an item.
 
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eliminatehumans

eliminatehumans

Member
Mar 20, 2015
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i got parts at cost including tires. wagon wheels are front yard decorations here.

you still dont get it do you? exelent name choice....
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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^ It's your time to waste. Have fun but remember, you can't get the time back.
 
eliminatehumans

eliminatehumans

Member
Mar 20, 2015
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Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
​
look around you, would you really want more time here?​
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
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^ You can put your mind to something productive or refuse to. One is better than the other.
 
eliminatehumans

eliminatehumans

Member
Mar 20, 2015
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you mean spend a days wages on a new unit? is that not wasted time if i already have said unit? most likely of better quality as it has already proven itself. possibly of a type not maufactured any more, say lcd, wich gives an exelent picture.

Time has come today
Young hearts can go their way
Can't put it off another day
I don't care what others say
They say we don't listen anyway
 
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WHAMPOM

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2006
7,628
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Time can not be saved up and hoarded so how can it be wasted? Time spent on reaching a goal is worth the reward you gain from the skills and knowledge you learn on the way.
 
eliminatehumans

eliminatehumans

Member
Mar 20, 2015
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WHAMPOM said:
Time can not be saved up and hoarded so how can it be wasted? Time spent on reaching a goal is worth the reward you gain from the skills and knowledge you learn on the way.
Click to expand...

this is true

all hail WHAMPOM


PS; timeless mindless one, gander at that avatar
 
T

tenks

Senior member
Apr 26, 2007
287
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Lol, this guy is preaching about time yet he's on this thread with multiple posts and hating away. Some people, rofl.
 
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