Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: Shortbus on July 03, 2011, 07:03:25 am

Title: Using Laptop Monitor only for Arcade
Post by: Shortbus on July 03, 2011, 07:03:25 am

Forgive me if this is posted somewhere, I did a search and came up blank.

My question is this: I have several old laptops that I'd like to use the monitor screens for building a bartop arcade, What type of cable or what type of wiring would I need to do to wire up the laptop monitor to the PC pinouts? Anyone ever done this or have any suggestions?

Thanks in Advance!
Paul

Title: Re: Using Laptop Monitor only for Arcade
Post by: MonMotha on July 03, 2011, 08:07:45 am

It's generally not possible without some special, and of course expensive, extra hardware.  The really old (90s era) ones are digital TTL, and most newer ones are LVDS.  Neither interface is present on a standard PC.

Some extremely new laptops are starting to use Displayport internally, but this is still quite rare.  They also usually lack scalers, so they're inordinately picky about what timings they'll accept.

Title: Re: Using Laptop Monitor only for Arcade
Post by: Shortbus on July 03, 2011, 08:11:03 am

Thanks for the reply & info, greatly appreciated!