Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: shepard on March 26, 2013, 12:04:02 am

Title: acer aspire 8.9' screen
Post by: shepard on March 26, 2013, 12:04:02 am

Hi everybody, I'm new and this is the first time I'm using as forum.
First of all thanks for having me! :)
I have a very skilled brother in law, he has great DIY skills so I thought: he can make a mame cabinet form me!
I'm much better with software issues than hardware issue.
Getting to the point, I'm interested in making a small arcade (something like the weecade design but with a trackball and a spinner in addition
to the normal 6 buttons)
 I was wondering, as I own an acer aspire one 8.9' 1024×600 TFT LCD screen and the relative flex cable, if was possible
somehow to connect the flex cable of the screen onto a standard desktop motherboard through some adaptator.
Feel free to tell me if the question is silly or stupid, I will not get offended as I'm here to learn! :dunno

Thanks in advance to whoever would like to reply me!

Title: Re: acer aspire 8.9' screen
Post by: MonMotha on March 26, 2013, 03:49:41 am

Short answer: no

Long answer: That LCD will expect either parallel digital RGB + sync/DEN or the same but packed into 3-4 LVDS lanes.  You have nothing that will output that directly.  I've seen converters, but they are ACTIVE DEVICES (not just passive wiring adapters), and they tend to be very expensive as they are niche devices targeted toward people doing prototype and low volume (i.e. high margin) embedded system integration.

Title: Re: acer aspire 8.9' screen
Post by: shepard on March 28, 2013, 12:31:23 am

Thanks so much for the answer!!!

Now that I know that I cannot use this screen
I'll go for plan B which is use another laptop that I have with a 15' screen.
I have this question:
If I will use this laptop, can I still use one of these already wired kit with joystick and buttons with a ps2
adaptor (maybe the usb one will be the one to use?).
I'm asking this because laptops have an embedded keyboard...
Another question:
In order to manage the space inside the little cabinet,
how will you suggest to fit the screen of the laptop with the restof the laptop body?
Do I need to detach the screen from the body of the laptop and buy some sort of extension cable
in order to keep the connection between the screen and the body of the laptop?

Thank you so much for the previous exhaustive answer and thanks in advance for future answer!
 :)

Title: Re: acer aspire 8.9' screen
Post by: MTPPC on April 07, 2013, 12:14:39 am

Short answer: Maybe.

It depends what panel is in that monitor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LCD-Controller-Board-DIY-Kit-RTMC1B-VGA-Turn-a-Laptop-LCD-to-a-Desktop-Monitor-/110907056867?pt=US_Server_Boards&hash=item19d29362e3 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/LCD-Controller-Board-DIY-Kit-RTMC1B-VGA-Turn-a-Laptop-LCD-to-a-Desktop-Monitor-/110907056867?pt=US_Server_Boards&hash=item19d29362e3)

LCD Controller Board DIY Kit RTMC1B(VGA) -Turn a Laptop LCD to a Desktop Monitor

Title: Re: acer aspire 8.9' screen
Post by: MonMotha on April 07, 2013, 09:01:43 am

Jeesh.  I am continually amazed at how cheap the Chinese can make this stuff AND SHIP IT TO THE USA.  Not a bad price for something like that...if it works.

The panels used in netbooks are low res enough that they may just be parallel RGB, not LVDS.  I'm sure somebody makes a similar interface for those, too.  It's actually simpler in many ways.

Regardless, you cannot just hook it straight up to your PC.