How to Convert a Laptop LCD into an External Monitor.

Hello there. This is my first Instructable

A while back I was sitting around and wondering what to do with my dead laptop. I knew the mother board was fried but everything else was still in working condition. As a result, I decided to make an external monitor from my dead laptop and proceeded to do the research to find out if this was possible. Below is what I discovered. Unfortunately, there was no way to use the motherboard's VGA connector. The VGA connector on a laptop is used to connect to an external monitor. In any case the VGA connector is output only and wouldn't work for an external screen. As a result, I found that I needed to buy a controller board for the LCD screen, to make it work as an external monitor. This was the main cost but was still less than half the cost of buying an external monitor.

The controller board cost me about $42 not including tax and shipping. However, there are various types that cost less.

I also built a stand for the LCD panel but as you will see, I decided to go a different route.

The information below will illustrate the steps I took to convert my laptop LCD screen into an external monitor.

Step 1: Getting Started

Lets get started.

Materials needed::
Dead Laptop hopefully with a good and working LCD screen.
LCD controller board
Hobby electronics screwdriver
wire cutters optional
5 inch section of wood 2x3
two 3 inch sections of wood
self tapping wood screws
cordless drill
drill bit for drilling metal
Dremel and cutting disk optional

Note: if your LCD is damaged then don't proceed any further. This instructable will not fix a damaged LCD screen!

Disclaimer: Due note, I take no responsibility for your actions, implied or otherwise. I am not telling you to do anything, This instructable is informational.

Step one. Unplug the dead laptop from any power source AND remove the battery!. The laptop battery is located, usually, on the bottom and can be removed by sliding a release lever. These are lithium ion batteries and can hold a few Amps. The risk of shock might be minimal. However, there is no need to take the risk.

Comments

[Re-design]

Very nice instructable. This instructable is the answer to a question that comes up about once a week in instructables questions and will get referred to often.

[GeekyAdam]

I'm so glad I found this... I have a nearly identical HP laptop that you used and recently noticed that it was overheating and too much work to fix up, but the big beautiful display works great and I was sadly thinking I'd be better off selling it rather than dissecting the entire thing to fix its overheating issue.
Now I have a new use for it!
Thanks!

[zerofootprint3]

Actually, you can do One better. You can salvage the RAM, the Wireless card, the Batteries, the charger, the hard drive, the DVD disk player and sell them to people that need them on E-bay and Still keep the LCD screen for yourself.

I suppose I should have made this Instructable on how to salvage your laptop. I'll have to wait till another one dies.

[nago jolokio]

Apparently they don't make a controller for my screen; I couldn't find it at least.

My screen's product number is N156B3-L0B If any of you people can help me find it I would be very grateful.

[zerofootprint3]

There is probably another controller that would work. You will have to contact them to see if they have one. I have run into this problem before and they sent me a controller for another that worked fine.

[crazyg]

congratulations

[zerofootprint3]

Wow. Thanks. I had no idea.

[azterik]

Awesome write up!! How about a dvi/hdmi/displayport connection ;)

[zerofootprint3]

Actually, there are DVI ports on the LCD controller boards. I bought one with and without a DVI port. Most of my connections are VGA so i usually go with that. However, when you go to buy your LCD control board, make sure to buy one with a DVI port on it--that should resolve the connection issue.

[ARJOON]

butt scratcher on table lol!!!
your room looks like mine

[FuzzyBearGeek]

Even just seeing pictures of your workstations motivates me to create!

[zerofootprint3]

Sadly, motivation is never my problem. However, having the resources to create has always been a plague to all those that create.

[FuzzyBearGeek]

Agreed.

[johnnyjcap]

does all this do is replicate the first screen?
with it show up as a 2nd monitor under display settings? and if so, can the resolution be adjusted?

[zerofootprint3]

It will show up as a second monitor or in the event your laptop screen dies you can use it as the primary. Also, you can either duplicate the screen or extend your screen to the second monitor. This will expand your desktop space.

[clemilsonccs]

excellent idea!

[qphan1]

good idea. But you can buy old screen for $50. The lcd board already cost $42

[zerofootprint3]

Well, you can salvage the parts and sell them. see my other post.

[c3ralki1l3r]

how would i hook it up if my laptop works? The reason im asking this is i can't find it on the web at all D:

[zerofootprint3]

If you are asking how to connect an external monitor, then look for a port on the side of the laptop for a VGA cable. The VGA port will have 3 rows of holes, 5 holes each. That is where you plug in the VGA cable. Note, this is a out VGA only. This will allow you to have a second screen on your laptop.

[crowwantsplay]

Very cool instructable. Would it be radically different to do this with another laptop than an HP?

[zerofootprint3]

I don't believe it would be any different. You just need to get the serial off the LCD screen and get a Controller for it.

[tvm777]

how did you reuse the microphone? i mean,how you made an external mic?

[zerofootprint3]

I Keep all my old cables. I wired the mics into a cable with a microphone adapter. Its only two wires. Similar to wiring the web cam from the laptop lid to the USB adapter but much easier.

[bricabracwizard]

This is an easy to read instructable and very informative! Is there any way that you know of to use the screen as a slideshow for pictures without plugging into a computer?

[zerofootprint3]

Also, you can try a Google search under DIY Digital Picture Frame

[zerofootprint3]

What your asking about is called a Digital Picture Frame and it's not possible without some sort of processor. That being said, here is a website showing how this person did it: http://thewares.net/item/33

[profpat]

very nice instructable, good for recycling old laptops, unfortunately the controller board is too costly for 40 dollars, you can buy surplus lcd monitor for the same amount. Wish we could find a cheaper alternative controller board. thanks for sharing!

[davecardin]

Is it possible to show how you did the web cam, I'd like to use it to cover the cashier area in our little bar area and somehow connect to my computer in the office, about 100' away.
Making use of all those components of old lap tops seems so important. I would like to use the monitors for our little beach sports bar where we only get internet feeds for the sports programing but only seeing it on one computer isn't too good, so if I could use the two "dead" lap tops monitors then we all can see. playaroca.com
Being in Nicaragua away from the city, but in paradise on the Pacific Ocean has it's drawbacks as we don't have cable, everything including phones are all via a bad satellite system. But if it can work who cares, right?

[zerofootprint3]

I added the web cam mod to the instructable.

[Silence]

Unfortunately, you can probably pick up a 15" monitor second hand for around 20 bucks :P
BUT, its a nice project for those who like this or might be looking to cram a screen into a briefcase computer build. Caught my interest until the 50 bucks worth in hardware, I have a couple old laptops myself.

[PSPerson]

I actually have that exact laptop sitting around, but my screen has a line going down it and I need to hit it to get the screen to work, so it probably isn't worth converting... but awesome Instructable!

[criggie]

Interesting idea, but I have six laptops here all with broken screens. From my experience the panel is the most likely thing to break. Laptops without working screens are only slightly useful.

Consider hanging the second monitor off to the side - means the angle of the head is less likely to change. We're able to cope better with swinging the head more so than tilting it.

If you want to get flash you could remove the hinges, and bog over them then paint the frame to match. Real extreme would be mounting the whole circuit board in an enclosure tidily on the back of the case.

[sreeci]

This is a great instructable idea, which many people may not have known. Thank you, also for the links that leads to buy the control boards for the screen.
I have two defective laptops lying in a corner for years, which might come to use by this project.
Thank you

[davecardin]

" It is best to take apart the rest of the laptop and unplug it from the keyboard".
What do you mean take apart the "rest of the lap top"? Are you looking for a certain "thing" to unplug the cable from instead of cutting the wires? What are you looking for while taking the lap top apart? Is unplugging "IT" from the keyboard an obvious "unplug"?

[zerofootprint3]

Yes, the LVDS cable is plugged into the circuit board. I like to save as much as possible for other projects. However, you can cut the LVDS cable going to the motherboard, since the LCD controller you need to buy, comes with one.

[wsecomp]

On a Dell laptop, the screen has a couple of small plugs (one for the display, the other for the WiFi antenna) that go plug into the same area where the keyboard plugs in. This is probably what he meant. Since he's using an HP laptop, it probably has a similar setup.

[stealthop]

reminds me of GITS

[stealthop]

in an indirect manner your able helped me a whole lot . thanx

[ledshed]

Fantastic, nice project!