Laptop Luminosity Enhancer

Tired of not being able to see your screen on that old laptop when you're outside? The Laptop Luminosity Enhancer is for YOU!

Step 1

So there I was sitting at home with my new laptop that Jordan gave me. I was really stoked about the new laptop because with it I could get a tan. It was a fixer-upper from the days of yore and I bought it a new hard drive and a couple of network interface cards (wired and wireless) to get it going. But what's this, as soon as I got the thing working, I take it outside to my "wireless" campus, and realize that I can't see the screen! This laptop, like most of its time, didn't have a very bright screen. So I could see it was time to break out the old soldering kit and turn that laptop screen into a beacon of luminosity.

Ingredients:

laptop
box
hunting knife
twine rope or similar
safety pin
duck tape (do I even have to mention it)

Comments

[codongolev]

on the duct tape roll-

DUCK TAPE
^{brand duct tape}

so there.

[Rimwulf]

When it was first invented it WAS called DUCK TAPE then. It was used by the military and it was in forest green (now called army green) and shades of brown and grey. then duct tape company made it silver grey and used to cover spaces in air duct.

And Now We Have Every Possible Color. I Have Clear.

[codongolev]

ah, 2008. I was so naive then. roughest years of puberty, that.

I really don't care what people call it anymore. duck tape, duct tape.... really, if I called a pen a frindle half the people around me would know what I meant due to the popularity of a certain book at my elementary school all about redefining the ehglish language. but that's not the point, it's merely a tangent. the point is that, unless you really have no grasp on the english language or grammar (I mean that in regards to people who really should have a grasp on the language, ie perfectly competent americans who don't know the difference between your and you're - I don't expect everyone to know my language), I don't care what you call duct tape.

I've actually used real "Duct" tape (the kind with nylon fibers and permanent adhesive) and it's ridiculously strong. I've used it to hold motors onto a makeshift scooter I made once.

[twocvbloke]

This is why I love my Toshiba Portege M300, it has a reflective backing thing, so aim it toward the sun and you get a clear picture, regardless of whether the backlight is bright or dim... :D My other laptop though has a crappy screen, as soon as if gets past the door, the screen is just blackness (makes me wonder why laptop adverts show people outside with theirs and supposedly using them trouble free, when in reality, even on a dull day it's impossible with most laptops!!!)... :S

[Cann0n]

lol

[conundrum]

um. one idea i came up with a while back is to install dual backlight tubes. Most laptops have just one backlight but all desktops have four. other idea is to use the LED's from broken mobile phone and DS screens as a better backlight. regards, -A

[wizodd]

Most LCD monitors (at least under 22") have 2 not 4, either on the top/bottom or R & L sides. You could add one to a laptop as they usually only have 1--but you'll increase your power drain (worth it if it means you can see the screen!) If I were to do that particular mod, I'd want an on/off switch for the second light. If the inverters are standardized, they just may be capable of driving 2 tubes off one inverter, which would drastically reduce the work involved. In either case, the back light is spread through an acrylic panel and there is very limited room inside the display. It may also be possible to tweak the power on the inverter to drive the existing back light brighter. With an older laptop, merely relamping the display might be enough....

[wizodd]

Well, the standard shade design for video cameras is black matte and black gaffer's tape--if you haven't tried gaffer's tape, do so. You'll not want to use duck/duct tape ever again. Might be simpler to make a black fabric hook (a la old sheet film cameras,) Velcro one end to the LT and use a drawstring to attach the other end to your head .... Functional & true "techie" style.

[Bill Hood]

The guy wears diapers? That's lame!

[camscam]

lame

[slapshot]

Functional? Sure. Aesthetics only a techie could love? You betcha. Seriously... this is about the must busted-looking laptop shade I have ever seen. I'm sure that it gets the job done, but it would probably look about 50% less bad by using black matte-board (available at any art shop for about $5) and black duct tape (available at most home improvement stores) instead of the geek-friendly silver (matches tinfoil hats!). That said, good work and fun. :)

[radiorental]

will this work with: http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/204D09BA0F141029BC4A001143E7E506/

do you think?

[jforest1]

absolutely, though the weight of the laptop luminosity enhancer may tip the laptop itself over.