Privacy monitor hacked from an old LCD Monitor

Finally you can do something with that old LCD monitor you have in the garage.
You can turn it into a privacy monitor! It looks all white to everybody except you, because you are wearing "magic" glasses!
All you really have to have is a pair of old glasses, x-acto knife or a box cutter and some solvent (paint thinner)




Here is what I used:
an LCD monitor of course
single use 3D glasses from the movie theater (old sunglasses are just fine)
paint thinner (or some other solvent such as toluene, turpentine, acetone, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate etc)
box cutter (and CNC laser cutter :) but that you don't really need, I'm sure x-acto knife and a steady hand would do just fine)
screwdriver or a drill
paper towels
superglue

Step 1: Take the monitor apart

Find an old monitor that you are willing to sacrifice.
Take off the plastic frame by unscrewing all screws from the back.

Step 2: Cut the polarized film

Most LCD monitors have two films on the glass - a polarized one to filter out the light you are not supposed to see, and a frosted anti-glare film. The anti-glare film we don't need, the polarized one we do - it is used for the glasses. 

So, grab you cutting tool and cut the films along the edge. Don't be afraid to press, metal wont scratch the glass, unless there is sand or other abrasives on it.

Then, start peeling. Make sure to save the polarized film, also remember the orientation.

Step 3: Clean the film adhesive

After you remove the film, the glue will likely remain stuck to the glass, so here comes the messy part.
With some solvent, soften the glue and wipe it off with paper towels.
I started with OOPS, but that was not fast enough so I got some paint thinner.
I found out that if you cover the screen with paper towels and then soak them in paint thinner you can let it sit longer and dissolve the adhesive without running and evaporating.
Scrape off the soft glue with a piece of plastic or wood.
Be careful not to get paint thinner on the plastic frame, because it will dissolve it.

Step 4: Monitor - done

After cleaning the adhesive, assemble everything back the way it was. Before even making the glasses, you can test the monitor with the polarized film!
Notice how the upper left corner looks clear, because it has the anti-glare film removed. That is the part we are going to use to make the glasses.

Step 5: Pop the lenses out

For the glasses, I used single use 3D glasses from the movie theater, but you can use whatever you want.
Pop out the lenses or take the glasses apart if you can.

Step 6: Scan, Trace, Cut

If you are going to use a cnc blade or laser cutter, scan and trace the parts.
You can find a local vinyl or laser cutting service, or you could send them to an online service like Outfab.com
I scanned the frames so I can use them as a reference for the lens orientation.
Remember, this is a polarized film so the angle is critical. Back and front also matters.
If you don't have access to a cnc cutter or you don't want to wait for an online service, you can probably tape the old lenses on the film and then cut them out with an x-acto knife.

Step 7: Reassemble glasses and enjoy!

Finally assemble the glasses and you are ready for some fun!
People might think you are crazy, staring at a blank white screen wearing sunglasses!
But I guess that makes it even more fun!

Comments

[Tastache]

This is something that i should try at least once in my life!!

[Shateebough]

One million of different uses for this monitor, definitly i have to build one

[kwinters2]

destroyed my computer..... good thing i tried it on my OLD one first...

[Stefniamoo]

Awesome. Im always looking for more better ways to look crazy :D

[tonton83]

I tried and it didn't work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACtjPm8e9xw
check it out

[dimovi]

That is because you did not remote the antiglare film. Buy some polarizing film from Amazon and make yourself new glasses. It is going to work for sure.

[DividersMaker]

Awesomesauce! :3 I'm trying to make this in half term as I want to learn electronics. It's very cute, I love it!

[Dishes]

I'm wondering if its possible for this to be done to a laptop (specifically a Lenovo u410 that i'm using for university) There's literally no where in my school that I can sit comfortably without having someone sitting behind me possibly able to see what I'm doing. Not that I'm doing anything out of the ordinary, its just a little unsettling to me.

[mnauman1]

i have noticed that u can easily see the content on the screen without the glases if u look on the screen from the sides , is there any solution to that?

[Sparky81795]

did anybody else get into this and find out that your anti-glare and polarizng are integrated? BUSTED :( anyway i think i ruined my lcd before that anyway when i look thtough the film the screen is not functioning properly. lots and blocks and lines along with the broken up display image. sad

[Upostionots]

That's brilliant, i can't imagine people watching you staring at blank monitor

[crashapollo]

Brilliant, just tried it and it works. the only thing i found was that if you wear the glasses the screen is blurred where as if you hold the glasses closer to the screen it gets clearer. is there any way to resolve this or is it just the nature of how the polarized screen works

[dimovi]

This is because you still have the anti-glare film on. Get some polarized sunglasses or buy polarizing film online, then you will be able to see the monitor from any distance.

[nicexe]

That would only work on "anti-glare" screens, "glossy" screens do not use a polarizing filter.

[kalant]

Good point nicexe, but how to find out if my screen is in fact anti-glare screen?

[dimovi]

All LCD screens use polarizing films, including the glossy ones.

[yon2501]

anyone know if this would work for a 15.6" Diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Display? i want to do this for my laptop in class. product page for my laptop http://goo.gl/52niw

[metalldeth]

could something like this be possible but with text on paper instead of an LCD screen?

[lmno101]

Kind of , not like this since the polarized (dark) plastic filters out the light that the monitor gives out to create the images.

However, the same idea of using a lens to see something on a paper is possible if you were able to find some substance that can only be seen through a respective filter. For example, with black light it would be possible to see hidden image/substances on a piece of paper (think of blood ala CSI). But you would have to figure how that works through a lens instead of the light reflection. If someone experimented I'm sure they would figure it out.

[NanoRobotGeek]

I think sugar and water has simillar properties to what you want and the color (dont know how you spell it in america :P) depends on how much sugar wich could make some cool art works. The only problem is, there has to be light behind the sugar/water substance to be seen.

[Meister27]

Will it work with that? http://www.amazon.de/Brille-Hornbrille-Polarisationsbrille-Wayfarer-style/dp/B004QNER5Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1324027375&sr=8-3

[dimovi]

Probably not. It is all about the angle of polarization, and i've never seen glasses polarized the same way as monitors.

[Wesley666]

I just tried this to see how well it actually worked, works amazingly, but my polarization film is still stuck to my matte finish film. I got my dad to drop off his very expensive sunglasses (Very unwillingly) and they work perfect as is! No tilting or anything! But they are sunglasses which makes it difficult to see indoors and what not. Any good way of getting the 2 films to separate?

[Meister27]

Okay thanks! Next question: Will that work? http://www.tradoria.de/optik-baukasten/polarisationsfolie-330189346.html

My LCD screens film seems to have the matte finish and polarized film as one sheet. I tried a lot but i cant get them off each other.

[noestrogenax]

would it work with an itouch 4g? (lcd screen)

[crazyscottnb]

do all screens do this or are there limitations to age/ year produced

[Stosswalkinator]

So what about a pair of prescription glasses? Could you just put the polarized film from the monitor on the glasses and use it like that? Or some way to do that without being 3 inches from the monitor or wearing 2 pairs of glasses on top of each other.

[Shiply_Spain]

Can you do that with a smartphone?

[cliffyd]

why the hell would you want to?

[mettaurlover]

No, since a smart phone doesn't have enough filter material to make a proper set of glasses.

[cliffyd]

Haha this is hilarious! Good idea.

[michaelblackwood1]

does the samsung galaxy have this polarised sheet? (its got a big enough screen to make glasses lenses)

[fs3]

i get how u to make the polarized glasses but where do u get the white privacy screen from ?

[mettaurlover]

You don't; it's the result of removing the polarization filter from the screen.

[mhagerman1]

If the only part you need is the polarized lens could you not use polarized glasses.

[mettaurlover]

It needs to be polarized in a very specific direction.

[isolt]

The soaking in hot water worked for me!

[alexwu2211]

does this work with a laptop?

[sermeric]

is it temporary or stays forever like this?

[Grey_Wolfe]

Rubbing alcohol is often very effective at removing glue goo and it is completely safe for the hardware.

If you use the hand sanitizers without scent or moisturizers, this gives you the benifits of rubbing alcohol while making it evaporate a bit slower.

I use it quite often for removing tape goo and have never had an issue.