Question about hooking up an LCD

Ok so thanks to Chris Snyder's suggestion I'm currently running the LCD off my computers power supply for testing. Well, while I'm waiting for my video card to come in I decided to try and hook up my dreamcast to see what happened. I have a mobile authority 5.6" LCD. The video input connector is white but most video out rca's are yellow. Anyway I tried plugging the yellow dreamcast rca into it... nothing. Screen didn't even flicker. I'm new to this stuff guys so if anyone can help me out and tell me what I'm doing wrong it would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Chris

Is there an LED on the display to indicate that it's getting power?

My LCD did the same thing when I had the power wires backwards. Make sure you have the wires connected correctly. As soon as the power is right, you should see some sort of activity on the LCD, whether it is a blank screen or snow, etc.

1.)your LCD does not have just 2 wires (like the 4" and 5" parts express LCD)
2.)yours is specifically designed for use in your car so you have 3 wires--- ground, 12v constant, and 12v switched, you need to connect all (i will not give advice on how to do that using the power supply on your cpu, b/c i only have an idea as to how to do so, i am not 100% sure if it will work)

Gabriale: How did you have the power wires backwards?

Thanks
Chris

kain: what i did was connect both the 12v constant and the 12v switched to the same power wire from the power supply. I also grounded the third wire. You don't think that should work?

Chris

it works in most cases , but, i personally did not want to suggest it, and have your LCD be one of those weird cases where it shorted out the device. So did you power indicator light come on. If not then you were not sending the necessary 12 volts.... your LCD will not come on at all. Also, i know this may sound simple but, if you are getting power, make sure that you set the constrast and brightness somewhere in the middle (you would be surprised how many times people tell the their screen is getting power and no picture, and all i do is either turn the brighness up, or switch the input signal).....

kain: you were right! The computer wasn't giving the LCD enough power (thank God I didn't short it). I hooked it up to the car battery and it worked like a champ. Thank you for the advice. I guess the computer isn't the way to go, any other ideas on how to power it in the house?

Thanks again!

Chris

hm... well, if you are electronically inclined (or know someone who is, you can build your own power supply relatively cheap) but, i think you should just connect it in the car, and set it up there, or use the monitor from your home pc set it up inside, and then just do any finishing touches in the car.

I am jumping in late, but the way I understand it...

You have a monitor designed for mobile use. It has the regular ground wire and two 12v inputs (kind of like your car stereo receiver).

I don't know why it would need the second one unless it has a clock or tuner or something like that.

Anyway if you are sure they are both 12v inputs then you can just hook them together up to the 12v source.

you can use the same for your house...just get a 12v adaptor (you probably want a 1 amp version)...but check to see if you already have one lying around.

Your computer power supply really isn't designed for so much drain.

My little 4" lcd pulls about .5 amps.

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