Powering Lilliput from Laptop

**Grrrmachine** · 08-01-2009, 04:11 PM

Is this possible? The reason I ask is that lilliput "eggs" are hard to come by, so I'm reluctant to chop up mine to wire it straight into the car's power loom. The laptop, however, will have a docking station, so is there any chance I can take a 12V line from there somewhere, somehow?

**aziodale** · 08-01-2009, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Grrrmachine

Is this possible? The reason I ask is that lilliput "eggs" are hard to come by, so I'm reluctant to chop up mine to wire it straight into the car's power loom. The laptop, however, will have a docking station, so is there any chance I can take a 12V line from there somewhere, somehow?

Try to use a relais 5V 1A connected to the usb port;
when the laptop start send 5v to usb port that close relais contact and send 12v to Lilliput.

**Grrrmachine** · 08-01-2009, 06:35 PM

That's not really what I meant. Where would you get clean 12V from?

**aziodale** · 08-02-2009, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by Grrrmachine

.....Where would you get clean 12V from?

The only way in car is a regulated DC/DC trasformator;
I personally test dc in my 2009 Nissan and is stable only when engine is off; otherwise voltage go up and down when :
start engine,
stop engine
start engine fans etc.

Aslo the same audio car system go down when i start engine

**RS3RS** · 08-03-2009, 05:47 PM

Well, if you're using a laptop, I assume you have an inverter installed to power said laptop.

Go to Radioshack (or even Walmart or Target) and get one of those universal power adapters, which comes with multiple plugs and voltage selections. Flick the switch to 12V, splice the proper sized power connector onto it (if the ones included don't fit, which they might), and bingo, there's your clean 12V.

**sergatiuk** · 08-10-2009, 12:54 PM

yes you can do it, i've done it.
while USB outputs +5V, the firewire port outputs +12V and sends power once the laptop is powered on. however you must be very careful when using this port as it gives different frequency. make sure to ALWAYS use the filter that came with your monitor. i dont remember which wire outputs +12V, however firewire and USB are almost identical, so as far as i can remember its the red wire, however you should double check it with a multimeter before powering the monitor. this monitors are very sensitive to frequency, so if you see any visual interference on the screen, disconnect it immediately.

**DigitalVampire** · 08-10-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by sergatiuk

yes you can do it, i've done it.
while USB outputs +5V, the firewire port outputs +12V and sends power once the laptop is powered on.

Be very careful about this since the IEEE 1394 spec doesn't mention requirement of a regulated DC supply on the Firewire Power pin. It just says Unregulated DC; 30 V no load. It could be 12V but not guaranteed in all implementations. Also read somewhere that it can provide current upto 1.5A which is good enough for a lilli.

however you must be very careful when using this port as it gives different frequency.

Frequency for DC?

As sergatiuk mentioned, double check with your multimeter first if the voltage is indeed regulated 12V with load and without load.

If it works reliably, this is indeed a nice way of powering the monitor from an otherwise unused firewire port