Best LCD?

**Maeveth** · 03-01-2004, 06:43 PM

Is there what we could call a best LCD? I have been reading and it seems that alot of people use Lilliput screens. How are they during the day when in direct sunlight? can you still see the screen?

**Sh0cker** · 03-01-2004, 06:57 PM

Allbrite® all the way...hahaa (sorry have to vote for my own LCD)
wouldnt say its The best b/c there is always something better...but the best i could get in that price range

**TruckinMP3** · 03-01-2004, 09:37 PM

size, brightness perfered mounting, VGA or not all make a diference

depends on what you want to do. Vid playback - composite is ok but for text VGA
In dash or not. Most installs do not have a large screen in the dash.
Is the install area shaded?

**eCar™** · 03-01-2004, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Sh0cker

Allbrite® all the way...hahaa (sorry have to vote for my own LCD)
wouldnt say its The best b/c there is always something better...but the best i could get in that price range

I'm with you on that. I just watched the first DVD on my AllBrite a few days ago. That thing is beautiful. I feel pretty lucky that I snapped up one of these, but I'm kicking myself for not buying more of them.

**Maeveth** · 03-02-2004, 10:03 AM

The Dash area has no shroud really. Where can I get an allbrite 16:9 screen?

**Axis_Inc636** · 03-02-2004, 10:40 AM

Fullscreen 14in LCD all the way !!!!!!!!!!!!

**eCar™** · 03-02-2004, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Maeveth

The Dash area has no shroud really. Where can I get an allbrite 16:9 screen?

You can't, I don't think.

The AllBrite screens that we are talking about are 10.4" 800x600 NEC screens that were modified by a company called AllBrite. They change the screen from a 2 CCFL edge-backlight, to a 4 CCFL direct backlight. Somebody was selling several of them on eBay a while back. I was lucky to get one for $25.

On the edge-backlight design, the backlights actually shine light into the edge of a piece of glass that is behind the LCD. With the direct-backlight design (probably not the right term), the lamps are directly behind the LCD, with a diffuser between. This increases the depth of the monitor by an inch or so, but gives you more room for more lights.

Additionally, AllBrite used U-shaped CCFLs, instead of just a straight tube. Each of the four lamps starts on one side of the monitor, goes nearly to the other, makes a U-turn, and goes back to the first side. It's like have 8 straight tube CCFLs in there. And all that light is spread evenly across the LCD.

With a white screen, and the monitor at full bright, I could land planes with this thing. Fortunately, it also came with a wide-range dimming inverter for the backlights. It can output as low as 2% vs. ~40% for a normal inverter. I am in love with this screen.

I got a Dicon 1280EI controller for it ($150) and I'm all set. The controller is just as awesome. It has a great OSD. It goes power on when you plug it in (helpful for autostart). It has RS232 communication so that I can pull or modify any of it's settings with my computer. For instance, I could have settings for day, night, GPS, DVD, whatever. The PC can talk to the LCD controller and instantly change the settings for me. I can also poll the current settings and save them to a file.

**Maeveth** · 03-02-2004, 11:40 AM

Ah well. Hmm. So basicaly as it stands Lilliput is the best way to go unless some how I preform a miracle and find an Allbrite?

**gospeed.racer** · 03-02-2004, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Maeveth

Ah well. Hmm. So basicaly as it stands Lilliput is the best way to go unless some how I preform a miracle and find an Allbrite?

Definately NOT the best way to go, read up on the others (like Xenarc) with a search of these forums. Lilliputs are great if you are on a budget, I made the mistake of buying one and I hate the fact that it is unreliable and quirky, not to mention it has traveleled further to go back home to be fixed than I will probably ever go in my lifetime. Different users have different opinions, but if you do a search for liliput you will find tons of complaints. You may get lucky and get a good one, you may not.

**yuprules** · 03-02-2004, 12:17 PM

I love my Lilliput vga touchscreen, have not had any problems with it at all. I use it Mon-Fri for at least an hour a day and haven't had any problems. Ensure you buy from a person with tons of feedback off ebay or a trusted source here.