Laptop LCD Advice (Again)

**Nads O'Hair** · 04-16-2001, 11:39 AM

After a few months of debating, I've decided I want to go with a full blown laptop lcd for my player. I'll only be playing mp3's for the time being, but I'll be upgrading to GPS, DVD, etc., so I figure I'll spend the money now and be done with it. Now I've searched through posts, but there is such a variety of possablities, it just complicated things more. I'm looking for a good setup, but I need some experienced advice.

My requirments are:

-Color (enough for decent DVDs)
-Good motion display
-LCD Possibly 5' from cpu
-Within the 6-10" range (it'll be in the front seat of a pickup, so I can't get too big)
-Very Cheap

(yeah, I can't have everything, so I guess this is optional)

It seems the consensus is the easiest way to go is through flat-panel.com, but I've never been one to spend full price when I can build it myself. So I'd like to look at LCD screen a controller options.

I found a PCI 32 Bit VGA controller card for $100 that "supports Color STN Single Scan, Color STN Dual Scan Color, TFT Active Matrix Monochrome: Color DSTN VGA & SVGA
Sharp, Sanyo, Hitachi with internal bias must 10.4, 11.3, 12.1 Color TFT 3 bit through 24 bit VGA, SVGA, and XGA"

If I get a card like above, and a decent screen, I should be ahead of the game, right?
My costs should be under $300. It's cheaper that a flat-panel kit.

Has anyone complied a list of LCD card combinations that one could look for? I'm tempted to put whatever info I can find on this topic on the web for future newbies, but I don't trust my limited knowledge to get it right. Thanks for any and all comments!

**Arby** · 04-16-2001, 01:16 PM

Wow... There's quite a few people here that would like to know about this controller card that you found for $100!

**BGreet** · 04-16-2001, 04:09 PM

Are you sure this "controller card" really isnt just an ntsc out card?

**Nads O'Hair** · 04-16-2001, 05:49 PM

I'm pretty sure it's what I need. It's an EarthVision/PCI card, but used. I think they run about $200 new!

**Falcon62Travis** · 04-16-2001, 09:52 PM

If this is the one you're talking about
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...ndexURL=0&rd=1

Then it should do the trick!

**Tony S** · 04-17-2001, 08:48 AM

Sounds like the one EIO lists in the LCD section on their site, actually.

This guy is thinking like I was but I had to give up the idea due to lack of space for the screen.

Wouldn't you still need to buy the power module or does the card do that?

**jose** · 04-17-2001, 12:22 PM

i got a isa controller car dto 10" and its self powered, contemplating see if i can parse the signal.. me droools..2x10"..

/....

tempting aint it

**Nads O'Hair** · 04-17-2001, 06:14 PM

Thats the one Falcon. Hope I get it. Am I correct in thinking the picture quality will be a heck of a lot better than a composite screen? So DVDs, GPS, etc. should work fine.

Tony S: I thought size would be an issue, but I'd rather have full screen capablities, so I'm going to build a custom center console with the screen setup to flip open when I need it. When its closed it'll look like a standard console.

So with the card and a compatable laptop screen, what else would I need? Thanks all!