8" LCD screen wide-screen

Kjetil Somme · 06-25-2003, 03:04 PM

This is my first message on this forum, so here we go...

Inspired by e46.mit.edu and mp3car.com, I will now begin to plan and design my In-Car-Computer.

The difficult thing though, is to find a 8" Wide-Screen LCD display with VGA/DVI inputs. Touch-screen would also be nice!

I have seen the xenarc Screens, but they don't come bigger than 7". Had they made one in 8", it wold have been perfect!

My goal is to have the biggest screen that can fit within the place of the former NAV.

I believe that maximum size is about 8 wide-screen. The setup here is nice (but no VGA input):

E46 fanatics

So, give me a clue/link/brand-name...
I "know" there is the right screen for me out there somewhere!

TIA

SuperMatty · 06-25-2003, 03:24 PM

You can find 8" screens if you look hard enough. But don't expect them to have more than 4096 colors unless you spend over a grand on it.

8" would fit in my dash perfectly too, but for about 1/10 of the price I could have a 10.4", so I went with that.

Kjetil Somme · 06-25-2003, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SuperMatty
You can find 8" screens if you look hard enough. But don't expect them to have more than 4096 colors unless you spend over a grand on it.

8" would fit in my dash perfectly too, but for about 1/10 of the price I could have a 10.4", so I went with that.

The problem is that I don't have room for any 10.4 if it's going to be flush mounted into the centre console. My only other option is to go for a 7" wide-screen, but I will be constantly be nagging to myself and others that there is enough space there for "an inch enlargement".

I am prepared that it might become expensive, but hell yes, I want a big one!

SinnerG · 06-25-2003, 06:13 PM

I purchased an 8.8" Fujitsu widescreen LCD for my project, but may be changing my mind. It has an LVDS connection, so if you're interested, you will definately need a controller that will put out 6-bit LVDS. PM me if you have any questions.

saletel · 06-25-2003, 06:46 PM

have you looked into using the current screen? i read somewhere that some acuras would accept a component video signal (similar to VGA)

MP3DUB · 06-26-2003, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by saletel
have you looked into using the current screen? i read somewhere that some acuras would accept a component video signal (similar to VGA)

He has a bmw...... And you're probably not going to get what you want without spending an arm an a leg, just to forewarn you. I know someone was recently looking into 8.4 inch screens, but I think he decided to do something else, and I don't know if 8.4" would fit. Odds are to find the "perfect screen" for your car, you may be going piecemeal to get what you want (ie bare lcd, controller, ect).

saletel · 06-26-2003, 12:14 PM

i know he has a BMW. just thought it was something he should look into, hew wouldnt have to buy a dsisplay etc.

TruckinMP3 · 06-26-2003, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SuperMatty
snip

8" would fit in my dash perfectly too, but for about 1/10 of the price I could have a 10.4", so I went with that.

Which 10.4 did you end up with?

spyhunter · 06-26-2003, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MP3DUB
He has a bmw...... And you're probably not going to get what you want without spending an arm an a leg, just to forewarn you. I know someone was recently looking into 8.4 inch screens, but I think he decided to do something else, and I don't know if 8.4" would fit. Odds are to find the "perfect screen" for your car, you may be going piecemeal to get what you want (ie bare lcd, controller, ect).

yes it was me. and the best deal i could find was through earthlcd.com i ended up using my 12.1 incher but its definitely too big for the dash and blocks some a/c vents too...i don't know what i'm gonna do about that...maybe the digitalww 7in would work out better, who knows...

SuperMatty · 06-26-2003, 01:09 PM

I ended up going with the 10.4" 400 nit model from Apollo Displays, the AA104VB04. They really have a sweet controller with them and onscreen display, which I think is cool

It was pretty expensive though.

gork · 10-15-2003, 09:08 PM

a 16:9 aspect ratio 8" display will not fit into the OEM bay in an E46. You'd have to get something even wider aspect ratio. I went with a 7" 16:9 monitor and still had to trim it vertically a bit and built my own mount for in the dash. See the link in my sig for details.

While it looks in the photos like there is a lot of room, there is only a little less than 1/4 inch at the top between the display edge and the aluminum trim and maybe 3/8" at the bottom. Lots of this room is occupied by the LCD frame itself, though!

People have put 8" and 9" 3:4 displays in the E46, though. They have to mold into the top trim and make an entirely new dash part (ie LOTS of work) -- it was not an option for me because i have the real metal aluminum trim and there's no way I could easily duplicate that look.