Common theme in LCD screens.. - Page 4

Skraggy_uk · 09-11-2003, 06:32 PM

Just to say, I didn't buy a full screen kit from Armin (digitalww), but I did at one point plan to.

He was prompt, and amswering questions etc.

I did in the end buy a touchscreen kit from him though, eventually.

When i ordered, he sorted shipping to the UK, got everything done quickly through pay pal. No moans about having to add a percentage on if you use paypal, and he got it delivered to my door, working, across continents in under a week.

That ain't bad going.

phc · 09-11-2003, 06:52 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Skraggy_uk

Just to say, I didn't buy a full screen kit from Armin (digitalww), but I did at one point plan to.

He was prompt, and amswering questions etc.

I did in the end buy a touchscreen kit from him though, eventually.

When i ordered, he sorted shipping to the UK, got everything done quickly through pay pal. No moans about having to add a percentage on if you use paypal, and he got it delivered to my door, working, across continents in under a week.

That ain't bad going.

Cool deal. I just pre-ordered 2 today for a project at work. If they look good, I'll be getting one for my car project.

Skraggy_uk · 09-12-2003, 03:46 PM

He sometimes takes a while to answer emails, but just because he is busy. The longest one he took to answer was the one I needed to ask how much the additional shipping would be. All the rest I got him just at the right time.

sounder · 09-19-2003, 06:05 AM

I have been a long time member of this board, and while I haven't posted much but something like 10 or so...I read just about every thread, or close to it. Im hear every other night and I stary for about 2 hours. I have seen a lot of bs on this forum, and most of everyone here can't remember what it was like when this page first went up. I do, and I remember the flames, and knowledge bouts. Things have changed into a more mature community, witch leads me into association. I agree that there should be no bashin on other peeps business...if you have not made a purchase...but if you bought something, and it sucked, I would like to know, and so do other people. What ever your exp is after you bought x product is your battle. I just know that its up to the dealers to look after their business and there customers satisfaction. If a product is continually reported being poor or broke or bad...but there is GREAT support...it still aint worth the time. I cant say anything about the sellers here. I know they are great people, cause with out them, there would be a lot of people in the dark, with out solutions. All my stuff I pieced together and used no ones direct help, but you all have helped me out by simply having discussions. So I am cuurently working on databasing all of the lcds with controllers and specs there intial application with some history on each panel. A one place answer for LCD for our community. Not ebay, or so. It will be public for us to view and cross reference. I am familar with almost every screen talked about here in our forums. I have resaerched them all. I have pdfs out the ying yang. Also I will add in a users fiels where there will be sort of like a feedback on the success of that such screens use in a car. I think power draw, brightness, demensions, cost, cotroller cost, touch if not encluded, and so on. All these things will be in one place. If you think about it our display is the most improtant thing we have. Its how we communicate with the device...speed, gps, al that add-on stuff wont be usefull if you cant read it or so it. So i will make this my piece of production.Maybe that will end the gazzzillion lcd questions. We can transform the lcd forum into a more "this is what I did place" Thanks Everyone, Ill be here all night

TwoCents · 10-27-2003, 01:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by cproaudio

OK Now I have get into this since I'm one of the "MORON" who bought the $400+ screen. LCD is LCD no matter if its low res or high res or STN aka dual scan or TFT aka active matrix. There are STN VGA, STN composit, TFT VGA and TFT composit LCD screens. Price varies from super low cost STN composit to low cost TFT composit screens to mid cost STN VGA screens to high cost TFT VGA screens. Gains screen (Xenarc, DScustoms, DigitalWW) are all TFT VGA screens.
The screens that vairox keeps refering to on this thread and various other thread are the low cost TFT composit LCD screens. The main stream TFT composit screens are more than addiquate for displaying movies but not computer display. That's why all car monitors are so inexpensive. Because they all us low resolution screens. They dont need to display small details like computer displays do. The bigger screens like 10.4 or larger are capable of VGA resolution BUT the controller is not. The LCD screen itself is not expensive, the controller is. Composit LCD controllers are inexpensive. Another reason why low res LCD are cheap.
vairox cant seems to understand why most of us choose the $400+
screen over his much prefered $"79" screen. I hope this clears up why we rather spend the $400 than waste $100 for a cheap composit screen.
This is a VGA (640X480) resolution using RCA jack connected to a regular composit TFT LCD screen. The screen is an Accel LCD64A 6.4 inch. Same type of screen used in the cheap LCD screens. The picture shows the lower right hand corner of my desktop where the icons and the date and time goes. As you can see the composit screen cant show the details of the time and icons.

This is a WVGA (848X480) resolution using VGA connected to a Xenarc high res LCD screen. With the Xenarc screen you can see the details.

As for the common theme, I cant say anything about DScustoms and DigitalWW cuz I've never bought anything from them. I've dealt with Xenarc before with excellent results. I fried my Xenarc screen on Thursday morning, overnight the screen to them on Thrusday afternoon. They received it Friday morning got it repaired and send it out the same day. I got my monitor back on on Saturday. The only thing I paid for was sending the screen to them. I didnt have to pay for the repair nor the return postage. Talk about fast service.

Edit: vairox have you ever seen a Gains 7" screen in person? Since you claimed to have built a carPC before, care to shad some light with us. what kind of car was it in? what screen did you use? any pictures of the dash/whole install? what kind of car do you currently drive? You claimed to have found a 10.4" screen for $79 dollars care to post a link?

Any possibility of getting the pictures to show again? Post would be great if they are visible

(I'm thinking of buying an in-dash lcd 7 inch monitor with RCA, but no VGA)

edit: Well.. now that i've read the whole thread (pheww) i've come to my senses. Getting VGA seems to be the wise thing to do, but i'm still very much interested in those comparison pictures where RCA is used!.

DodgeCummins · 10-27-2003, 11:44 PM

Ok time for a history lesson.

Back a few years ago there were composite screens for a couple of hundred, or vga screens for a good thousand (good ones anyway).

Everyone here (that were members 2 years ago) wanted a screen, many bought $200 TFT composite screens. We made do, made the fonts bigger, played with other settings.

As we experimented, we decided that the composite screen was no good for what we wanted. So from then on, the hunt was for low cost VGA screens. The prices started dropping, and some good screens could be found.

But we decided that using a keyboard to control the computer was a pain in the ***, so some homemade keyboards popped up, remote control setups etc.

However, (maybe after riding in airliners) it was decided that a touchscreen would be the best input...again the search, home made things, other hacks.

Finally a few individuals were able to do some group buys and other deals, get some parts, put some stuff togther...

Now we have a few buisnesses that cater to our desire for more.

If you don't want more...if you don't want to spend the money, then don't.

But if you don't know the history, and were not a part in making it, yet wish to complain, then go somewhere else.

This board is for the advancement of the MP3car craft, not to sit and whine about how hard it is to download premade media centers, or to have all the answers at your fingertips, just search, or how it sucks that you have to have a job to afford these toys.

If you have something productive to add, or a fix, or a hack, then add it.

If all you want to do is complain and talk s#$% then go to one of the teenee bopper chat rooms.

I freely admit that I got my ideas, info, help on this board.

cproaudio · 10-28-2003, 01:48 AM

I totally agree Dodge. I for one am willing to get something I wouldnt regret. I've worked with Composit LCD screens for over 10 years and I gotta say that a VGA (640X480) screen is the bare minimum for a decent mp3car system. composit LCDs just plain SUCK. I dont care if its capable of xga. If it doesnt have at least VGA cable input then it sucks. Even if it has S-video in, it still sucks. For those who're spending $100 for composit, go ahead and waste your money. But dont come to this board and start crying about why your display looks so blurry that it looks like it's out of focus.
I'll try to get the composit screen and VGA screen comparison pics back up when I have the time. Work and school kept me busy.

Skraggy_uk · 10-28-2003, 02:21 AM

DodgeCummins, you the man.
Yep, same here. Read the boards for about 3 years. Planned and plotted, then wnet down the standard full size ATX, Inverters, Composite screen route.

The picture was crap, and the PC was huge. But it worked, and it was all that I could afford.

Then about 3 months after I got all my **** together, I thought sod it. Bought a 10.4" TFT from Ebay for cheaper than my original budget STN compo panel, bought a Mini-ITX board and made everything about a quarter of the size.

Still using the Inverter and full size ATX PSU, because the screen has a weird 12/5v/other pins mini din type plug on it that I haven't found on any car cords yet.

I've also gone touchscreen instead of mini trackball.

So much better, even if it is only 640x480.
And with the guys who develop MediaEngine, and it's ability to be skinned, every release looks more and more professional, and more and more like a BMW, GM, or Ford factory multimedia setup on their flaship SUV or executive cruisers.

Keep going guys, we are so almost there.