Cold weather +LCD

Adragontattoo · 10-13-2004, 08:55 AM

ok yes I did a

first and have been lurking for awhile and both ways I didnt find what I was looking for.

I know that LCd's in very cold weather can be damaged or break (though not likely) by being turned on and used without getting warmed up some. Anyone in the colder climates have any suggestions or ideas of what to do to avoid having to replace the screens every winter or so? Im designing a dual PC (one for front seat (video games, music and movies) and one for back for video games and movies) and am looking at putting in a total of 4 screens.
1 for me for GPS and music
1 for passenger to play games and watch movies
2 in back for games and such for road trips with friends

any suggestions on ways to keep the screens off until the car is warm and I feel safe turning the screens on?

I was thinking a series of switches to enable or disable the use of the screens from the center console that I will be building in replacement of the existing one. One question I have is if I do that is there a way to centrally control them or are most the the LCD's powered off of USB?

Im not an electrical genius (i.e. cant build a circuit to save my life most likely) but I do know how to build, break and blow up both car audio and computers.

By the way I found this site through google and stuck to it as it seemed to have the most activity and least BS.

Thanks for any help regardless of the outcome (links through google, or here)

bosstone74 · 10-13-2004, 09:16 AM

don't worry about the cold, it'll act a slight bit slow and dim when it first comes on but it'll warm up and be fine. I've never had to replace mine. and it's been in there for 2 years. And I live in Minnesota!

god_of_cpu · 10-13-2004, 09:18 AM

My carputers have been through multiple winters without any LCD problems. I highly doubt you will experience any significant problems, if you do it probably won't be immediatly broken, you'll probably experience intermitent failures when its cold and everything will start to work again once it gets warm.

I would just throw the LCDs in there and worry about it if you get problems.

If you really want to do this, the best, most reliable, and probably most convient way is to use biological sensors w/ manual control. i.e. You flip a button when you detect its now warm in your car.

Adragontattoo · 10-13-2004, 10:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by god_of_cpu

to use biological sensors w/ manual control. i.e. You flip a button when you detect its now warm in your car.

Best way of describing it that I have heard yet LOL...

Ok but with that being said, are the LCD's getting power from the USB (5v) or actual 12v (regulated and as clean as possible?)

and yeah it porbably gets a LITTLE bit colder in Minnesota then it does in the DC area. so looks like I wont have an issue there.

brrman · 10-13-2004, 10:25 AM

The screen is powered by a separate 12v source - normally switched power.