Macgyver777

I recently purchased a used laptop screen off of e-bay. It is the same type I believe as used in www.ashleypowers.com sytem Masda PC. It came from the same model of laptop. It is a 9.4" LCD and I believe the part number to be NL6448AC30-10. I am looking for a controller card for this screen. The auction listed 16 million colors at 640x480, but this was a 486 75 laptop. Is this screen really able to do that many colors or was the auction person smoking something? I was thinking he ment 16 bit, but am new at LCDs. I plan to leave the display in it's laptop case and turn the screen over if possible to hang from the ceiling of the vehicle. Has anyone tried this? Is it better to get a video card designed to drive an LCD directly or to just put a controller card with the LCD that will take VGA off of most standard video cards? I like the idea of using the built in video on the computer. Any info on this would be great.

MP3Car.com

 

mtmsol

Try using google to search by the model number, you'll find all kinds of info. Looks like this display is compatible with controllers using the C&T chipset. The Eartvision/ISA controller from EarthLCD lists this screen as one of the ones supported, plus I would think it would work with the PCI controller as well. When you use a controller like these ones, the controller becomes the video card (ie. Win. detects the controller as video card). Out of curiosity, how much did you win that screen for? I'd like to find something like that, I just never have any luck with EBay.
Mike.

Macgyver777

mtmsol

I paid $26 for that screen. There are a few more this guy is selling and here is his seller page:
Items for Sale by imsrecinc (457)

he is selling a few more screens alone for starting bid of $9.50 with $16.50 shipping (sucks there) I got mine for a $10 bid. But he also is selling some full laptop systems for $24.50(+$19.50shipping) starting bid so you would have that too.
NEC Versa V/75 486 75Mhz 16 RAM Color is what your looking for for the whole system or NEC Versa M Series LCD TFT Color Screen I see a few right now, no bids on any and ending the 24,25,26,and 27 just keep trying. Just go to that sellers page and look or search for "NEC Versa"



I have been searching for a controller card but the only ones I have found are at EarthLCD for $200 or at (ADC) Atlantic Digital Corporation. They have a PCI card but it is $245. I am thinking I would like the card that will convert VGA to TFT so I can use built on video of the computer motherboard. Anyone else have a idea where to get a cheep controller. I am not wanting to spend $200.

Thanks

mtmsol

Thanks for the links, I'll start looking through that stuff.
I know what you mean about spending $200 on a controller - for that price you could start looking at VGA LCDs! Do you already have a system you're going to use for the car? If not, then you might want to consider an SBC. Not only are they nice and small, but they also include the LCD controller (my SBC, the Advantech PCM-5862, has the C&T 65550, so it would work with this display). Here's some links to the same SBC as I have:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1326460307
It's going for $80 now, beats $200 for just the controller. Keep an eye on E-Bay, I bought mine for $100 and it came with all the cable and connectors (hard to find and usually expensive).

Macgyver777

Thanks, for the info. That is a good idea because it already has the controller onboard. That seemed to be the only thing that comes up when searching for controller cards. I would do this but I am wanting a system that a DVD drive could play through. I will need a system with a bit more speed and ability. By the time I get to building the actual PC I will probably steel the AMD 1GHz chip from my home system upgrading it.

I am looking around for a controller card cheeper than $200. But who knows. May have to buy one. I will wait and see.

MP3Car.com