diy lcd panel case factory

Hi everybody! Bill Owen from Mnpctech. I hope you"re having a great day! Several people have asked if I could share the steps on how I do my Touchscreen LCD mod in PC Computer case bezels, and you’ve come to the right video!

I’ve been using this Amazon 5 Inch Capacitive Touch Screens for $52.99 delivered on Amazon Prime, I’ll posted a link in Video description. The kit comes a with Micro USB for power and HDMI video connector, but these cables are too short for these PC case mods. It includes M3 stand-offs, a Driver Disc and some Instructions. It’s a 5 point Capacitive Touch screen with a Resolution of 800 x 460, which is just fine for it’s 5” viewing screen In addition to the LCD touchscreen, I will buy the following cables for my Desktop Custom PC LCD Case Mod.

One 3ft “Right Angle” 270 degree HDMI cord, 6” 90 Degree Angle HDMI Extension Adapter, and 3ft USB Male to Micro B power connector. For Mounting the LCD Touchscreen Panel, I use 3/16” thick Black acrylic to make custom mounting brackets for the LCD touch screen.

You can PAUSE the video on this page to record the measurements that I’ve made for cutting the acrylic. This PC Case Mod is very easy. "The reason I’m making brackets for my desktop PC LCD Monitor Mod?" I want the ability to easily install or remove the Touchscreen with thumbscrews. I’m using 1/8” drill bit for acrylic, and 6/32 thread tap, These Black thumbscrews from Mnpctech.com. I’ll use the 1/8” drill bit to increase the diameter of the holes in the LCD pcb frame.

I discovered these drill bits for plastic several years ago, Notice the bit isn’t splintering or cracking the acrylic as I make the holes. Mnpctech stocks a variety of these drills bits. My mod requires Twelve 6/32 washers, and links posted in description, “Why so many washers?” We want the Touchscreen to mount flush on the backside of the bezel, I also don’t want to apply any unnecessary pressure to the screen or the PCB, See how this sheet of paper easily slides under the screen Next stage is cutting the hole in the bezel, The best PC case for this mod is the ones without optical drive bays, which every popular case manufacturer now offers.

If you’re using an older case with 5.25 drive bays, you could attach a mounting plate with 5” opening that covers THREE 5.25 bays. That’s how we did this mod in the early days of PC Modding. Determine and measure out a location in the center of your bezel, you can also mount the LCD vertically if you prefer, and just change the screen orientation in Windows. Since the bezel is plastic, I’m using a Dremel with 1.5” reinforced cut off wheel, Don’t forget to always wear eye protection when using power tools. Oops, WTH? Hahaha After cutting our 5” diagonal square hole, I’ll hand file the edges so everything is precise and clean. You may have to remove sound insulation foam from backside of your bezel, I’m using E6000 adhesive to attach the two mounting brackets. This adhesive is very GOOEY at first, so consider masking off the screen, to prevent getting any of this on it. I like that it’s tacky for couple of minutes, so I have time to position the LCD in place, and then I’ll temporarily tape it in place while it cures overnight.

Mounting your Touchscreen LCD in the PC this way allows you to easily remove and re-install the LCD at any time. Especially if you ever need to replace it for some reason. Let’s get this LCD touchscreen connected to the PC, all of the cables are routed from the front to thee rear PCI slots. *3ft “Right Angle” 270 degree HDMI cord *6” 90 Degree Angle HDMI Extension Adapter cable, I plug this compact cable into the Touchscreen to save space. *3ft USB Male to Micro B power connector This mod is great if you want an extra screen for monitoring your hardware and temps. You can also display Weather or calendar or email notifications,

Check out http://www.Rainmeter.net this community offers several hundred custom mad graphic interfaces for FREE, and you can configure your screen to display a variety of updated information tasks Thanks for watching! And Again, all of the products used in this PC case mod are listed in the video description.

LCD Spec: 19” transparent TN LCD side panel display with 1280 x 1024 resolution enabling the complete customization of the side panel. Users can configure the digital display to feature video wallpaper, images, or system temperatures in real-time

A while back I was sitting around and wondering what to do with my dead laptop. I knew the mother board was fried but everything else was still in working condition. As a result, I decided to make an external monitor from my dead laptop and proceeded to do the research to find out if this was possible. Below is what I discovered. Unfortunately, there was no way to use the motherboard"s VGA connector. The VGA connector on a laptop is used to connect to an external monitor. In any case the VGA connector is output only and wouldn"t work for an external screen. As a result, I found that I needed to buy a controller board for the LCD screen, to make it work as an external monitor. This was the main cost but was still less than half the cost of buying an external monitor.

Step Two. To Remove the LCD screen from the laptop, you will need to remove the screws. There are rubber pads on the front of the LCD screen to protect it when the laptop lid is closed. Behind the rubber pads are the screws. Find and remove all the screws holding the front plastic frame on the laptop lid. Keep track of the pads and screws as you will need them to reassemble everything.

Step Three. Remove the plastic frame from the LCD screen. Here is where you need to be careful. The screws are not the only thing holding the plastic frame on the LCD screen! The plastic frame is snapped into place. Carefully pry loose the frame from the LCD screen. Pry it loose gently. Try to keep it as close as possible to the LCD panel while you are prying it loose because you may also find that you need to slide it to the left or right to completely remove it from the laptop. There is a small protrusion of the plastic frame where the hinge is. Because of this protrusion you need to slide the frame, in this case, to the right, to detach it from the laptop.

Step Four. Locate and remove the screws holding the LCD panel to the laptop. These are located on the bottom. The screws are attached to a small metal hinge. this is the component that is attached to the keyboard frame.

Next you will need to remove the LCD screen. Note that there is a cable attached. This is the LVDS cable. It is best to take apart the rest of the laptop and unplug it from the keyboard. However, the cable can be cut at the bottom. Take care not to cut the two wires going into the inverter (that"s the slim circuit board at the bottom.

Once the LCD panel is removed, you can remove the LVDS cable and unplug the inverter at the bottom. Unplug the inverter from both ends. Do not cut it. The LVDS cable is taped to the back of the LCD screen at the top. It is the flat cable running up the back. Remove the tape and slid the cable down. Since you need to buy an LCD controller board, you will no longer need the LVDS cable the laptop came with or the inverter. At this point you should just have an LCD screen with a pair of wires coming out of it.

Keep track of the plastic front frame and the plastic backing. You will need them to resemble the LCD screen. On the other hand, you have different fingers, just kidding. On the other hand, you can buy a picture frame and put the LCD screen in the picture frame.

Here is a picture of the LVDS cable and the inverter detached from the LCD screen. Since we will be buying an LCD control board these cables will not be needed again.

Next, once you have removed the LCD panel. Flip it over and look for a model number on the back. You will need this model number to order the correct LCD controller board. I went to E-Bay and found one for $42.00. I bought the LCD controller board and then received an email from the seller requesting the model number of the LCD screen and manufacturer. This is because each controller board is flashed, (programed to run a specific LCD) I gave him my model number, LP171WX2 A4K1 and told him it was made by LG Phillips. Since the board was coming from China, I received my order about 2 weeks later. Due note to buy one with a power cord! The LCD controller board has the VGA input connection which allows you to connect it to another computer and use it as a second monitor or as a back up in the event the one on your working computer goes out.

The LCD controller board is real easy to connect. It comes with all the required cables, except a VGA cable which you will need, in order to connect your LCD to another computer. You can buy a VGA cable from Best Buy or a computer parts store.

The LCD control Bard comes with all the cables except the VGA cable which you will have to buy. Once you have received your kit, proceed to connect it to the LCD screen. Plug the LVDS cable into the LCD panel where you removed the original from. The two wires at the bottom of the LCD screen that were connected to the inverter need to be unplugged from the old inverter and plugged into the new inverter below. Then, plug the power in. Make sure that the LCD control board is not sitting on anything conductive, like metal or it will short and fry. Next connect the VGA cable to the LCD control board and plug the other end of the VGA cable to another computer. Make sure the computer is on before you plug in the VGA cable. At this point you should have the same image that is on the computer you plugged the VGA cable into, on the LCD panel.

Next, I attached a 4 inch section of two by four on the outside back of the laptop lid. I needed this in order to attach my stand to the LCD screen. I used 5 screws and screwed them in place from the inside. I did splice and extend the cables going from the LCD controller to the inverter it came with just to have a little more room.

Originally, I built a nice wooden stand for my LCD panel but was not satisfied with it. So, I took a broken florescent desk lamp and dremeled off the section holding the florescent tubes, leaving enough metal to screw on to the two by four on the laptop lid. Before attaching the stand, I drilled four holes in the metal to make it easier to screw it on the two by four.

Next you will need to attach the LCD controller to the laptop lid. To do this, screw in a few sections of wood from the inside of the lid. Then on the outside of the lid attach the LCD control board. Place the wood in an area where the control board can reach.

Next you will need to find all those screws you have been saving and reassemble the LCD screen. I also added some surgical tubing to the top springs for added strength.

By the way a store bought swing arm half the size of this one, I found, cost around $400.00. If you choose to use a swing arm like this one, go with the one that has a magnifier on it and dremel off the magnifier leaving enough metal to attach to your LCD lid. You need one of this caliber to hold the LCD screen. Swing arms with the light attached are not strong enough.

Since I was asked about the web cam, I though Should add it to the instructable. There is a nice instructable here at this site showing how to convert a web cam from an LCD screen: http://rntmns.com/2011/02/rebirth-of-a-webcam/

Actually, you can do One better. You can salvage the RAM, the Wireless card, the Batteries, the charger, the hard drive, the DVD disk player and sell them to people that need them on E-bay and Still keep the LCD screen for yourself.

The LVDS cable of the controller board is too short for the way I need it to be, does anyone know if there is an easy or inexpensive way to extend its lenght? (with LVDS cable I mean the 20/30 pin cable that is the main data cable for the display and goes to [in my case] 20 pin on the big board of the controller board)

I checked ebay for the LCD control Board and all I did was punch in " LCD control Board for a LP154W01(A3)" , That"s my model number. You, of course, use your"s. ebay came up with the correct one for $25.00 and it has all the imputs you could want. This is good today, 2/11/19. Have fun folks!

i have a similar lcd panel to yours. infact 3 of them! they"re so easy to work with and doesn"t need a backlight controller LP154WH4 TLA1 except the lvds cable sold separately. I"ve build one and runs on

Nicely done and very informative!! However unfortunately, by the time you add the cost of the LCD Controller card, various parts and time you could have bought a new inexpensive monitor.

it really depends on what kind of display your laptop came with. I recently had a laptop that featured a 4k OLED screen and If I add the price up of the controller kit and materials (depending how you are going to make the stand) it would actually in my case be cheaper to make that an external monitor because, quite frankly 4k is pretty expensive and I don"t want to degrade to a lower resolution. in said laptop the motherboard died so I just scavenged everything including the LCD which I have just lying on my desk. so I might even consider trying this.0

Case modding took off in the late 90s, and taught us all that computers could (and should!) look awesome. Much of the aesthetic went mainstream, and now tons of computer cases come with lights and windows and all the rest. [WysWyg_Protogen] realized those simple case windows could be way cooler with a neat LCD hack, and set to work.

The concept is simple. Take an old LCD monitor, remove the backlight and extraneous hardware, and then install it to the window in a computer case. When lit from behind via LEDs in the case, the screen creates a ghostly display through which the computer’s internals can still partially be seen. It’s a really compelling effect, and in theory, quite easy to achieve. All one need do is mount the stripped-down screen to the case and pipe it video from the graphics card.

In practice, it’s a little tricky. Disassembling the screen and removing things like the anti-glare coating can be tough to do without damaging the delicate panel inside. The windows typically used on computer cases can dull the effect, too. However, [WysWyg_Protogen] is continuing to tinker with the project and the results are getting increasingly impressive with each iteration. It doesn’t photograph too well, but it looks truly amazing in motion.

We often forget LCDs are transparent in their basic form, as we generally only use them with backlights or reflective backers. They really do look great when used in this transmissive way, though. Video after the break.

Actually beside myself right now. How does this look this good? This was a trash pile monitor and this looks like a 700 dollar case upgrade pic.twitter.com/4yBXlcY921

Liquid Crystal Displays or more commonly known as LCDs are one of the most common electronic components which help us interact with an equipment or a device. Most personal portable equipment and even gigantic industrial equipment utilize a custom segment display to display data. For many portable consumer electronics, a segment LCD display is one of the biggest contributors to the overall cost of the device, hence designing a custom segment display can drive the cost down while also utilizing the display area in the most optimum manner. These displays have the lowest cost per piece, low power requirements, and a low tooling fee too.

At first thought, designing a custom segment LCD might look like a Herculean task, but trust me that it is easier than it seems. In this article, we have summarised and compared the display types and available technologies which are required to construct a custom segment LCD. We have also provided a flowchart that can act as a step-by-step guide while you design your own custom LCD. We have also provided the process we followed, a require gathering sheet we used for communicating our needs to the manufacturer, and a few other data and the quotation we received from the manufacturer.

LCD Bias– It denotes the number of different voltage levels used in driving the segments, static drives (explained later in this article) only have 2 voltage levels or 2 bias voltage while multiplex drives have multiple voltage levels. For example, 1/3 will have 4 bias voltages.

LCDs utilizes the light modulating properties of liquid crystals which can be observed by using polarizing filters. Polarizing filters are special materials that have their molecules aligned in the same direction. If the light waves passing through polarisers have the same orientation as the filter, then the molecules of lights are absorbed by the filter, hence reducing the intensity of light passing through it, making it visible.

A custom LCD is important for maximizing the efficiency of the display area by adding custom symbols and characters. It also helps in reducing the cost and improving energy efficiency of the product. A higher number of custom symbols and specified placement of numerical and alphanumerical characters make the display more informative and readable for the user. This makes it look better than the plain old boring displays we get in the market. Furthermore, we can specify the viewing angle, contrast, and other specifications which can increase durability or give a better value for money for our intended usage.  A typical Custom Segment display is shown below, we will also show you how to design and fabricate the same further in the article.

The LCD display doesn’t emit any light of its own, therefore it requires an external source of illumination or reflector to be readable in dark environments.

While designing a custom segment LCD display, we have the leverage of choosing a lot of parameters that affect the final product. From the color of the display to the illumination technique and color of illumination as well as the type of input pins. Some important considerations we need to take while designing a custom 7 segment display are - the type of display, i.e. positive or negative, illumination method, driving technique, polarising type, and connection method. All these design criteria are explained below:

So, which one should you choose? When the displays are to be used in areas with higher ambient light, we should select positive segment LCD display as it has better visibility than negative segment LCD displays without using a backlight.

As we know that LED displays don’t emit any light, hence to illuminate it and make it visible in a dark environment, we can use different methods of illumination. The most common LCD Illumination methods are compared below:

A polarizer film is the most important component of an LCD display, which makes it possible to display characters by controlling the light. There are 3 types of polarizers that can be used in the LCD display, the properties and difference are given below:

If your products need to be used with a switchable backlight, then trans-reflective reflectors are best to be used for front reflectors. If the device has to be used without backlight, then we can select a reflective polarizer for the back-panel as it gives the best contrast ratio.

If your displays have fewer segments, then static LCD drive is preferred as it is easier to control and cheaper to construct, and has a better contrast ratio. But let’s say that if the number of segments in the display are more than 30-40 then a multiplex LCD drive should be preferred as it has multiple common pins, hence reducing the total number of pins required to drive the display.

Choosing a connector type!!! For the prototyping phase or if you need to connect your LCD display on a Microcontroller directly, a pin type connector is the best and most economical option you have. If you need to connect your LCD display in a final product with a high volume of production which also requires to be extremely durable, but at the same time should not take up a lot of space, a Flex type LCD Connector will work best for you

LCDs have limited viewing angles and when seen from an angle they lose contrast and are difficult to be observed.  The viewing angle is defined by the angles perpendicular to the center of the display towards its right, left, up, and down which are denoted by the notations 3:00, 9:00, 12:00, and 6:00 respectively. The viewing angle of LCD can be defined as the angle w.r.t. to the bias angle at which the contrast of segments is legible.

To improve the viewing angle in an LCD, a Bias is incorporated in the design which shifts the nominal viewing angle with an offset. Another technique is to increase the Voltage, it affects the bias angle, making the display crisper when viewed from a direction.

For example, the viewing angle of a TN type TFT LCD is 45-65 degrees. Extra-wide polarising film (EWP) can increase the viewing angle by 10 degrees, using an O film polariser can make the viewing angles 75 degrees but these come at a cost of reduced contrast.

LCD Control chip or LCD driver chips can be mounted on the flex cable, display, or externally on a PCB. The placement of LCD control chip can affect the cost and size of the display. The 2 most common methods of chip placement are-Chip of Board (COB)and Chip on Glass(COG) which are described below:

We planned to design an air quality monitoring system for which we needed a custom segment LCD panel for an air quality monitoring device. Our product needs to display the following data: 2.5-micron and 10-micron particulate matter (PM) suspended in the air; the units should be in parts per million (PPM). CO2 in the air in PPM along with total volatile organic compounds present in the air in parts per billion (PPB). To make the product more usable, we included time in 24-hour format, Temperature in ºC, Battery status, loudspeaker status, Bluetooth status, and Wi-Fi status. And for some personal touch, we also added how good the air quality in the room is by using 3 different smileys.

We realized that it was impossible to provide all these data in a generic LCD available in the market, thus decided to build a custom LCD for our project.

A step-by-step flowchart is shown below to walk you through each and every step of selecting components and getting your custom segment LCD manufactured.

Usually, the displays are mounted at a height of 4.5 feet from the ground, thus the viewing direction was selected to be 12"O clock with an operating frequency of 64Hz. We selected a Transmissive polarizer for the front glass and a reflective polarizer for the rear glass so that the natural light can pass through the front panel and the display can achieve the maximum contrast without the need for backlighting and we opted for the pin type connectors as they are easy for prototyping and are suitable for harsh environment with a lot of vibrations and shocks which best suited our purpose.

We mailed our requirements to multiple LCD manufacturers, (you will find a lot of LCD manufacturers on the Internet). Most LCD manufacturers have competitive pricing, and reply within a week. A sample requirement sheet is shown above which a customer needs to fill to specify all the details to the manufacturer.

This is a sample Custom Segment LCD quotation we got from one of the manufacturers. As you can see, the cost is based on the quantity. Higher the quantity, lower the cost. Apart from the cost per quantity, there is one more component called tooling fees. Tooling fee is a one-time fee charged by the manufacturer. It is for the technical design, support, and customization of the product. Customization of PCB or tooling of LCD can drive the tooling price higher or lower.

A custom segment LCD can help you personalize your product while also saving the overall cost of your product. The whole process will take you around 2-3 months, which will include the designing phase, prototyping phase, and getting your custom segment LCDs delivered to your doorstep. Higher ordering quantity will reduce the cost per piece of each unit, thus driving down the cost of your final product.

2. There are no instructions for removing the old, black adhesive from around the edge of the old case (nor the much needed instructions for reinstalling the new adhesive without damaging it or compromising the purpose of replacing this adhesive). This info is also missing from the adhesive replacement page for the iPhone 11.