Hello,Someday I intend to build a home cockpit. Currently it looks like it will be forever and a day away but at some point it will happen.My question is this. I have an old Dell Inspiron 7000 laptop computer. The LCD screen was replaced two years ago. Another part of the computer faild shortly after that and I haven't used it since. Is is likely that I would be able to use the LCD in a home cockpit project down the road? I was considering taking it to a computer donation center but I will keep it if the screen might be useable as a PFD or ND or the like.Thanks in advance,Larry Brown

By searching the web, the conclusion it that it's not possible, there are no suitable connections into the LCD screen that enable it to be connected to a regular graphic card. The graphic card used to drive the LCD in laptops are built into the motherboard.Johan

Then again .. if you don't plan on using the laptop anyhow .. why not make it such that the 90

Because the laptop doesn't work at all!I too can second that the LCD is of no practical use because of the almost impossible way to interface it to a standard VGA card.(You can still try to sell it for spares in a online auction though)

D'OHsorry :$

Thanks for the information. I believe that the built-in graphics card is the cause of the current problem with the computer. I will likely bring it to the donation center as I believe it will be going to a good cause.Thanks again,Larry Brown

hold that thought...There is a way, as long as you have the converters (the power inverter, the backlight unit and the controller board, you can hook all that into a board someone made called a Rage...it takes a VGA connection to your main graphics card and it processes all the information for your LCD screen....Theres more to it, but still, it's how I plan to make all my displays for my pit....check out http://www.shopeio.com and go to the LCD | Controller section...its down right now, but should be up soon...

Hello,Thanks, I missed the drop day for the old computer donation center. I appreciate the info. It looks like I might be starting the building of my sim sooner as opposed to later with some Phidgets.Thanks,Larry Brown

Usually the problem with those boards is that in the end it is just as "cheap" to get a new real 15" TFT monitor from the shop..//Tuomas