The monitor is homemade. We assemble an LCD TV with our own hands. Good luck with your new brain projects

It was a breakthrough in “handicrafts”. An article published in Russian that described in detail the process of building a projector at home based on an overhead unit. Although I had previously come across the French site AllInBox.com, I completely underestimated the information I found.

After reading the article in Russian and “entering” the essence of the process, several more resources on the topic were found.

The iXBT.com conference “Do it yourself home theater projector”, at that time one of the most theoretically savvy forums on the topic. The theory was discussed there, there were only a few practitioners, but theorists zealously built their virtual projectors. This good school for beginners. True, today there are already more than 130 pages and it is very difficult to re-read them in one gulp. I advise you to take a notebook and pen to take notes, because... there is a lot of material, the ideas are very interesting.

The already mentioned French site AllInBox. An excellent site completely dedicated to design engineering. A huge gallery of finished projects, theory, links, daily updates, in general, class.

One of the Russian-language resources dedicated to projector construction is the site “Homemade LCD projector for home cinema.” An excellent Russian-language resource, the theory is well described, a gallery of finished projects, a forum, everything on the topic. Respect and respect to the authors of the resource.

The theory was studied thoroughly, as it seemed then, but the manufacturing process itself was constantly postponed, then the topic was abandoned, first due to lack of funds, then time, then because of other projects.

At the beginning of the winter of 2006, after another fall of the Axis and a global reinstallation and cleaning of the machine, I came across the “Cinema” folder in my bookmarks, and again I became interested in the topic. The theory was repeated in just a few days, and the harsh practice of project construction began.

First a little theory

Our projector is no different from the usual “projection apparatus” that we all studied at school in physics lessons. A projection device is an optical device that forms optical images of objects on a scattering surface that serves as a screen. Based on the method of illuminating an object, diascopic, episcopic and epidiascopic projection devices are distinguished. In our case (in a diascopic) projection device (overhead projector), the image on the screen is created by light rays passing through a transparent object (in our case, through an LCD matrix).

Diascopic projection apparatus: 1 - light source, 2 - condenser, 3 - object (LCD panel), 4 - lens, 5 - screen.

In our case, the “light source” is a lighting system consisting of a metal halide lamp, a spherical reflector and a capacitor. A metal halide lamp, with its low power, produces a very powerful luminous flux, plus it provides a color temperature that halogen lamps cannot provide. Plus, the operating time is about 10,000 hours, and it does not burn out like a halogen, but simply loses its brightness. A spherical reflector that stands behind the lamp and reflects light coming in the opposite direction from the LCD matrix.
Today, some enthusiasts use LEDs as a light source, and get good results. http://www.allinbox.com/DARTG_BOX/DARTG_BOX.htm very worthy LED project.

The “condenser” in our case is two Fresnel lenses. It’s like a regular lens, only flat, due to the fact that its spherical surface is in the same plane in the form of grooves.

The “object” in our case is a matrix from a regular LCD monitor or TV. She works for the light.

“Lens” is a triplet. A lens consisting of two convex and one concave lenses to correct aberrations (such distortions).

“Screen” is a homemade screen made of banner fabric.

In general, light from a metal halide lamp through a condenser lens, passes through the first Fresnel, passes through the matrix, thereby receiving information about the color of each pixel. Then it passes through the second Fresnel, collecting into the lens. It passes through the lens and forms an image on the screen. In my case, there is a mirror between the second Fresnel and the lens to rotate the light 90 degrees.

There are also such issues as the body, cooling, focusing mechanism, cooling shutdown delay timer, we will consider these and other issues as we work on the project.

In general, there is a huge amount of room for fantasy, and the most important thing is to understand the principle of its operation, and the rest is a matter of technology. In the above sources you can find a lot of information on the theory of design engineering, as well as a lot practical implementations project, you can see how certain components of the system are made (installed, which ones are used).
A huge gallery of finished projects on the AllInBox website http://www.allinbox.com/allinbox2007.htm - and this is just for this year.

Decision-making

First you need to decide on the choice of components, that is, matrix diagonal, lamp power, lens type, etc. After weighing all the pros and cons, the decision was made: Matrix - 15”, Lamp 250W, Lens from Lumienlab for a 15” matrix, everything else along the way.

To make a positive decision on the construction of the projector, an estimate was drawn up, which was adjusted during implementation. Before construction began, it was just under $400. Really decreased due to the purchase of a used monitor. So we’ll say that the projector cost $350.

Construction costs:

After drawing up an estimate, a 3D model was developed, which prompted the use of studs and the principle of lens mounting.

To build the model, we also used a calculator written by the French and designed to calculate the distances between the components of the system. http://allinbox.free.fr/Programmes/calculeimagev3.rar

The result of the calculations is shown in the figure:

Practical implementation

So, after mentally preparing for the implementation of the project and making the final decision, which happened spontaneously, the time has come to purchase components.

The first thing that needed to be purchased were Fresnel lenses, an LCD monitor and a lens component that was impossible to make yourself, and constituted the most expensive item in the project.

There are very few Fresnel sellers, I would even say mega-few. The most important is Lumenlab.com - Americans, Asians - this is the site 3Dlens.com, the French Izzotek.com, Domestic piskovatsky.narod.ru - the site of Oleg Piskovatsky aka Paramon5. Of course, you can also cite the Germans as an example - exclusiv-online.com, they have a lot of equipment for projectors with small matrices.

Since it was initially decided to build a projector on a 15” matrix and use a sharpened lens, it was decided to order Fresnels and the lens from Lumienlab. There were no problems with placing the order; an S15 kit was purchased, which included 2 Fresnels and a Triplet. Payment by Visa card, delivery by USPS (American Post). Delivery is two weeks, and now the box is received, we open it, everything is in place, packed perfectly, nothing is broken.

Next purchase is an LCD monitor. I didn’t want to buy a new monitor in order to destroy it (remove the matrix), so the choice fell on Second Hand equipment, which can be found in abundance at eBay.com. Purchasing a monitor took a very long time, firstly, due to the lack of experience in this auction, and secondly, due to the fact that I chose a budget of $80 for purchasing the monitor. After a month of communicating with the auction, understanding the principles of its operation, it became clear that it was impossible to buy a normal 15” LCD monitor for that price (I had the sad experience of purchasing for $30 with delivery, supposedly a matrix with a controller from the monitor, but the matrix arrived broken into pieces).

The budget was set at $100 +/-$10 and everything started to improve. For $67+$40 (shipping) I purchased an excellent Xerox monitor. In good condition, fully working. Delivery took 9 days.

While moving towards Ukraine, Fresnel and Monitor, a lamp, a socket, and ballasts (ballasts) for the lamp were purchased. A metal halide lamp is a gas-discharge lamp; it does not have an incandescent filament; in it, the gas pumped into the burner glows when an electric discharge arc passes through it. Therefore, the lamp needs a choke as well as an IZU (ignition unit). Everything is sold in a store that sells lamps and fixtures. A Chinese Deluxe lamp of 250 W, 5800Lm, 4800K was purchased, as well as a choke and an IZUshka.

The lamp was initially chosen to be inexpensive for carrying out experiments and starting work; today it needs to be replaced with a metal halide lamp with a ceramic burner. These lamps have a higher luminous flux.

M6 threaded rods were chosen as the frame fastening mechanism to allow for their adjustment. They needed 2 m. or 4 of 0.5 m each.

Next, the light block is assembled on an aluminum plate. The bracket for mounting the socket has the ability to adjust the position of the lamp. The spherical reflector was purchased at a flea market, most likely from some overhead unit. It is secured using an M3 stud and aluminum plates.

A capacitor (condenser lens) is a completely different story. There were many different ones, all of them burst due to the high temperature, since they are very close to the lamp. Now there is a 120mm capacitor from a film projector, but it also burst. This has virtually no effect on the image.

All this miracle of lighting technology is naturally centered and is located in a stainless steel bowl. At first, only the bowl acted as a reflector, as many foreigners do. But a bowl as a reflector, to put it mildly, is like a sieve as a bucket. Therefore, a normal spherical reflector was installed, and the bowl began to perform a different function, evolving into a heat shield. It prevents heat from heating the walls of the case.

Above the light block there is a heat filter made of K-glass. It allows light to pass through and prevents heat from damaging the matrix. The matrix is ​​a very gentle creature; it works at temperatures below 60 degrees. At higher temperatures it shows nothing, turns brown and dies. The glass is secured using corners made of the same aluminum.

The frames for the Fresnels and the matrix were made of 1.5mm thick aluminum sheet. Everything was cut into strips with a jigsaw and assembled with rivets.

Matrix

The matrix from the LCD monitor will form the image of our projector. To do this, you need to remove the working glass of the matrix, without damaging the flexible cables glued to it, otherwise it will be covered. Of the entire monitor, we need “glass” with a controller, a monitor controller and a power supply. We do not need matrix backlight lamps and an inverter to power them.
It is better to disassemble the monitor in a quiet environment, but on a clean table without foreign objects. All screws that will be unscrewed during disassembly should be placed in some kind of box so that they do not fall on the working surface of the table and you do not damage the working surface of the monitor.

So, we take our monitor, turn it over, and unscrew all the screws that can be unscrewed. Naturally, after this the monitor case will not open, since it has locks around the perimeter. In our case, you can act roughly, but it is still better if the opening of the case occurs in a more civilized manner.

Under the back cover there is a control board or monitor controller and a power inverter for the matrix backlight lamps. Some monitor models also have a power supply, and in some it is combined with an inverter. In my case, the power supply is external.

Carefully disconnect all the wires connecting the boards to each other. It’s better to write down or photograph the connections in advance so that you don’t have to search for what connects where.

The boards are attached to the monitor chassis; we don’t need the chassis either, so we remove the monitor controller board and the board with the buttons. Although some creators use the entire chassis with circuit boards, securing it inside the case.

We unscrew all the bolts that are possible. At the top of the matrix, where the cable is connected, there is a matrix controller covered with a lid. Let's remove this cover. The controller itself is screwed to the aluminum matrix body, unscrew it. Some matrices have another board located on the side of the matrix, connected by a cable to the main one. If it is there, unscrew it too. Naturally we disconnect the cable. Then we carefully bend the controller on the cables outside the matrix body. It is with these cables that you need to be extremely careful, because... they are glued to the glass and the controller board, if they break, that’s ALL, the end.

But all this wealth can be used in modding - a cold cathode lamp, a piece of light-diffusing acrylic, a lamp power inverter. You can make some kind of glowing stand, or simply use a lamp to illuminate the inside of the case.

After removing the backlight, there should be one frame in which the working glass of the matrix is ​​located. This glass with attached controllers will add information about the color of each pixel to the light flux (form an image).

The matrix is ​​mounted on the frame and attached to it using furniture glass guides. They have a small gap, which prevents it from breaking when screwed on. First, the guides were installed, and then the matrix was inserted into it.

The matrix controller is mounted on a perpendicular acrylic stand, which is attached to studs. It might be better if it is attached to the frame, but in my case it was easier.

The matrix is ​​located between two Fresnels. Although sometimes two Fresnels are connected together, and the matrix is ​​placed above the Fresnels. The first, the so-called lamp Fresnel, with a shorter focal length (220mm.). The lamp is practically in focus and, according to theory, the light, after passing through it, travels in a parallel beam the size of a Fresnel.

It is screwed to the frame using homemade holders. Although it was possible to buy a mirror holder, which are used in furniture production.

The second Fresnel, located behind the matrix, has a focal length of 310 mm. It is attached to the frame in the same way as the first one. It is located at an angle, this is a mechanical correction of the trapezius. The fact is that if you install the projector not exactly perpendicular to the screen, but lower, then the geometry of the image will be disrupted, a so-called “trapezoid” will appear, the top side is wider than the bottom. Installing the second Fresnel at an angle compensates for the trapezoid.

The next component of the system in the selected layout is the mirror. The frame for the mirror is made of aluminum, the elements that allow you to adjust the position and tilt of the mirror are made of 3mm acrylic. It is easier to mill grooves in it. Acrylic is attached to aluminum using the same rivets.

The mirror was purchased from a regular glass cutter, but for such things you need to use mirrors with an outer reflective layer. After the first tests, it was decided to convert the existing, ordinary mirror into a “correct” one with an external reflective layer. For this purpose, a remover for old paint “Washing VL-1” was purchased on the market. With its help, the protective layer on the back of the glass was washed off, then the whole thing was washed with soap and water. The result was a mirror that reflected on both sides.

In a regular mirror, light passes through the glass, is reflected from the reflective layer, passes through the glass a second time, and is also reflected from the surface of the glass, so the image is doubled. There is no ghosting when using an external reflective layer.

The last component (in description, not in importance) of the projector's optical system is the lens. The lens was purchased from LumienLab, but many people use domestic lenses made in the USSR.

The lens is mounted on a PVC ring, which is glued into a section of 100mm sewer pipe. Telescopic guides (from furniture fittings) are attached to both sides of the pipe, which I shortened because... no big move needed.

The guides are screwed to the supports that hold the lens against the center of the mirror.

The lens moves along guides, thereby focusing the image on the screen. For this, a motor with a gearbox is used. The gearbox is homemade, assembled from various gears, the rotary bar is made of acrylic.

The mirror is at an angle of 45 degrees. to the flow of light so that the light rotates 90 degrees.

In some places, the mirror frame and lens support are reinforced by creating a T-shaped profile. All connections are angles and rivets.
There are spacers installed diagonally on 3 sides, which give the chassis rigidity.

All optical components, lamps, fresnels, mirrors, and lenses were centered using laser pointer. At the bottom, near the lamp, threads were stretched diagonally between the studs, and at the top above the upper Fresnel. The lamp was placed in the center at the intersection of the threads. Then the mirror was positioned so that when looking through the lens at the lamp, the upper and lower threads merged. Then they shined the light into the center of the lens with a pointer and finally aligned all the components so that the beam passed through the intersections of the threads into the center of the lamp.

Electrical part

The electrical part of the projector consists of a circuit for switching on the lamp, in our case metal halide, and a circuit for switching on the matrix and lamp cooling system, in our case fans.
The lamp switching circuit is shown on the IZU:

And the rest is a matter of fantasy. You can simply connect the fans to the monitor's power supply, or you can make a separate power supply. I decided to make a separate power supply with a timer, which would allow the lamps and matrix to continue to blow for some time when the lamps and matrix are turned off. There is no point in accurately measuring time, 10 min +/- 50% is enough, that’s why I chose simplest scheme timing chain.

It’s difficult to recreate the complete projector circuit, it’s something like this:

The unit has its own transformer (standby power supply). And only a transformer and a diode assembly. Power button (ON) with fixation. When it is turned on, voltage is supplied to the relay, which turns on the lamp and matrix, and also supplies +12 to the fan start timer. When the “ON” button is turned off, the fan relay remains on, since it is held by the charging voltage of the capacitor in the base of the transistor, the capacitor slowly discharges and after about 10 minutes, the fans turn off.

A power connector is installed on the monitor chassis and there is a 5A fuse and a switch in the input circuit

In addition to the power button, there is also an extension button for 10 minutes. fan operation, lens (focus) control buttons, and light indication of lamp, fan, and standby mode operation.

All control buttons and lamps are displayed on a separate control panel.

The monitor controller is mounted behind the mirror on an acrylic plate and connected to the matrix controller.

It is powered by the monitor's power supply, which must also be secured in the case. He couldn't find a better place.

Also on the projector chassis, there is a VGA connector, which is connected to the controller via a homemade cable.

The ballast for the lamp is located at the bottom, because the throttle weighs a good 3 kilos.

Therefore, the lower aluminum plate was screwed to the chipboard plate.

Frame

After assembling the chassis, the whole thing was tested several times. As I already said, the mirror was redone, the condenser lens was replaced several times, because... It was constantly bursting, and then it got a body. Housing made of PVC foam, 4mm thick. Many people make them from chipboard, I have nothing against chipboard, but PVC is a very easy-to-work material. It is cut with a stationery knife, glued with diffuse glue, very easy to drill, bend, in general, a miracle material. A whole sheet was purchased from advertisers. The cutting of the sheet proceeded without any drawings; the configuration and implementation of the building in need was invented on the fly.

The body was made of 2 parts. The first: this is the right side, front and top, and the second: the left side and back.

4 fans were installed in the right wall, which create air movement inside the case. Since the lamp generates a lot of heat, it needs to be cooled effectively.
the following scheme was chosen, two 80mm. The fans stand opposite the matrix and draw air inside the case, while blowing the matrix and the Fresnels. The air reaches the opposite wall of the case, in which a slot is cut, through which it enters the lower part of the case, into the lamp compartment where there are two similar fans that draw air out of the case. Thus, rapid air exchange occurs and the matrix does not overheat.

There you can also see the stiffening ribs glued with reverse side housings.

The body is attached to the bottom chipboard board with screws.

The parts of the housing are also connected to each other using screws.

A control panel is installed on the left side. It is secured with a PVC clamp.

Screen

You can buy a ready-made screen, but you can also make it yourself. You will need banner fabric, only matte and not glossy, and black self-adhesive. Instead of banner fabric, it is better to use awning fabric, the material is the same but thicker, there are fewer folds on it. It would be better to stretch the fabric over a wooden frame. But if there is not enough space, you can make a collapsible screen.

The white banner fabric is edged with black self-adhesive, also matte. Black edging gives a subjective increase in contrast and makes the black color stand out.

I was making a retractable screen. The banner and border were attached to a wooden block with rounded corners. Fastening - small shoe nails at a distance of 5 cm.

Screen width 2300 mm. Sections of M6 studs are inserted into the ends. The screen is nailed to the ceiling using aluminum corners. For fastening, anchors dia. 8mm.

On one side there is a gearbox from the D219-P1 engine. And a 12V motor was chosen as the motor. direct current from the printer. It is secured using an acrylic ring and M3 studs.

There is enough power to lower and raise the screen without any problems.

Well, in general, that’s it. And finally, a few photos with the results.

In the dark:

With a 60W lamp on.

Good luck and happy modding.

Each part of the projection apparatus is a separate story with many questions.

There are situations when it breaks old TV, and there is no point in repairing it. If your plans for the near future did not include an item on creating a home theater, then you should not run to the store for a new TV receiver - watching TV shows on a computer display may well satisfy you. When the size of the screen does not play a big role, then the smallest thing is to find out how to make a TV from a monitor.

Features of LCD monitors

In the memory of middle-aged consumers there are still bulky lamp monitors with high level negative radiation from the kinescope. More compact display options with cathode ray tube(CRT) can still be found on the shelves of some stores. They have been replaced by completely flat models using liquid crystal (LCD) technology. They have undergone many modifications to improve their performance and do not produce harmful radiation.

At first glance, modern LCD monitors are no different from televisions made using the same technology. The only difference between the two is that the displays cannot show television programs due to the lack of a tuner. However, some developers have corrected this oversight by releasing several models with a built-in TV receiver.

But still there are differences. And each device has its own characteristics.

1. On TV receivers diagonal selection much more than monitors. This is especially true for gigantic screen sizes, which displays practically do not have.
2. Minimum allowable distance between the viewer and the TV is three screen diagonals, while you can be at arm's length from the monitor.
3. Pixels on the TV screen are more visible, and the monitor, since it supports many formats, has more dots and is harder to see.
4. System elements the latest models TVs are used more methods for interaction than a monitor. But the latter always use only the most advanced frame scanning.
5. If you take two devices with the same small diagonal, then the monitor will cost less. But if you compare the largest display with the same TV, then on the contrary, the price of a computer screen is much higher.
6. Controllers are not available for monitors for remote control.

Of course, on the most modern TVs that support the monitor function, these differences are significantly smoothed out. But we are not talking about these models.

Using a TV tuner

After purchasing a new monitor, the fate of the old one is to gather dust in the closet. Meanwhile, it can be easily converted into a full-fledged TV. To do this you will need to buy a tuner. But when choosing a device you need to be careful - you will need a completely independent console, and not an application to a computer, even an external one.

Important! A separate TV tuner is essentially a TV, but without a screen. This is achieved thanks to the built-in motherboard. All that remains is to connect the device to the monitor using a wired connection.

To connect you will need to use complex RCA cable. You will also need access to an analog antenna. And if you want to watch programs in a digital signal, then you can’t do without a DVB T2 receiver.

The tuner comes with a remote control remote control. And if the monitor does not have built-in speakers, then you will have to connect separate speakers to the receiver. But in this regard, the choice of decision remains with the owner - sound can be output through a home theater or through a music center.

On the plus side Such a decision highlights the following points:

• no driver installation required when connecting;
• The compactness of the TV tuner allows it to be placed anywhere;
• simple and fast connection can also be applied to a laptop, temporarily turning it into a TV;
• It is possible to connect to both indoor and external TV antennas.
• The tuner can be used as a hub for all home audio systems thanks to its own audio output.

Of the minuses You can note the very weak native speaker of the TV tuner (if it exists at all). Also, devices with a receiver are expensive and do not have USB ports.

Advice! Using an external TV tuner when converting a monitor into a TV is, perhaps, The best decision for places where there is no Internet coverage or the network signal is very weak.

Using a set-top box

If you have Internet access, you can use a set-top box to turn your monitor into a TV. They are different. By using T2 set-top boxes regular monitor turns into a full-fledged TV, showing a high-definition image. Converting a simple tuner into a digital receiver was described above and consists of adding a receiver. But Smart TV set-top boxes are an improved type of tuners that have increased functionality: in addition to watching any TV shows directly from world wide web, you can surf the web and even enjoy the gameplay without a computer.

Advantages of a Smart device:

• access to YouTube, social networks and other useful applications;
• support for both wired and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections;
• receiving a clear signal and demonstrating it on the monitor matrix creates a picture whose quality is much higher than the image on a regular TV;
• The presence of a dual or quad-core processor on the console speeds up all actions significantly.

The disadvantages include the inability to use the set-top box outside the Internet, the high cost and the mandatory presence of an HDMI-VGA converter. Also in this case, you need to be prepared for additional costs for the audio system, which also requires additional space.

Advice! From the above it follows that making a TV from a Smart set-top box is an expensive pleasure, which is relevant only for the city. It will not work to use the method for the dacha option. Yes, and unprofitable.

Using the board

You can use the option without a TV tuner - using a board (skyler), of which there are a great variety. But of all the models, it is better to choose universal ones - they contain a video decoder and all the necessary connectors, including HDMI and USB. Of these, three models are distinguished.

1. MV29.P. A budget option. Although there is one USB port, it is used only for firmware.
2. MV56U. Already with USB support.
3. VST.3463.A. Provides reception of digital and analogue television.

To make a TV this way, you will need to disassemble the monitor and instead of the LVDS board, install one of the three described above. In this case, you may have to replace the cable and add a power supply. You also need to make sure that all parts fit into the monitor body. If you don’t have certain skills, you can’t do without the help of a specialist. Of course, this can increase the cost of the operation, making it unprofitable.

other methods

Don't forget about installing a tuner, but in your computer. Unlike the independent device described above, there are three types of tuners that cannot be connected directly to the monitor - they require a computer or laptop to work.

1. Built-in TV unit. This tuner is inserted inside a computer system or laptop.
2. External receiver. Connects to your computer via ExpressCard.
3. Network tuner. The device is connected to the router, and the software is installed on the PC. The connection is used both wired and Wi-Fi.

If to the old monitor connect your smartphone or tablet, then it can also turn out to be a TV. This procedure will require hdmi cable or VGA with adapters for mobile device. If connected to the Internet, online television will be received on a smartphone or tablet and displayed via wire on the display. If there is no network, the mobile device will work like a regular player. And on big screen the video recorded on the memory card will be demonstrated.

It's even easier to arrange online viewing television broadcast via computer or laptop using IP technologies. To do this you need:

• download IPTV player and install it on your computer;
• then you should load the channel playlist in m3u format into the player, but this must be done through the “Channel list address” item;
• then you need to save everything and use it for its intended purpose.

Features of connecting CRT monitors

There is an option for a homemade TV from an old CRT monitor. Anyone who did not throw away their first display with a tube picture tube can get a completely tolerable TV receiver for the kitchen or cottage. But this will require parts, knowledge and experience in installing radio electronics. VGA inputpresent in every old monitor, and the necessary parts can be ordered on the Internet or visit a special store.

You will need:

• color module - it directly affects image quality;
• TV radio channel - without it it is impossible to select the necessary video and audio frequencies;
• control unit – preferably one with an infrared port for remote coordination.

Let's sort it out old monitor And remove the unnecessary control unit and video card from it. We place the purchased modules inside the case and connect them to the corresponding nodes. You may need to solder in a few resistors, after which your DIY TV is ready. All that remains is to check all the systems and you can connect it to the antenna.

Disadvantages of a monitor as a TV

Very often, monitors have a higher screen resolution than a TV, so their image quality is higher. But since The black depth of the computer display leaves much to be desired, then the impression may be spoiled, especially if you watch the film in the dark. You also need to be very careful with adjusting the contrast - if you exceed it, the image will come out flat.

The response time of the monitor is deliberately made to be long than the TV. This is because a computer display was originally designed to work. It would be very difficult for a person to sit for several hours in front of a screen on which the picture changes very quickly. Therefore, the transitions between images were made smoother - this is much better for the eyes. But when viewing dynamic scenes, the color change will be delayed. For example, where there should already be black, white is still shown. Or there is an object from the previous frame on the screen.

Important! Work on the monitor takes place in close proximity, so developers do not take into account such a factor as the viewing angle. To avoid black spots appearing on the screen and the picture being distorted, the viewer needs to be directly in front of the display when viewing video files - at a right angle.

From all of the above, we can highlight a number of disadvantages that are inherent in monitors acting as televisions:

• greater signal response than television equipment;
• lack of viewing angle;
• insufficient depth of black color;
• Contrast problems.

You can also add the need to purchase adapters for VGA connectors. But this is not very significant.

Which monitor is better

A clear answer to this question No. Experts say that the higher the screen resolution the monitor has, the better the picture will be.. Accordingly, it will be better to display such a homemade TV receiver, even compared to some TV models. Further factors that were described in the previous paragraph will influence.

But nevertheless, experts tested the suitability of the monitor to perform the functions of a TV. And in all positions, computer displays from South Korea, from the famous manufacturer Samsung. They are far ahead of their closest competitors - Sony and LG. Other less famous devices received low scores in these parameters.

So, turning an old and unnecessary monitor into a TV is within the power of anyone. You just need to choose from all the methods the one that suits you best both financially and in terms of capabilities. Of course, you can always contact specialists, and they will do everything at a professional level: both assembling the device and connecting it. But if you follow all the recommendations described above, then you can do everything yourself.

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Surely many of you, having bought yourself new monitor, we wondered what could be made from an old monitor. I was also puzzled by this thought, although I was puzzled by this thought for a very long time, but then there was not such a big choice various devices. But the Chinese brothers are not asleep and are inventing devices with an unprecedented combination of capabilities. One of these devices was a TV set-top box, which I purchased to add capabilities to my old TV.

• Nexbox A95X TV Box: making Smart TV from a regular TV

But having connected it to the TV set-top box, I was a little disappointed in the clarity of the picture, the set-top box was a little difficult to use, but it helped opportunity remote control from a smartphone or tablet. As a result, the console exceeded my expectations because it was used to watch a bunch of videos from home server, but the functionality of the set-top box turned out to be much wider and in the end this small box turned a simple TV into computer controlled by remote control. Why am I doing all this? Read on and you will understand everything.

Since my parents do not like to throw away equipment, the Samsung SyncMaster monitor (CRT monitor), after purchasing an LCD monitor, was carefully taken to storage in a barn at the dacha and safely forgotten there. Once again, while putting things in order in the “junk storage”, my father came across a monitor and wondered whether it was possible to watch news on it at the dacha. But he could only get the answer from his advanced son, that is, from me, which he did by calling me one evening.

The monitor itself:

Because a monitor, to put it simply, is a kinescope with a scanner without a radio receiver, which is in the TV, and without a sound system. In other words, it is a TV, but simplified and devoid of some parts. In fact, the monitor contains only a power supply, a scanner and a video amplifier. The only signal source is the VGA(D’SUB) plug, which is supplied analog signal. What does this mean? This means we just have to find a device that will be the source of the signal.

If you have a newer monitor, then it’s probably even easier, because some monitors, if we’re talking about LCD, were equipped with speakers, and newer ones even have an HDMI input. If you have one, then you have a very wide choice of options on how to make a TV out of a monitor.

First experiment: Smart TV from a monitor

Remembering that I had an adapter from HDMI to VGA lying around, I decided to look for it and, having found the adapter, I took the set-top box and went to my parents. After wiping the monitor from dust and dirt, we connected it to the network and then to the set-top box. Despite the small diagonal, using the set-top box was very, very comfortable due to the clearer picture, since the monitor, unlike a TV, is designed for high resolution and the relatively small font is easy to read.

HDMI to VGA adapter

Now you’re probably thinking: “Cool, I’ll buy myself a console!”, but don’t rush. This was just an experiment because we don’t have sound, VGA only provides a picture. Therefore, if you want to go this way, you will have to purchase an HDMI to VGA adapter with an audio output, something like this:

You can order a similar adapter on Aliexpress, here is a link to the seller: buy an HDMI-VGA converter.

When you go to the product page, all you have to do is find the adapter that suits you, it’s not at all difficult, the main thing is to pay attention to the fact that the adapter has a power connector and an audio output.

Thus, we can make a “smart TV” from a monitor, but we will also have to buy active speakers, which will also have to be connected to the audio jack on the adapter. As a result, we will give the monitor a second life and get a good option for the kitchen or work.

Advantages

Within the dacha, there are no advantages due to the lack of full communications.

Flaws

1. This set-top box is useless without the Internet.
2. Cost of the set-top box.
3. The need for an adapter.
4. Lack of speakers.

Second experiment: ordering a special TV tuner

Since the place where the barn is located is a place remote from communications and, accordingly, there is no Internet there, the set-top box could not function fully there. In addition, the old father was no longer eager to master the next high-tech device and asked to find a TV receiver with a remote control for it.

I present to you a wonderful device that makes a TV from a monitor:

But against the backdrop of recent events with digitalization, this set-top box has lost its relevance.

Digital TV set-top box

Realizing that the presence of digital TV support may be critical for some people, a similar set-top box was found, but with different parameters. You can still connect a monitor to it, but it is no longer possible to connect a computer, and there is no audio output or built-in speaker, which means you will have to connect external speakers.

As you can see, it doesn’t look much different from the previous version, but that’s until we look at the back panel.

As you can see, there is still the same VGA, but in addition to it there is also HDMI. By the way, if you connect this set-top box via HDMI, the sound will come through it. For example, my TV in the kitchen has HDMI, but it does not have digital TV, and if you connect such a set-top box to it, the sound will come from the TV. In addition, this set-top box was also equipped with a USB connector, which makes it possible to watch videos from a flash drive and more.

Just like the first version of a TV tuner for a monitor, this set-top box has RCA (CVBS) sockets.

But unlike the first set-top box, where this is an AV input, in in this case These sockets are AV output, that is, this set-top box, in addition to a monitor and relatively modern TVs, can also be connected to very old TVs.

Features of the console

Since the set-top box accepts digital TV, in addition to everything else, we get a lot of goodies. But first we need to find channels, this is done simply. Press “menu” on the remote control and use the volume buttons to select the appropriate menu item (see photo):

Select “auto search” and press the volume up button. We see the picture:

After some time we will see the found channels and radio stations:

The search for channels is completed, as you can see there are 20 of them in our city, in other cities the number of channels may be different.

By pressing the “info” button on the remote control, you can see what is going on and what will happen next. If you click this button again, you will see more detailed information:

Using the “up” and “down” buttons we switch between gears, and with the yellow and blue buttons we scroll through the description if it is not completely displayed.

To display the program guide, we need to press “EPG” on the remote control:

Use the “left” and “right” buttons to scroll through the channels, and use the “up” and “down” buttons to scroll through the programs.

And here the most interesting thing awaits us. If we press the “OK” button on a particular gear, we will see a strange picture, but if we press the red button, we will see this:

This is adding a schedule for recording a program. Click “OK” again and the task will be added to the queue. The most interesting thing is that we can easily turn off the set-top box, it will turn on itself and record the program. The only thing needed to successfully complete this task is the presence of a flash drive in the USB connector of the set-top box.

A flash drive is also needed for the “timeshift” function, or “pause” in Russian. Yes, you heard right The set-top box can pause TV. But the set-top box will not be able to keep the TV paused for a long time, since the volume of the recorded stream is limited by the settings of this function. By default the volume is 1Gb, but you can increase it. This is done in the menu:

To do this we need to select “PVR Configure” and click “OK”.

Select “Record device” and click “OK” again.

Actually, here we select our flash drive, and just below we set the amount of memory available for recording.

You've probably wondered why choosing a flash drive if there is only one connector. Nobody forbids us to connect a USB-hub to the connector, and to it a flash drive, and external hard, and a card reader.

Three radios are a nice bonus:

Flaws

1. No audio output
2. There is no built-in speaker, you will have to connect external speakers
3. Unable to connect computer

Advantages

1. Digital TV reception
2. Availability of USB
3. Availability of HDMI
4. Availability of AV output

In general, to summarize, we can state a wide range of options. The option with an Android set-top box is suitable for those who want to turn a monitor into a TV for the kitchen or other room where there is access to the Internet. Two options for a TV tuner for a monitor are suitable for those who do not want to depend on the Internet and have a very simple solution for watching TV on a monitor. The first option of a TV tuner is suitable for those who want to supplement their computer with the ability to watch TV, and the second option is suitable for those who simply want to give a second life to the monitor and be able to receive digital TV.

Despite the fact that progress is advancing by leaps and bounds, you should not throw away seemingly unnecessary, outdated things, as we see they can still serve you, but in a slightly different capacity. All you have to do is buy additional device and a useless thing becomes not only useful, but also acquires incredible wide range opportunities.

The goal of this project is to create a solar backlit display that can be mounted on your window.
By creating a device, you will get an energy-efficient display without backlight and inverter.
It's nice to look out the window overlooking your garden and see the time, current weather and weather forecast in the left corner of the window.

For this project we will need:

Old computer LCD monitor (see next step);
Laptop, notebook, or Personal Computer Windows based (or in my case a simple client that connects to virtual machine on the server for improved energy efficiency);
VGA cable of sufficient length;
Gluing gun;
Optional: transparent glue cartridges that require heating.

Step 1: LCD Panel Requirements

There are some requirements for choosing an LCD panel.
As shown in the image above, the top images are the LCD panel without the ribbon cable running behind it.
Some panels, which are shown in the image below, have a ribbon cable that runs from the input PCB (top board) to the output PCB (PCB on the side of the panel). These panels CANNOT BE USED in this project as the cable will be visible and noticeable when illuminated by sunlight. Only panels with two separate boards will work (top image).

Step 2: Disassemble the monitor

At this step you need to completely disassemble the monitor.
Almost everything needs to be taken out.

Here is a list of components that need to be left:
LCD panel (tinted glass like a panel with a printed circuit board attached to it);
Control board (if you can remove the board with the inverter, then remove it);
Flat cable between control board and LCD panel.
!!!BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN HANDLING THE LCD PANEL, IT IS VERY FRAGILE!!!
!!!THE FLAT PANEL CABLE CAN EASILY BE BREAKED!!!

Step 3: Attaching to the Window

To attach the LCD panel to the window, use glue that requires heating.
This glue will provide excellent and reliable fastening of the panel to the window.

I attached my panel on September 1, 2015, and now it is January 18, 2016. It has now been four months without any work being done to reattach or adjust the position of the panel.

Step 4: Attaching the LCD Control Board

The control board is also attached to the ceiling with glue.
It adheres perfectly to the wallpaper and does not come off over time.

Step 5: Cable Routing

Route the cables from the control board to the computer.
It is necessary to extend the power cable of the control board.
You can cut the power cable and take a longer piece of cable, then strip it and solder them together.

Step 6: Software

This project requires:
Browser Google Chrome https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop
Currently (chrome extension) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/currentl…
Auto Refresh (chrome extension) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/auto-ref…

First install chrome browser.
Then install the extensions according to the footnotes listed above.
Typically, if you close and reopen the chrome browser, you will see the Currently page (current time and weather readings).
If not, then open a new tab.

Then configure the Currently page by clicking the three bars in the upper left corner.
It is recommended to use light colors for maximum visibility and set the zoom level to “zoomed in” for better readability.
Install automatic update pages every 15 minutes (usual interval for weather updates).

Job done, brainiacs!
Now you can enjoy the display in your window :).

Step 7: Known Issue

If the panel is attached for a long period of time, bugs may appear between it and the window. Perhaps the reason for their appearance lies in the small amount of heat emitted by the panel. If the bugs start to irritate you, then remove the panel using a hair dryer or heat gun on the lowest setting, clean it, and then put the panel back.
In the end, the bugs are not visible at a distance of one and a half meters from the panel.

Step 8: Final Result

This video demonstrates the operation of the device on the first day after installation.

Good luck with your new brain projects!

Here are the TOP 10 most common malfunctions of LCD monitors that I have personally experienced. The rating of malfunctions is compiled according to the personal opinion of the author, based on experience in service center. You can take this as a universal repair manual for almost any LCD monitor from Samsung, LG, BENQ, HP, Acer and others. Here we go.

I divided the malfunctions of LCD monitors into 10 points, but this does not mean that there are only 10 of them - there are many more of them, including combined and floating ones. Many of the breakdowns of LCD monitors can be repaired with your own hands and at home.

at all, although the power light may blink. In this case, the monitor lights up for a second and goes out, turns on and turns off immediately. Jerking the cable, dancing with a tambourine and other pranks do not help. The method of tapping the monitor with a nervous hand usually doesn’t help either, so don’t even try. The reason for this malfunction of LCD monitors is most often the failure of the power supply board, if it is built into the monitor.

Recently, monitors with an external power supply have become fashionable. This is good because the user can simply change the power source in case of breakdown. If external source If there is no power, you will have to disassemble the monitor and look for a fault on the board. In most cases, disassembling an LCD monitor is not difficult, but you need to remember about safety precautions.

Before fixing the poor guy, let him stand for 10 minutes, unplugged. During this time it will have time to discharge high voltage capacitor. ATTENTION! DANGEROUS TO LIFE if the diode bridge and PWM transistor burn out! In this case, the high-voltage capacitor will not discharge in an acceptable time.

Therefore, EVERYONE check the voltage on it before repairing! If dangerous voltage remains, then you need to discharge the capacitor manually through an insulated resistor of about 10 kOhm for 10 seconds. If you suddenly decide to short-circuit the terminals with a screwdriver, then protect your eyes from sparks!

Next, we proceed to inspect the monitor’s power supply board and replace all burnt parts - these are usually swollen capacitors, blown fuses, transistors and other elements. It is also MANDATORY to solder the board or at least inspect the soldering under a microscope for microcracks.

From my own experience I will say that if the monitor is more than 2 years old, then 90% there will be microcracks in the soldering, especially for LG, BenQ, Acer and Samsung monitors. The cheaper the monitor, the worse it is made at the factory. To the extent that the active flux is not washed away - which leads to failure of the monitor after a year or two. Yes, yes, just when the warranty ends.

2nd place - the image blinks or goes out

when you turn on the monitor. This miracle directly indicates to us that the power supply is faulty.

Of course, the first thing you need to do is check the power and signal cables - they must be securely fastened in the connectors. A flickering image on the monitor tells us that the monitor's backlight voltage source is constantly jumping out of operating mode.

3rd place - turns off spontaneously

after the time has elapsed or does not turn on immediately. In this case, again, there are three common malfunctions of LCD monitors in order of frequency of occurrence - swollen electrolytes, microcracks in the board, faulty TL431 chip.

With this malfunction, a high-frequency squeak from the backlight transformer can also be heard. It typically operates at frequencies between 30 and 150 kHz. If its operating mode is disrupted, vibrations can occur in the audible frequency range.

4th place - no backlight,

but the image is visible under bright light. This immediately tells us that LCD monitors are faulty in terms of backlighting. In terms of frequency of occurrence, it could be placed in third place, but it is already taken.

There are two options - either the power supply and inverter board burned out, or the backlight lamps are faulty. The last reason is not common in modern monitors with LED backlighting. If the LEDs in the backlight fail, then only in groups.

In this case, the image may darken in places at the edges of the monitor. It is better to start repairs by diagnosing the power supply and inverter. The inverter is that part of the board that is responsible for generating a high-voltage voltage of about 1000 Volts to power the lamps, so under no circumstances should you try to repair the monitor under voltage. You can read about repairing the power supply for a Samsung monitor on my blog.

Most monitors are similar in design, so there shouldn't be any problems. At one time, monitors simply fell off due to poor contact near the tip of the backlight. This can be cured by carefully disassembling the matrix in order to get to the end of the lamp and solder the high-voltage wiring.

A simpler way out of this unpleasant situation can be found if your friend-brother-matchmaker has the same monitor lying around, but with faulty electronics. It won’t be difficult to make two monitors of similar series and the same diagonal.

Sometimes even the power supply from a monitor with a larger diagonal can be adapted for a monitor with a smaller diagonal, but such experiments are risky and I do not recommend starting a fire at home. But in someone else’s villa, that’s a different matter...

6th place - spots or horizontal stripes

Their presence means that the day before you or your relatives had a fight with the monitor over something outrageous.

Unfortunately, household LCD monitors are not equipped with shockproof coatings, and anyone can offend the weak. Yes, any decent poke with a sharp or blunt object into the matrix of an LCD monitor will make you regret it.

Even if there is a small trace or even one broken pixel left, the stain will still begin to grow over time under the influence of temperature and voltage applied to the liquid crystals. Restore defective pixels Unfortunately, a monitor won't work.

7th place - no image, but backlight is present

That is, a white or gray screen appears on your face. First, you should check the cables and try connecting the monitor to another video source. Also check whether the monitor menu is displayed on the screen.

If everything remains the same, look carefully at the power supply board. The power supply of an LCD monitor usually generates voltages of 24, 12, 5, 3.3 and 2.5 Volts. You need to use a voltmeter to check if everything is okay with them.

If everything is in order, then carefully look at the video signal processing board - it is usually smaller than the power supply board. It contains a microcontroller and auxiliary elements. You need to check if they are getting food. With one probe, touch the contact of the common wire (usually along the outline of the board), and with the other, walk along the pins of the microcircuits. Usually the food is somewhere in the corner.

If everything is in order regarding the power supply, but there is no oscilloscope, then we check all the monitor cables. There should be no soot or darkening on their contacts. If you find something, clean it with isopropyl alcohol. In extreme cases, you can clean it with a needle or scalpel. Also check the cable and the board with the monitor control buttons.

If all else fails, then perhaps you are faced with a case of broken firmware or microcontroller failure. This usually happens from surges in the 220 V network or simply from aging of the elements. Usually in such cases you have to study special forums, but it’s easier to use them for spare parts, especially if you know a familiar karateka who fights against unwanted LCD monitors.

8th place – does not respond to control buttons

This case can be easily treated - you need to remove the frame or back cover monitor and pull out the board with the buttons. Most often there you will see a crack in the board or in the solder.

Sometimes there are faulty buttons or cables. A crack in the board violates the integrity of the conductors, so they need to be cleaned and soldered, and the board must be glued to strengthen the structure.

9th place - reduced monitor brightness

This occurs due to aging of the backlight bulbs. LED lights According to my data, it does not suffer from this. It is also possible that the parameters of the inverter may deteriorate, again due to the aging of the components.

10th place - noise, moire and image jitter

This often happens due to a bad VGA cable without a suppressor. electromagnetic interference- ferrite ring. If replacing the cable does not help, then it is possible that power interference has penetrated into the imaging circuits.

Usually they are eliminated from the circuit design by using filter capacitors for power supply on the signal board. Try replacing them and write to me about the result.

This concludes my wonderful rating of the TOP 10 most common malfunctions of LCD monitors. The bulk of data on breakdowns was collected based on repairs of such popular monitors as Samsung, LG, BENQ, Acer, ViewSonic and Hewlett-Packard.

This rating, it seems to me, is also valid for LCD TVs and laptops. What is your situation on the LCD monitor repair front? Write to and in the comments.

Sincerely, Master Pike.

P.S.: How to disassemble the monitor and TV (how to snap off the frame)

The most FAQ when disassembling LCD monitors and TVs - how to remove the frame? How to release the latches? How to remove the plastic case? etc.

P.P.S.: Power supplies and frequent malfunctions of LCD monitors

IN Lately Monitor manufacturers are increasingly equipping new monitors with external power supplies in a plastic case. I must say that this makes it easier to troubleshoot LCD monitors by replacing the power supply. But the operating mode and repair of the power supply itself complicates the operation - they often overheat.

I showed how to disassemble such a case in the video below. The method is not the best, but it is fast and can be done with improvised means.

DIY LCD monitor repair

A common malfunction is when the LCD monitor lights up for a second and goes out. What to do in this case and how to use this TOP of faults.

It's simple. To repair your LCD monitor, follow these steps:

• Step 1. Disconnect the monitor from the 220 V network and from the computer and decide whether we will repair it ourselves or take it to a service center for diagnostics at an inexpensive price.
• Step 2. If you decide to figure it out yourself, then take the tools: screwdrivers, a knife or scalpel and a soft base to lay the monitor down with the matrix.
• Step 3. Disassemble the LCD display, observing safety precautions and remembering the latches. How they open is shown in the animation above.
• Step 4. Discharge the high voltage capacitor. It is necessary! Especially if you want to achieve a positive result of the repair.
• Step 5. Inspect the board for swollen capacitors, burnt transistors and microcracks.
• Step 6. If any findings are found in Step 5, replace the burnt ones and solder the cracked ones.
• Step 7. Check the functionality of the monitor, observing safety precautions. If everything is ok, then go to Step 10.
• Step 8. Take a multimeter and test the fuses, diode bridge, transformers and transistors. Replace burnt radio elements.
• Step 9. Check the operation of the LCD monitor. If the monitor continues to blink, check the voltage at the test points on the board. This requires knowledge of circuit design, as well as a service manual with an ideal circuit. Further actions difficult to describe in general terms. This is where the creative process of the Repairman begins. To discuss, write in the comments or contact.
• Step 10: If you successfully repair the flickering LCD monitor yourself, do a test run for 2-3 hours in a disassembled state. After this, the monitor can be assembled and used.