Hacking Monitors!

[manhattan]

After contacting Bob Reed about his large dual monitor for outside view setup, and the problem with the centre obstruction caused by the centre ends of the two monitors, I considered taking apart a monitor to see if I can "loose" the plastic surround and perhaps bring together the actual screens thereby doing away with this centre obstruction which Bob says obscures the runway on finals! I might be hoping for too much, but if anybody has tried getting into an lcd flat screen monitor, I would appreciate any comments? If it IS possible, the stripped down screens, could be re-mounted edge to edge on a backboard for security and safety?

Just a thought, and probably not feasable.........


TONY

[BHawthorne]

If you've thought about it, odds are someone on the internet has done it.

http://www.mikevanelst.com/monitorproject/

[PaulEMB]

Hi Tony,

I stripped the monitors I use on the MIP of my sim - I think there are some pics on my site" MIP Support panel".

On most LCD monitors, you don't gain that much by taking off the plastic, unless of course there are speakers mounted there - the metal frame of the monitor is about 1cm wide once the plastic is removed.

[Michael Carter]

Samsung and Hanns seem to have monitors with the narrowest frame bezels.

Dell are some of the largest. Don't know about others.

[rt72]

As others have said, it's going to depend on the monitor brand whether or not you get any benefit. The bare lcd modules are all about the same.

You could try to use fresnel lenses to magnify both images a bit and eliminate the bezel alltogether. I haven't actually done it, but I know it's possible.

[manhattan]

Hi Tony,

I stripped the monitors I use on the MIP of my sim - I think there are some pics on my site" MIP Support panel".

On most LCD monitors, you don't gain that much by taking off the plastic, unless of course there are speakers mounted there - the metal frame of the monitor is about 1cm wide once the plastic is removed.

Hi Paul.

Your sim is very impressive!!
The reason why I wanted to strip a couple of LCD monitors was to eliminate the centre divide that is typical of most jets. However, I notice that you have a fairly large divide in the front view area yourself. You presumeably built this in for authenticity - but does it restrict your view on finals? I do also notice in one of your screen shots, that the runway on approach appears in captains window, and not in the exact centre. Do you think perhaps that the projected image as oppose to monitors "in your face" might have something to do with the centre divide not getting in the way?

Thanks.

TONY

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Tony. Keep in mind most aircraft have a center mullion. This only tends to impeed the approach from quite a distance away from the field. Remember as you get closer to the runway, the image gets bigger and bigger.

Your second option is to go with the Matrox Tripple or Duel head to go digital module. This unit takes into account the divide between the monitors and shifts the image so your don't loose anything. Keep that in mind.

Trev

[sbecker777]

Here's what I did to strip 3 NEC 19" LCD panels and build a custom rack to hold all three with my TH2Go.

Steve

[Michael Carter]

That looks great. I mean really great. Just as though you were looking out the forward windscreen.

I have to ask though, on a Boeing airliner there is only one center pillar on the windscreen, unlike Douglas designs, and that would bother me to have two seams in the viewing area.

Using a 3HTG, wouldn't it make more sense on a Boeing to use two larger(wider) monitors to give the same amount of area with the seam in the middle and then maybe use the third option for a panel display, or is this not possible with the 3HTG?

Would you have to use the 2HTG?

[jmig]

I use a TH2Go. You really don't see the dead strips between the monitors while flying. Your brain just ignores them.