How difficult would it be to replace the screen from a laptop, possibly a MacBook Pro, with the 4:3 display from an 12.9 inch iPad Pro?
I'm not worried about the physical constraints as I could just CNC a new chassis and body to fit the differing dimensions. What software or interconnect/controller issues would be present in such a project?
>mac
Lel
Might be able to do it with a thinkpad
>>55384259
Macbook just uses the same connector with any other laptop. I dont know what ipad uses though, look around for some repair videos I imagine but it might be different because of touch.
You can also just buy one of these which are already 4:3:
http://business.panasonic.com/toughbook/semi-rugged-laptop-toughbook-53.html
>>55384272
It's not a requirement that it be a MacBook for the donor laptop, I would be fine with a Thinkpad as well, but I do want to use the screen from the iPad Pro since it seems to be the highest quality 4:3 screen on the market right now.
>>55384279
Thanks. I'll try and find some repair vids that go into detail on the type of connector it uses. Would the fact that its a touch screen pose a problem?
>>55384311
wrong model
http://business.panasonic.com/toughbook/fully-rugged-laptop-toughbook-31.html
>>55384259
if you need to ask then you won't be able to do it yourself
>>55384332
>XGA
Into the trash it goes. Thanks though, those actually look pretty cool anyway.
>>55384349
I can handle machining a new body out of aluminum but you're right, I would need help with other things. Just wondering if this is even remotely possible before I bother some of the engineers/programmers at my work.
>>55384392
>Into the trash it goes
Toughbooks have superb screens. Great viewing angles, and you can read them with the sun to your back at noon.
>>55384259
>Mac
Found your problem.
>>55384547
Sorry, that was a bit of hyperbole on my part but ideally I would want a higher res screen. They do seem to be very good screens for viewing in bright environments though.
The Toughbooks tend to be very expensive no? I wonder if I could just source the screen from somewhere. Also, the link you posted didn't mention, or at least I didn't see it, the aspect ratio, are you sure that it's 4:3?
>>55384574
As I stated here>>55384331 I'd be up for using another laptop as the donor, I just happen to like the 4:3 screen on the iPad Pro. Is there a higher quality 4:3 screen on the market that is readily available?
>>55384599
I'm not the first guy.
They're insanely expensive, but drop in price on the secondhand market. I own a CF-30, which is the earlier generation of the 31, and I can confirm that it's 4:3.
They're pretty much perfect.
>>55384626
Just get a Surface and mount it to the laptop and wire the keyboard over via USB. Then gut the laptop and replace all the empty space with a massive lipo battery.
>>55384639
Thanks for the info. How are you liking the overall resolution of that screen? I've been using a 200+ ppi screen for a while and it was pretty jarring going back to a XGA laptop. Its a matte panel correct?
A major point of this project would be to do something custom so I probably wouldn't outright get a Toughbook to use as is but perhaps I can find a used one at an appropriate price to cannibalize.
>>55384699
The Surface is a 3:2 screen no? That's better than 16:9/10 but I would still prefer 4:3.
Also, I would rather run Linux or OSX than Windows. How compatible is the Surface line with Linux?
>>55384259
You can't use MacBook screens on anything else without the lid. They're entirely one piece.
>>55384702
The CF-30 was matte, I'm not sure about the CF-31, but it probably is. I have a CF-53 that's gloss, but has this non reflective coating on it. The low resolution isn't a huge issue to me, although it does make some webpages require more scrolling. Don't bother trying to make a custom laptop.
Youre in luck, guy. I just checked and it seems the ipad screen uses the same connector as an ordinary laptop. You might be able to just plug it in. And seems like digitizer is another layer so you wont have to worry about touch at all.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-LCD-Screen-Display-Replacement-Part-for-Apple-iPad-2-2nd-Gen-Black-White-/281337497062
I think iPads use some sort of displayport thing for the screens, or at least they can easily be converted to dp monitors, google that first. Might be one of the 'simplest' things you can do, just rewiring the DP connector of the laptop instead of somehow connecting an unsupported display to the connector of the old display.
>>55384742
What do you mean? I don't want to use a MacBook screen, I want to replace it with something else.
>>55384744
Thanks again. I do a ton of custom machining projects at work and I thought it might be a cool challenge while supplying me with something that isn't currently on the market.
>>55384776
Using the same connector doesn't mean it uses the same protocols.
As I said in
>>55384779
OP should first learn more about the ipad screens by reading about the monitor mods. And of course check how it works with the macbook or whatever he plans to use (which should be easier because you might be able to find out with software).
>>55384776
Thanks for that but the iPad 2 screen is a bit small. I'm interested in using the iPad Pro 12.9 inch screen. I believe that screen may be a fused display with the LCD, digitizer and front glass all fused which would be problematic. I don't think they sell the LCD by itself.
>>55384779
Thanks I'll look into this.
>>55384839
>Using the same connector doesn't mean it uses the same protocols.
This is one of the things that concerns me.
>>55384891
hackaday.com/2014/03/12/an-open-source-ipad-display-adapter
If you haven't found this yourself: it is indeed some sort of weird displayport thing, instead of the 'standard' lvds.
and read the comments, there are cheaper adapter boards (assuming the ipad pro uses the same connection).
>>55385000
Thanks for the link, looks interesting. I'm reading through it now.
That screen is still too small for my needs but its a good start.
I may be out of luck with the iPad Pro screen being a fused design. All I'm seeing on eBay are complete lcd, digitizer, front panel assemblies.
>>55384259
Why did everyone stop making 4:3 display laptops? I would think Lenovo would at least offer a Thinkpad model like this.
>>55386188
Because its a /g/ meme and has no actual advantage in any practical situation.
>>55386270
I quite prefer 4:3 or at least 3:2 over 16:9/10. I'm sure others do as well. With all the shit ton of laptops out there I'm surprised more don't offer it as a choice.
>>55386296
>I quite prefer 4:3 or at least 3:2 over 16:9/10
because youre a /g/ memester
>>55386306
Touche.
I would think Lenovo or Dell could at least target the sysadmin market with such a model no?
>>55386339
Why would 4:3 be any better for sysadmin than 16:9
16:9 allows you to have two windows at 8:9 each which is superior to both 4:3 and 3:2 for their purposes.
4:3 is vastly superior for working with text. I still use my UXGA thinkpad.
>>55384259
It's a stupid idea since all you would get is a 4:3 screen surrounded by a massive fuckhuge bezel (or a hole if you're lazy), might as well just opt for the additional horizontal screen real estate.
>>55387265
Going that direction, you may as well just set your resolution to the 4:3 version of whatever vertical resolution your panel is, and set it to center rather than stretch. Same outcome.
>>55386404
Ehh. Just resize your window to about 4:3 in the middle of the screen. You now have the same as if you had a 4:3 screen, except you can also put a bit more like tool windows or notes off on the side.
>>55384259
Just literally buy any 4:3 laptop and harvest the LCD plus the inverter and hook it up to the existing laptop.
Why are you even contemplating this?
>>55387401
Doesn't necessarily work.
>LVDS or eDP?
>LED or CCFL backlight?
>Does the cable reach?
>Does the GPU support the panel?
>Does the BIOS whitelist specific panels you can use?
>>55387497
Then buy a custom $15 inverter off eBay and solder it directly to VGA faggot.
>>55387521
...
...
What?
Are you aware of what an inverter does?
It powers the backlight. You're not getting enough power for that off a VGA port, and VGA doesn't have any signals to control brightness.
If you mean a full converter box to digitize the analog signal and show it on the panel you have, that would be clever if it works. But space is tight inside a laptop and not many people like the "boards and wires taped to the outside of the laptop" look. It's also worth looking into whether the laptop will even boot with no panel attached.
>>55387571
Then gut the laptop and remove the useless inverter that's sitting in there and put the new one in its place. Christ, do you need us to teach you how to use a screwdriver too?
>>55387657
>implying you can fit a VGA->LVDS converter in the space for an inverter
>>55387679
Gut the DVD drive faggot. Can you not think for yourself at all?
>>55387810
But I already use the space for an HDD. It's also worth looking into whether the laptop will even boot with no panel attached.
>>55387265
Sorry, I've been away from my computer. Not sure why the screen would have such a huge bezel? I would plan on mounting it into a custom laptop case so the bezel wouldn't be bigger than the iPad Pro's bezel, which admittedly isn't small.
>>55387401
I would do this but I can't seem to find any 200+ ppi 4:3 laptops from which to harvest a screen. Do you have any suggestions?
>>55387462
Two reasons really. First I really enjoy 4:3 aspect ratio screens, widescreens trigger my autism for some reason.
Secondly, it just seems like a cool project to work on. I work on a ton of custom machining/welding projects and I thought it might be cool to do something with electronics. I currently have a MacBook Pro and I absolutely despise the light silver color as well as the giant lighted Apple logo on the back. I know I could just get a skin or some kind of case but machining is my passion so I starting planning to machine my own custom case. Anodized aluminium also triggers my autism. If I'm going to take the time to design and mill my own case I thought it might be cool to see if I could fit it with a 4:3 display as well.
>>55388065
>I can't seem to find any 200+ ppi 4:3 laptops
A few reasons here:
4:3 all but disappeared from laptops before 200+ PPI was a thing.
Windows is ass at DPI scaling, so high DPI PC laptops still aren't that common.
Laptops put your face further from the screen, so there's less benefit to be had from really high DPI than with an iPad or phone.
B300
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>>55388114
Oh I definitely realize the reasons why there are no, or at least none I know of, high ppi 4:3 screens but after having used a MacBook Pro I don't think I could go back down to XGA. I also think it would be a cool project to try and cobble something together. Like I said, I'm no stranger to custom milling projects but I haven't done anything electronics related and thought it would be fun to try, if possible.
>>55388117
That looks sweet but I'm guessing it's very expensive.
The hilarity of this is that the iPad is solely a media consumption device where 4:3 is shit and unwanted except by baby boomers who want to watch Nick at Night reruns on Youtube without black bars.
>>55388225
Yep, and yet on laptops which are supposed to be more productivity machines were's mostly stuck with 16:9.
>>55388225
>baby boomers who want to watch Nick at Night
Baby boomers: born in like the 40s and 50s
Nick at Nite: I was a 90s kid and remember this, it's not that old
Apart from that, good post. Why the hell don't iPads have 16:9 screens?
>>55388272
And it's almost entirely 40's 50's and 60's content.
Literally, a Surfacebook.
It's not even expensive if you don't need the discrete GPU model.
>>55388378
I'm actually just reading the Anandtech review of the Surface Book screen, it looks pretty great. Not quite 4:3 but maybe I just need to settle for 3:2. I'm don't really want this to be a Windows machine though, I already have a Windows desktop.
Anyone want to take a guess at potential problems with trying to get the Surface Book display to work with a MacBook Pro?
>>55388429
Finding lcd without touch digitizer
Making ios work with custom hardware
Senond problem can be avoided by installing gentoo
>>55388539
>Finding lcd without touch digitizer
Use one with a touch digitizer, just don't plug in the digitizer part and it will work like a non touchscreen.
>Making ios work with custom hardware
Macbooks don't run iOS, and to OS X it's just a monitor so that part shouldn't be a problem.
>>55388600
Yeah, this is what I'm hoping.
It looks like the iPad Pro screen being fused together may be the deal breaker since I would be left with the large iPad bezels and Touch ID sensor cutout. Maybe the Surface Book screen would be an easier choice. Damn, I was really hoping I could do 4:3.
>>55388688
What sort of connector does the iPad Pro use for its screen? If it's LVDS or eDP and the same one as the MBP uses, you stand a chance.
>>55388713
>LVDS
It's not LVDS for sure. Some kind of DisplayPort protocol.
This kind anon>>55385000 posted a link to an adapter.
http://hackaday.com/2014/03/12/an-open-source-ipad-display-adapter/
>How difficult would it be to design and build a laptop entirely from scratch
>>55389091
This isn't from scratch, just a different screen.
>>55390410
>4.3 screen
>16:10 body
