Diy tv from the monitor. Pros and cons of using a TV as a monitor

Laptops break down and become obsolete, but some of the components in them remain working and can still serve. If the laptop screen is working properly, it can be removed from the case and turned into a monitor. How to do it?

Disconnect the laptop from the power supply and remove the battery (if it is external and not installed inside the case).

Disassemble the case. Opening of different laptop models is carried out in different ways, but on the whole there is nothing difficult in this: you need to unscrew all the bolts (including those hidden, for example, behind the DVB-drive) and carefully open the lid. Then dismantle the elements that prevent you from reaching the panel and unscrew its fasteners. Never touch boards, microcircuits or wires. Static electricity can destroy components that are still working and may be useful.

Connect the matrix to a universal LDC controller - for example, LA.MV29.P or equivalent. You can buy it in online stores (AliExpress, Banggood, etc.)

This controller is powered by a 12-volt adapter and supports almost all LCD models. The image can be fed to the controller from a computer, laptop or tablet through the HDMI, VGA or AV port, the supported resolution is up to 1920 × 1200 pixels. In addition, this card can serve as a TV tuner and display TV channels. The package includes a remote control and an infrared sensor.

Before placing an order, it is worth informing the seller about the model of your matrix, so that he picks up a controller that is guaranteed to suit you. An important point: you must find out with what voltage the matrix works, this will be required for the correct pinout of the loop. View the model on the back of the die, go to datasheet4u, find that model and see its specs. Move the jumper on the universal controller to the appropriate position: 3.3, 5 or 12 volts. Be extremely careful: if you set the voltage higher than required, the matrix controller may burn out.

The controller will need to be flashed. To do this, copy the lamv29.bin file from this archive to the root of the flash drive, insert it into the USB port of the included controller, wait a minute, turn off the power, disconnect the flash drive, turn on the controller again and check if the matrix is working properly. In the menu, you can change the language from Chinese to Russian.

To configure the automatic switching on of the matrix when power is applied, go to the settings and enter 1147 on the remote control. The service menu will open. Go to the Advanced Setting sub-item and set the AC on Mode option to On.

The controller can be hidden in some kind of case or simply glued to the back of the matrix. As a case for the matrix, you can use a laptop or monitor case. Of course, you can leave it as it is, although such a design will not look very aesthetically pleasing. If you are using a matrix without a housing, it can be installed in a tablet holder with adjustable tilt angle.

There are situations when we need another TV, but we cannot buy it for many reasons. Then the question arises - is it possible to use a monitor as a TV? Or is it possible to connect a TV set-top box to the monitor?

If you have an old computer monitor, then it is quite possible to use it as a TV. This transformation is achieved in several ways. The simplest of them, you guessed it, is to connect the monitor to a set-top box. You do not need a system unit, keyboard, mouse and various cords for them. You need nothing more than to connect the monitor to a digital TV set-top box directly and use it only as a TV screen.

Connecting the set-top box to the monitor

Buying and connecting a DVB-T2 set-top box to a monitor is a reliable way to miraculously transform a computer display into a television receiver. Modern displays, like TVs, are equipped with built-in speakers and are almost a stand-alone device. But if you have a regular monitor (perhaps even a tube one), then you will need separate speakers - you connect them to the corresponding connector on the DVB-T2 decoder. It's great if they come with stereo sound. If desired, you can purchase speakers on the remote control.

An external digital set-top box is an independent device that connects to an electrical network, a TV antenna and a monitor. It is controlled with a remote control, like a regular TV.

The situation with DVB-T2 receivers is such that the manufacturer did not intend to connect them to computer monitors, but only to TVs. At the same time, new monitors, like modern TV sets, are equipped with an HDMI connector, which is present on set-top boxes, while old ones can only be found VGA and DVI-D.

The options for connecting it to a digital television set-top box will depend on which connectors you find on the display. The following combinations are possible (see table).

How to connect a TV box to a monitor

If you already have a free display, and you want to purchase a set-top box for watching TV, then pay attention to a hybrid digital TV tuner equipped with both VGA and HDMI slots. If the design additionally includes jacks - "tulips", where you can connect speakers, then you are just lucky: you are the owner of a universal device compatible with various models of television equipment.

But what if you got a connection option with mismatched interfaces? Special adapters will come to the rescue, which are on sale in any electronics store or on a well-known Chinese trading platform. As for the latter, there you can find the most unexpected combinations of adapters. Some converters, being a full-fledged device with a board inside, require power supply. The other feature is the need for a separate audio signal output using an additional cable.

Another way to connect an old monitor to a digital set-top box is to use YPbPr or SCART jacks that work with an analog signal. To do this, you need an AV to VGA signal converter.

Pay attention to the characteristic such as the length of the connecting cable. Surely, you know how the length of the antenna coaxial wire affects the signal attenuation. So, there are requirements for the cables connecting the displays with the T2 decoder:

VGA - no longer than three meters;
HDMI - no longer than five meters;
DVI - not exceeding ten meters.

If, after connecting all the cables (do not forget about the antennas) and turning the devices into the network, the screen is empty or an error message appears, then this indicates a problem with one of the devices or a cable incompatibility.

TV box connectors and ports

To understand which jacks are used to connect a DVB set-top box to a computer monitor, you need to get acquainted with the types of connectors that this type of gadgets is equipped with. It is noteworthy that depending on the class of the monitor and the year of manufacture of the set-top box, the set of connectors may differ. So take a close look at the back panel of your devices.

Antenna connector

Previously, it was the most important thing in our television sets: an analog TV antenna, a video player or a satellite TV tuner was connected to it. Today it is used to receive digital terrestrial television using a classic external antenna.

HDMI

The HDMI multimedia interface is the most important functional connector. It is responsible for the simultaneous transmission of digital video and audio. Sharing media does not result in loss of picture or sound quality. It is good regardless of the connected devices such as a monitor, camera, camera or player.

Euro / Scart

Thanks to it, outdated devices are compatible with more modern equipment. This is especially true when there is no HDMI connector. This connector has been in use for many years, but will soon be a thing of the past.

USB

USB is a connector with the ability to connect equipment such as a camera, webcam, flash drive, MP3 player, and even a smartphone. The USB input is determined by the version standard: the higher it is, the faster the transfer of multimedia from devices to the TV screen. Later receivers have a USB 3.0 version. Today, the USB connector is the main parameter of any TV.

VGA

VGA transfers video from external devices to a TV, such as a monitor to a TV screen. The connector is useful for legacy equipment that does not have an HDMI input (laptop or computer). Then VGA ensures device compatibility, allowing images to be transmitted.

DVI

DVI technology replaced VGA and was developed for connecting image display devices, the connector does not transmit an audio signal. The DVI and HDMI connectors are mutually compatible and can be combined with each other using the appropriate adapters.

Memory card reader

It serves to display multimedia on the TV screen of portable memory cards. More and more manufacturers offer this alternative and convenient solution - it is faster to use the reader directly, bypassing the USB port.

Ethernet / LAN

The Ethernet / LAN connector or local area network is the main function that provides the TV's connection to the Internet. Thanks to it, you can use a wired connection to access search engines, applications, services and all the online tools that Smart TV has.

Component input

Component input makes it possible to send a high-resolution analog image from other equipment directly to the viewing screen.

Answers to the question "how to make a TV out of a monitor?" several. Consider the most affordable ways to turn a computer monitor into a television screen. The only condition is the presence of built-in speakers.

For an LCD monitor equipped with an HDMI connector, it is enough to buy a special receiver for digital channels. After connecting it, it will become possible to use an unnecessary monitor as a home TV. A positive additional point will be the presence of several connectors for the display and video card, which will significantly reduce the number of switches between them.

You can also connect using a more expensive satellite and cable TV receiver. It is imperative to check the compatibility of the broadcast standard in it and with your service provider, as well as the presence of an HDMI jack. Each user chooses his own tuner, which meets individual requirements. Can I use it independently of my computer? Yes. By connecting any of the receiver models, you can make a TV out of the monitor.

How else can you make a computer monitor a TV if there is no HDMI connector? There are two possible variants of this situation: when HDMI is present on the tuner, when it is also absent. In the first case, the receiver is connected to the monitor using a special adapter. It is in this case that speakers in the computer screen will be needed, otherwise you may encounter a lack of sound. In the second case, you can try to attach with the help of "tulips", but there is a possibility of encountering a lack of sound or image on the TV.

Connecting a small diagonal computer monitor to the TV will create a convenient model with a small screen, fully satisfying the requirements for placement, for example, in the kitchen.

Redesigning the monitor

In order for the monitor to be used as a television device, it is imperative that there is no damage to the matrix. Consider how to make a TV using a soldering iron, if you have the skills to repair equipment.

The Chinese have created a special scaler board that helps to make a TV with your own hands from any available matrix that works with the LVDS interface. This board allows image output through any connector. You can use the monitor as a TV with a scaler board if you replace its filling with a purchased one. In this case, you need to additionally buy a special LVDS loop.

Older LCDs may require replacement of the backlight. You can use LED strips and an inverter that regulates the brightness.

We make a TV from a monitor

We remove the suspension leg.
Remove all fasteners from the back of the case.
Detach the front frame.
Remove the protection of the electronics unit.
Disconnect the cables from the boards inside.
We remove the controller of the board, which contains connectors for connecting to a computer.

Next, we construct a TV set from an old monitor by soldering according to the instructions that are offered along with the board upon purchase. You need to choose a board with a built-in decoder, which will make it possible to play channels without additional devices. Before connecting the selected monitor to the TV, you need to make sure of your abilities and knowledge of the language in which the instructions are given.

Determine the location of the power supply and connect to the board power supply (12V).
We are modernizing the case, taking into account the design features of the new board.
Check the output of the receiver on the front panel, because the control panel is often included in the package.
We set up channels and new technology in general.

Having considered all the advantages of the alteration, a detailed step-by-step description of how to make a TV out of a monitor, you can talk about small shortcomings. The most important disadvantage of the procedure is its complexity, as well as fragility, because soon simple tuners will be taken out of use. It should also be borne in mind that the monitor loses the manufacturer's warranty upon the first intervention.

It is impossible not to mention also the presence of universal devices, which initially provide for the possibility of using as a TV device and as a computer. Their cost, of course, exceeds the cost of a home-made device, but sometimes it is better to overpay in order to get the perfect result. Read also,.

Thin Ultrabooks, Mini PCs, and All-in-One devices do not come with an integrated optical drive due to space constraints. However, a user who wants to play or burn DVDs will need an external USB solution.

The most inexpensive option is a used desktop or laptop DVD recorder installed in a suitable enclosure. The compact drives are powered via USB, while the larger 5.25-inch models require an additional power supply.

Users who find the usual plastic case too boring can turn their attention to such high-quality models as, for example, the RaidSonic Icy Box IB-550StU3S with illumination (about 5,000 rubles on eBay).

Labor intensity: medium; costs: 1500 rubles.

DECT cordless phone becomes a baby monitor

An existing cordless telephone can be used as a baby phone without much effort and additional cost, and thus more conveniently monitor your baby's sleep. This requires only a used DECT telephone.

Most models, regardless of manufacturer, support GAP technology. You only need to register the old cordless handset with the DECT base station. How this function works on a case-by-case basis is described in the respective instruction manual. In most cases, the PIN code required to connect to the base is “0000”.

After registering the handset, find the “Baby Monitor / Direct Call” mode in the menu, which is supported by most devices. After activating the function, the handset can be placed in close proximity to the child. When a certain volume of sound is exceeded, the call will ring on the other device.

Labor intensity: small; costs: no

The router becomes a repeater

An old wireless router can be used as a repeater in your home network and thus optimize the quality and range of your wireless network. We'll show you how to reconfigure it.

1. Open the interface of the router that connects to the Internet. Usually, to do this, in the address bar of the browser, you need to enter an address like 192.168.1.1. Under “System”, check the software version and download updates if necessary.

2. Then, under “Working Mode”, check if the “Router” operating mode is enabled. Note that these items may have a different name on your router.

3. Now use a network cable to connect your old router to your computer, turn off the wireless connection, and open the router's user interface in your browser. If you need to update the firmware, go to the manufacturer's page and download the software for your model to your computer. Then open the menu item "System / Update" in the menu of the old device and specify the path to the file with the update.

4. Now in the menu item "Working Mode" of the old device select the operating mode as repeater. Next, select your home wireless network from the list of available networks, enter the password. An old router will immediately expand your wireless network. If there is no such item in the configuration of your router, try installing the DD-WRT alternative firmware.

Labor intensity: small; costs: no

Turning your monitor into a computer

Do you have a monitor that you can't find a use for right now? With a little investment, you can turn it into a full-fledged computer. To do this, you'll need a mini PC like Intel's Compute Stick (around £ 1,000).

This "baby", despite its pocket size, is a full-fledged PC with an Atom processor, 2 GB of RAM and Windows 10. It easily connects to the monitor via HDMI, keyboard and mouse can be connected via USB or Bluetooth.

An even more affordable option is the Raspberry Pi computer (about 4,000 rubles), but you will have to be content with only Linux distributions.

Labor intensity: medium; costs: 4000 rubles.

Search for extraterrestrial life

Is there life outside of our solar system? How can you improve the particle accelerator? How will the climate change in the coming decades?

If you want to take part in the search for answers to these questions, then you can put your technology at the service of science. The BOINC software platform of the University of California at Berkeley is one of the most famous software systems for organizing distributed computing.

The most famous projects include [email protected]- a program for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. To participate in it, you need to install the free BOINC software on an unused computer, connect it to the Internet and allow it to be used on the computer network.

Labor intensity: small; costs: no

Turning your PC into a media center

A no longer used computer or a decommissioned laptop can be turned into a powerful media center without much hassle and additional costs. In this case, two scenarios are possible: you operate the computer as a separate system with a monitor, or you place it near the TV and connect devices via HDMI ports.

The software used is Kodi (https://kodi.tv/), which many people know by the previous name Xbox Media Center (XBMC).

First steps: In the main menu item "Settings / Appearance", or "Settings / Appearance", on the "Language settings" tab, you can select the language, region and keyboard layout. Then tell the Kodi program where the media files are located. In the main menu, in the "Photos", "Video" and "Music" sections, you can specify the path to the data.

Labor intensity: medium; costs: no

These PC components should be kept

> Hard disk: High capacity drives are always needed and can be used as external HDDs.

> RAM: RAM modules can be easily removed and used to upgrade another personal computer.

> Discrete graphics card: do not throw away your graphics card, but keep it as an important spare.

Photo: manufacturing companies

Tags dect

Hello, friends! In today's article, I will take a closer look at the pros and cons of using a TV as a monitor for a computer. Despite the external similarity of modern monitors and TVs, they have many internal differences.

To make the right decision, we must identify these differences and, based on the information received, decide whether it makes sense to use TV instead of a computer monitor.

To accurately determine the possibility or impossibility of using a TV as a monitor for a PC, we must compare these two devices according to certain parameters:

The convenience of use;
Screen type;
Visible area parameters;
The type of connection to the computer.

Now about everything in detail and in order.

It was not for nothing that I put convenience of use as the first point, since for many this will become a determining factor when choosing a particular device as a computer screen and there will be no need to read the article further. I must say right away that ordinary monitors are much more convenient to use than TVs.

The TV does not have height and tilt adjustment like most monitors, which creates certain inconveniences when placed on a table. If you use a TV mount on a bracket, then this drawback can be avoided, but you need to allocate quite a lot of space, which not everyone can afford;
TVs are much larger in size and weight than monitors, which also imposes certain requirements on its location.

In the correct position, the person sitting near the monitor should be at a distance of 50cm. Under such conditions, the convenience of using monitors, as well as TVs instead of monitors with a diagonal of more than 27 inches, becomes uncomfortable due to the inability to cover the entire screen at once. When working with many small elements, glances from one place of the screen to another cause very quick fatigue, which seriously affects performance.

Optimally convenient, in terms of viewable area, I consider displays with a diagonal of 26 or 27 inches with a resolution from 1920 × 1080 to 2560 × 1440. No wonder one of the best computer monitors from Apple is 27 inches.

Determining the type of screen

Today there are only two main technologies for manufacturing TV screens. Based on liquid crystal matrices and plasma panels. The latter will most likely soon be abandoned (if there are no breakthrough technologies), since in all respects, the cream for transmitting the color of the image (especially black) is inferior to LCD. I strongly advise against using a plasma TV as a computer monitor, since their screen resolution is much lower than that of counterparts with LCD matrices. Possible only for viewing video materials.

Outdated or specific types of screens (CRT, Projector, projection TV), I will not consider within the framework of this article. Laser TVs also began to appear on the market, but they are very expensive, and the impact of this method of image formation on human health has not yet been fully studied.

We immediately screened out the plasma as an unsuitable option. As a result, we were left with only liquid crystal technology. Although the technology is the same, but the approaches, methods and materials themselves are different, which creates such a variety of technical characteristics of various devices. We have decided on the type of screen, now let's move on to a detailed study of its characteristics, which greatly affect the ability to make a TV a PC monitor.

Visible screen area options

Screen size (diagonal);
Permission;
Pixel size;
Pixel response time;
Screen refresh rate;
Color depth;
Viewing angle.

Screen size or diagonal is a definite plus in favor of connecting TVs as PC monitors. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the question of using TV as a computer monitor arises precisely because of this parameter.

If for computer monitors the maximum diagonal is 32 inches, then for TVs it is very small. The most popular TV models start from 42 inches up to 50. And the demand for larger diagonals is growing.

LCD TVs, diagonally comparable to monitors, are always inferior to the latter in quality. Usually they have lower screen resolution and matrix quality. Therefore, if you are faced with the choice to take a TV instead of a monitor with a diagonal comparable to computer monitors, then the answer is unequivocally negative. Any, even the cheapest monitor of this size will be an order of magnitude better than a TV.

Connecting a 3D, full hd TV or just a TV with a larger diagonal to a computer than a monitor has both positive sides and disadvantages.

The pluses include:

The large screen size and adaptation of the settings specifically to watching videos makes it much more comfortable to watch movies, photos, etc. materials;

If there is not enough space in the apartment or room to accommodate a full-fledged computer with a monitor, connecting a TV will be a good solution, and by connecting an antenna you can watch TV channels. Switching between monitor and computer modes is done in two seconds using the remote control.

Minuses:

At first, it is difficult to get used to this screen size. You have to look in one corner of the screen, then in another. Over time, you get used to it, but you have to select a distance at which it becomes convenient to work;

With the same resolution of the monitor and TV, but with different diagonals, the latter will always have an average pixel size almost twice as large, which will be very noticeable when viewed from a close distance (grain appears in the image). To keep the pixel as small as a computer monitor at such large diagonals, a 4K TV can be used. Resolutions start at 3840x2160 (Ultra HD). But there is a small point. In order for a computer to pull such a resolution, a fairly powerful video card is needed, which is not cheap, and the TVs themselves are much more expensive than ordinary ones.

The next drawback that prevents you from replacing a computer monitor with a TV is Input lag... This is a technical feature in which the electronics have some delay in processing the signal from the mouse or keyboard. Many people confuse this feature with pixel response time, but it is not.

On a physical level, this is very noticeable by the movements of the mouse on the screen. If on a computer monitor, when the mouse moves, the cursor instantly repeats your actions, then on TV this happens with a rather noticeable delay, which creates discomfort. It looks like the cursor is floating.

This nuisance is measured in ms (millisecond). The Input Lag will especially affect those who want to play computer and online games on a big TV (and why else do we need it :)). For a comfortable game, this indicator should be no more than 40 ms. On many modern TVs, it is larger. The best values, which I know about, are achieved on a SONY TV. Input Lag is no more than 14-16ms, but not on all models).

Therefore, when choosing a TV for gaming for a computer, pay the most attention to this parameter - the rest is secondary. Owners of game consoles should not worry about this, since the creators of the games provide for this moment and are invisible.

The pixel response time, at the present stage of development, does not play any significant role in the selection. Average value for TV and monitor = 5-8ms, which is absolutely not noticeable.

The refresh rate of the screen is also not critical. On monitors, this is at least 60 Hz, which is quite enough for dynamic games, and even more so for watching movies. Almost all TV models are equipped with various technologies to improve this parameter. An ordinary 100 Hz TV with their help gives just an excellent picture in the video, but how these capabilities will affect when connected to a computer can only be checked in practice.

The color depth and viewing angles of modern LCD matrices are identical. And if work is still underway to improve the color gamut, the viewing angles have reached their limit (especially on IPS matrices) and viewing images from different angles does not lead to loss of color and distortion.

All modern TVs have very high brightness and contrast. When using a TV instead of a monitor, this is a disadvantage, since at high values of these parameters, the eyes get tired very quickly. In many models, you can adjust this parameter to acceptable values, but TVs are far from the capabilities of computer monitors.

Interface for connecting TV to PC

Finally, I want to say that it is very easy to connect a TV to a computer if the video card is equipped with an HDMI connector. All modern TVs have such a connector. You will need an HDMI to HDMI cable, which is available in every computer store. Also, most TVs have an outdated VGA connector, through which you can also connect a TV to a computer or laptop. Its disadvantage is that the image quality will be worse than for HDMI and the impossibility of sound transmission. The choice is yours.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, you can use your TV as a monitor. It will show itself perfectly when watching various video information, if you slightly increase the budget, then it is quite comfortable to play computer and online games.

In general, its main advantage (large size) is also a minus. Depending on the size, you will have to increase the distance to the screen. This will immediately affect convenience, since more space is needed.

The keyboard and mouse also have a finite wire length (replacement with wireless devices will save you).

As a temporary measure, you can use an old TV instead of a monitor, but only for a short time. For example, a computer monitor is out of order, but there is no money to buy it yet. It is quite possible to sit for a couple of weeks, but I think vision is more important than saving on a high-quality display for a computer.

On standard TVs, pixels are almost 2 times larger than monitors, which results in a grainier picture. If we want to get rid of this, then we will have to buy a TV set with a resolution of 4K, and this is the price tag at the time of writing about 40 thousand wooden ones for a 43-inch model, which is at least 2 times higher than usual + we add a video card upgrade, and the whole computer, since pulling such a resolution requires serious power.

As usual, in our life, very often everything depends on financial possibilities. If you have finances and desire, then you can assemble a workplace at the computer using the TV. It will take a little time to get used to such a screen and that's it.

You can connect your TV to your computer as a second device, but this topic is for another article.

On this I wanted to finish. This is my first article on this site. Please leave your comments and suggestions. Goodbye to everyone.