Author Topic: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?  (Read 5338 times)

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Offline LegionTopic starter

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I've been in the market for a new PC monitor for a few years now but have never found one with the specs and features I want. I have no desire to build one from scratch, but I was wondering if the parts are available to cobble together what you want. Something along the lines of buying an LCD panel, an LCD driver board, an input board to handle HDMI/DisplayPort, a power supply, and then putting it all together.

Are these parts commercially available or would I have to start completely from scratch? I couldn't find much on digikey, but maybe there are better sources for these components?
 

Offline bobaruni

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2017, 05:07:35 pm »
Maybe try alibaba.
Just curious what special specs are you after?
 

Offline Lightages

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2017, 05:19:28 pm »
Although I find hard to imagine that yu could not find a monitor that would match your needs, but I don't know your needs. Perhaps one of your needs is the cost.

Yes, there are driver boards, panels, and power supplies all available for purchase on ebay, aliexpress, and many of the other Chinese electronics sites.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=hdmi+lvds&_sop=15&LH_BIN=1&_blrs=spell_check&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=hdmi+lvds&_sacat=0

Many LCD panels, and power supplies too.

What do you want from a monitor?
 

Online wraper

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2017, 05:38:59 pm »
I was wondering if the parts are available to cobble together what you want.
You can build an inferior monitor for more money than off the shelve monitor would cost. What's so unique in your needs? Basically, 80% of the monitor is LCD panel but you can destroy the performance with crappy scaler board and all off the way uncalibrated color.
 
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Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2017, 08:19:41 pm »
I don't think my needs are that unique, but I can't find a monitor that has what I want.

Here's what I'm after:

Must Haves:
4K
32" - 40"
2xHDMI 2.0A inputs
1xDisplayPort 1.2a or greater
Good scaler
97% or greater Adobe RGB or DCI-P3 coverage

Nice to Have:
G-Sync
HDR10 support

I don't expect G-Sync or HDR10 support to be possible in a project like this. I assume those chips are all proprietary.

I currently have the Philips BDM4065UC which almost has what I want. Unfortunately, even though it's a 4k screen, it'll only accept 4k over DisplayPort. The HDMI ports are 1.4. It also has a garbage scaler. It's a simple nearest neighbor algorithm from what I can tell so any lower than 4k signal is heavily aliased. Color is also lacking with only ~70% Adobe RGB coverage.

I've got some latitude on cost, I'd spend up to $2000. The new Acer Predator X27 looks really promising, unfortunately it's too small at 27".
 

Offline Vgkid

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Offline Lightages

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2017, 08:36:15 pm »
All the ports wanted also rule out any "cobble together" pile of easily purchased components.
 

Online NiHaoMike

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2017, 08:42:18 pm »
There's not much point having a good scaler in a monitor when there's already a very good one in a modern GPU. (Also, you can't have low latency and very good scaling at the same time.) Apart from that, how important are Displayport and Gsync? If you can do without those, there are a lot of options well within your budget.
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Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2017, 08:44:14 pm »
There's not much point having a good scaler in a monitor when there's already a very good one in a modern GPU. (Also, you can't have low latency and very good scaling at the same time.) Apart from that, how important are Displayport and Gsync? If you can do without those, there are a lot of options well within your budget.

The scaler isn't for the input coming from my PC over displayport, it's for the HDMI ports. I have my PC connected to DisplayPort, X1S to HDMI 1 and PS4 Pro to HDMI 2.
 

Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2017, 08:46:17 pm »
All the ports wanted also rule out any "cobble together" pile of easily purchased components.

Can you elaborate on this? Wouldn't you just need a switcher board that then passes on the signal to the LCD driver?
 

Offline Lightages

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2017, 08:57:44 pm »
Elaborate on what? That there aren't any easily obtainable LVDS boards that have all the ports you want? How I can prove that? If you can find one, good for you! I hope you can.
 

Online NiHaoMike

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2017, 09:01:14 pm »
Both the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro output 4K, in which case no scaling needs to be done.
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Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2017, 09:05:43 pm »
Both the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro output 4K, in which case no scaling needs to be done.

I suppose. Still need 2 HDMI 2.0 ports to get that 4k.
 

Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2017, 09:07:28 pm »
Elaborate on what? That there aren't any easily obtainable LVDS boards that have all the ports you want? How I can prove that? If you can find one, good for you! I hope you can.

Is it because it's 2 HDMI plus 1 Displayport? Or would 1 HDMI and 1 Displayport still be a problem?
 

Online wraper

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2017, 09:36:39 pm »
Both the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro output 4K, in which case no scaling needs to be done.

I suppose. Still need 2 HDMI 2.0 ports to get that 4k.
why would you need 2x HDMI 2.0 to get 4k? HDMI 2.0 supports 4k @ 60Hz
Quote
I currently have the Philips BDM4065UC which almost has what I want. Unfortunately, even though it's a 4k screen, it'll only accept 4k over DisplayPort. The HDMI ports are 1.4
HDMI 1.4 supports 4k @ 30Hz
 

Offline LegionTopic starter

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2017, 10:48:29 pm »
Both the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro output 4K, in which case no scaling needs to be done.

I suppose. Still need 2 HDMI 2.0 ports to get that 4k.
why would you need 2x HDMI 2.0 to get 4k? HDMI 2.0 supports 4k @ 60Hz
Quote
I currently have the Philips BDM4065UC which almost has what I want. Unfortunately, even though it's a 4k screen, it'll only accept 4k over DisplayPort. The HDMI ports are 1.4
HDMI 1.4 supports 4k @ 30Hz

I need 2 HDMI 2.0 ports so that both the Xbox 1S and the PS4 Pro can be connected at 4k. Two devices, two ports.

4k @ 30Hz is unacceptable.
 

Offline IanB

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2017, 10:52:43 pm »
Can you use some kind of external switch box to connect multiple external sources to the DisplayPort input?
 

Offline RGB255_0_0

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2017, 11:03:00 pm »
DisplayPort  1.4 is currently the best. Acer and ASUS are coming out with a new AMVA Quantum Dot 144Hz 4k HDR 10 monitor and G-Sync. Contrast ratio is superb for a monitor and 384 backlight zones. $2000 or thereabouts.

Dell have the new 30" 4k OLED but no HDR or G-Sync. $3500.

If you go with building your own enjoy the panel lottery of backlight bleed and uniformity issues.
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Offline james_s

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2017, 04:01:32 pm »
The cheapest way to get a panel is to buy the whole monitor. It sounds like you would be best off getting a monitor that meets your needs from a display quality standpoint, then add external hardware as needed to get the number of inputs and other features you want. There's really not much in a monitor other than the panel, a driver board and power supply.
 

Offline mikeselectricstuff

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #19 on: May 03, 2017, 07:51:45 pm »
I doubt you can get a component solution that does anything that a packaged monitor won't. These parts are typically sold for long-term markets like signage, where the main aim is to build a monitor into a different style of case.
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Offline JolyGoodDay

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Re: Is it reasonably practical to build your own computer monitor?
« Reply #20 on: May 05, 2017, 01:00:25 am »
hdmi 2.0 to display port 1.2 connector?
w/e
 


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