And not to mention bragging rights after you've actually finished it.
Metal etch that bad boy's bottom with your signature @Poblopuablo
Metal etch that bad boy's bottom with your signature @Poblopuablo
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According to Panelook your panel is TN, not IPS. Good color gamut for TN (100% sRGB/87% Adobe RGB), but vertical viewing angles are poor at 60°/60°. Also, the 500:1 contrast ratio is a deal breaker for me, even if it's roughly half the price of most high refresh rate FHD IPS panels.
Oh shoot, I didn't notice that (one of the customer questions asked if it was IPS and the answer was yes, after more searching, you are right it is not IPS, but it is a high quality (relatively speaking) TN pannel)
I'm intrigued by this DIY solution. Sounds like a good way to get a quality monitor for little money. Please let us know if you come across a DIY solution that is high refresh rate, IPS, etc. so the rest of us might reach better HD for less $.
N156HCE-GA2 is an IPS alternative, it has higher response times and 700:1 contrast ratio. Color gamut is worse than the other, but it may be able to be calibrated to achieve better accuracy than out of the box. Still 120hz.
Other ones to look at, but the one I posted (n156hhe-ga1) looked the best to me
Original one linked (best for gaming due to response time): N156HHE-GA1
B156HTN05.2
B156HTN05.1
B156HAN04.5
B156HAN04.2
there are others, but these are the best 120hz 15.6" I came across.
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I may have to give this DIY monitor a try for myself. I'm liking the idea of a well-made monitor with good specs for cheap.
In case you would like to consider they also have a 144hz controller, iMimcoco(on AliExpress) they have a case for that too for 15.6" screens and a case for 17.3" screens. (144hz controller board is more expensive @~$83USD+shipping) compatible with this pannel http://www.panelook.com/B156HAN08.0_AUO_15.6_LCM_parameter_34288.html
EDIT: this one looks even better! ... But it is not confirmed to work with the 144hz board yet according cto the seller (I have asked him to check and see. he said he will try to in the coming days. I will either update this post or make a new comment when I find out)
http://www.panelook.com/B156HAN10.0_AUO_15.6__overview_40445.htmlI'm debating on going with the 144hz board simply because I don't like the idea of just mini HDMI... Even though there is 2 of them (its not a very durable port according to Linus from LTT), and the 144hz board has mini display port (and mini HDMI), but I think the mini display port is what would be making me lean that way. Not sure however.
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That's because the case is "universal", while laptop displays use all manner of mounting solutions. One size fits all = one size (kind of) fits most, but not well.
As for these DIY monitor solutions in general, if you're interested the gist of it is this: you can use any panel as long as you find a compatible controller board. Most boards can be programmed to be compatible with a wide selection of panels, so ask the seller of any board you are interested in. I've even come across incompatible boards where the seller offers to make compatible firmware if provided a datasheet.
My go-to method for looking up panels is this: go to Panelook.com, filter until I find a suitable panel (say, 15.6", FHD, 120Hz, IPS, >1000:1 contrast, etc.), search for the panel on Ebay and Amazon, exclude if it's too expensive (some panels easily hit $2-300 alone). Then look up reviews of laptops using the panel (Notebookcheck.net normally lists the panel model in their reviews) to see if it's actually any good in practice. Of course their notes on calibration and so on do not apply to a DIY system. When this is in place, plan out the rest of the build and order parts.
So far I haven't had the money/courage to splurge on something like this, but I'm working on repurposing an old panel that I had lying around (it's ancient and terrible, but free) as a test case. If I'm happy with it I'll likely move on to something more up to my current standards. My biggest challenge so far is actually finding a case. The ones from Imimcoco look okay, but a bit too blocky for my tastes. Currently looking into making my own housing - but then I want to stick a battery, AC-DC power supply, and a few other extras in there too.
I guess I wasn't reading into the fact that the cases are universal. I just kind of assumed that the seller had matching kit, and that everything that they had to offer was a kind of "hand-in-glove" - if not "custom" a bit of good piecemealling of readily available parts. I too have a junk laptop (or two) floating around that may find new life this way. I may have to dig them out, and see what I can see.
What 'extras'?
I've powered these displays and their driver board (done 3 of em, 11" to 15.6") from a small powerbank (3 cells) with usb to 12v dc jack converter cable (there's more on the market; 9v, 15, 19, 24). One was ccfl-backlit too, which consumes more power than current led backlit displays.
Ac-dc adaptors <35W is small enough these days that I feel putting it internally does not merit anything.
Current usb-c, pd-ready (that's a mouthful of usb jargons isn't it) chargers are even smaller already. And 27-45W ones are relatively inexpensive. You'd just need a pd negotiator board, and it's itty bitty tiny.
My point is, no need to overcomplicate stuff.
A PD negotiator board is one of those things I'll be addingWhat 'extras'?
I've powered these displays and their driver board (done 3 of em, 11" to 15.6") from a small powerbank (3 cells) with usb to 12v dc jack converter cable (there's more on the market; 9v, 15, 19, 24). One was ccfl-backlit too, which consumes more power than current led backlit displays.
Ac-dc adaptors <35W is small enough these days that I feel putting it internally does not merit anything.
Current usb-c, pd-ready (that's a mouthful of usb jargons isn't it) chargers are even smaller already. And 27-45W ones are relatively inexpensive. You'd just need a pd negotiator board, and it's itty bitty tiny.
My point is, no need to overcomplicate stuff.
As for the rest: a small 12V 36W MeanWell AC-DC converter (actually an LED driver, but should do the job), a battery bank ( either a mount for a PD-compatible power bank or stripping it down and mounting it permanently - haven't decided yet) that can connect to the PD board, and if I'm feeling ambitious some sort of USB charger to charge the power bank while running off AC power. I'm definitely overcomplicating things, but that's half the fun! Also, relying on a PD charger for power could be an issue when that charger is powering something else, and so far I don't have a dual-port PD charger. I might also want to add speakers, but that's not high on the list of priorities.
Looks like the yet-to-be-officially-announced Asus is getting some serious competition!
www.anandtech.com
MSI Preps 240 Hz Optix MAG161 External Monitor for Laptops
Nice to see another option appear, I will probably still go with the Asus as I prefer 17 inches but a smaller option for folks is nice to have.
Looks like the yet-to-be-officially-announced Asus is getting some serious competition!
MSI Preps 240 Hz Optix MAG161 External Monitor for Laptops
I see the appeal of more screen real estate, but the 17" would need some very thin bezels for me to consider it - I'm not willing to carry a backpack sized for a 17" laptop, period.
MSI has listed the MAG161V on their website. Specs are different from the CES Award page (1080p still, but MSI spec sheet/webpage say only 60Hz). There is a listing of the monitor for $250 shipped from/sold by Amazon. Not sure if it's a preorder though... If you're an interested party, I'd wait for a hard launch because of the specs disparity. But, I call this good news for those of us who want a portable monitor from a brand with some level of warranty support that comes with it.
I ordered one of these a couple of days ago: https://www.geekbuying.com/item/AOSIMAN-ASM-156UC-15-6-Inch-Portable-Monitor-Black-421986.html
Will see what it's like. Wanted HDMI in, touch and if possible higher res than 1080p - that's basically the only one I found that satisfies them all. Would have rather had a 1440p one, but that doesn't exist...
Will see what it's like. Wanted HDMI in, touch and if possible higher res than 1080p - that's basically the only one I found that satisfies them all. Would have rather had a 1440p one, but that doesn't exist...
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