...I'm assuming it can be done, and probably has been sometime in the past. I'd love to put a nice flatscreen monitor in the side panel of an Antec p182. Thing is, I don't know how heavy/deep the essential bits of a monitor are. Would it require some major case restructuring, or could it just be cut and fitted into a hole in the panel? Would it affect cooling in a big way? Is there a risk of electrocution when dismantling TFTs? Are a certain monitor known for being low-profile and light? Just a plausibility check really, though I will eventually do it if it's possible
I've seen a screen (19" widescreen I think) modded into the side of a Lian Li A05B before, but I can't for the life of me remember where I saw it...
most of the weight in a tft is in its base, so if you took the case off it (including the stand) you could probly just bolt it to the side panel. if you made a custom case around the back of the tft then you could make it totally seperate from the computer airflow. just remember to allow airflow out the back. I dont think there is a risk, but different monitors might be different. Good luck, Dan
Apologies for the bump, but does anyone know of any existing threads that contained pictures of LCD/TFT screens being dismantled? I've been doing measurements and stuff and all I really need to know now is what kind of proportions a screen gains/loses when its casing is removed. I'd dismantle mine, but I'm scared I'll irreversibly fux it, you see edit - hah, Digby, it's funny you should mention 19" widescreens - I just worked out that a 19" widescreen is exactly the biggest thing I'll be able to get into mine, and is consequently what I'll be using if I go ahead
Most 19" without the shell loses about 1-3" of it's height and about 1/2-2" of it's width. The Only thing is that you're going to have to find some super-thin TFT monitors first, Xerox has some good ones I think.
best bet if you don't mind doing some wiring is to knick one out of an old laptop, they're designed to be ultra slim after all. I took a 17" 1280x800 (IIRC) screen out of an old acer laptop and I've been meaning to do something with it for a while but haven't really had the time. It's very slim and would easily lend itself to a side panel mounting. As I say, the only downside is having to rewire the (presumably proprietary) video and power cables. I did find a data sheet for the one I have that gave you all the necessary info though I believe.
I've seen a pc built into a micro-wave with a 15" LCD-screen built into the door... can't find it anymore
Not sure if you still need answers on this, but I have a Dell 20" FPW2005 LCD. If you disconnect the base (which you would going mounting it to a case wall), its maximum depth would be 3". That is was all the factory plastic in place. You should easily be able to get another 1" off that if not more. All the dis-assembly pics I have seen of Dell monitors indicate an abbreviated metal cage around the back of the actual LCD backlight and panel. Incidentally, I would love to see someone tackle this as I have had similar ideas in mind for several years as well. Check this thread for a similar idea, but thinking of a scratch build
