19" monitor + 32" TV =....

[StormBringer]

A friend has come up with an interesting project. He got a dead 32" RCA TV from someone who decided not to have it repaired because the chasis was pretty much fried. He also had a 19" DTA monitor that was dead so he wanted to try merging the two and make a huge monitor. I wasn't sure it would work to begin with but tomorrow we test it.

We pretty much just used the picture tube and the housing from the TV and all other parts were from the monitor. We have made all necessary changes and checked the values and voltages from the monitor chasis against those required by the CRT of the TV and everything adds up. The only real problem was having to change the CRT socket so it would match that of the RCA picture tube. The only other challenge was cutting out the front of the TV housing and building a plate to house the monitor controls, and making it look like it belonged there.

I thought I'd post about it to get opinions of anyone who may have tried this before or if there is any reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[Rick]

Sounds like a very cool project, for someone with your technical knowledge of course.

I admit, I'm skeptical if it will work correctly though. It seems to me that monitors/TVs are high precision devices and using a different sized (and possibly shaped) glass would greatly distort, discolor and ruin the picture. But if you can adjust it so it will accomodate that kind of size, sounds interesting.

I really do not know much about monitors (emphasis on this), but the refresh rate would vary as well, would it not? It would have to scan a larger area, making your refresh rates lower than intended, right?

Anyhow, good luck on it. If it works, that's some cool project! If it doesn't, then its still cool.. Just not as great.

 

[StormBringer]

I'm unsure if the shape and size of the tube is going to affect it but the refresh rate is controlled by the circuitry and all of that came from the monitor, the only thing that came from the TV is the picture tube, all the circuitry is from the monitor, and the only difference in the CRT socket is the configuration for the pins on the CRT. We had to find one with the same configuration as the CRT that was also notched correctly to fit it. All the pins were the same, it was just shaped different to fit the CRT.

Since the picture tube is just a big vacuum tube with a phosphor coating inside with pins that connect it to the color guns and to the flyback, it just displays the results of the signals sent from the mainboard, which came from the monitor.

I could have probably explained that more thoroughly but I think I was getting a little in depth as is.

 

[StormBringer]

Well, I forgot to post back, but it worked out pretty well. The picture quality was a little less than what we expected but we fixed that by changing a transistor in the signal amplifier to supply a little more power for the larger CRT.

It does look a little fuzzy up close but beyond around 3-4 ft away, it looks great.

 

[Rick]

Ha. Very cool.

Plan on using it?

 

[SNGX1275]

Any chance of you posting a picture of your finished project?

 

[StormBringer]

My friend does plan to use it, it is his project I just helped him with some of the finer details. I hope to get some pics of it before he takes it home. It is sitting in the Troubleshooting Lab at school right now.

 

[Julio Franco]

If your friend makes it possible, it would be extremely nice if you could have an article with pictures written about your experiment, we could post it on TechSpot; obviously you get all the credit, just get a bit more famous.

Much probably getting slashdotted (usually the kind of stuff they like to post about), so let me know if your friend is interested .

 

[Phantasm66]

this all sounds very interesting. i am impressed.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by TS | Julio
Much probably getting slashdotted (usually the kind of stuff they like to post about), so let me know if your friend is interested .

Sure you want to be /.? Techspot might be down for an entire week.

 

[Julio Franco]

Maybe we will be punished by what I'm about to say but the /. effect is somewhat over rated. Sure it does bring a lot of unique visitors but we were slashdotted once and our server handled it very well; we have seen even higher traffic numbers than that day (talking of a couple hundred thousand here) and once again we handled it well, hope that doesn't change in the future .

 

[StormBringer]

I'll speak to him tomorrow about it.

 

[Julio Franco]

Thanks StormBringer, I can tell you, we would be delighted to have that kind of article posted, so try your best, thanks in advance .

 

[poertner_1274]

I'd say even if StormBringer couldn't get his friend to write the reveiw for it, SB could do it. It sounds like he was there for most of it. Just another idea....

 

[Julio Franco]

He would still need his permission, hope Storm can bring some good news .

 

[poertner_1274]

I guess I didn't really think about that. But I agree hopefully they can work something out and get a story about it up.

I would still like to see some pictures if you can do it SB.

 

[Julio Franco]

Any news Stormbringer?

 

[StormBringer]

Well, there are two problems, the first one is with the school. They are throwing a fit about the project because it was not sanctioned by them. I think they are trying to avoid legal issues or something, so they have refused to allow us access to it until we get it resolved. The second problem is not as bad, it is just a matter of a bad EEPROM I think and should be resolved as soon as they give us access to the project again.

It should be resolved easy enough anyway, one of the instructors told me that the most they could do is make us disassemble it, since the pparts all belong to my friend, they can't keep it, but they can keep us from taking it like it is if they think it is unsafe.

Anyway, if need be, we will disassemble it and bring it to my shop and rebuild it.

 

[Julio Franco]

Oh, ok... so this was some kind of college project? Hope you can resolve those issues soon, not only because of the article but I'm also very interested in looking at some pictures of it.

 

[videobruce]

You are lucky you didn't fry everything!

 

[StormBringer]

Thery have decided to let us continue with the project after being assured by one of the instructors that it is safe. I don't think he wants to do the story anymore but I'll still try and get some pics of it finished.

Originally posted by videobruce
You are lucky you didn't fry everything!

And just why is that?

 

[vassil3427]

I noticed you havent posted any but did you get any pictures of this thing yet?

 

[poertner_1274]

Maybe they havne' tworked on it much since they have had access to it again. Hopefully SB can find some time to get some pics or post a review, guide, etc. to this awesome project.

I just got a brand new 35" TV and it would be cool if I could get that to be my monitor.