LCD Interfacing

[Chris]

I've obtained several pentium based sbc's, which have
a *standard* interface (based on a common C&T ic, the
designation escapes me at the moment). I also have a
bunch of 486 era LCD's that were used on/an IBM
Thinkpad.
Question: Provided I obtained a pinout of the LCD's
connector, is it simply cookbook getting the 2
interfaced? The chart that's in the SBC's booklet
specifies which modes the controller can operate in
(jumper selectable as I recall). Standard VGA modes - 640x480,
800x600, etc. Are these screens likely to be generic
enough that I can simply plug them into the sbc's
connector, matching suitable pin for pin, signal for
signal?

On another note, is there a way to pipe video
(composite) into a USB2 port and direct to the
computer's/laptop's screen?

 

[Gary Tait]

I've obtained several pentium based sbc's, which have
a *standard* interface (based on a common C&T ic, the
designation escapes me at the moment). I also have a
bunch of 486 era LCD's that were used on/an IBM
Thinkpad.
Question: Provided I obtained a pinout of the LCD's
connector, is it simply cookbook getting the 2
interfaced? The chart that's in the SBC's booklet
specifies which modes the controller can operate in
(jumper selectable as I recall). Standard VGA modes - 640x480,
800x600, etc. Are these screens likely to be generic
enough that I can simply plug them into the sbc's
connector, matching suitable pin for pin, signal for
signal?

I am going to say maybe. You will have timing issues to deal with
(meaning you have to find the timing parameters for those LCDs, and set
those into the driver code or whatever for the C&T chip) plus dealing
with dual-scan displays, if that is an issue.

On another note, is there a way to pipe video
(composite) into a USB2 port and direct to the
computer's/laptop's screen?

There are USB capture devices. It won't "directly" display video on the
screen, but will go through the normal software paces.

 

[Chris]

I am going to say maybe. You will have timing issues to deal with
(meaning you have to find the timing parameters for those LCDs, and set
those into the driver code or whatever for the C&T chip) plus dealing
with dual-scan displays, if that is an issue.

These are TFT displays. So you're saying there are alterable
*parameters* built in the driver code? Is it likely these will be, uh,
easily (whatever that means) accessible? I doubt there will be a boot
up style bios type interface, if you follow me, so in essence I'll
have to hack the drivers, if I follow you.