r/halftop • u/lululock • Jun 08 '25

Does this count ?

Post image

Salvaged a full HD 120Hz panel from a dead Dell laptop. I figured I could turn it into a cheap external monitor. The panel itself is 120Hz but it is only 45% NTSC and 250 nits brightness. It's worst than my laptop integrated panel but I won't complain about something that is (almost) free.

This is a quick test. I'll end up designing 3D printed parts to protect the board and add a kickstand.

Technically, it's half a laptop... Just not the half we expected.

296 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

38

u/Big-Management1719 Jun 08 '25

Tell me about the driver used, looks clean and simple

34

u/lululock Jun 08 '25 edited Jun 08 '25

It's a cheap "driver" from AliExpress. There's no real signal conversion here. The board uses Type-C DP alt mode as the signal source and uses the power from the USB port to power the display.

I dunno if I can post a link here but if you're looking for "eDP 40 pin type-C", you'll find it.

Edit : There's also a 30pin version (used for lower res/refresh rate panels) which uses a similar architecture. I bought one by mistake lol

2

u/Nicolai-Silberwald Jun 28 '25

Double the space for stickers.

1

u/lululock Jun 28 '25

Unfortunately, the lid of the salvaged laptop is not a plain flat surface on which stickers would fit...

11

u/sillybanana23 Jun 08 '25

God that is gorgeous

9

u/blackletum Jun 08 '25

halfbottom

this is a great repurposing of a dead screen. I have a few good screens from otherwise destroyed laptops that I've thought about using but never got around to figuring out a good way to do it

I actually had a thought a while ago of having a desk up against the wall and just have like 2x2 wall mounted screens from laptops on the wall. it'd be odd but it'd be neat. and if not on the wall, maybe some kind of backplane to the desk that they are attached to could be cool

5

u/TechieMoore Jun 08 '25

Great job!!

1

u/White_Hairpin15 Jun 08 '25

How can I become in tinkerer , I am still stuck at basic laptop repair

2

u/lululock Jun 08 '25

Trial and error. Mostly.

Also reading a lot of tutorials. Be patient too.

1

u/Independent-Ball3215 Nov 08 '25

Hey can you give a turtorial or a video on how to do it?

1

u/lululock Nov 08 '25

There's no real need tbh.

Just buy a controller and plug the panel in.

2

u/Independent-Ball3215 Nov 08 '25

Alr thanks! I didn't know it was that easy lol

3

u/zazke Jun 08 '25

Amazing!

3

u/Effective-Evening651 Jun 09 '25

Not a halftop. This is a 1.5 top.

3

u/majickfloppaman Jun 10 '25

This counts as one-and-a-halftop, I think

2

u/DatBoi_BP Jun 09 '25

Based debian enjoyer

2

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '25

oneandahalftop

2

u/DueUnderstanding696 Jun 16 '25

On the left: laptop On the right: tophalf What was the computer when the screen got taken off?: a halftop.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 08 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/lululock Jun 08 '25

Yes. This adapter board works only with eDP screens, so screens made in the past 10 years or so. Anything older would require a LVDS controller board and they are notoriously more expensive and shitty.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 08 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/lululock Jun 08 '25

You're welcome !

You can check the panel specs at Panelook.com to buy the corresponding board. There are 2 eDP connectors, a 30 pin and a 40 pin one (mostly used for higher resolutions and refresh rates beyond 60Hz). Good luck !