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Crazy iMac idea... Can it be done?

L

lololepro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 16, 2008
12
0
Florida & Switzerland
I need a new computer and I would want two monitors. I want a 20'' iMac but just a random monitor as the second one wouldn't look good...
So here's my crazy idea... Is there anywhere I could buy an empty iMac enclosure and the display panel and hook it up to the monitor out on my iMac? Basically it would look like two iMacs side by side... Thanks for any tips or advice...
 
The idea is interesting, is it feasible, not really. I'd suggest either just buying an Apple Display or looking around on TigerDirect, NewEgg, or Fry's for a metalic enclosed screen.

TEG
 
lololepro said:
I need a new computer and I would want two monitors. I want a 20'' iMac but just a random monitor as the second one wouldn't look good...
So here's my crazy idea... Is there anywhere I could buy an empty iMac enclosure and the display panel and hook it up to the monitor out on my iMac? Basically it would look like two iMacs side by side... Thanks for any tips or advice...
Click to expand...

hey that's actually a cool idea, you'd have to find a monitor with the exact right dimensions and it still might luck funny, but good idea!
 
techlover828 said:
hey that's actually a cool idea, you'd have to find a monitor with the exact right dimensions and it still might luck funny, but good idea!
Click to expand...

I was thinking of trying to find a screen that comes in the iMac... I don't know how it connects to the graphics card internally but I would probably need some kind of adapter to connect to the mini-DVI...
 
whatever you do if you try to build this do NOT use an imac screen in it unless you extremely good with a soldering iron and very knowledgeable yourll never be able to hook up a dvi / vga input to it. its pretty much inpossible, if you do it just get a 3rd party screen and remove the case and cram it in the imac enclosure, id recommend just getting a seperate screen though.
 
lololepro said:
Is there anywhere I could buy an empty iMac enclosure and the
display panel and hook it up to the monitor out on my iMac?
Click to expand...

There's a big difference between an LCD panel and a "monitor." Even if
you had an entire 20" iMac to cannibalize, it wouldn't have the circuitry
needed to accept a DVI or VGA input. The iMac display panel requires
an 'LVDS' video input signal -- which is not compatible with your iMac's
DVI or VGA video outputs.

You didn't mention which 20" iMac you have, but here's a detailed data
sheet for the LCD panel used in 20" ACDs and (some) 20" white iMacs:

http://www.bisearch.com/html/product/down/LM201W01-SLA1 CAS Ver 0 1_General_050706.pdf

LK
 
yeah alot of soldering and even you might have to make some ciruitry boards and more if you wanted to use another imac screen. It would be very hard, and its alos hard to find a broken/imac case, ive been searching everywhere and god damn it they just dont break! :):) haha anyways for the monitor just get a sweet dell one ripp off all the exterior plastic and cram it in there. and there yoiu have it!
 
lololepro said:
I don't have an iMac yet, I would like to get the 20" Aluminum iMac.
Do you know which panel is used in that one?
Click to expand...

My 20" ALU ex-iMac (returned to Apple due to totally unacceptable
display color and brightness gradients) used the following panel:

LG.Philips LM201WE3-TLF1

That machine was assembled in the first week of August 2007. I
have also seen one report of a later-production 20" ALU (built in
in mid-late October 2007) with a different LCD panel:

AU Optronics M201EW02 VB

Both of the above are TN-film panels (6-bit + dither), a technology
which is greatly inferior to the (8-bit) S-IPS and S-PVA panels used
in all 20" white iMacs -- at least as far back as the G5.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/panel_parts.htm#20ws

LK
 
Leon Kowalski said:
My 20" ALU ex-iMac (returned to Apple due to totally unacceptable
display color and brightness gradients) used the following panel:

LG.Philips LM201WE3-TLF1

That machine was assembled in the first week of August 2007. I
have also seen one report of a later-production 20" ALU (built in
in mid-late October 2007) with a different LCD panel:

AU Optronics M201EW02 VB

Both of the above are TN-film panels (6-bit + dither), a technology
which is greatly inferior to the (8-bit) S-IPS and S-PVA panels used
in all 20" white iMacs -- at least as far back as the G5.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/panel_parts.htm#20ws

LK
Click to expand...

Thanks for that helpful information... This is really a great website and although this is my first thread I have been browsing the forums for about 2 years... I would like to thank all the geniuses who take the time to explain everything to the newbies and answer our craziest questions...

L.
 
A few people have asked about this, and honestly, I think if someone had the means to, designing a screen that complimented the imac to match it, look like another imac or what have you, or even selling a sort of mount or something, could probably make decent money, because I've seen quite a few people wanting to do this.

They make harddrives that compliment the mini, I could see a second monitor to match the imac, with an optional external harddrive bay or two behind the monitor actually being a really good idea.

If you have the money to find an imac housing, and can take it apart, i'd just go ahead and get another 20 inch monitor (check the exact measurements first) and strip the casing off and put it inside a mac - instead of trying to find the same panel. Behind the glass piece on the new imacs I think they would look pretty close to the same, you can get decent 20 inchers for under 200, so if you are good at taking things apart, sure, go ahead and try it.... Using the actual panel could be tricky.

If you are really tricky though, you could probably get an external drive enclosure or two (might have to go with smaller portable laptop ones) and hide them behind the panel too for extra backup. Might be sorta nifty :)

Now you got me thinking! .... I don't have an imac though :)
 
It would be a waste of aluminum. Wait for Apple to reduce the chin and then you can put a ACD next to it and no one will know the difference.
 
takeabyteoutta said:
It would be a waste of aluminum. Wait for Apple to reduce the chin and then you can put a ACD next to it and no one will know the difference.
Click to expand...

But the chin is what gives an imac its flair! Think about what would happen if apple took off the chin and made the imac half an inch thick; you'd have an ACD plus computer! Wait, that's actually pretty cool. :p :D
 
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