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gndot

macrumors newbie
Aug 31, 2023
4
2
Will the LM270QQ1 panel fit in an older A1312 chassis? Someone in my area is selling a 2009 27" chassis for $20. Looks like there is no ram access door, but other than that is the display compatible?

Not without a lot of work. Someone earlier in the thread did it though. The time you’ll spend isn’t worth it IMO
 

i486dx2-66

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2013
372
417
I'm pricing out a conversion, and it looks like it might be easier to get a deal on a Late 2014 iMac over a Late 2015. How much of a difference is there between the two screens in practice?
I built my converted monitor around a 2014 panel, and am happy with it.
I also have a 2015 iMac, and I can definitely tell the difference between the two.

If doing it again, I would have held out for a 2015+ for the conversion.
 

headlessmike

macrumors 65816
May 16, 2017
1,427
2,815
Will the LM270QQ1 panel fit in an older A1312 chassis? Someone in my area is selling a 2009 27" chassis for $20. Looks like there is no ram access door, but other than that is the display compatible?
The RAM is accessed through a door in the vents on the bottom edge of that generation of iMacs.
 

jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
Hi everyone - I have a really good condition LM270QQ1(SD)(C1) from a 2017 iMac that I want to do the 5k monitor conversion on (including max brightness and P3 colour. Which is the best board to use if I want to also make use of my caravan 12V power system when I'm travelling and a power brick when I'm in my office?
 
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Regulus67

macrumors 6502a
Aug 9, 2023
521
495
Värmland, Sweden
I do not know how you would be able to swap between the two power systems in an easy manner.
The powerbricks have a fixed cable to the cards, right? The cable from the main outlet to the powerbrick is removable.

So how would you install any card inside the monitor, and still be able to unplug the powerbrick?
The only solution I would guess could work, is to install the board on the outside, or cut a large piece off on the back of the monitor. To give you access to the board's power cable connection.
 

PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
If you use a R9A18 (or possibly the U49) driver board for the monitor then AFAIK these are the only 12v boards you could build a 5K monitor from - when you can only provide 12v.
The U49 is supplied with a 24v psu (because it supports PD charging over USB-C) but its not clear if the board (which is labeled 12/24v) or its external backlight driver board needs more than 12v - so it might not work.

The R1811 needs 24v and the Hajing T18/T19 are 19v boards.

So if you used a R9A18 driver you could power the board from an cable from outside the case, and have a socket on the end of that which you could plug in either a 12v power brick, or a feed from the caravan's 12v supply.
You would need up to 5 amps to feed the board.
 
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jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
Thanks Paul that’s super helpful - I’m guessing the R9A18 is what Luke Miani used then? Any idea if I’d need a 50w current board as well to get to max brightness?
 

PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
Probably not, if you don't need full 500 nit screen brightness. I'm using a 2017 iMac Pro screen with a R1811, without the extra constant current board, and the screen is 20-30% brighter than I ever need.
 
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i486dx2-66

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2013
372
417
Is this an automotive nominal "12V" - straight off of the lead-acid battery?
If so, I wouldn't use that directly for any of these. That power source would see significant voltage fluctuations, including 14-14.5V when the engine is running. Feeding that high of a voltage, into electronics designed for 12.0V only, is just asking for trouble.
 

jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
Probably not, if you don't need full 500 nit screen brightness. I'm using a 2017 iMac Pro screen with a R1811, without the extra constant current board, and the screen is 20-30% brighter than I ever need.
Thanks again Paul. I actually run 100% brightness all the time on my iMac Pro, and that’s the monitor I’m trying to closest match to, so guess I might be better looking at the R1811 with the constant current board and a 12-24v step up in the caravan.
 
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jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
Now just need to figure out how much I want to spend. Found Paul's super helpful breakdown of how each version stacks up in terms of 10-bit colour etc, but its going to be at least $150AUD cheaper if I opted for a fanless T18 board, and Haijing state their T18 will definitely deliver 5K60 10-bit over the DP1.4 and will also run on 24V if I wanted to to maintain peak efficiency in using a step-up from 12V.

The other option is whether I go for the R9A18 board and combine the DP - how does one go about doing that? Is there a special dongle/cable I'd need or would generally any USB-C to Dual Display Port dongle do what is required?
 
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PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
'M1 Macs (with 2 or more TB ports) can run a dual-link display without a Thunderbolt adapter since they have more than one Thunderbolt port.'
From post #322 earlier in this thread.
 

jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
'M1 Macs (with 2 or more TB ports) can run a dual-link display without a Thunderbolt adapter since they have more than one Thunderbolt port.'
From post #322 earlier in this thread.
Thanks Paul, I’ve seen that but I don’t really understand what is required to combine the 2 DP1.2 into a single usb-c, if I ran 2 cables then I’d have to use both the 2 ports the MacBook has, so ideally need a single usb-c to carry both. I’ve always had iMacs plus a laptop for mobile work and have never had to think about external monitor connections at all really, but now I’m planning to move to just a MacBook Air for my computer with the external monitor for my office/caravan so trying to get up to speed with how DisplayPort even works!
 

PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
If you connect a R9A18 board via a single USB-C>DisplayPort 1.4 8K cable you will get 5K/60fps (like the Luke M video)
Whether it's 8bit or 10 bit isn't clear.

Earlier in this thread people have used Sonnet, Starlink and OWC TB (USB-C)>Dual DP adapters to get 10 bits.
These are all quite expensive, and whether cheaper versions work isn't clear. People have gone with a proven solution...

The later revisions of the R9A18 board supposedly have DP 1.4 so should be capable of single cable 10 bits.
The fact that Luke can't tell the difference is maybe in indicator that for ordinary computing the difference between 8 and 8+FRC bits (the iMac's panel mode) isn't easily noticeable.

I can see it with my R1811/LM270QQ1 SD(D1) setup, but it takes a really detailed and close scrutiny of the screen with a magnifying glass to be able to see the difference. ;)

The vendors of Hajing products haven't had their 10 bit claim verified by any buyers yet AFAIK.
If that's what you end up getting you could put that to the test...
 
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jag001

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2023
25
27
As an update, Haijing Cool has now updated their AliExpress listings showing the 10-bit credentials of the T18 and T19 boards… which does make them a strong contender that’s for sure. Will let you all know what I get and how I go with it all… my build will have the board buttons mapped to new 3D printed buttons in the 4 USB-A slots, plus a 3D replacement ram door with a few port extenders in it, and the original power button functioning. Now I’m just going to have to make a final decision and pull the trigger, and then wait again for it to turn up 🤣
 

PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
Just noticed the eBay-UK supplier of my R1811 is now selling kits to use the iMac speakers with the R9A18/R1811's inbuilt audio amp. Kit consists of crossovers and cables so no modification is necessary.

Also kits for making 2011 iMac A1312 27" - and iPads 1,2,and 3,4, and iPad Air 1, iPad 5 - into HDMI monitors.

iMacSpeakerXover.jpg
 

Regulus67

macrumors 6502a
Aug 9, 2023
521
495
Värmland, Sweden
Thank you for the information on the kit. I just ordered two kits on AliExpress, from B2CQSHOP.
As it is highly likely I will build a second monitor in the future.
 

Regulus67

macrumors 6502a
Aug 9, 2023
521
495
Värmland, Sweden
Do you also have a link to AliExpress which kit you ordered?
I hope this link is ok, because I cut of the added info for setting up the webpage for Sweden with Swedish currency

If not, this is what I searched for to find it:
Treble Bass Speaker Crossover Divider CROSSVER for 27" imac and our controller board
----
I just noticed under Specifications:
State of Assembly
Almost Ready

I guess I should leave a notice here when it reportedly ships then
 
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gndot

macrumors newbie
Aug 31, 2023
4
2
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PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
870
470
That's a JRY-W9CUHD-AA1 board, mentioned in post #556 earlier in this thread.

It's specification reads "Type-c interface supports 5120*2880 60HZ 8bit color depth..."
So its not 10 bit, as the more expensive boards are - except for the U49.
Info from the bottom of the View More specs list on this page.

More details here - from a seller who has been used by others in this thread (for other products):
 
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