Transparent Monitors!

[rainman::|:|]

oooookay.... i'm going to assume all the "they're fake!" pics are jokes, because you obviously missed the whole point.

I found these last night while surfing around, totally cool! Ever since I got my 17" iMac G5, I've wanted a desktop image that was a photograph (or scan) of the inside of the computer... Like, so it looked like you were seeing straight in to the logic board and components. Unfortunately, my partner won't let me remove the LCD panel to photograph the innards, so I have to hope someone else makes one...

 

[Doctor Q]

We're all going to be very sorry when all of our friends have transparent monitors, but we don't because we convinced each other that they don't exist!

 

[CrackedButter]

oooookay.... i'm going to assume all the "they're fake!" pics are jokes, because you obviously missed the whole point.

I found these last night while surfing around, totally cool! Ever since I got my 17" iMac G5, I've wanted a desktop image that was a photograph (or scan) of the inside of the computer... Like, so it looked like you were seeing straight in to the logic board and components. Unfortunately, my partner won't let me remove the LCD panel to photograph the innards, so I have to hope someone else makes one...

The first one isn't a joke, that guy believed that they WERE really transparent. Something flew a mile high over his head. Everybody ELSE is joking.

 

[dornoforpyros]

doh next someone's gonna tell me the pictures of the g5 powerbook I found is fake too. I'm sure apple will make a 3" thick powerbook that weighs 10 pounds.

 

[Lau]

Paulwhannel, have a look at this: http://www.mekentosj.com/disctop/ The software makes it look as if the CD is going in behind the screen, and they have desktop pictures you can download that look like the inner workings of your iMac (at the bottom of page).

Unfortunately it's ghosted behind the standard desktop, but it might do you until you partner goes on holiday and you can get the screen off You could download them and not bother with the software (although it's quite a nice effect).

 

[altair]

Whats the deal with the pile of sausage? Do people usually pile sausage behind their powerbooks? I think its a FAKE!

 

[clayj]

Actually, transparent LCD alarm clocks DO exist... I've seem them at The Sharper Image. An alarm clock is crude compared to a full-blown monitor, but it demonstrates that a transparent monitor is most definitely POSSIBLE.

Now where'd I leave my Infinite Improbability Generator?

P.S.: Oh, yeah, you can also tell these are fakes by the lack of refraction of background images seen through the display... they should be shifted somewhat, but they're not.

 

[edesignuk]

Actually, transparent LCD alarm clocks DO exist... I've seem them at The Sharper Image.

Like this?

 

[clayj]

Like this?

Exactly. So one shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the possibility of a transparent LCD display... of course, the engineering would be quite difficult and costly. And, there's no point in doing it if you can't make the lid of the notebook clear, as well.

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

Exactly. So one shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the possibility of a transparent LCD display... of course, the engineering would be quite difficult and costly. And, there's no point in doing it if you can't make the lid of the notebook clear, as well.

They could make the lid out of plexiglass.

 

[redeye be]

And, there's no point in doing it if you can't make the lid of the notebook clear, as well.

That would be the easy part. With some alcohol an iBook can be made clear very easily (sry to lazy to search)
The hard part would be backlighting i'd say. And it should be possible to un-clear the back as well (privacy - use-ability).

I like the idea, but (again) i'm to lazy to move my 21" studio display just to make a shot of some wall and wires...
Maybe some day.

edit: maybe some day (followed some links from an old /. post)

It's hoped the technology will be useful for surgeons frustrated their own hands and surgical tools can block their view of operations and pilots who wish cockpit floors were transparent for landings.

...And computer users who like to see their walls otherwise hidden by the screen

 

[clayj]

The hard part would be backlighting i'd say. And it should be possible to un-clear the back as well (privacy - use-ability).

Actually, the backlight part's already taken care of... there's a system that shines light in from the edges of a piece of plastic... dots in the plastic reflect the light out through the face of the plastic. Stuff like this is commonly used in movie theatre poster displays and other signage that needs to appear backlit.

 

[wordmunger]

I saw transparent monitors on "This Old House." They do exist. You can use them as computer displays, or as big-screen TVs. In the house they showed, the monitor was huge, and served as a "wall" between the kitchen and dining room. You could turn the monitor off and just have a clear window between the rooms, or you could use it to display your favorite recipes in the kitchen, or to watch TV, either in the kitchen or dining room. Or you could just give a "smoked glass" appearance, to conceal the mess in the kitchen while entertaining in the dining room.

Also, anyone seen Minority Report? Lots of cool effects with transparent monitors in that film.

 

[redeye be]

Actually, the backlight part's already taken care of...

Cool, let's start the rumors on those see-trough pbG5s

 

[6749974]

here's my attempt. Couldn't bother to move the big monitor, just the powerbook.

 

[clayj]

here's my attempt. Couldn't bother to move the big monitor, just the powerbook.

And there you've discovered one problem with this technique... the images you shot don't line up (look at the shelf), because the screen of the notebook was not at a 90 degree angle (perpendicular) to the line of sight of the camera. When you show the image as a wallpaper, the image is rotated WRT to the line of sight, and things don't line up.

 

[neut]

And there you've discovered one problem with this technique... the images you shot don't line up (look at the shelf), because the screen of the notebook was not at a 90 degree angle (perpendicular) to the line of sight of the camera. When you show the image as a wallpaper, the image is rotated WRT to the line of sight, and things don't line up.

you also have to take into account that this is two photos ... one of the desk and again with the image placed on the laptop. if these angle differ the effect will easily be thrown off, so your eyes have to be at the exact angle/distance the original photo was taken from; the blue tint of the LCD doesn't help either.


peace.

 

[6749974]

you also have to take into account that this is two photos ... one of the desk and again with the image placed on the laptop. if these angle differ the effect will easily be thrown off, so your eyes have to be at the exact angle/distance the original photo was taken from; the blue tint of the LCD doesn't help either.

true. i realized all these things after I posted. What I didnt realize was that people would actually call me out on it. Next time, it will be flawless and you will all be shocked in awe, and stange people in white costume will appear out of the walls with medical supplies and attempt to fix your lower lips as they have stretched to the floor from the extreme beauty you have all witnessed on DUN DUN DUN... MacForums.

 

[neut]

... and stange people in white costume will appear out of the walls with medical supplies ...

'stange people' ... ? they always told me they were 'aliens'.


peace | neut

 

[CrackedButter]

here's my attempt. Couldn't bother to move the big monitor, just the powerbook.

Still a good attempt.

 

[Doctor Q]

A good collection of transparent screen photos. This is my favorite among them.

A couple of not-very-well-done transparent self portraits.

 

[wdlove]

Now we will just have to wait to see if one of our members designs something for us to view. I don't think that we will have to worry. It sounds so cool, chances are Apple will offer this technology first. That is if its technologically feasible.

 

[Timelessblur]

weather or not they are fact is up for debate and I not going to agure it

I will state that is can be done wiht some work. the LCD panal it self is see though. It just a back lite screen. The guy could of removed the back part of it and the back lighting and just left the panel their and volla you have a transparent monitor.

 

[ravenvii]

weather or not they are fact is up for debate and I not going to agure it

I will state that is can be done wiht some work. the LCD panal it self is see though. It just a back lite screen. The guy could of removed the back part of it and the back lighting and just left the panel their and volla you have a transparent monitor.

Have you even read the thread?

*sigh*

 

[rainman::|:|]

Paulwhannel, have a look at this: http://www.mekentosj.com/disctop/ The software makes it look as if the CD is going in behind the screen, and they have desktop pictures you can download that look like the inner workings of your iMac (at the bottom of page).

Unfortunately it's ghosted behind the standard desktop, but it might do you until you partner goes on holiday and you can get the screen off You could download them and not bother with the software (although it's quite a nice effect).

I just found Disctop last week, actually, and i have to admit it's really cute. Hard to get the timing of the drive to be perfect, but it can be done. Those desktop patterns where right on, tho, i hadn't noticed those! I'm going to go hassle the author and see if I can get the original, before it was morphed... Or, yes, I may just send RJ to a movie and photograph it myself Since theirs seems to be from the back...