How standardized a lcd panels? Could I replace the controller in a smart TV with one of these HDMI to LCD controllers?
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So if anyone is interested I found the answer to my question. There seems to be two standards for LCD panels and there are these cheap converters for both of them.
Would you mind elaborating?
It seems like the current standard is MIPI DSI. This is my sourcee of information. I think it is doable.
Judging by your link and some quick googling around, including this, it’s for mobile displays which have a lot less resolution than a 4K TV display.
That said, the 4.5Gb/s speed of it seems enough to feed a 4K display at 100Hz (I didn’t really dig enough into it to determine the protocol overheads or even much detail on protocol so take it with a pinch).
At minimum, you should probably open your TV and see if there is a flat cable with the right number of lines from the display to the controller since if it does not it’s highly unlikelly to be that standard (and even if it is but using a non-standard connector, you’ll need specs to figure out which pins are which lines in order to build an adaptor).
Mind you, it sounds like a fun project if you have a TV around that you don’t mind too much if it ends up broken.
Yeah, I am definitely going to open up my $400 tv and replace the LCD controller with this sketchy piece of hardware instead of, checks notes, just not activating any of the smart features and not connecting the TV to the internet at all.
Until you get a Roku where you literally can’t use the TV without accepting an arbitration clause.
Here’s an idea for you, don’t buy a Roku TV. Visio is pretty much the exact same price and you can just not use the smart features and just connect HDMI.
Yeah but what if you already had one. Or bought one without knowing it’d pull a fast one on you.
“Here’s an idea for you; how about being aware of every single company you might interact with and all the shitty ways they try to screw you over.”
That’s a little crass, but I hope you understand my sentiment.
Also how can such arbitration clauses be both legal and binding, I don’t understand it.
Did you know: you can look up a review of any piece of hardware out there that you wish to buy and gather info on it before making a purchase.
I love looking up reviews for every little thing I purchase, and even when I do ads nor microtransactions ever get patched in at a later date! Same goes for those service agreements which aren’t ever updated!
Oh, wait, no. That’s exactly what happens.
Nor do I want people who aren’t as tech savvy/in the know to get preyed upon/swindled.If you are incapable of sussing out the mindless morons who write reviews from the people who actually know what they’re doing that’s more of a you problem than anything else.
And buying a TV is not a little purchase unless you’re incredibly rich in which case why would you even fucking care. But hey, if you like rolling the dice on your hard-earned money to buy something that’s not going to work the way you want it to and then break it trying to “fix” it with some sketchy hardware from some rando online who thinks they’re “in the know” be…my…guest.
This is such a stupid argument. Not everyone is tech-literate. Ideally people wouldn’t have to look out for this because the practice wouldn’t exist. “Just don’t get robbed/swindled lol, you should’ve known better”.
And no, I’m not trying to advocate for whatever sketchy device is linked above. What I am saying is that I understand the sentiment, because that manufacturers are increasingly encroaching on our ability to own what we buy with parts pairing and always online requirements.
You are an Eloi not a Morlock.
Haven’t taken any TVs apart yet, but this lookes like it could totally work on a laptop lcd panel
They are made for laptops, and I am sure they work there. There was a post here about 15days ago asking about unsmarting TVs but it has been deleted. That got me thinking about this solution.
Those boards you find on ebay are for driving laptop and tablet displays, not TVs. I doubt there is going to be an eDP or DSI connector in a TV.
The best options are to just never connect a TV to the internet, use a large computer monitor, or buy a commercial display if you don’t care about picture quality.
I don’t think this is edp or dsi out. Seems to be parallel 50 pin
Parallel RGB is typically only used on low resolution displays. It’s not practical to run a parallel TTL level interface at the speeds needed for HD.
It depends on the TV.
I think it depends on what level the smart aspect is implemented and how integrated it is. Screen technology has been getting more and more locked down by corporate privateers/thieves.
I mostly tried hacking on small displays, and finally gave up as it was over my head. There is a whole lot going on in various layers and protocols. My rule would be to only buy a product like this if I can find a functional example of someone using my exact hardware with this exact hack in question.
In my experience, prototyping or hacking around with displays is a losing game because they are not constructed for handling like this. You must go to extremes to avoid placing strain on the flex ribbon connections and must be very careful about taking the thing apart to test with it disassembled. It only takes a tiny mistake to damage something that can not be repaired. They are usually sensitive to small nonsense too. These are fast parallel circuits. I stay away from them, but maybe I’m just being soft.
Just fyi - Your post is 20 minutes old and the eBay link has broken already
Thanks. I searched for # Driver Board Universal LCD Monitor Screen Controller 5V Laptop Computer DIY
Because I had seen them used for various projects before.
OP has (accidentally?) added 2 underscores to the URL. Remove them and you can see the original intended URL.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/375318342725
Like the other person said, op added 2 underscores to it
What are you trying to accomplish? Just reset the TV and keep it off the internet.
Many smart TVs require you connect to create an account. More might in the future.
Citation needed, could you provide an example or two? I have never heard of a TV that requires an account in order to be used.
On Roku smart TV from Walmart. I was present in the returns line when a customer returned it because he wanted something to use with his Dish Network receiver and this one required he creat an account.
So no, just as ID10T error.
Oh, btw
https://support.tcl.com/ca-gtv-setup-configuration/how-to-bypass-tcl-account-creation
oh and
ID10T and while I don’t disagree that tv companies are becoming aggressive with their smart tv bullshit, hearing a guy at Wal-Mart isn’t exactly empirical evidence.
Why go through all of that when you can just block network access, or not even connect it at all? Hell, just get a Blocklist that includes the bad URLs for your TV you don’t want it using, and run it on AdGuard or Pihole. Lots of easier ways to work around this.
Why go through all of that when you can just connect the board to the panel.
Why go through all that when you can just build a time machine and go back in time to be in the boardroom when someone presents the concept for a smart TV and then hide under the podium and tickle their genitals to distract them during the presentation and then spend the next 20 years in prison for sexual assault where none of the televisions have smart features?
I’d watch that movie
Then once you get out you can just buy a “commercial display” and not have to go through all that because there’s no smort features to begin with.
I would be interested in trying this but could I just lock everything except Netflix & Disney? Or have it one way and Keep my streaming but not have anything go from my tv back out?
Yeah, if you want to get fancy with your routing, you absolutely can.
I’m considering doing just that, having my TV and whatnot connect to a wireless SSID that only allows DNS to lookup certain streaming services. I’m not sure how difficult it’ll be, but I’ll probably play with it later this month.
Care to bring along a simple fool with you through your journey, maybe share how it goes?
I’ll probably make a post somewhere about it here. But I’m lazy, so I don’t want to get your hopes up. :)
The sensible approach is to get an Android TV device that you have more control over. You basically have the same freedom with it as with an Android phone or tablet. Plug it into the TV and use the TV only as a monitor/speaker.
Warning: Do not buy cheap Chinese off-brand Android TVs from drop-shipping hellholes like Amazon. These commonly come with malware from the factory. Invest in a quality device with the features that you need.
If you’re on a budget, it’s possible to make do with a Fire TV Stick, which are often on sale for next to nothing - just don’t expect blistering performance or a good UI. They are still Android underneath that awful UI though. You have to fight Amazon’s attempts at funneling you towards their own content, but it’s doable.
If you want a device that you can easily use for a long time without having to worry about it getting obsolete, get an Nvidia Shield TV or Shield TV Pro. Pricey, but - in my eyes - worth it. At first glance, these may look like every other streaming box, but they justify their relatively high asking prices. For starters, the support for these devices is astonishing, with even the first generation from 2015 still receiving updates. While the current hardware generation is from 2019, it has features you can’t get anywhere else, like for example real-time AI upscaling of low-res content in certain apps and (on the Pro model) the ability to serve as a media server instead of just a client:
Hook a storage device up to it (or mount your NAS), add media to them (digitize your home media collection or acquire media from other sources), and use the Plex server application to turn this tiny thing into your own private Netflix that never sees anything delisted. It has enough power to allow you to watch video locally and, at the same time, transcode (=turn media into a format the other device can handle in real-time) up to two more videos (depending on the video files) for other devices in and outside of your home network. This means you could watch something on your TV and at least one other person could watch content you have curated (they don’t need a Shield TV - Plex clients are on a wide variety of devices). Given that this is a device that fits into the palm of your hand and needs less than 10W, that’s quite astonishing.
Unfortunately some TVs pester you when they can’t get internet access, or will even attempt to connect to any open WiFi networks in range.
Some have offline ads or can’t boot straight to an input, too.
Then there’s Amazon trialing having Amazon-powered TVs automatically connecting to any Alexa devices and using them to gain internet access.
I’m not saying OPs suggestion is the best one, for most TVs, what you suggest works very well. But it’s good to have more options, particularly as the market continues to get more and more locked-down.
Even aside from all that, if you could replace the controller board, that would open up other possibilities - potentially adding DisplayPort to a TV, for example. Or retrofitting FreeSync if the panel supports it. Or even just plain TV repair without having to pay through the nose for a part you can only get from Samsung/LG/Sony/etc.
Just not feasible though. Smart TVs have everything in an integrated line, from the screen controller, down to the external ports. It’s like saying “Hey, I just want to take the North Bridge out of my motherboard because I don’t use the features”. Not gonna happen.
Now, in an alternate universe, if somebody went down this route and made replacement parts to remove all the cruft, you’d essentially be buying an entire new TV. There is no cost savings there. Buy a monitor, and hook up whatever smart shit you want at that point.
We gotta get in there and disconnect the antennas
But I’ve heard of a few models that don’t function at all until connected… yikes
So, “yes”, but also no. You’ll lose the calibration panel for your display, and the result will probably be unwatchable.
You’re much better off buying a display which is un-smart to start with. These are often called “commercial displays”. Or of course you could just buy a monitor.
I’ve looked, and it’s surprisingly difficult to find one with decent resolution in a decent size. It seems they’re all 1080p nonsense.
I’m not even looking for fancy features like OLED or whatever, I just want 4k in >60" screen size without any smart features. Why is that so hard??
It’s hard because the advertising somewhat subsidies the price.(Ie: they want the ad revenue so they will sell the display at cost with the intention that they’ll make all the profit back from ads)
Yo can absolutely find commercial displays in that size and resolution, but you’ll pay a much higher price for them.
It’s probably worth it if they’re built better, which they probably are if they’re intended to run continuously. So better heat dissipation, mosfets, etc.
What you want is a “commercial signage display”. They usually have all the modern display features because they’re intended to make products look good, and they’re generally well built because they’re meant to be on all day.
They cost more than similar TVs because they’re not subsidized by smart TV shovelware and data gathering.
Huh, cool! Do you know if they tend to last longer than consumer TVs? If they include better heat dissipation and whatnot (since they’re intended to always be on), it may be worth the extra price.
Not from experience, but if it’s designed to be on all day and you only use it 4 hours a day (ish) it should last a long time.
$400? Not much more than my current 43 inch TV. $35 bucks more to not have the bullshit sounds reasonable.
damn, this is actually a life saver right here. Hadn’t thought about commercial signage displays. Guess that’ll be living rent free in my head for the next decade until my TV shits the bed.
Heh, same. I bought what was probably the last generation of dumb TVs. It’s a 4k 65" panel from a company called Atyme which I believe is now defunct, made with an LCD panel that was part of some other company’s manufacturing order but didn’t pass quality check, and it has like 2010-ish TV electronics (you can tell because the settings menus look just like what you find on all the TVs from that period). It’s 4k but it doesn’t have any of the fancy features like HDR because the electronics are limited… but it also doesn’t have a bootup delay, it just turns on.
I didn’t learn about commercial signage displays until after I had bought it.
mine is a 1080 panel from 2012 consumer electronics era production. 20s startup delay, because i guess counting numbers is hard or something. Gotta love shitty tech i suppose. The 2010s era UI interface is SO real.
Or I could just accept my place and watch the ads and go along with all the caveats like a good consumer. I don’t see that happening.
Just buy a smart tv and don’t connect it to internet. You’ll get to buy from the same selection and enjoy the subsidized price.
I have a mix of smart and dumb TV’s.
All of them show me the same number of ads: zero.
All of them have the same level of access to networks (LAN/WAN): none.
Worst offender is a legacy Roku that keeps up it’s direct connect WiFi broadcast, but it’s on its own isolated VLAN.
My Vizio smart TV’s smart features won’t work if you don’t accept the terms of use. HDMI inputs worked though, and probably TV tuner… didnt try it. I eventually accepted of course, but that might be an option for you.
Seems unnecessary surly just plug in a raspberry pi into the HDMI port and never connect the TV to internet u can probably flash some version of android TV onto the pi and all set.
The samsung TV that I bought for my son had this annoying overlay thing that pops up when you turn it on that shows all the different inputs and nags about various things it thinks are wrong with the world. It is plugged into an Nvidia shield that we do most things on, but you can’t use the shield until the overlay calms the fuck down and disappears.
It’d be great if you could just have the thing turn on and display an input like our older TVs do.
If it runs android tv (I would assume so) u might be able to plug in a usb and use that to force uninstall a bunch of bloat.
The roku TV I have screens every dvd we play and tells us we can watch it easier on a streaming service.
Fuuuuuuuck that
Agreed, if it wasn’t a free TV I’d return it. Though it doesn’t have any complaints about my pirated media so at least that’s nice.
Damn I have an old school amp with the surround sound speakers that has a single hdmi output that everything goes through so my tv never complains cos as far as its aware its just a hdmi input.
If there’s a TV repair / electronics repair shop in your area – someone who works with contemporary flatscreens – I wonder if you could reach out and make the ask? They probably have a sense of which generic controllers they would use.
I don’t think anyone repairs these things anymore. I found two dumped in the desert, one with its controller and power supply boards removed and one that was complete.
I got interested in this when the previous poster asked the question. Going down the rabbit hole I think I have my answers. Avnet has some good info on the mipi interface for consumer devices. It’s been very interesting and I do see it as a path to building good, cheap, large displays.
LibreELEC FTW!!!
No, yes, maybe, but probably not.
Also, only do this if it’s a passion project for learning, because the odds that it works out the gate, and doesn’t require multiple repurchases, are very slim.
The odds that you never quite get it to work right, or at all, very high.
If you’re sure you want to do this, start by reading the technical documentation to get a grasp of which parts might, or should, work together, and how. Do this before making any purchases.
If that doesn’t sound appealing, then buy an “digital signage” or “enterprise/business class” TV, or find a dumb consumer TV, new or used.
In short, this is one of those questions where if you have to ask the answer is no. It may be possible but unless you have a spare TV laying around that you don’t mind breaking it’s not a good idea to try. The best advice I have for any modder is to have multiples of whatever you’re modifying on hand.
I can think of no better use for a TV
2 is 1, 1 is none.
Through the magic of buying two of them…
Why buy one, when you can buy two at twice the price.
I understood that reference!
Am I missing something here? Why in the hell would I try to jam this into a TV, something that’s not trivial btw and more than likely not compatible vs just not connecting the blasted thing to the network? Do they come with cellular data you can’t turn off or something?
Because some people don’t like the bloated ‘smart’ operating systems on their tvs or how they operate. I.e. input lag when pushing buttons, showing ads or other stupid bullshit. Tbh I’d rather have a large stupid lcd panel that just turns on and shows whatever I plug into it via hdmi.
The only alternative to replacing the board are commercial displays, but those are very expensive.
