Consider that the entire Logic Board for that book can usually be gotten on ebay for under $100 US, far less than the value of the screen, If it really is the video chip on the motherboard (which is known to fail, there was an enire recall on those models) Just swap out the motherboard and iBook is back in action.

anil8tor wrote:

indeed, that makes quite a lot and looks complicated

anil8tor wrote:

this part is more easy, but useless if you haven't coped with the first one

anil8tor wrote:

basically, this means going deep down into electronics… maybe too deep for me
anil8tor wrote:


gee, thanks for the compliment !

yea, I am with you on maestro. We have heard this same question a dozen times and all without any solution. I don't think there are any guides available, but it sure would be nice to get one

maestro wrote:


you bet !! I was hoping in fact this person actually existed…
:unsure:

maestro wrote:

I'l starting to figure this out of your answers…


maestro wrote:


Yeah, I got your point… pity though, but thanks anyway for your answers !

mordaskyt wrote:


ok, doesn't answer my question, but obvisously, there is no answer so far. At least, you give me an alernative I can work on. thanks

oojacoboo wrote:


ok, too bad for the false good idea… thanks for your answer !

I've occasionally found the parts (invertors interface boards etc) that in theory would allow you to do this at http://www.tridentmicrosystems.co.uk/interface_kits/index.html but the cost always seems prohibitve for the actuall monitor you would get. Its unfourtunetly just more economical to sell the pannel and buy a cheap tft, obviously dosen't have as much of a geek factor though...

if you do go through with this I am imagining a hinge on one side of the current ibook lcd where you would attach another lcd face up. Then you could have a tablet like pc as well as a dual screen ibook. You could just open it up and slide the other screen around. You would have to switch from mirror when you opened up, or maybe you could create an app to do that for you. You would need a cover for the screen on the top, like the itablet one as well. This would be a really sick mod! Maybe you could somehow get two onboard video cards into the ibook.... :S

OK guys, if we ever want to pull off this home-made external LCD mod, what we should do is compile a list. The most cost effective way to do it, is to find a standalone LCD monitor which uses the same model of LCD as a Mac of some sort, then find one which is smashed, and buy it cheap. Hey presto, an LCD monitor.

So anyone who comes across a broken LCD monitor (or an out of warranty one which they can have a play with), open it up, and post the make model number of the panel on this site somewhere. Maybe start a new thread for it. Samsung monitors would be a good bet, LG/Philips too. These have been used in alot of recent Macs. But the required inputs can be different from model to model, so note the model number correctly people! Eventually we should be able to build up a reasonable list between us.....

If you wanted to build your own without having to find controllers which match, you'll need a fully working iBook (or whatever), an oscilloscope and a big pile of textbooks. At the very least.