Turns a Laptop into a Desktop
May 16, 2014 00:11
In this project, an old Fujitsu Siemens life book S series laptop is used.
It has got a 1 Ghz processor and 256 Mb ram, (not sure about the
graphic card but should be in between of 8-32 Mb).
In this project you will need:
1.Old laptop
2. Soldering iron
3.some wires
4. Basic tools to open up the laptop
5.Lots of straight plastic
6.Something to melt down the plastic
7. And for the touch screen i would have used device called Minio Xi (look from google)(and buy from Ebay) . It is mostly used to make projektor sceen "touch" screen. This device uses infrared to map out where the pen is moving on the screen. I will talk about it later in the quide.
The skils you will need to make this are:
1. Soldering
2. Plastic soldering
3. Basic knowledge how things work
4. Lots of patience
5.Problem solving skills
6.Serious knowledge how things work
7.Way to know how to make "special" tools
8. Huge amount of patience :D
This can be a easy job to do but there is always something that wont fit, work. so you have to make it work or fit or both.
For examble in my case i had to find out how to make the power button to work and fit in so i can power up the pc.
As you can see in the seacond picture i had to solder two wires to the pins in order to get the ON/OFF switch to the other side of the laptop.
After i did that i had to modify the heatsink to fit under the screen as you can see in the picture number 5. Without the heatsink the laptop overheats and shuts down
after that i put all in their own place and installed speacers and other things i needed and did a test run as you can see in the last two pictures
This is the part where i had to stop building this one. Mainly reason is that i run out of materials and the seacond reason that i'm too lazy :D But i wil show you how to take it to the end but you will have to use your own brain and imagination to do that.
First of all i started to make the frame to the tablet. i cut the plastic the way i needed it and folded the plastic the way i had to in orded to make the frame to the tablet. the frame is about the size of the screen.
this is where i drop out. You can use plexi glass to make the top and bottom sides to the frame.
And for the touch screen part. I would have used Mimio Xi to do that. It uses one USB port to power and to work. it uses infrared to map out where the pen is moving. the pen sends infrared to the mimio xi and the mimio calculates where the pen is moving. the pen is like computer mouse but instead moving it on the table you can move it on the screen. The mimio xi Is very expensive to buy but you can find it from the Ebay cheap. and you don't have to buy the whole thing you will only need the same parts shown on the last picture. there is the pen and the receiver. But make sure first that it works on the laptop before building it, because it needs drivers and the software to work.
Have fun
In this project you will need:
1.Old laptop
2. Soldering iron
3.some wires
4. Basic tools to open up the laptop
5.Lots of straight plastic
6.Something to melt down the plastic
7. And for the touch screen i would have used device called Minio Xi (look from google)(and buy from Ebay) . It is mostly used to make projektor sceen "touch" screen. This device uses infrared to map out where the pen is moving on the screen. I will talk about it later in the quide.
The skils you will need to make this are:
1. Soldering
2. Plastic soldering
3. Basic knowledge how things work
4. Lots of patience
5.Problem solving skills
6.Serious knowledge how things work
7.Way to know how to make "special" tools
8. Huge amount of patience :D
Step 1: Tearing up the laptop
This is just basic demolition of the laptop.
Decide wich parts you will use in your project and wich you will modify.
Step 2: Building the Tablet pc
Warning!
The basic idea of the easy way is to flip the screen upside down on the laptop chasis.Decide wich parts you will use in your project and wich you will modify.
Step 2: Building the Tablet pc
Warning!
remember that you are working in sensitive electronic equipment involved. Make sure to ground yourself before you start working. Remember also that the LCD monitor uses very high voltage when turned on. This does not kill you, but hurts a lot.
This can be a easy job to do but there is always something that wont fit, work. so you have to make it work or fit or both.
For examble in my case i had to find out how to make the power button to work and fit in so i can power up the pc.
As you can see in the seacond picture i had to solder two wires to the pins in order to get the ON/OFF switch to the other side of the laptop.
After i did that i had to modify the heatsink to fit under the screen as you can see in the picture number 5. Without the heatsink the laptop overheats and shuts down
after that i put all in their own place and installed speacers and other things i needed and did a test run as you can see in the last two pictures
Step 3: Plastic soldering
when you're at the point when you put all the parts on their places. place the screens original frame on the LCD screen, and try whether it fits right. If you are pleased you can start plastic soldering.
Heat up the soldering iron about 240 degrees celsius and start welding the plastic together.
Step 4: Continue
Heat up the soldering iron about 240 degrees celsius and start welding the plastic together.
Step 4: Continue
and now its ready. use USB mouse to operate it and on screen keyboard to write
Step 5: Almost there !!!
after you have extracted the whole computer, fit the necessary components on your computer screen to see how much space you need and how much extra there is and how to make more space.
I had to tear up the battery plastic chasis in order to fit it in the space i had. Use flat screwdriver to do that.
when done everything needed proceed to the next part.
Step 5: Almost there !!!
after you have extracted the whole computer, fit the necessary components on your computer screen to see how much space you need and how much extra there is and how to make more space.
I had to tear up the battery plastic chasis in order to fit it in the space i had. Use flat screwdriver to do that.
when done everything needed proceed to the next part.
Step 6: Finally making the tablet pc body
This is the part where i had to stop building this one. Mainly reason is that i run out of materials and the seacond reason that i'm too lazy :D But i wil show you how to take it to the end but you will have to use your own brain and imagination to do that.
First of all i started to make the frame to the tablet. i cut the plastic the way i needed it and folded the plastic the way i had to in orded to make the frame to the tablet. the frame is about the size of the screen.
this is where i drop out. You can use plexi glass to make the top and bottom sides to the frame.
And for the touch screen part. I would have used Mimio Xi to do that. It uses one USB port to power and to work. it uses infrared to map out where the pen is moving. the pen sends infrared to the mimio xi and the mimio calculates where the pen is moving. the pen is like computer mouse but instead moving it on the table you can move it on the screen. The mimio xi Is very expensive to buy but you can find it from the Ebay cheap. and you don't have to buy the whole thing you will only need the same parts shown on the last picture. there is the pen and the receiver. But make sure first that it works on the laptop before building it, because it needs drivers and the software to work.
Have fun
