Episode #77
Using A Laptop Screen

How can I use an old laptop’s screen as a second monitor for my Mac? The laptop does not work. (It had a Pentium 4 processor and now shuts off randomly.) Is this possible? I’ve seen many programs that will run if the computer is working, but it doesn’t. BTW, I have school starting in August so if you could do it on the weekend or after 4:15 I could be on, otherwise I can't.

Hunter, Atlanta, GA



Unfortunately, the screen found on notebook computers are pretty much single-purpose…they’re designed to be used inside a notebook. If you’ve got inclinations to be a hardware hacker, you might be able to rig up power and video signal to the notebook’s screen, if you’re willing to rip it right off the old notebook. But if you’re a casual computer user, it’s simply not worth the effort…and it’s probably less expensive to just buy a new LCD monitor to use as your second display, once you’ve purchased all of the other parts necessary to make the old laptop screen stand upright.

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