Equipping a cheap LCD or TFT with composite input. Is it possible?

Hi at all!
I'm playing around with the TV out library at the moment and wonder if it's possible to "hack" a cheap tiny LCD or TFT (like this one: http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120419001.html or something alike, but not bigger than 2,5") to take composite signals. Not that I don't have enough composite displays anyway, but they're far from portable (as usual for most TVs :)). Bonus points if it's cheaper than 30$ :D.

MontySylver:
Hi at all!
I'm playing around with the TV out library at the moment and wonder if it's possible to "hack" a cheap tiny LCD or TFT (like this one: http://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120419001.html or something alike, but not bigger than 2,5") to take composite signals. Not that I don't have enough composite displays anyway, but they're far from portable (as usual for most TVs :)). Bonus points if it's cheaper than 30$ :D.

While you might be able to provide a composite driver for such a LCD, but it is simpler to get one of the monitors made for car backup systems that can be powered by a 12v battery. Most of these are 3.5" or larger, but I did see these 2.5" monitors on ebay:

Note, since these units are made for cars, they tend to take 12v inputs. Over in the Raspberry Pi forums, they had this thread on how to convert it to 5v: Modifying a 3.5" car display for USB power. - Raspberry Pi Forums

In the past I bought a 3.5" JXD mp4 player that had a cell phone battery in it that took composite input (you have to hunt around for the few mp4 players that take video input). However, it looks like JXD is no longer making the cheap mp4 players, but there might be other brands that support video in.

Adafruit sells several small monitors (1.5", 2", 2.5") that take composite input: NTSC/PAL (Television) TFT Display - 1.5 Diagonal : ID 910 : $39.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits. I will say from personal experience be careful how you wire it up, as I reduced mine to expensive paper weight when I plugged ground into the hot wire, and vice versa.

I'M glad I'm not the only one making paper weights...

Bob

While you might be able to provide a composite driver for such a LCD, but it is simpler to get one of the monitors made for car backup systems that can be powered by a 12v battery.

Yeah, for some odd reason composite drivers are ridiculously expensive. I was hoping to avoid 12V displays because of the big batteries needed to power them, but that's worth a look anyway!

Adafruit sells several small monitors (1.5", 2", 2.5") that take composite input: NTSC/PAL (Television) TFT Display - 1.5 Diagonal : ID 910 : $39.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits.

That's exactly what i was looking for, thanks a lot! Costs a little bit more than I hoped for but it's still fine. I'll just have to deal with it, since it's supposed to be mounted into a custom case and circuit and it will stay there.

I will say from personal experience be careful how you wire it up, as I reduced mine to expensive paper weight when I plugged ground into the hot wire, and vice versa.

I'M glad I'm not the only one making paper weights...

Reminds me of the day when I accidently killed my first Arduino by mixing up the 5V and 12V lines. That was a sad, sad day... Somehow I believe that's the absolutely most common way of frying an Arduino :roll_eyes:.