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Hardware

Vehicular LCD for Server Monitoring 122

Posted by michael from the small-form-factor dept.
Pete writes "The guys over at Extreme Overclocking have show how to put a car LCD inside a computer. The article shows how to install VNC remote computing software onto the server, how to manage the server from another computer, and how to use the color LCD to manage the server locally. They also included a video at the end which shows the setup process, and the LCD in action."
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Vehicular LCD for Server Monitoring More

Vehicular LCD for Server Monitoring

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  • What is the point? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Moderation abuser ( 184013 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:07AM (#5597384)
    "If you are running a server and do not want to waste money on buying a monitor that you will only use probably once a week then you will definitely see the value here."

    Yeah, $60 for a 15" CRT vs $130 for 12" LCD screen.

    That statement certainly makes sense.

    • Truly, I think the only place this may make sense is in a clustered environment where you don't want to be changing a monitor cable around between systems. However, even then it doesn't make sense since you should get a KVM controller.

      As with 95% of all machine hacks, cute, but ultimately pointless.
    • Exaclty what I was thinking. I suppose the whole "It would be fun at a LAN party" idea works, but in now way is this effective for server management in my opinion.

    • Umm, actually it's a 5" screen. It takes less space (since the monitor sits inside the case) and it consumes much less power than that 15" CRT.

      • See that big button on the bottom right hand corner of the monitor in front of you?

        That's "The OFF button". It switches the monitor off and on. Revolutionary, I know, but it's been a standard feature of monitors for ooooh, a little while now.

        • Yes, that works wonders, but any moment it's switched to "ON" it's using more power than this thing. And if you never use that setting, then it's pointless to even have this big paper weight.

          ~Jon~
          • Once you start using VNC it's pointless to have a monitor hooked up. Granted if you lose network connectivity then you will but not that the potential that will happen will justify buying an expensive LCD screen
    • Given that the article is written by and for people whose server needs begins with their mp3 collection and ends with games, that statement might make sense.

      I got the feeling that real-world practicality wasn't much of a concern. This is nothing more than "We did it because we could, and we had money to burn."
    • I hope some companies start marketing this LCD screen as an aftermarket kit for desktops and make installation easier.

      In another article, a similar type of 5 inch LCD screen was fitted on the side of the desktop after cutting a hole there.[Mikhailtech [mikhailtech.com]].


    • What I don't get: why would anybody want to shell out money for an LCD if he ends up using VNC to remote admin the server?
    • Actually I would like something like this because of space restraints. All of my servers are crammed into a small corner of a small room. I do my best to keep it need and tidy, but I have to hook up a 15 inch monitor to a KVM switch. Even with the best cable managment system, it is a nightmare of KVM cables. If I could have these screens in the servers, then I could eliminate the cables, KVM switch, and monitor making a cleaner work environment. Not to mention by removing the monitor, KVM, and cables N

      • All of my servers are crammed into a small corner of a small room. I do my best to keep it need and tidy, but I have to hook up a 15 inch monitor to a KVM switch. Even with the best cable managment system, it is a nightmare of KVM cables. If I could have these screens in the servers, then I could eliminate the cables, KVM switch, and monitor

        Why use a KVM switch and cables at all? I assume that these machines are on a network so just put a VNC client, keyboard, monitor and all on one of them (or any conv

        • Here's
          that link for the VNC stuff [att.com], same as the one used in the story.

          Newer versions are available here [realvnc.com] (for Win32, Linux, and Solaris, anyway...a version for Mac OS (classic, either 68K or PowerPC) is at the site you mentioned, and you can google for VNC ports to other OSen, such as Palm OS).

        • Sure, fine, up until the point an upgrade breaks VNC, network functionality goes down, or one of a hundred other things that can kill VNC connectivity outright.

          VNC is nice, yes-- I use it myself-- but it's not perfect. In the end, the LCD might prove to be a lifesaver in a very small package.
      • Except, this mod involves using the NTSC output on the video card, which means things will be generally unreadable on the screen.
    • http://www.kentsalas.com/blueiceg4/gallery.asp

      http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,56086,00.ht ml

      Using a G4 and more effective use of Screen I believe as a status screen
    • its a "because we can" article & modification.

      anyone serious about being headless and saving space would get a rack and use 1u/2u servers.

      also voids the warranty. kind of pointless to do all this besides just being a case mod (which we all know case mods aren't pointless.......uhh......)

    • I thought the same thing - but even more to the point - why any monitor at all?

      I have a cluster and I am too lazy to set up a kvm on it (right now a monitor and keyboard just gets plugged into the newest node when I set it up, and then I never use it after that).
      *although I should note that if you don't have fixed IPs setup on those nodes, if they reboot or change their IP via dhcp, it gets annoying to track them down again if you want to connect to them. That should be an obvious point, but I'm retarded -
    • Id have to agree with you. There isnt very much real world praticality in this, since you can get a KVM switch and switch to a particular server you want to monitor. Also, not remember off the top of my head how the Composite out on the Raidon works, but dont you have to be in a GUI for any display to come out, so wouldnt things like, oh say a Linux server or BIOS editing be kind of a moot point... Now this would have been a REALLY cool hack if the guy had built a small scan converter, but since most QUALIT

      • Id have to agree with you. There isnt very much real world praticality in this, since you can get a KVM switch and switch to a particular server you want to monitor. Also, not remember off the top of my head how the Composite out on the Raidon works, but dont you have to be in a GUI for any display to come out, so wouldnt things like, oh say a Linux server or BIOS editing be kind of a moot point...

        I have an All-In-Wonder Radeon at home. I can leave the monitor off, switch on the VCR and TV on the compo

        • Wow, that interesting. I remember earlier STB cards and cheap scan converters had a problem where they wouldnt display text consoles and they would clip off about 10% off each side of the display. At least that has been corrected. Id expect text quality to be pretty poor since the dot pitch of a TV is so much less than a monitors. There were some Sony Scan converters, however, that made the display quite usuable on a regular TV. But at a heft 5000 price tag they wouldnt even be concievable for this type of
    • I am building a mini-itx [mini-itx.com] machine into a cheap tool box. I plan on putting a small, color LCD screen into the lid, and make it removable.

      It will be kind of like those PSX systems with the screen. Except it will also be a portable Tivo, DVD player, MP3 player, emulator machine...

      I have all the bits except the motherboard and screen. The prices on both of those continue to drop, so I can't decide when to order.
      • I used a multi-compartment fishing box for my LAN system. Just put the Mini-ATX board and DVD+RW drive in the large center area and all the Misc cables in the outer compartments. Also put a $199 7-inch LCD [mp3playerstore.com] in it for quick gaming and video editing.
        • I'm working on a similar design. The toolbox has a removable upper tray. I put the wireless keyboard and cables there for easy access, with the MB, PS, drives and ATI TV-Wonder VE in the bottom. I have a big section of copper clad PC board to put in the bottom as a common ground.
        • I'd love to get a 9" screen so that I could use my old mac SE for a server type device. It would be kind of cool to have an old Mac on my stereo stand with a more modern computer on its inside.... Maybe if prices drop enough sizes will increase on these small LEDs.
    • It looks so cool [waiknott.com]. As a SFF [sudhian.com] nut any time you can shove a screen inside your box, like this xenarc [xenarc.com], which supports 800x480, makes me drool. xenarc also sells a single DIN carputer [xenarc.com]. With built in pcmcia slots perhaps you could VNC into your remote servers from the parking lot using 802.ll. Try swinging that past your purchasing officer.
    • Reminds me of the SGI Origin 2000's that have the LCD panel on each rack. The display would show the system load or some such thing. Never really saw the utility of it, but I was not the admin on the system so maybe I am just obtuse. Maybe people walk up and down the computer room with a clipboard (paper or otherwise) and check things off.

      For admin purposes, my preferences tend towards KVMs, ssh, or a remote X application. The only real utility (as I see it) is if the computer is an appliance: Media

  • only much better resolution.
    • When running a dedicated server, what use is resolution? The only andvantage I can see is increased viewing area, but is it worth an extra 70 to 100 dollars to avoid using your scroll wheel every now and then? Not to mention that for the price of a small LCD you can purchase a modest sized CRT.

  • Of weather and viewing angle.. (Score:4, Informative)

    by stephenisu ( 580105 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:12AM (#5597396)
    With an operating temperature of 32 - 104 degrees Farenheit, make sure you park your car in the garage. Furthermore the viewing angle it 10 degrees from the top and 30 from the bottom. Mounting it upside down and running the signal appropriately might be a good idea.
    • We have an IT department that probably codes more than some software companies. Some of our software is licensed out to other companies, with some of my co-workers providing consulting on it.

      As you generally don't have control of where you park or of who breaks your windows out, you should make the screen removable.

      The situation is similart for a PC. If you follow advice from Extreem Overclocking, you know the inside of your PC will surpass 104F and Windows might break it.

    • "Put out an A.P.B on Uosdwis R. Dewoh, better start with greek town."

      "That's Homer J. Simpson, chief. You're reading it upside down."
      "Err.. Cancel that A.P.B. But, err, bring back some of them gyro's."
      "Eh, chief.. You're talking into your wallet!"

      --The Simpsons
  • I hope they are also capturing video footage of their servers thrashing in pain; as the Slashdot effect goes about downloading their 10meg .wmv file that they have made available.
  • When they do this on a watch then I will buy. Images of Rick Tracy, computer private eye, float through my mind. (Rick is, of course, Dick's older and better looking brother).

    Better yet, when I can do this with my Captain Midnight Decoder Ring, then I will be even more ready to buy.

    Reality comes from above: God is calling, there's no bigger love.

  • Nice 'proof of concept' BUT (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Lysol ( 11150 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:18AM (#5597412)
    - this does not scale well for > 1 server.

    - only works if you have some sort of ATX type case

    - with any sort of non-gui mgmt tools, this becomes irrelavent

    that said, it's a neat idea for a web page article, but this would never fly for the typical mgmt of servers that i've seen. and, i prefer non-gui tools because gui tools tend to slow and a pain in the ass to deal with.

    • well of course. (Score:3, Interesting)

      by twitter ( 104583 )
      ... this would never fly for the typical mgmt of servers that i've seen. and, i prefer non-gui tools because gui tools tend to slow and a pain in the ass to deal with.

      The only useful thing in the article was that you can get a 5" screen from an auto parts dealer. Rigged to a normal VGA connector and put into a reasonable case with some batteries, this could replace the cart mounted CRT that is useful for diagnosing the box that won't respond remotely. Imagine one affixed to a light weight keyboard. Whe

    • You forgot the other reason to use it! The idea of using it for a HTPC is pretty slick. One of the most important things to me for a good looking htpc (needs to look like a stereo component imho) is the status display. A full color lcd screen would work perfect for this! I'd much rather use that than a small black and white LCD only capable of displaying numbers and letters mounted in a 5 1/4" drive bay. You'd of course have to end up writing your own software for the status display, but if you did thi
    • Well, technically you could use an AT board and an AT case with two unused 5.25 bays, you just can't use a much smaller than average case.

    • - with any sort of non-gui mgmt tools, this becomes irrelavent

      nack. man bios.

      Alech, who just dragged his 17" to the server just to install an ISDN card. /me wants a network bios :-)

  • Console Server? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by turgid ( 580780 )
    Why not just connect up your machines to a console server via thier serial ports? If you need graphics, use X over the network.
    • Yeah that allways served me well with GNU/Linux, but that isnt really do-able with windows servers is it?

      But with Linux servers I tend to find the "install, configure, setup and leave and use ssh occasionaly to check" approach works fine
  • Somebody needs to overclock their server, or at least install a LCD screen on it that will blink "Warning! Meltdown! /.!"

  • For servers? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by IGnatius T Foobar ( 4328 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:22AM (#5597440) Homepage Journal
    From the article:

    If you are running a server and do not want to waste money on buying a monitor that you will only use probably once a week then you will definitely see the value here. If it's coolness factor you're looking for, then by all means go ahead and install the 5-inch LCD. But if it's "value" that you're looking for, as the article suggests, there are cheaper ways of doing it.

    Headless comes to mind, of course. Nearly all new server hardware supports keyboardless/displayless operation. Or you can do "nearly headless" -- do a serial console. Again, nearly all new server hardware supports running the BIOS/POST to a serial port, and Linux supports a serial console [accesscom.com] with no trouble at all.

    Of course, if you're running a Windows server, then you'd better just pony up the $100-300 for a real monitor (or in a large multi-server environment, a big KVM switch) because you're going to be spending a lot of time sitting at the console fixing broken Microsoft crap.

    And before you mod me down as a zealot, please know that this is based on my experience at a mid-size managed hosting facility. Our sysadmins are constantly babysitting the Windows boxen, so we have to dedicate expensive KVM ports to each one. Linux just runs and runs without ever having a problem that requires console access, so we go serial, and we hook them up with really inexpensive used terminal servers.
  • But adding 802.11/Cell modem to a car computer is too easy. You get to add a really big antenna Still a nice bit of work folks.

  • When in Japan... (Score:3, Informative)

    by NiteHaqr ( 29663 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:23AM (#5597448) Homepage
    or to be more exact Osaka 2 (count em 1,2) years ago I had a look round various tech-shops and PC parts places (drooling all the way), I saw just this, or something similar in an "non-modded" part.

    Basically it was a 800x600 LCD that slotted into a 5.25" bay.

    How it connected to the PC I dont know, but I expect some kind of loop-back cable.

    This is old news....

  • LAN party? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by milosoftware ( 654147 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:25AM (#5597453) Homepage
    I don't mind dragging my 15 kg desktop to a LAN party, but I do mind carrying my 24 kg Iiyama around, i'm afraid i'll drop and break it.

    But the screen is a bit small for my taste. How about recycling an old laptops TFT screen? I have a defunct laptop with a perfectly good working TFT screen. I'd love to stick its display to the case with doublesided tape. But I have no idea how to wire it, or what kind of video card I could use for this. Any comments/links on that?
    • You have a good point, I just binned an old, dead laptop, the screen could have been pulled out and stuck in a picture frame. It'd just have needed a power supply and long vga cable.

    • Re:LAN party? (Score:2, Informative)

      by Quixotic137 ( 26461 )
      I don't have any links off-hand, but I have looked into it and the short answer is that you don't want to do this. Basically, each model of screen has it's own interface (which is not VGA or even close) and the controller is generally built in to the laptop display system. It is possible (and there are standalone or VGA-compatible controllers out there), but it's going to be expensive. Check google for details.

    • How about if the old Laptop TFT screen gets built into the side of the PC case? Like those glass windows everyone bores out of the case.

      Of course, then, ultimately, you'll end up with something like this...

      Model III [oldcomputers.net]
      - or -
      Sony's new all-in-one [sonystyle.com]
      - or -
      Datapoint 2200 [old-computers.com]
      - and an Osborne computer mentioned elsewhere in the thread -
      Osborne executive 3 [old-computers.com]

      I will have to say, though, one of the prettiest cases I've ever seen was this one... it'd make a pretty cool Linux box today (with some hardware modification

    • Short answer: it won't work, you're better off just selling the screen on eBay.

      Long answer: you can buy a decent GeForce or Radeon plus a 15" TFT monitor for less than a video card capable of directly driving a bare LCD (well, I have seen some 512k greyscale ISA boards for under $100). Additionally, there's the cost of custom cabling, powering the inverter for the screen's backlight, etc. And even with expenses so high, you're probably not going to end up with a graphics system suitable for gaming anyway.

    • That does bring up an interesting idea.

      You could take apart a standard 15" lcd display and mount it inside a lot of towers, making it viewable via a window.

      I still see many power supplies that allow you to plug a normal AC plug into it, where you could simply plug in your LCD's powersupply.

      This would be very simple and not require extensive knowledge of voltage, etc.

  • Tight VNC (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I highly recommend Tight VNC [tightvnc.org] for all of your VNC needs. It's based on the ATT version, is free, open source, and has a lot of nice improvements.
    • I've also switched to TightVNC and found it to be a major improvement, especially over slow networks. The server-side has been input handling and the client has a couple different levels of compression for fast connections.
  • Looks like they can't overclock that webserver as it's already slashdotted...
  • 1024x768 on a TV out to a 5 inch LCD has got to be hell on the eyes. If you'r running VNC then you may as well manage from a remote workstation, with a display that won't give you a headache.

    .:diatonic:.
    • I don't think you can get 1024 x 768 over an NTSC type composite video feed without making the NTSC composite type video display go crazy. Wonder if those displays can be hacked to do VGA, it's not like trying to get a CRT television to do double the horizontal sweep rate that the yoke and flyback are designed for.
  • The stock shot on the LCD is of the Ha'penny Bridge [irish-architecture.com], a 19th century pedestrian bridge in my old home town of Dublin. I wonder they chose a pedestrian bridge from a pre-automobile era to help sell sell high tech car parts!

    • I wonder they chose a pedestrian bridge from a pre-automobile era to help sell sell high tech car parts!
      Because when that car computer crashes, they have to walk to the nearest phone and call customer support. (Because the cell phone was integrated in the car. D'oh!)
      Let's hope it doesn't become a common event.

  • I was going to do this last year... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Hayzeus ( 596826 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @10:40AM (#5597522) Homepage
    .. but as it turned out, the price of the car made the whole project impractical.

    Once the price of cars drops, though, I'm sure we'll see a lot more of this kind of thing...

  • Ok, this guy has stuck a 5" LCD in his ATX case, connected it up to the composite video out, used VNC, and claimed all this amazing stuff.

    Ok, this screen will be of little use except to vaguelly see what is going on, watching films, visualisations from winamp, etc. It's hardly a monitor replacement.

    So he uses a bit of rolled over ribbon cable, some duct tape, and a tube for the surround... that smells to me of someone who couldn't really be bothered so hacked apart the nearest things to make it. Why not d

    • Agreed

      This is the worst casemod article I have ever seen. I'm not trying to troll here, but c'mon. The screen is tiny, and to make matters worse, it isn't even VGA. Good luck trying to actually admin a server(windows or linux) with that thing. And then, at the end of the review they tack on a guide to installing VNC. Now, granted, VNC is a great tool, but it has absolutely nothing to do with this screen, though, the only way to admin a box with this screen would be through vnc so I guess there's a link t

    • GPS on a device that doesn't move is pretty useless IMO
  • Could this be used for home AV units? If it were touch-sensitive it would make things much cooler than whipping out the wireless keyboard. Also why not use a LCD screen from one of the new units for cars that are the same size as a car stereo, but the screen pops out and folds up? That would be nice!
  • Is there any sysadmin out there who really wants this thick of an umbilical cord between them and their servers? I thought sysadmins having to carry pagers was bad, but this is just plain ridiculous. I can think of these three scenarios:

    1) "Oh geez, spongebob1's not responding"...continues to stare at screen waiting for spongebob1's return...doesn't pay attention to sharp curve in the road...WHAM!!! Game over.

    2) After going out to a fancy dinner with a nice attractive young lady, you're driving to the mo

  • Parts Info (Score:2, Informative)

    by richwmn ( 621114 )
    For those that are interested, the link in the article to find a price for the part is broken. This (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&User _ID=12265578&St=2441&St2=86138462&St3=-45726898&DS _ID=3&Product_ID=16106&DID=7)will get you to a store to sell the module at $128 ($119 qty 4).
  • Cool-o-rama! My mp3 server just got a lot l33t'er.
  • Even if VNC is supposedly secure, (and I use it for some workstations), I still can't imagine putting it on a server. There just seems to be something inherently wrong with putting up a service on a dedicated server which gives people full and complete control over your system...
  • I've never found composite out on video cards useful for anything but watching movies. All the video cards I've ever tried try and compress a desktop of 800*600 or 1024*768 so that it fits on a TV. Of course this looks like shit.

    What I'd like to do is somehow send the native resolution of the TV. Is this possible? Especially with a little LCD TV screen. I mean, what a waste, having an LCD where the image is unreadable.
    • Set your resolution for 640 x 480 and you should be close enough to the neighborhood of NTSC video not to freak out your televison too badly, although your actual VGA monitor display will look really mid 80s.

  • Computer with horn: Ellen Feiss deaf? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by GQuon ( 643387 ) on Wednesday March 26, 2003 @01:12PM (#5598268) Journal
    From the article:All of us know that both the car and the PC have a 12V line

    But they neglect to tell us if this mod is for diesel or gas powered computers.

    Seriously though:
    Since cars typically use the car body as the return from the positive terminal (i.e. the car body is connected to negative), the fastenings for a car part could be designed to connect to the negative terminal. (A few cars are made the other way around. Look out.)
    A computer case is supposed to be connected to ground. So although connecting turn signals, cigarette lighters and horns (Ellen Feiss would go deaf) to your computer might sound tempting, you'd better check out how the car and the part is coupled.
    In other words: Tell Chewie to isolate the reverse power couplings.
    • For the time being cars and computers both can use 12 Volt negative ground gear, but car makers are looking at going to a much higher voltage (times 4 or more) on order to deliver the same watts over thinner (cheaper) wires, and your old 5 Volt CPU went down to 3.3 Volt and now they're moving even lower so in the future if they ditch that legacy stuff and use lower voltage drive motors they can go with a single voltage output power supply meaning fewer parts and lower manufacturing costs so enjoy the tempor
  • Do a search for the Emerson MT-950...
  • "I want to be able to look straight ahead, without getting off of my recliner, and see the status of my servers."
  • Here's a site [lcdgallery.net] that's more or less dedicated to showing PC/LCD mods.

    And here's a sweet mod [l33tpeeps.com] that uses the exact same 5" LCD screen and puts it in a Lian-Li case.

    Pretty cool lookin case mod and useful if you don't have space for full dual-monitors but also want to have winamp/instant messenger/MB Monitor/etc... running and visible but not necessarily on your main monitor.

    The only way I could see this as usable for a server though is if you only have a one or two. After that it gets pretty expensive.
  • There is a company call IBM who make PC's with LCD fitted to them. I think they are called Thinkpads. I gather other people make them as well, try googling 'Notebook' or 'Laptop'.
  • This has been around for years. However some people have ome great ideas. Here are a few links:

    A motorized 5" screen [bit-tech.net]

    Here is one that is used just for monitoring resources like proc and temp: -HERE- [uniquehardware.ca]

    Some of these are pretty cool. I am actualy considering trying a 5" screen to run a visual of MP3 player.

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