OSCAR: The Open Screen Adapter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 06:28:04 pm
content: Shameless plug, but I think it's a neat project and I hope some people on here might also! We also want feedback from as many people as possible so thought why not!We (4 UK Engineering Uni students) have developed OSCAR to be an open source software and hardware project that utilises the iPad 3/4 retina display LCD and converts it for use with your computer through DisplayPort of Thunderbolt. This gives a super high resolution display for your computer complete with laser cut acrylic case!For more information,please see our KickStarter hereMany thanksThe OSCAR Team

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 07:23:07 pm
content: I'm somewhat surprised at the simplicity of it. I'm curious what signals it is pulling, just the DVI? Is the AVR converting the signals in any way or does the iPad screen natively support DVI signals?

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 07:29:52 pm
content: QuoteAlexander.

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 07:33:05 pm
content: Quote from: Stonent on February 22, 2014, 07:23:07 pmFAQIs this product HDMI compatible?Unfortunately OSCAR isNOT HDMI compatibleas the actualLCD panel uses the DisplayPort protocol(which also is compatible with Thunderbolt)HDMI compatible would be DVI compatible, but this one is neither. YOU NEED DISPLAYPORT or some adapter or thunderbolt.This all boils down to the question: "Q:Can I use display from my broken laptop through VGA/DVI/HDMIA:Not without using converter that supports your display"However similar "hacks" are usually done with displays that only support LVDS:http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slla325a/slla325a.pdf

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 07:41:38 pm
content: Thank you very much for replying for meI cannot currently find an adapter the goes from DVI or HDMI and converts to Displayport that support the resolution of the panel (2048x1536) but I'm happy to be proved wrong!

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 07:58:07 pm
content: How about offering only the PCB, assembled and tested of course, for people who want to source their panels from ebay or somewhere else? It could actually help you a lot, since more volume in pcb manufacturing leads to cheaper prices. I saw Ipad 3/4 panels on ebay going for less than 50€ shipped. And yes everyone only buying assembled and tested pcb is taking some risk themselves. Also shipping 50x100mm pcb in cardboard box is much cheaper than with delicate panel. From what I understood when Dave/EEVblog did his kickstarter is that you can add tiers after launching the project.Hack edition shipped outside UK, 125 UK£ = 151.375146 € little bit too much for me right now.

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2014, 09:41:16 pm
content: Yeah, we did think about including a level for just the board, but then decided against it.A few people have suggested this now, so we will re-evaluate and maybe add another level.Thanks for you feedback

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2014, 03:43:19 am
content: So... like Adafruits?http://www.adafruit.com/products/1652

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2014, 10:07:48 am
content: Yes, it is similar to Adafruits. The main differences are that our board has more expandability through the Ardunio and headers for adding functionality and that you can use it as a HID device to control power and backlight from your computer. You can also just get the Hacker Edition if you do not want the case which makes it cheaper than Adafruit, otherwise we're at a similar price point.Also the nice thing about the Kickstarter is that if we get enough interest in including another feature, we will certainly consider it for inclusion in the final design.Our design was developed totally independently, we just happened to release at pretty much exactly the same time!

author: minibutmany
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2014, 10:19:54 pm
content: The PCB layout looks very similar.

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2014, 10:21:28 pm
content: http://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/014/208/original/adafruit_products_qualiaschem.png?1392229327http://learn.adafruit.com/qualia-high-res-displayport-desktop-monitor/downloadsToo bad adafruit doesn't sell their board separately either. They said on their video Linear has possibly made that backlight controller specifically for apple, since it suits so well into their product. They had to make few revisions of the board to get it right.Attiny85 could be arduino compatible also, but they are using almost all the pins.Series about designing similar board:http://mikesmods.com/mm-wp/?page_id=11http://mikesmods.com/mm-wp/?p=69

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 05:06:06 am
content: How much power does the display use? Might be interesting to make a version that can be powered from USB, even if it means reduced brightness without the mains adapter and/or using multiple USB ports. Make it nicely portable and it would nicely appeal to those who want a second display for their laptop while working on the go.

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 09:30:47 am
content: The display uses about 6W under normal operation. There is a screw terminal for power input, so you could technically wire it into a USB connector, but the voltage would be too low so it not recommended. Recommended input is 9-12V.

author: mortos360
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 10:29:05 am
content: Not sure if this is a fake or not (didnt buy it), but I know this item for atleast half a year:http://www.ebay.at/itm/171105504918?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.at%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D171105504918%26_rdc%3D1not sure why people talk so much about that adafrut version.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 10:46:19 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on February 22, 2014, 07:23:07 pmIt's because of the embedded displayport standard, these modern panels cut out a lot of middlemen and just take the signal unaltered from displayport.

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 08:45:08 pm
content: Quote from: mortos360 on February 24, 2014, 10:29:05 amArduino and open source are all the rage nowadays.First guy to do this successfully was on hackaday almost a year ago.http://hackaday.com/2013/04/22/connect-a-retina-display-to-a-regular-computer/He even put up everything on github so other people could also make one:https://github.com/Emeryth/iPad3_lcdKicad and eagle files included!He made pcb himself and spliced displayport cable to hook it up, he got "The whole thing cost about $70 in parts." including the panel itself. There is still market for assembled and tested pcb, without hidden costs and extras. Reasonable pricing is everything. Maybe some chinese Open Source Hardware oriented place will take a hint and start selling some ripoff boards for cheap on ebay. Even if it's not ripoff if they follow the guidelines. Apparently DisplayPort is not too sensitive about the length matching on a short board using short cables.

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 09:21:45 pm
content: Due to request, we have now added a new backer level to get just the OSCAR PCB on its own. It will be fully assembled and tested and because it is smaller and lighter, the international shipping is much cheaper!We hope you back our project and thanks to everyone who has supported it so far!

author: jeremy0203
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2014, 04:20:52 pm
content: Yours and Adafruits PCB look way too similar to be a mere coincidence. Both of you base your design off someone elses previous design. I have noticed Adafruit always coming out with things I have seen the Chinese selling on ebay already.

author: jolshefsky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2014, 04:59:36 pm
content: Quote from: team_OSCAR on February 23, 2014, 10:07:48 amFor what it's worth, I think the designs are independent. The display's ribbon cable is going to dictate that it is orientated at the top of the board. Because the bulk of the wires are for Displayport, it makes sense that the connector is straight across from the display's connector. The power input would rationally be oriented so the cable runs parallel to the digital input.It looks like the early revision had the buttons toward the center of the screen, and that design decision was carried through the subsequent versiosn. It would make more sense to me to have them as close to the edge of the display as possible so you don't have to look behind to find the buttons: either along the top edge of the board, or transpose the design so the display drivers are on the other side of the display connectors, making the board come close to the edge of the display, and putting the buttons on the edge ... something like this:

author: Sigmoid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2014, 06:00:14 pm
content: I'm thinking about going with either this or an Adafruit.Has anyone tried the Adafruits? I'm mostly interested in how usable they are with Windows.Does it look any good if you set the DPI to the actual value?

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2014, 06:02:32 pm
content: Exactly! Thank you very much @jolshefsky!It was developed totally independently and as Adafruit only recently released their product we would have had nothing to copy anyway!@Sigmoid, when running it at native resolution, it is small, but perfectly usable at about 30-60cm. You can loose your cursor fairly easily though! It's also lovely for super high res movies and videos!

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2014, 03:55:18 am
content: Quote from: team_OSCAR on February 25, 2014, 06:02:32 pm6 months ago:Preview - Adafruit display port to Retina display adapterBut looks like adafruit is using similar to this:http://emerythacks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/the-retina-saga-continues.html

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2014, 10:57:11 pm
content: The awesome Dave have himself just re-tweeted our project! Many thanks for that DaveIf you see this Dave and would like to have a play with OSCAR, then I'll see what we can do with getting a unit shipped out to you

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2014, 04:40:26 am
content: http://www.eevblog.com/about/Quote from:http://www.eevblog.com/about/I think running kickstarter project should rate as urgent? So maybe next mailbag, if it's possible? If you decide to send it, then lets hope it doesn't go to AUSTRIA.

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2014, 08:36:33 am
content: Just checked with Dave and he doesn't have a DisplayPort or Thunderbolt connection unfortunatelyI will send him a few bits about the project and a beta-reivision PCB. Hopefully coming to you in a Mailbag in the near future!

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2014, 08:56:39 am
content: It's not like I remember all EEVblog videos by heart.@ 9m28shttps://youtu.be/lCmo5y4DqvU?t=9m28shttp://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/EAH5870G2DIS1GD5V2/Quote from:http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/EAH5870G2DIS1GD5V2/But did you Dave sell those parts or put them into use somewhere else?http://www.eevblog.com/2013/04/16/designing-a-silent-cheap-video-editing-pc/EEVblog editing PC uses integrated graphics.

author: team_OSCAR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2014, 09:36:30 pm
content: Dave has now done a little segment on OSCAR in the latest mailbag! Thanks Dave, you're awesome!