Converting LCD from imac to standalone monitor

[addsomebass]

Just to explain why I posted this here; The imac uses LVDS and an inverter to power its monitor.

The imac in question is a very late 2006 model, 24", 2.16 ghz.

So the imac died about three weeks ago, dead logic board. It was three months out of warranty, so naturally, I tore it apart and bought a PC. (just have to say, best decision ever)

Managed to salvage the hard drive easily enough, and I can let go of pretty much everything else in there. But, the 24" monitor deserves to be fought for. I would really like to get off the 16" loaner I have right now.

Monitor: LG Philips LM240WU2. It has two inputs: one coming from the inverter, and another coming from an LVDS output on the imac logic board.

After listening to strangers on the internet, I have concluded that:
It will need a power source and an inverter,
a DVI to LVDS converter, which seem to be nonexistent.
There will be lot of splicing wire and tinkering, the iMac's monitor's cables are very... unique.

It also seems that a standalone monitor needs some sort of motherboard-ish thing in order to turn on and off, and do other stuff, I think, I am actually still very much a noob at computers.

So I definitely have nowhere near the skills to pull this off.
But I would much rather break it and learn something then just trash it immediately.

I have the wiring diagrams for the monitor. So if someone could point me in the right direction of obtaining a good inverter for my purpose, or the whereabouts of a DVI to LVDS converter, that would be an awesome welcome to the community.

I'm pretty sure I need to just bite the bullet and get a new monitor, but ill never throw this old one away, so solutions will always be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[koinonas]

The screens in those 24" imacs were incredibly good so I can understand why you would like to salvage and re-use it. Having said that, I would probably suggest breaking it up and selling it off as spare parts of ebay or the second hand market. Why put yourself through the cost and grief when there's probably someone out there who would be willing to pay you to get your screen or power supply as there's has blown up!

Though the panel is a high quality one, you need a bit more circuitry to operate the LVDS than a simple DVI adapter thing. And having seen how the imac's are put together in their very unique Apple way, most of this circuitry is built in on the graphics card/logic board assembly.

My guess is that by the time you get an electrical engineering degree, splice together lots of cables and customise a whole stack of circuit boards to re-use the screen, you could of saved more money and hours by just buying another good quality 24" screen.

I think from memory these were only supposed to be opened up by qualified techs as there were certain delicate parts that you could either damage or be damaged by if you operated incorrectly.

 

[addsomebass]

Thanks a ton for the response, your "guess" was just the piece of logic I needed to hear to ebay this thing, although I'm really not a fan of the ebay process. Cracking the iMac open wasn't too difficult with the help of some youtube videos; I don't think I broke anything significant

I just wish there was an another way to reuse this instead of just being able to slap it into another identical imac. Anyways, thanks again.

 

[Harper]

The screens in those 24" imacs were incredibly good so I can understand why you would like to salvage and re-use it. Having said that, I would probably suggest breaking it up and selling it off as spare parts of ebay or the second hand market. Why put yourself through the cost and grief when there's probably someone out there who would be willing to pay you to get your screen or power supply as there's has blown up!

Very true. Mac parts can get you a very good price on eBay. I did that with my father iBook when it finally died last year.

I just wish there was an another way to reuse this instead of just being able to slap it into another identical imac. Anyways, thanks again.

The problem that I have always had with mac is that they always seem to put in an extra cable or fitting or firmware just to make sure that you can not use 3rd party parts. If some thing fails out side the warranty, you have to "get a mac" spare part.