Hello all,
I searched for a LONG time for a good 10.4" VGA LCD screen and finally found a good one from a company called Pyle.
Description
PYLE PLVW10IW 10.4'' In-Wall Mount TFT LCD Flat Panel Monitor w/VGA Input
Cost
Approx $160 USD
The Good
The screen is a complete unit, rather than having an LCD screen and a separate controller card. All the cables are very neatly arranged behind the monitor, which is completely enclosed in a thin case with ventilation. A wired remote control is used to change inputs and turn the display on/off.
Although the viewing angles are stated as 40º Up/ 70º Down/ Left Right 70º, you can actually read text on the screen 180º left and right (when the monitor is mounted vertically.) If mounted horizontally, the monitor starts to get unreadable at very wide angles, but for most sim builders, that won't matter since the monitor mounts vertical. The contrast just keeps dropping and getting wierd, making the black turn grayish. The photos below show the screen at various angles.
VERY easy to get working... Just connect + and - leads to a 12V power supply and plug the built in VGA cable into your computer!
Enclosed in a black frame, so no need for electrical tape to block out sides.
Available on Amazon.
Multiple inputs available including VGA, RCA and coaxial.
The "Bad"
The screen doesn't come with a power supply, so you have to buy a separate 12V DC power adapter. The screen just has a long cord with a fuse box and a red and black wire ready for wiring. HOWEVER, this actually works to our advantage since you can now EASILY connect the monitor to your 12V power bus and control it using an interface card.
The monitor isn't 100% sharp. It has a slight fuzziness to it, but it's barely noticeable with the avionics running.
When no signal is detected, the monitor turns blue and says No signal in the center of the screen. May not matter since that only happens if the computer is off, but I at least wanted to mention it.
Where to Buy
http://www.amazon.com/PLVW10IW--Wall-Mount-Panel-Monitor/dp/B00118EM1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319303949&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/PLVW10IW--Wall-Mount-Panel-Monitor/dp/B00118EM1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319303949&sr=8-1)
Pictures
The following pictures show the Pyle LCD at various angles. The software is Pro MFD - 777 Collection.
Note: I just noticed that the images in the photos look blurry at an angle. That's MY fault... I took the pictures with a 1.8 aperture lens, which makes depth of field drop off QUICKLY. The words are actually readable :-)
(https://www.cockpitbuilders.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.static.flickr.com%2F6224%2F6269772472_8e48a9ec3c_b.jpg&hash=d7f25edaa203be44db1c9a9fbbb86375077a795c)
(https://www.cockpitbuilders.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.static.flickr.com%2F6100%2F6269774020_bef835c333_b.jpg&hash=4d913fd46bf017e19b723b8ddd4f5e1212f0e8f4)
(https://www.cockpitbuilders.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.static.flickr.com%2F6239%2F6269775174_5039eae5c5_b.jpg&hash=22db49858ccd591e7a11d6a6de718bfd453cf89e)
(https://www.cockpitbuilders.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.static.flickr.com%2F6111%2F6269776288_4ed701565d_b.jpg&hash=9726614680693bf105475113c6b773ccad6dcb23)
(https://www.cockpitbuilders.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.static.flickr.com%2F6228%2F6269429699_08883dcb56_z.jpg&hash=f230c60399605babab65014539059b68d7d73e55)
Very nice report on a much needed device
The 12V is a real bonus as any PSU used on the sim can power it , saving another plug on the wall.
Could you measure the outside dimensions?
Thank you Robert
Hey Jack,
The dimensions of the overall unit are:
Height: 7 - 7/16 inches
Width: 10 - 13/16 inches
Thickness: 15/16 inches
Robert
Metric 19 cm X 27.5 cm
Very handy size for the lower DU
Thanks Robert.
Thanks Robert! Looks like it may work after all. How bad is the white/wash out effect when viewing at angles that you would encounter in a normal pit setup? I want one for both upper and lower EICAS displays.
Rob
Jack thanks for the conversions!
Rob, I'll be able to judge the viewing angle quality much better once I get the screen mounted into the EICAS stand. I'll be sure post more pics then.
Just from playing with the viewing angles, the monitor seemed acceptable when rotating from left to right (while held vertically). Wasn't HD contrast for sure, but still quite legible. Quite surprisingly, it was the up and down view-ability that suffered at extreme angles (viewed vertically), which is contrary to the specs.
I just got some more more metal cutting bits to finish modifying the EICAS stand, then I'll post shots of the mounted screen as viewed from the Capt/FO positions.
Robert