Using LCD screens as replacement for artwork

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Enigma_2k4

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Hi All,

I've been toying with an idea in my head. One one of my recent flights I bought a PCFormat mag and had a nice little read to kill some time.

In the issue they had basically taken an old laptop and built it into a digital photo frame by reversing the LCD panel and building the entire laptop into a nice wooden frame and mounting on the wall.

Most people spend a furtune on artwork, it's crazy in my opinion! I think it's mental. Pay alot of money for something an old dead guy made that's completely static.

Now I've been thinking about this and I really like the idea of what PCF did. However, I'd like to consider taking it a few steps further:


1. Repeat of the PCF project
I could always just do the same by buying lots of old laptops off of gumtree and have a few of them built into my own frames littered on the walls around my house, but I don;t think this is the way to go because:
1. It's not that neat as they won't look standard
2. Very difficult to change pictures (I'd need to plug ina  KB + mouse)
3. It will use alot of juice
4. No easy way to turn them all on or off at the same time.

2. Improve the PCF project
I would like to know if it's possible to build a small cheap PC (or second hand laptop or something) that I could leave in a cupboard that could control the picture on a few monitors at the same time.

Then, if I could connect up a few laptop screens in nice frames or even old LCD screens, they go VERY cheap now-a-days, to the PC those screens could disply the picture. And then when I want to turn them off to save power etc I can flip a switch on a multiplug that powers all the screens and then viola they are all off :)

I remember reading quite a while ago about a USB technology that you can use to control up to 8 monitors all thru USB connections. Has anyone read anything about this or know anything that might assist me here?

3. Improve the PCF project even more....
....by utilising PICO projectors or something else smart instead of old LCD/laptop screens as in 2 above.

What are all your thoughts? Any suggestions or ideas?

 
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