External 4-line status LCD project

[blakespot]

I discovered that Bresink's Hardware Monitor supports an external status LCD. I quickly grabbed the required pieces and, a little solder later, it's up and running.

Have a look: http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000081.php



blakespot

 

[blakespot]

Oh,

Would appreciate a digg to help spread the word!

http://www.digg.com/apple/External_system_status_LCD_readout_for_Mac_OS_X




blakespot

 

[blakespot]

Doubled it out to two LCDs...

http://www.bytecellar.com/media/dual_status_lcd.jpg




blakespot

 

[RichP]

Are you running a 30" LCD with a 20" in portrait mode? I was thinking of EXACTLY the same setup! How do you like it?

Nice writeup, BTW.

 

[blakespot]

Are you running a 30" LCD with a 20" in portrait mode? I was thinking of EXACTLY the same setup! How do you like it?

Nice writeup, BTW.

Thanks.

Yes, I am using a 30" Cinema (2560x1600) and a 20" 4:3 aspect 1600x1200 screen rotated, in portrait mode (1200x1600). It's great. I am using the HP LP2065 which uses the same type of LG/Philips panel as Apple's Cinemas. It was $419 at NewEgg and is, I can say with cetainty, the best price/performance screen of its type out there.

http://www.blakespot.com/list/images/macpro_hp_apple_lcd.jpg

Cheers!




blakespot

 

[RichP]

Wow! thats a 4:3 screen? Looks really wide, I assumed it was running 1680x1050 16:10.

I wish the temp monitor worked for my older G5, its interesting to monitor things outside the OS.

 

[blakespot]

Wow! thats a 4:3 screen? Looks really wide, I assumed it was running 1680x1050 16:10.

I wish the temp monitor worked for my older G5, its interesting to monitor things outside the OS.

Yes, 20" 4:3 screens are typically 1600x1200 whereas 20" 16:9 screens are something like 1680x1050. I wanted the secondary screen to match the 30" Cinema in height exactly, and rotated the HP is 1200x1600 next to the 30" which is 2560x1600. It works great. Of course your OS X vidcard / drivers need to support rotation for it to work.

The external status LCD would work just fine on your G5. Hardware Monitor can output any of its measured data to the LCD. Look at all the data Hardware Monitor is showing about that G5. There's actually more data to monitor in a G5 than a Mac Pro, I believe.

See Hardware Monitor's LCD prefs here.




blakespot

 

[blakespot]

2 LCD"s

I just put together pics of the 2-LCD setup here:

http://www.digg.com/apple/Dual_external_20x4_status_LCD_readouts_for_Mac_OS_X

(Gallery just installed.)




blakespot