Thinking about using the top panel + display as an external monitor for my gaming PC, what do I need to know?

[NullVoxPopuli]

update

According to Guide to eDP (Embedded Display Port) Cables | Quadrangle Products Inc., control boards for displays maybe aren’t needed anymore as eDP contains all that?

So maybe i need an eDP to DisplayPort or HDMI adapter or something

This person made their own: displayport - Wiring Embedded Display Port (eDP) to a full-size Display port - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

And accidentally learned about cable quality.

Oh! Someone on these forums posted about this very topic last year!

Framework internal display connector to DP port?

Is it possible to adapt the Framework’s internal eDP 40-pin port to just a regular display out, like a DisplayPort? I’d imagine it’d be difficult to do and I don’t have the expertise as an electronics guru to accomplish it but surely there’s a way, and given how much of a loss running an external monitor is in terms of IO if you’re using the Framework without the OEM display it seems like it’d be a very useful adapter to have.

So apparently it’s ‘easier’ to use a daughter board.
And someone already made one

HDMI controller board for display panel

Incredibly enough, that little DP to eDP board just works: [image] I picked up a version that comes with a cable (Nvarcher Dp To Edp 4k 120hz Diy4k Driver Board 4k 2k 1080 Adapter Board For Portable Display - Replacement Parts - AliExpress). You need to carefully remove our custom eDP cable and then insert the cable that comes with the adapter board.

Lots of cool builds over there: HDMI controller board for display panel - #94 by Luke_Oliver

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original post

the connector on the display is goofy (probably standard for laptops or something, idk (update! I’ve since learned that the cable is called eDP)) – and I imagine the mainboard probably has some hardware for controlling the display – and that hardware, standalone, is what I’d need if using the display as an external monitor for my PC.

has anyone tried this?

what else might I need to know as I explore making a portable gaming (SFF)PC? (w/ framework display strapped to the side)

[Adrian_Joachim]

@NullVoxPopuli

I’ve since learned that the cable is called eDP

The protocol is edp, the cable is anarchy with some de-facto standards (important distinction). learned that the hard way when I plugged a very incompatible oled screen with very compatible connector into my t480s, blew up half the fuses and part of the embedded controller (through more luck than skill I was able to mostly “repair” the damage).

Afaik the current framework 13 panel uses the de-facto standard 40pin 4-lane pin-out so most 4lane dp->edp boards should work relatively fine.

I have converted some old-ish thinkpad displays to external displays using boards like that though I ended up using purpose built usb-c monitors later because they are a lot more compact and barely cost anything.