The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    FX Touchscreen modification?

    Discussion in 'Gateway and eMachines' started by Tybalt39, Jun 7, 2009.

  1. Tybalt39

    Tybalt39 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    15
    Messages:
    336
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Has anyone explored installing a touch panel in this series of laptops? I've been looking into this and there are a few videos on youtube showing how to do the install in the new "netbooks", but not much on regular laptops.

    The touch panels I find on eBay are all around 3mm thick while the panels for the netbooks are 1mm. I am concerned that the bezel around the screen might not fit properly with the thicker panel. Taking the screen apart isn't a problem for me as I already upgraded to a higher-resolution LCD in the first month of ownership. I've seen videos that show the touch panel on the outside of the bezel, but I prefer a "factory" look.

    I've been following the Gateway forum for a couple of years, but I haven't seen this come up before.

    Thoughts?
     
    Tybalt39, Jun 7, 2009
    #1
  2. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    738
    Messages:
    3,811
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    106
    It should work... One issue, the Bezel will prob just be a little bent/bloated with that behind.


    The real issue is how are you going to plug that in internally
     
    aan310, Jun 7, 2009
    #2
  3. 7earitup

    7earitup Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Two things come to mind:

    1) Touchscreens are much larger component wise. The bezel will probably not fit at all.

    2) Connecting the touchscreen to the motherboard. How will the data from the touchscreen interface with the laptop?

    Don't get me wrong, I haven't ever messed with this type of modification. So it MAY be able to be done.
     
    7earitup, Jun 7, 2009
    #3
  4. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    738
    Messages:
    3,811
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    106
    1. this is true
    2. Its USB
     
    aan310, Jun 7, 2009
    #4
  5. 7earitup

    7earitup Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    If it is USB, he can just run the leads to the pins on the mobo that are for USB and solder the wires in the proper places, if he is savvy enough.
     
    7earitup, Jun 8, 2009
    #5
  6. -L1GHTGAM3R-

    -L1GHTGAM3R- Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    434
    Messages:
    1,034
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    BY THE LOOKS OF IT SEEMS VERY DOABLE.......might take some sort of modification but im pretty sure it will work out quite nicely
     
    -L1GHTGAM3R-, Jun 8, 2009
    #6
  7. Tybalt39

    Tybalt39 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    15
    Messages:
    336
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    As to the data; yup, USB. There are various ways of doing that:
    Tap into the camera connection
    Tap into the bluetooth connection
    Tap any of the USB ports at the solder contacts
    Just hang a wire and plug in (for testing only)

    My main concern is the bezel. Still trying to locate a 1mm panel instead of a 2.3-3mm panel. As thin as the bezel looks, I just don't think this can work without the thinner panel (like the panels used on netbooks). Any suggestions?

    I may try this on an old Dell with a thicker bezel. If I have to, I could "shave" the bezel to gain some room.
     
    Tybalt39, Jun 8, 2009
    #7
  8. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    738
    Messages:
    3,811
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    106
    well, im just wondering too...
    This is not going to be a very good youch screen... like it wont work of photoshop or anything.....
    so why even ahv it?
     
    aan310, Jun 9, 2009
    #8
  9. Tybalt39

    Tybalt39 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    15
    Messages:
    336
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I just love touchscreens.... Have it on my phone, have it on my home jukebox, have it in my car media center....

    Actually, I'm planning on using one of my laptops as the starting point in developing the software configuration for my next carPC. It's easier to have touchscreen on the laptop than drag around a touchscreen monitor everywhere I go while working on this project.

    I've gotten so used to touchscreens that I constantly have fingerprints on this screen from trying to hit the icons with my finger. Even my friends laptops have my fingerprints on their screens.
     
    Tybalt39, Jun 9, 2009
    #9