Hello there, I find a lot of posts regarding attempted conversions (laptop/netbook fitted with Qi display), but few successful reports, except for the old Samsung/Lenovo N270-atom-family netbooks.
Has someone every finished the HP Mini XXX conversion WITH full backlight support? Can you please post the exact HP model name? Have you been successful with any other netbook/laptop (100% functionality)? Did you have to do any cutting work with the body/bezel/frame?
- concerning the cutting: Do you mean the inner bezel, so the cutting edge remains visible when assembled? Because that would require a very, very professional cut which probably can't be done by yourself, right? Otherwise it looks "self made". I've heard people here talking about laser cutting... that costs a lot of money!
Please excuse my late response. I've had a really busy time recently. Answering your questions:
- In order to get the front panel bezel removed I had to disassemble the machine. Then I took it to the company that does laser cutting etc. The employee there found it not suitable for laser cutting and proposed using some other technique. I do not remember the details now (it was over 6 months ago) but eventually they took the effort and 'made the cut'. There are some minor physical glitches visible when one looks close to it but it does not look horribly in my opinion. 'The cut' was necessary in order to remove the glossy panel covering by default screens in HP Minis (really weird and pretty shoddy way to imitate Apple's MacBook design when used with cheap plastic instead of real glass covering the screen). But the only reason to cut the bezel was to remove the glossiness of the PixelQi screen after its installation. I just couldn't stand it. If it doesn't irritate you, you will not have to do any cutting at all. Pixel Qi screen will be suitable for direct replacement of the original screen panel. - Backlight support works great under Linux. That's why I am preferring it for use with Pixel Qi screens. One can set any backlight power from 0 (no backlight at all — i.e. full e-ink-like mode) up to 255 (full backlight). At the moment I have three machines converted (two Samsungs and one HP Mini) and every single one has some Linux distro installed. It is just so much more flexible than Windows in similar usage scenarios!
If you'd like to see some photos or have any other questions — you can find info about reaching me at http://staszewski.eu.
My project was successful conversion of a Samsung N220 laptop. I run Ubuntu Server there. Unfortunately the backlight keys does not work in the console so I have to run commands to control it. The screen is useful mainly when used outside during the day. The more the sun the better.
Mine wasn't a conversion as much as a build. I needed a rugged waterproof enclosure for my Surface Pro and pixelqi screen.
I bought usb-lvds bord from a company called Systemation. they have a board just for the PQi screen. I then bonded a clear lexan "window" to the front of a Pelican 1075 case and mounted the screen into the window. It's a perfect for for the surface Pro / PQi screen. For a while I had a touch screen mounted to the window, but I didn't have enough power on the single USB port to run it and the screen as all of the power comes from the USB port. I did manage to get a pen mouse to work by hacking the USB hub a bit.
So now I have a Surface Pro with a PixelQI 10.1 screen in a rugged waterproof package, and when I don't need the rugged part, the Surface slips out of the case and it's back to normal.
One additional thing, the PQi screen resolution is too low for the Metro apps. so it's desktop only for a while.