Computer monitors old: Vintage Computer Monitors & Accessories

What to Do With Old Computer Monitors: 5 Useful Ideas

Unused electronics are the bane of the modern life. Perfectly functional gadgets sit quietly in a corner of the store room, doing nothing. If you’re wondering what to do with old computer monitors, here are a few easy ideas to repurpose unused screens.

In this guide, it doesn’t matter if your old monitor is still working or not. Even if it isn’t, you can use its parts to make a great new gadget. From turning it into a super-tiny computer or dashboard to refashioning into a smart mirror, here are some of the most productive ways to repurpose a computer monitor.

1. Turn an Old Monitor Into a Dashboard or $60 PC

The Raspberry Pi 4 is an incredible device. While it has a wide range of uses, at its core, it is a tiny, low-cost, full-fledged computer. And that means your old monitor can be turned into a PC for less than $60.

Perhaps the best thing to do with an old flat-screen monitor is a DIY DAKboard. The DAKboard is a LCD wall display that shows the current time, weather forecast, calendar events, stock quotes, fitness data, and news headlines. It’s all displayed on a soothing photo. You could buy an official DAKboard, but the makers themselves have shown how to build your own wall display with a Raspberry Pi. when you can build one for far less money and a little geeky fun, the choice is obvious.

Attach your old monitor to a Pi and it can be put in your kitchen as a recipe and video source. Make a Pi-based retro video game console as a treat for your kid (or the kid in you).

When you’re using an old LCD, it might not have an HDMI port. But don’t worry, there are easy ways to connect the Pi to any monitor.

2. Make a DIY “Your-Eyes-Only” Monitor

Sometimes, you’re working on something private in an open office, or browsing certain *cough* sites *cough* at home. You can’t have your colleagues or kids see what’s on the screen. To keep snooping eyes at bay, make a “your-eyes-only” monitor from an old one.

To anyone else, it is going to look like a blank white monitor with nothing on it. But wearing a special pair of spectacles, you’ll be able to see things on it like a regular monitor. It’s magic! It’s a tough process, but dimovi’s guide at Instructables is thorough and precise.

Basically, you will be cutting out the polarizing film of the old LCD monitor. This film will then be put on a simple pair of glasses. Now your screen appears white, but the glasses can “see” the content. It’s one of the best ways to keep prying eyes out of your PC.

The reason you should use an old computer monitor is that things can go wrong. You will be disassembling and then reassembling the monitor, along with cutting out the anti-glare and polarizing films. You’ll also need to separate the polarizing film from the anti-glare one.

Just remember, while others can’t see what’s on your screen, they can still see where your hands are.

3. Turn an Old LCD Monitor Into a Smart Mirror

If you have a broken old LCD monitor, it can be re-purposed into a usable mirror; but if you have a working old LCD monitor, adding a Raspberry Pi can turn it into a smart magic mirror!

You can choose from different Raspberry Pi smart magic mirror projects, but for our money, go with the MagicMirror². It’s the original, most popular, and perhaps now the easiest way to build a smart mirror. It comes with a clock, calendar, weather forecast, and news feed.

If you’re on a tight budget for a first-time DIY project, consider the $100 smart mirror. It’s not the best version of turning an LCD monitor into a smart mirror, but you’ll get the basic features and not spend a bomb.

4. Maximize Productivity With Dual Monitors

If you have the space available, the best thing you can do with an extra monitor is to boost your productivity with a dual-monitor setup. A second monitor has many potential purposes, such as extended screen space, a dashboard for your social media or news updates, or a dedicated video conferencing screen.

All desktop operating systems support the ability to use dual monitors. It’s pretty easy to setup dual monitors on Windows, and you can then customize how you use the two spaces. To connect two monitors, you will likely need a graphics card with multiple HDMI ports, or use an HDMI and a VGA port on desktops.

5. A Few Other Things to Do With Old Monitors

If none of these are up your alley or fit your requirements, then there are other things you can do, weirdo. Here, have a gander:

Turn that monitor into a TV: It’s an obvious one, but heck, why not? Here’s a simple Instructable to do it.
Your CRT monitor is meant for art or decoration: If you still have an old CRT monitor around, then here you go grandpa, Buzzfeed has a few thoughts.
Make it a dedicated screen for Nintendo Wii: The Nintendo Wii can connect to a VGA monitor, so if you don’t have a Wii, buy one. In fact, buy a used one, they’re pretty cheap on Craigslist.

Not Just the Monitor, Reuse Everything

Like any gadget, monitors have a limited shelf life. If you’re looking to upgrade, you now have a few ideas of what to do with your old monitor. And that age should influence which project you chose. For example, given the effort involved in building a smart mirror, don’t go with a screen that’s already shown signs of trouble. The Raspberry Pi-based projects are usually the easiest to keep changing.

In fact, if you have an old monitor and old PC parts, you can repurpose the whole PC. You can turn it into a home security system, a home server or media center, or try other unique creative projects.

What to look for in a CRT monitor: The ultimate guide for retro gamers

CRT monitors have surged back to relevance on a wave of nostalgia, driven by the exploding popularity of retro gaming. Unfortunately, most of the reviews, specification sheets, and comparison data that once existed has vanished from the Internet, making it difficult to know what you should look for while scanning eBay and Craigslist ads.

If you’re looking for a modern display filled with pixels and fancy cutting-edge features, our guides to the best PC monitors, best ultrawide monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors can help you find the perfect fit with both concrete recommendations and buying advice. But shopping for old-school displays isn’t quite so cut and dry. This particular guide will get you up to date on aging, but still hotly desired CRT monitors, so you can use the information to hunt down a retro gem of your own.

Why you (yes, you!) should buy a CRT computer monitor

CRT monitors fell from fashion with the same breathtaking speed as portable CD players and vinyl records. Three out of four monitors sold in 2001 were a CRT. But in 2006, Sony drew curtains on the era when it ceased production of new CRT TVs and monitors.

Still, CRTs have their perks. Most have a better contrast ratio and higher refresh rates than modern LCD monitors, so content looks richer and deeper. There’s a sub-culture of first-person shooter fans who swear FPS games always look best on a high-end CRT monitor.

Matt Smith/IDG

A CRT is also a window into an entire era of media. Films, movies, and games produced from the dawn of television to around 2004 were created with a CRT in mind. You can enjoy older media on a modern LCD or OLED, but it will never look as originally intended. A CRT computer monitor is the most versatile, practical choice for tapping into nostalgia.

One quick note: This guide is for CRT computer monitors, not professional video monitors. PVMs are high-end CRT televisions. They’re amazing for retro console gaming but aren’t designed for use with a computer.

What CRT monitor brand is best?

Sony’s Trinitron dominates the conversation just as it does in the world of retro CRT televisions and PVMs. Trinitron computer monitors are excellent, easy to find, and come from Sony, a brand people still recognize today. Other outstanding brands include Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LaCie, NEC, Iiyama, and Eizo.

Dell, Gateway, HP, and Compaq monitors are less loved, but this can be an opportunity. Large PC manufacturers didn’t make monitors in-house but rebranded monitors from others, and some use the same CRT tubes found in Trinitrons and other brands. Deciphering what’s in a rebrand can be difficult, though, so you may need to take a leap of faith.

I don’t recommend fretting brands and models if this is your first CRT. Trying to find a specific monitor is frustrating and, depending on your dream monitor, can take years (or cost thousands of dollars). Still, keep brand in mind when negotiating price. A Gateway monitor with mystery specifications might look great, but it’s not worth top dollar.

CRT monitors are old, but newer is better

CRTs were improved and refined over the years. The oldest CRT monitors commonly sold are pushing forty years of age. They have a low maximum resolution, a low refresh rate, and small physical display size.

Newer CRT monitors, such as those produced in the mid-90s and the 2000s, will look sharper, handle reflections better, and have less noticeable lines or gaps in the image they display. You’re also find better on-screen menus with extensive image quality options.

Luckily, CRT monitors often have a label indicating the year or even month of production. This is printed on the rear of the display or might be found on a sticker in this same location. Newer is better, and a CRT built this millennia are best.

What size of CRT monitor is best?

Most CRT computer monitors have a display size between 13 and 21 inches. If you follow my advice and stick with newer monitors, though, you’ll be comparing monitors between 15 and 21 inches.

I don’t recommend going below 17 inches unless you’re trying to replicate the experience of a late-80s or early-90s computer or have very limited space. Smaller CRT monitors feel tiny by modern standards. They also tend to support lower resolutions that are only ideal for enjoying older content.

There’s such a thing as too large, too, so be cautious about massive CRTs. A 21-inch CRT monitor can weigh 50 or 60 pounds. You’re unlikely to run into a CRT computer monitor larger than 21 inches, and if you do, it can weigh nearly 100 pounds. The Sony GDM-FW900, a truly epic 24-inch 16:9 CRT, is the most well-known of these rare beasts.

19 inches is the sweet spot. This size of CRT monitor remains manageable. It’s about as tall as a 24-inch LCD (though narrower, of course) and isn’t too hard to find. With that said, 17-inch monitors are more common and less expensive, so don’t hesitate to leap on a 17-incher if you find one.

What resolution of CRT monitor is best?

Resolution works differently on a CRT computer monitor than on a modern LCD. CRT monitors are an analog technology and don’t have a native resolution. CRT monitors were sometimes marketed with a “recommended” resolution that served as a guideline, but CRTs computer monitors support a range of input resolutions and refresh rates.

Take the Hitachi SuperScan 751 as an example. This 19-inch CRT computer monitor lists a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 at 85Hz but supports 1024 x 768 at 130Hz and 640 x 480 at 160Hz.

In general, the best resolution is the highest you can find. A monitor with a high maximum resolution will also support lower resolutions, and often a higher refresh rate. A resolution of 2048 x 1536 is the highest you’re likely to see. 1600 x 1200 is more common.

The importance of resolution depends on your use. I use my CRT monitor to run Windows 95/98 in a virtual machine, play late-90s PC games, and emulate console games. All of these were designed with lower resolutions in mind, so the content I’m viewing is usually at a resolution of 1024 x 768 or lower.

If you want to use a CRT monitor to play Doom: Eternal at insane refresh rates with near-perfect response times, however, you’ll prefer the highest resolution you can find. Resolution is not the final word on CRT monitor sharpness but in general a higher resolution will appear sharper.

What is dot pitch, and why does it matter?

Resolution doesn’t determine the sharpness on a CRT monitor. But if that’s true, what does?

The answer is a specification now hardly more than a memory: dot pitch.

Dot pitch is the distance between dots in a shadow mask or the distance between wires in an aperture grill. More on that in a moment. Remember that a CRT shoots electrons at the front of the display. The shadow mask or aperture grill filters the electrons so they hit phosphors at the front of the display and create a usable color image. The gaps in the shadow mask or aperture grill influences how sharp the image appears.

Dot pitch is measured in millimeters. I recommend monitors with a horizontal dot pitch around .28 millimeters or lower. A dot pitch between .24 millimeters and .21 millimeters is excellent. Lower is better, but you likely won’t find a monitor with a dot pitch below .21 millimeters in your search.

Make dot pitch a priority if you care about sharpness at resolutions beyond 1600 x 1200. A monitor with a lackluster dot pitch might support a high resolution but appear blurrier at a high resolution than a low resolution. This occurs when a CRT monitor’s dot pitch isn’t up to the task.

Dot pitch is less important if you only care to use a CRT at lower resolutions. Late-model CRT monitors will be enjoyable at 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 no matter the dot pitch listed on their spec sheet.

Shadow mask vs. aperture grill: Which is better?

A shadow mask or aperture grill is a filter a CRT computer monitor uses to make sure electrons end up where they should be. A shadow mask does the job with a metal mask of evenly spaced holes. An aperture grill uses an array of wires instead. Sony was the first to introduce aperture grill technology under the Trinitron brand name, but Sony wasn’t the only company that sold CRT monitors with an aperture grill.

In general, a monitor with an aperture grill will be superior to one with a shadow mask. The aperture grill blocks less light than a shadow mask, which translates to a brighter and more colorful picture. The aperture grill is also better suited for a flat CRT display, though flat shadow mask CRTs were produced.

That’s not to say shadow masks were trash. Hitachi and NEC put a ton of effort into shadow mask technology to rival Sony’s Trinitron and had success. A late-model Hitachi ErgoFlat or NEC ChromaClear is a great monitor. If you’re comparing two random, mid-range monitors, though, the aperture grill will probably be brighter and more attractive.

What refresh rate is best for a CRT monitor?

As mentioned, CRT monitors support a range of resolutions and refresh rates. The higher the resolution, the lower the refresh rate. Most late-model CRT monitors had a refresh rate of at least 75Hz at maximum resolution. Lower resolutions come with higher supported refresh rates with the best models topping out at 200Hz.

Refresh rate and resolution are linked. CRT monitors with the best refresh rates also support the highest resolutions. If you want the best refresh rate, then, you’ll need to keep an eye out for a top-tier CRT monitor, and you should expect to use it at a resolution lower than the maximum it supports.

Obsessing over a CRT’s refresh rate is often not worth the trouble. CRT monitors feel smooth not just because of refresh but also thanks to fundamental differences in how an image is produced. Nearly all late-model CRT monitors support a refresh rate of at least 75Hz at their maximum supported resolution and look exceptionally smooth.

Should you buy a CRT monitor with a curved or flat screen?

Most CRT televisions and monitors have curved (also known as convex) glass. This was necessary to fix some problems of CRT technology. CRT makers found ways to overcome these issues by the mid-1990s and flat CRT displays hit the market. Shoppers loved them and flat-screen models dominated the final years of CRT production.

The big difference is the most obvious: Curved CRT monitors are curved, and flat CRT monitors aren’t. Your choice should come down to the “feel” you’re going for. A curved CRT will feel more accurate to a mid-90s PC or earlier, while flat screens were more common after the turn of the millennium. Those looking to use a CRT with modern software and games will prefer a flat screen as well.

Connectivity: It’s all VGA, except when it’s not

The vast majority of CRT computer monitors you’ll encounter have a VGA video input. This is likely the only input on the monitor. It’s an analog technology that most modern computers do not support, so you’ll need an active DisplayPort or HDMI to VGA adapter. I use a StarTech adapter from Amazon.

Be careful about the adapter you purchase. Many, including the one I purchased, have a maximum resolution and refresh rate below the best CRT monitors available. It works for me because I’m mostly driving lower resolutions and my CRT monitor is a mid-range model. But I would need to upgrade if I bought a better CRT.

While VGA dominates by far, it’s not the only input you might find. A handful of late-model CRTs support a version of DVI-A or DIV-I, which can provide an analog signal. CRT monitors from the 1980s might use a different video input. Commodore 1701 and 1702 monitors, for example, can use a composite input (just as you’d find on a CRT television).

How to buy the best CRT monitor: a cheat sheet

You now have the knowledge to find the perfect CRT computer monitor for you. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, however, here’s a cheat sheet.

What brand is best? Sony, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LaCie, NEC, Iiyama, and Eizo.
What size is best? 17 to 21 inches, though larger displays models may overwhelm your desk.
What year is best? Newer is better unless you want a period-accurate monitor for a vintage PC.
What resolution is best? 1600 x 1200 and higher is excellent.
What refresh rate is best? Look for a refresh rate of 75Hz or higher.
What dot pitch is best? .28 millimeters or lower is fine for general use. Look for .24mm or lower if you want to display a resolution of 1600 x 1200 or higher.
Is a shadow mask or aperture grill better? Aperture grill monitors generally have a superior image.
Is a curved or flat screen better? This is up to your preference.

Where to find a CRT monitor

There’s no secret to finding or buying a CRT monitor. You will need a lot of patience or a lot of money.

The fastest way to buy a CRT monitor is eBay or Etsy. Hundreds of CRT computer monitors are available, including many that fit the recommendations of this guide. You’ll have to spend several hundred dollars, however, and you can’t see the monitor before buying. Shipping is a gamble, too. Many fine CRTs have met their demise in the hands of Fedex.

Local listings like Craigslist, OfferUp, and Facebook Marketplace can help you find a more affordable monitor, but stock can be limited depending on your location. Rural readers may have to search for months or drive long distances. Try to test the CRT before you buy, especially if it’s not sold at a low price. Ask the seller to have it connected to a PC when you arrive.

Don’t neglect searching offline. I snagged my current CRT computer monitor for free from someone a few blocks away who decided to put old electronics on the curb. Yard sales and estate sales are great, too. They can be a grind if you don’t enjoy the search, but you’ll spend a lot less than you would online.

Put out the word, as well. Post on social media about your search and ask relatives if they have a hidden gem. CRT monitors aren’t easy to move or dispose of, so they’re often stuffed in a closet, attic, or basement. Many people will let you have a monitor to get it out of their hair.

Conclusion

Good luck on your search. Just remember: The best CRT monitor is the one you own. Don’t be too harsh on the CRTs you come across. Your first task is finding one that meets your needs and reliably works. After that, you can get picky. Once again, if you’re looking for a newer display filled with the latest and greatest goodies, our guides to the best PC monitors, best ultrawide monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors can help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

What can be done with an old monitor? 12 ideas

Technology is changing so fast that once-revolutionary devices do not even have time to work out their resource, turning into an unnecessary dust collector and a habitat for spiders. Unused electronics are the scourge of the modern world. Many of us probably have fully functional gadgets sitting around gathering dust, such as old computer monitors, which can be used in a variety of ways.

Apple in Telegram and YouTube. Subscribe!

♥ BY TOPIC: How to make a barbecue, aquarium, bench, lamp, mailbox, motorcycle trunks, etc. out of old Macs. (30 photos).

Until quite recently, we were happy that they fit on our desktop, making the computer a truly compact and affordable device. Today, it’s just a plastic container stuffed with electronics. It is a pity to throw out the monitor, because it is still working. Nevertheless, this device may well get a second life, in a different, however, quality.

Old CRT monitors are easy to take apart, but can even be dangerous if not handled correctly. Therefore, before implementing any of the projects below, please read the step-by-step instructions for disassembling your device. It should not explode and harm you during the rework process.

♥ BY TOPIC: 5 features of old cell phones that modern smartphones don’t have.

Flowerbed

Once safely dismantled, your monitor can enjoy its new life outdoors or help you bring a piece of nature into your home or office. Why not turn a plastic container into a stylish flowerpot? The authors of the project claim that the alteration will take about 2-3 hours.

♥ RELATED: 6 ways to use old speakers.

Aquarium

Do you have a container with a glass lid? So what’s stopping you from making an aquarium out of it? With the help of epoxy resin and a mounting hair dryer, you can achieve tightness of the container. It remains only to arrange the background of the aquarium and launch a fish there. Perhaps, over time, there will be a place for other forms of marine life in a pretty micro-tank.

♥ BY TOPIC: An orchestra made from old electronics (floppies, HDDs, scanners) played a Nirvana hit (video).

Miniature Puppet Theater

After removing the inside of the monitor, it can be turned into a real theater, albeit a puppet show. Place a background on the back panel and cut a hole on top to control the puppets. An obsolete device will become a new playground for children!

♥ BY TOPIC: How to make a clock, a mirror or a safe out of an old HDD.

Cat house

Your cat is constantly sitting on the computer system unit, so give her the opportunity to finally win. Let the monitor become her comfortable home. This project gives you the opportunity to express yourself creatively. The house can be decorated with feathers or colored paper, glue wooden handles on the bottom and place the house at the desired height. A heating pad placed under the bed will make this place not only cozy, but also warm.

♥ BY TOPIC: 70 interesting facts about IT technologies that you might not know about.

Laying Nest

Swap the pillows for straw and you can set up your own little bird farm. Laying hens will love this house.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to pronounce Xiaomi in Russian correctly and what this word means.

Magazine rack

This project was the result of a design competition. An old monitor can become a magazine rack. To do this, you just need to take the old legs from the furniture and drill them to the base of the device. The author of the project even provided a secret compartment for correspondence in the rack.

♥ BY TOPIC: Cosmic speeds – how fast do you need to fly to leave the Earth, the planetary system and the galaxy?

Waste bin

This project is worth noting for its sense of humor. A broken old monitor, after a slight re-equipment, turns into a standard 50-liter trash can.

♥ BY TOPIC: Best Thrillers: A list of the best 35 films with descriptions, trailers and links.

Note board

The main complaint about CRT monitors is their volume. But no one interferes with the help of a small alteration to make the device compact and give it a new life. It will no longer be able to become a flat monitor, but it’s quite a board for attaching notes, notes and papers. You just need to attach a cork board to the front of the monitor instead of glass. And at the back, for structural stability, wooden handles can be attached. In this way, you can also convert a flat screen monitor that has become unnecessary.

♥ BY TOPIC: Who has the most followers on Instagram – the 40 most popular accounts.

Picture frame

Nothing prevents you from making a digital photo frame out of a monitor, but for this you will have to use a whole computer. But an outdated monitor can become a good analog frame. You can put anything in it – from photographs to handmade creations.

♥ BY TOPIC: Why do cats like to sit / lie down in small spaces (boxes, bags, etc.) so much.

Personal computer

Using the Raspberry Pi single board computer (sold here), you can turn an old monitor into a full-fledged PC for about $50. All you need to do is connect your Raspberry Pi to a monitor. In addition, based on the Raspberry Pi, you can create a retro video game console or a multifunctional clock, such as PiClock.

As conceived by the author of the project, the gadget is able to display the current time, weather forecast in the region where the user is located, as well as a radar map. The developer posted on GitHub a step-by-step instruction on how to build the device, but, in fact, all you need to create PiClock is a monitor, a Raspberry Pi, a keyboard and mouse, and an active Wi-Fi connection.

♥ BY TOPIC: Why red-haired people are born and how they differ from the rest.

Private Monitor

If you don’t want others to see what you’re doing on your PC, make your monitor peep-proof. To other people’s eyes, it will look like a simple white screen on which nothing is happening, but you can work as usual by wearing special glasses. To make this monitor, you will need an old screen, a pair of glasses, a screwdriver, scissors, polarizing film, and a penknife. The process of creating a private monitor is shown in the video below.

♥ BY TOPIC: What is horsepower and how much horsepower is in one horse?

Mirror (or “smart” mirror)

An old broken LCD monitor can serve as an excellent mirror, and if the device is working, it can be turned into a “smart” mirror.

The easiest way to make an ordinary mirror is to disassemble the monitor, remove the screen and place it in a frame. The process of creating a “smart” mirror is a little more complicated and costly. In addition to the monitor itself, you’ll need additional supplies including a Raspberry Pi, a double-sided mirror, wood frames, cables, and carpentry tools.

In addition to the above methods, old monitors can also be used as a TV or screen for the Nintendo Wii, and ancient CRT monitors make great decorative crafts, including an aquarium.

What to do with old computer monitors: a lot of useful ideas

articles

Electronics Unused is the bane of modern life. Perfectly working appliances sit quietly in the corner of the pantry or in the utility closet, doing nothing. If you’re wondering what to do with your old computer monitors, here are some simple ideas for making better use of your unused monitors.

In this manual, it doesn’t matter if your old monitor works or not. Even if it’s not, you can use parts of it to make a great new instrument. From turning it into a computer or an ultra-compact dashboard to making it into a smart mirror, here are some of the most effective ways to repurpose your computer screen.

1. Turn your old monitor into a dashboard or computer for $60.

Prepare Raspberry Pi 4 Great device. while it has a wide range of uses. However, at its core, it is a compact, inexpensive, full-featured computer. This means your old monitor can be turned into a PC for less than $60.

Probably the best thing to do with an old flat screen is to turn it into a DAKboard yourself. DAKboard is a customizable wall mounted LCD that displays the current time, weather forecast, calendar events, stock prices, fitness data and news headlines. All of this is presented in a soothing way. You can buy the official DAKboard, but the manufacturers themselves have explained how to create a wall screen of your own using a Raspberry Pi. When you can build your dashboard for some money and some fun, the choice is clear.

Connect your old monitor to the Pi and it can be placed in the kitchen to display recipes and source videos. You can also create your own gaming device. To play old video games, rely on the Pi as a gift to your child (or the child inside you 😉).

If using an old LCD monitor, there may not be an HDMI port. But don’t worry, there are easy ways to connect your Pi to any screen.

2. Create a “For Your Eyes Only” screen.

Sometimes you may work on something private or sensitive in an open office or browse some websites at home. You don’t want your colleagues or kids to be able to see what’s on the screen. To avoid snooping, you can create a “For Your Eyes Only” screen from an old screen.

To everyone else, it would look like a blank white screen with nothing on it. But if you put on special glasses, you will be able to see objects on them, just like on a normal screen. it `s Magic! It’s a complex process, but dimovi. The Instructables manual is detailed and accurate.

Basically, you are going to cut the polarizing film on your old LCD screen. Then this film is put on simple glasses. Now your screen appears white, but the glasses can “see” the content. This is one of the best ways to protect your computer from prying eyes.

The reason you should use an old computer monitor is because something can go wrong. The screen will be disassembled and then reassembled together with cutting of anti-reflective and polarizing films. You will also need to separate the polarizing film from the anti-reflective film.

3. Turn your old LCD screen into a smart mirror.

If you have an old LCD screen that is broken, you can remake it and turn it into a usable mirror; But if you already have an old working LCD screen, adding a Raspberry Pi can turn it into a smart magic mirror!

You can choose from various smart magic mirror designs for Raspberry Pi, but to save money, you can use MagicMirror². This is the original, most popular and perhaps the easiest way to create your own smart mirror. It comes with a clock, calendar, weather forecast and news feed.

If you’re on a budget for your first DIY project, consider the $100 Smart Mirror. It’s not the best option for turning an LCD screen into a smart mirror, but you’ll get the basic features and not spend a lot.

4. Increase productivity with two screens.

If you have the space available, the best thing you can do with an extra monitor is to increase your productivity by installing Dual Screen. The second screen has many potential uses, such as extending the workspace, displaying a social media toolbar, news updates, or an action screen. video conference.

All desktop operating systems support dual monitors. Setting up dual monitors in Windows is very easy, and then you can customize the use of those two spaces. To connect two monitors, you will most likely need a graphics card with multiple HDMI ports, or use an HDMI port and a VGA port on desktop computers.

5. Something else to do with old screens.

If none of this suits you or your requirements, you can do some other rather strange things. Here you have everything:

Turn this screen into a TV: It’s an obvious choice, but why not? you simple instructions for this.
Your CRT monitor is for art or decoration: If you still have an old CRT monitor, here’s a Buzzfeed I have some ideas for you, grandpa.
Make It a Custom Screen for Nintendo Wii: device can Nintendo Wii Connect to a VGA monitor, so if you don’t have a Wii, buy one.
In fact, you can buy a used screen that suits your needs, it’s very cheap.