[Arm-netbook] Good netbook based on Cortex-A9

[Gordan Bobic]

On 07/30/2012 01:43 PM, lkcl luke wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 1:35 PM, Gordan Bobic<gordan at bobich.net>  wrote:
>> On 07/30/2012 01:31 PM, Mikael Hreidarsson wrote:
>>> On 07/30/2012 12:17 PM, Alejandro Mery wrote:
>>>> On 30 July 2012 13:41, lkcl luke<luke.leighton at gmail.com>   wrote:
>>>>>    but before doing that, we need to define what people would be
>>>>> prepared to fund!  we have on one extreme end, gordan who loves 15in
>>>>> 1920x1080 laptops, and on the other extreme we have the 10in
>>>>> form-factor with *shudder* 1024x600 LCDs.  i think we have enough
>>>>> sense, collectively, to appreciate that skimping on the screen is bad?
>>>>> thus a minimum can be set of 1280x768.
>>>>>
>>>>>    i'd be inclined to go for adapting a straightforward preexisting 12in
>>>>> x86 "no-brand" laptop.  12in with a 1280x768 (or 1280x800) LCD is the
>>>>> right sort of size.  keep the battery the same, so that it can still
>>>>> be bought off-the-shelf.  still make it possible to take a 2.5in SATA
>>>>> drive.
>>>> are 1366x768 ~12" harder to find or notably more expensive?
>>>>
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>>> 13.3" displays with 1366x768 resolution are pretty common now and the
>>> case used in the Mac Airbook clone in the included link
>>> seems to a standard case that should be available now for others
>>> manufacturer, it was originally used by Thread Technology
>>> in Taiwan for their Allwinner A10 Airbook that I have not been able to
>>> find anywhere for sale
>>> (not on Alibaba/Aliexpress, not on Taobao.com and not on eBay).
>>> http://enzo-tech.en.alibaba.com/product/505319236-211946619/Attractive_ultra_thin_OEM_13_3inch_airbook_laptop_computer.html
>>> Additionally 13.3 LCDs with 1920x1080 are available for those who crave
>>> FHD displays (they just cost $$$$$ and an effort to source them).
>>
>> You can get 1920x1200 on 10" panels now. That's what the latest Asus
>> Transformer comes with.
>
>   the critical questions that need answering, even if everyone wants
> that kind of resolution, is:
>
>   * part number
>   * datasheet (this says whether it's dual or single LVDS, and how to
> power the backlight)
>   * pricing
>   * availability
>
>   whatever is chosen, then unless there's a separate PCB for managing
> the backlight and the LCD, everyone will be stuck with the exact same
> spec for the screen.  so there either has to be consensus on the extra
> cost for splitting out and making several different LCD I/O
> daughterboards, or consensus on one and only one LCD.
>
>   LCDs are too radically different to be interchangeable.  gordan: you
> were just damn lucky to be able to upgrade those AC100s!

Not really. The same panel also upgraded the Genesi Efika MX Smartbook, 
and the latter even comes with EDID wired up so it all "just worked" - 
everything picked up the different display res and just ran with it.

Similar for the 2048x1536 panel upgrade in my ThinkPad. If you start 
with the 1400x1050 laptop, the backlight inverter is already up to the 
job. Otherwise you have to replace that part as well (small PCB) for a 
few £ more. No big deal.

Most TFT panels seem to be interchangeable. Not all (for example, 
1366x768 10" panels are considerably different to the 1280x720 and 
1024x600 panels for some reason, both physically and electrically, but 
there was only ever one panel of that size in that res available), but 
most will swap just fine.

Gordan