Home intercom systems with B/W video display panels?

[Tim Shoppa]

My house has an early-70's vintage intercom system (front door, back door, kitchen, a few other rooms) that hasn't worked in many years. I see that NTSC-output B/W video cameras are available real cheap ($25-$30) and this would be an obvious upgrade to the system (especially as the only realistic option is to rip it all out anyway).

The thing is, there aren't many cheap flat video panels available for replacement that I've seen. A 5-inch CRT-based TV (which I've seen for as little as $25!) would protrude way too far out of the wall (typical depth comes close to 10" for these TV's). Are there any low-end B/W LCD panels that take NTSC input out there? I'd be happy to find them either in home-intercom type panels already or as a raw subassembly with power and NTSC jacks.

I know that the automotive electronics places have 7" or 9" color NTSC-in color LCD panels in the ~$150 range, but they seem a little excessive for this application.

Tim.

[Lewin A.R.W. Edwards]

Grayscale LCDs with analog input really aren't in vogue any more, I don't think the controller ASICs for this application are made. You might be able to adapt a B&W pocket LCD TV, which you can get off eBay between $15 and $30 (for around 2"), but I never saw a B&W version that had composite video input. Reverse-engineering it is possible but tricky.

On the other hand, you can easily find color pocket LCD TVs with NTSC input. They'll set you back ~$80 unfortunately.

BTW, the B&W video intercom apps I've seen used very small, 2" or so, CRTs, usually mounted at an angle. The idea was you mount the intercom below eye level and look down into it. You could try doing something similar with one of the $20 5" 12V B&W TV sets that all the discount stores sell :)

Incidentally, how many do you need? I probably have a couple of 4" color LCD modules with NTSC inputs lying around, but definitely no more than a couple. (Actually I have lots of LCDs, but no controllers).

[Tim Wescott]

-- snip --

Easiest way to adapt a pocket TV would be to make or buy a modulator. There should be schematics on the web someplace if you can't buy one.

[Lewin A.R.W. Edwards]

*whacks head* I should have thought of that.