YOU CAN 3D PRINT A DESKTOP MONITOR THAT PLAYS EVERY RETRO CONSOLE YOU OWN
A 3D-printed desktop monitor shaped like a late-90s Sony set that accepts every signal an old console can throw at it, built around a salvaged iPad screen.
WorkshopDisplays
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a weekend-plus
- license
- CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE40 stars
●●●●○ · a weekend-plus · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 · 40 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a thoughtful answer to a real problem: old game consoles output composite, S-video, component and VGA signals that modern televisions refuse, and the alternatives are expensive. Professional CRT monitors that handle those signals cleanly now sell for 900 dollars to 1,600 dollars as collector items; dedicated upscalers like the RetroTINK-4K run about 750 dollars. The PixelVision AV-1000 Mk II offers five inputs in one box for about 168 dollars, shaped like a late-90s Sony set and built around a salvaged iPad 3 or 4 panel. The repository includes everything: printable shell, PCB Gerbers, STEP files and a detailed assembly guide. The catch is the iPad panel. You are harvesting a 2048x1536 display from a specific generation of tablet, which means careful disassembly, a working knowledge of LVDS connectors and acceptance that you might crack it. The input conversion board is a commercial RTD2660 module, so there is no firmware to compile, but you will solder pin headers and route ribbon cables inside a tight enclosure. If you have never built a display project before, this is not the place to start. If you have, and you own a pile of old consoles, this is a far cheaper and more honest path than hunting eBay for a 1,200 dollars PVM.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —STL files for the shell, STEP files for modifications, PCB Gerbers and assembly diagrams are all in the repository.
- —Full bill of materials with supplier links is provided. Estimated cost is about $168.
- —The core component is a 2048x1536 LCD panel harvested from an iPad 3 or iPad 4 — you source that yourself.
- —Assembly guide walks through the build step by step, including soldering the input board and fitting the shell.
- —No firmware to flash; the input conversion board is a commercial module (RTD2660) pre-programmed.
- —Licence is CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: personal builds are permitted, selling completed monitors is not.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
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Videos
PixelVision AV-1000 Mk II build and demonstration
Walkthrough of the completed build showing all five inputs in use. Does not cover the full assembly process step-by-step; refer to the repository documentation for that.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the assembly guide in the repository and watch the demonstration video to understand what you are building. (The guide is detailed but assumes you know how to harvest an iPad panel. If you have never done that, search for iPad 3/4 LCD removal tutorials first.)
- 2.Source the iPad 3 or 4 panel. Look for units with broken digitizers but working displays.(This is the single most fragile step. Practice disassembly on a scrap unit if you can find one cheaply.)
- 3.Order the RTD2660 input conversion board and other electronics from the BOM.(Verify the LVDS cable pinout matches your specific iPad panel revision before ordering.)
- 4.Print the shell. Start with the rear housing to test fit before printing the full bezel.(Print time is long. If your printer is unreliable, test a smaller part first.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
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KNOWN ISSUES
- The iPad panel is the highest-risk component. Cracking it during disassembly means starting over with a new iPad. Work slowly, use heat to soften adhesive, and never pry near the LCD itself.
- Not all iPad 3 and 4 panels use identical LVDS pinouts. Verify your specific model before ordering the cable or you will need an adapter.
- The RTD2660 board requires soldering pin headers for the input connectors. If your soldering is shaky, practice on scrap board first — a cold joint here means intermittent signal.
- This is the Mk II design. Do not mix documentation or parts lists from the earlier Mk I; the panel, board and shell are all different.
- The licence is CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, so you cannot sell completed monitors. If you build one for a friend and they offer to pay materials, that is a grey area worth clarifying before you start.
- Ribbon cable routing inside the enclosure is tight. Measure twice, route once, and leave slack for the hinged stand if your design includes it.
Can I use an iPad 2 or iPad Air panel instead of iPad 3/4?
No. The design is built around the 2048x1536 resolution and specific LVDS pinout of the iPad 3 and 4. Other models have different resolutions, different connectors, or both.
Do I need to flash firmware to the RTD2660 board?
No. The board ships pre-programmed for multi-input conversion. You solder headers and connect cables, but there is no firmware work.
What is the actual picture quality like compared to a real CRT?
It is an LCD panel running at 2048x1536, so it is sharp and bright but will not replicate CRT phosphor glow, scanlines or motion characteristics. It handles the signals cleanly, but it is a different aesthetic.
Can I buy a completed unit instead of building one?
No. The licence prohibits commercial sale. This is a personal-build-only project.
How hard is it to harvest the iPad panel without breaking it?
Harder than it looks. The digitizer and LCD are glued together. You need heat, patience and plastic prying tools. If you have never done it, expect a learning curve and possibly a broken panel on your first try.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
About $168 in parts, versus $900-1600 for a real PVM — but you are harvesting an iPad panel and hoping it does not crack. What would tip the balance for you: the cost saving, or the risk of breaking a $50 panel on your first try?
RetroBuiltGames (Ryan)
Ryan designs and builds retro gaming hardware projects, with a focus on making high-quality displays accessible to people who own old consoles but cannot afford the collector market prices for professional CRT monitors. The PixelVision AV-1000 Mk II is his answer to the problem of modern televisions refusing the signals those consoles output.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository is current and includes everything claimed — STLs, Gerbers, BOM with links, and a clear assembly guide. The YouTube channel has the demonstration video but not a step-by-step build log, so you will be working from written docs and photos. The single biggest variable is the iPad panel harvest: if you have never done it, budget for a practice run on a cheaper broken unit, because one slip with a pry tool and you are buying another iPad. The rest of the build is straightforward hardware assembly, no firmware, no custom PCB ordering unless you want to modify the design. The $168 cost estimate is honest and includes the RTD2660 board at current prices; the iPad itself is the wild card depending on what you find locally.