Project idea: mirror LCD mod?

[Anaesthesius]

Running this one up the Blötzmann Mast to see if anybody salutes...  what do you think of removing some of the finish on a suitably SP mirror and smacking it up against a cheap LCD stripped of its plastic casing?  I think this might be an interesting spin on the von Slatt framed LCD.
 
Googling revealed that bleach, various strong acids, paint stripper, and abrasion can get the job done - it depends on the finish.  I'd want to carefully remove the exact dimensions of the LCD, leaving clean mirror margins.  I'm concerned that some mirrors might have actual silver, which (in combination with the solvent?) could be toxic.  The LCD's electronics might also react adversely to the proximity of a metal surface.  The properties of the glass could impair the clarity of the screen, though this is less of a problem for something like a a devoted jukebox PC.  And it may be that the end result is just tacky, even if you customize the UI. 

At any rate, fragile glass, toxic chemicals, and the risk of sparking do not mix with tight quarters and a landlord, so I won't try anytime soon.  What say?

[Otto Von Pifka]

how about plain glass with a bit of mylar window reflective sheet?

monitor off and its a mirror. on, its a monitor and the edges would still be reflective more or less. you may need to gasket the edges so light won't leak out from the LCD edges. a ghostly screensaver would be yummy too.

leaves out the toxic stuff and fragile glass, use polycarbonate plastic and mylar and the metal worries should be minimal (static would be a worry).

[Fortigurn]

how about plain glass with a bit of mylar window reflective sheet?

monitor off and its a mirror. on, its a monitor and the edges would still be reflective more or less. you may need to gasket the edges so light won't leak out from the LCD edges. a ghostly screensaver would be yummy too.

leaves out the toxic stuff and fragile glass, use polycarbonate plastic and mylar and the metal worries should be minimal (static would be a worry).

Mr Von Pifka, your suggestion intrigues me.  How would this actually work?  Would the mylar be between the glass pane and the LCD screen?  How would the LCD screen show through the reflective mylar?

[Affian]

how about plain glass with a bit of mylar window reflective sheet?

monitor off and its a mirror. on, its a monitor and the edges would still be reflective more or less. you may need to gasket the edges so light won't leak out from the LCD edges. a ghostly screensaver would be yummy too.

leaves out the toxic stuff and fragile glass, use polycarbonate plastic and mylar and the metal worries should be minimal (static would be a worry).

I second this, it's a good way to hide a computer in plain sight if one was so inclined. (hmm that gives me an idea...)*goes off muttering*

The light from screen would shine through the mylar hence the need for a gasket to stop any light from the other side shining through that is not from the screen... something like that

[Fortigurn]

So if you put an LCD screen behind this stuff, you can actually see the LCD screen through the mylar sheet when the LCD screen is on?  That seems unlikely to me given that the purpose of the reflective coating is to reflect light rather than allow it to pass through.

[Affian]

With the picture in my head (which is how I remember things) we are making a mirror that reflects light comming in one direction only. If you have a CRT screen you can see yourself when you turn the screen off, your reflected in the glass. Same sorta thing here, I don't really know the properties of mylar but I think this is what we were trying to effect.

[NazT]

I think Otto Von Pifka is talking about that reflective material for office windows (we have it here). In daylight its reflective but at night time with the lights on in the room you can see throu it... same sorta idea as sunglasses I guess.  I must admit to have thought of using it myself.  The fitters said that it shouldnt be a problem bucause all you do is use a solution of washing up liquid and water and that sticks it to the glass VERY stongly but if you mess up then it can be removed.  Unfortunately the swine ran off before I could get some offcuts! 

I believe they also sell a self adhesive type for cars as well.

EDIT:  Here is an example http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110207355155&mpt=1204621874707&tGUID=e9a119171170a0b58317b8e7ffd9cf3c

[Fortigurn]

Ok, so that mylar sheet is unidirectional, letting light through on one side but reflecting it on the other, like the coating you see on office windows?  How clear would the LCD screen be?  NazT, yes I think that's what Mr Von Pifka is talking about.

[NazT]

... How clear would the LCD screen be? ...

It really depends on the ambient light in the room to be honest, direct sunlight would make it unreadable but it should only be slightly darker in normal LCD monitor conditions (eg on your desk).  The material we have here has 2 uses: 1) as a reflector to stop people looking in and 2) as a slight shade to take the edge off really bright sunlight. 

[Fortigurn]

That sounds very promising.  Where could I purchase some of this stuff?

[NazT]

That sounds very promising.  Where could I purchase some of this stuff?

Its in my first post in this thread.... well I think thats the same stuff.... 

[scarrmrcc]

in the USA you can get it at any auto motive parts store.
it is reflective window tint (i used in my fish tank...and on my car itself)

and it works exactly like a one way mirror.

[Great Bizarro]

Or a 2way mirror
http://www.jimloy.com/physics/mirror0.htm

[Fortigurn]

Well hey, these guys have already done half the work.

[Doc Bishop]

A good quality two way mirror will do the trick.  Phillips Corp. already has a few mirror TVs which they have marketed to hotels.  Its a tricky application due to ambient light, but in the right circumstances can be exquisite.

[LukeJarvest]

If you get this screen constructed please post some pictures or describe how well it works. I'd love to build something like this for a wall mounted monitor or some such.

-Luke Jarvest

[Affian]

If you get this screen constructed please post some pictures or describe how well it works. I'd love to build something like this for a wall mounted monitor or some such.

-Luke Jarvest

*Pictures a large mirror adorning a feature wall, magically comming to life as a TV/computer*

[Anaesthesius]

You guys totally one-upped my original idea, and now I think it's possible, to boot!  I was thinking that 2-way mirrors would be hard to find (cheaply).  I hadn't even considered plastic and a coating material.  It would have been a glowing screen floating in a mirror but an obvious black rectangle when off - kind of lame. If the coating can be had from auto parts stores, then I've got a spare semi-expendable 13" LCD and I know a local place that does plastic fabrication... maybe I could remove the mirror from an old-fashioned frame... still tricky to get it to von Slatt standards, but possible! 

*Pictures a large mirror adorning a feature wall, magically comming to life as a TV/computer*

A wall would be nice


But in fact I was thinking of a freestanding desk/tabletop mirror


With the approximate, um, form factor as a normal LCD, or the von Slatt model


It's just that a mirror is an entirely period object (a featureless obsidian rectangle ain't) and it plays off the idea of "magic mirrors".

[Wrath the Mad]

"Mirror, mirror on the wall...

... check my email, that is all."