Use my pi-top as an external monitor?

pi-top [3]
#21

Yes absolutely, below is everything I remember and then please feel free to ask any specific questions.

First need to remove the screen and original cabling

Remove the fascia around the keyboard by carefully pulling up on it, I believe I started in a back corner.
Remove the black fascia around the LCD screen. Did this starting around a hinge and pull/pry towards you.
Remove the screen by opening it to 180 degrees so it’s flat on a surface and remove all of the screws.
Remove tape over the cable connection
To remove the connector there is a metal hinge that you pull up then gently slide the connector out.

Driver board install
I didn’t want to unplug the cable from the board so cut one side of the green plastic holding the original cable to the pitop then slide new one in
Plug new connector into panel and put tape back
Place panel over screw and alignment knobs then screw back in
Gently snap black fascia into place
Gently snap keyboard fascia

Unfortunately didn’t take any pictures along the way but these may help. Also 3d printed a basic mount for it and used magnets included with a prototype board.

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#22

Thank you for sharing this info. I’m very late to the party here but I finally got my Pi5 and I figured it would be nice to upgrade the aging Pi3 on my Pi-Top.

As a test I followed the image and shorted out the two pins on the cooling bridge, attached it to the Pi-Top, plugged in the HDMI then power for both the Pi-Top and Pi5, but did not see any output at all. If I plug it back to my Pi3, the screen still worked fine.

Just reaching out to see if anyone had trouble using the Pi-Top on the Pi5, or if I had missed any steps along the way? Hooking up the Pi5 to any other HDMI output worked fine, so I’m at a bit of a loss on what I might had done wrong.

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#23

Lastly I don’t believe HDMI input was ever bad, noticed with this second pi-top the ground to mimic the PI can be good enough to power on (bright LED) but there is no display. Making this connection better results in the expected display.

Would you mind elaborating on what you mean by the HDMI input was ever bad? Curious if I’m running into the same situation you did. I don’t mind ultimately getting the EDP driver board, but seemed like a waste if I can get the HDMI working on my PiTop which definitely works on the Pi3, just not when I try to use it as an external display on my Pi5.

#24

Hey Lanzer, looking at your bridge picture it appears you have connected the pins correctly and are soldered well. Apologies it has been a while but if I remember I had a suspect jumper between the pins which was good enough for the main board to think a pi was connected (green led) but not enough for the screen to turn on. I don’t think this would be your problem, especially since a pi 3 drives the screen. Personally no experience with a pi 5 but wonder if the default resolution and/or refresh rate is not compatible with the pi-top screen? Could try and modify the parameters in the boot config from this link: https://pimylifeup.com/raspberry-pi-screen-resolution/ . Let us know and cute doggo.

#25

Looks like you inspired a Cornish remote working tech business, @Zman !

#26

Good morning,

As my cooling bridge of my pi-top 3 is broken I turn to your controller to do the same thing as you.

If I understand correctly with your controller I no longer need the pi-top hub?
The keyboard and trackball also work? And the battery?

Do you have any pictures of your hookup?

Thanks

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#27

Hello, that is correct, with the new controller the pi-top hub is not needed to drive the screen. There is an HDMI and USB-C input on the controller board. It is power via USB-C or the micro-usb port.

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In order to use the keyboard and trackpad the pi-top hub is needed however the cooling bridge is not. You will just need to jump the pins discussed earlier in this thread. Then you just connect the upper back USB connection in the pi-top to the micro-USB port on the new controller. I can take more pics but this is the basic setup. New Controller ribbon cable is connected to the pi-top screen. Then a USB cable runs from the pi-top to the controller for the keyboard and trackpad. My battery never worked, however it may be possible to still use it. There is some information on the battery pin out also earlier in the thread. Please reach out with any specific questions and can attempt to answer!

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#28

Nice, steamdeck screen :slight_smile:

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#29

ha yes and keyboard/mouse, great for RTS like Command Conquer!

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