Laptop screen digitizer. Touch screen glass overlay.

You may have heard of the term "laptop screen digitizer" or "digitiser" used within the replacement laptop screen industry, but what exactly does the term digitiser mean?

A digitiser is simply a device that digitises analogue input; for example - a scanner could take a digital impression of a hand drawn image - this would be referred to as digitising the image.

But what exactly does the term digitiser refer to within the laptop lcd screen market? A laptop screen digitiser, is a touch screen interface. The touch screen interface is a small layer of touch sensitive material, usually glass layers that sits over the top of a conventional laptop screen. The digitiser touch panel will allow the user to use finger gestures on the screen glass to control mouse mouse movements and keyboard controls.

The digitiser will usually have a flat ribbon cable that folds back under the screen and connects to a data connector on the reverse of the LCD panel.

Some laptop screens come with the digitisers included, such as the following models:

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/BOEHYDIS-HV121WX5-111-12.1_13213.asp

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/BOEHYDIS-HV121WX5-120-12.1_13212.asp

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/IBM-LENOVO-THINKPAD-X200-12.1-TOUCH-SCREEN-LAPTOP-SCREEN_12501.asp

Usually, laptop screen suppliers supply the replacement screens without the digitiser, unless otherwise specified such as the selection above. If your old screen uses a digitiser, you may be able to remove the old digitiser from the back of the original screen, however it may not be possible to fit the digitiser to the new screen, depending on the model and revision of LCD supplied by the laptop screen supplier.

Self Cleaning Anti Reflective Gloss Laptop Screens

MIT scientists have discovered a new way of surfacing glass which could help eradicate its reflective properties, thus removing the problem, for many, of a mirror like reflective glare on their screen when using their laptop outdoors.

Aside from the benefits the innovation of such glass could have in the computing world, such a discovery could also be considered extremely useful in the wider community. For example, solar panels constructed of the new material would be capable of absorbing a greater proportion of the sun’s rays, thus making use of energy that would have been otherwise reflected.

The glass could, theoretically, also be used to create car windows that were both resistant to fog and self cleaning. Imagine too the benefits that could be provided by using such material in optical lenses for eyeglasses!

The scientists that created this unique material variant did so by creating a sheet of glass composed of a number of thing layers, the final surface of which is lined with nano-sized cones 200 nanometres wide and 1000 nanometres high.

They maintain that the mass production of such a material would be relatively simple; requiring only that molten glass be passed through a set of textured rollers. 

Ultrabooks have afforded a new dimension of portability, style, functionality and design to the computing market.  However, the quality of such products has, in the past, often been undermined by the use of poor resolution screens.

This flaw in design was first addressed by the manufacture of the Samsung Series 9 900X3B which incorporated a higher quality 13.3in PLS panel operating at a 1,600 x 900 resolution. Building on this innovation, Asus have advanced one step further announcing that future models in their Zenbook series will be equipped with 1080p IPS displays.

Asus’ decision to utilize a matt finish on such new screens will no doubt also be welcome news to those who prefer such displays to the mirror like, reflective shimmer of gloss panels.

This gradual incorporation of higher quality screens, when married with the fine function and form already possessed by Ultarbook models will likely make them, bar minor design flaws, a product of principal importance in the computing world.

How to replace the internal LCD screen in your Apple Macbook Air 11

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Where to buy replacement Macbook Air 11 laptop screens

Disassembling the Air can be done with ease, if you know how to perform the disassembly and you have a supplier that can supply the parts. The LCD replacement is relatively easy if you take the time to watch the video tutorial. Links are provided at the bottom of this page to resources for purchasing the LCD for the Macbook Air without having to go through the extremely expensive Apple parts system. We've provided everything you need below, enjoy :)

The Air

The Apple Macbook Air 11 is truly a stunning piece of equipment, so stunning in fact that it has prompted many of the leading PC manufacturers to try and copy it's design. My personal opinion is that they have failed. What sets the air apart is the sheer quality of the machine, the body is cut from solid aluminium, unlike it's replicas that are made from separate pieces - this gives the Air 11 a strength that allows you to be able to pick it up from all corners, including the corners of the LCD, without causing damage.

Of course, with a quality piece of equipment like this, strength reduces the chance of accidental damage but does not eliminate it. 

The excellent inbuilt IPS screen that can be viewed from any angle, is extremely thin, and although it sits sturdily in the rigid metal lid of the Air, it can still be damaged. Apple will not cover accidental LCD damage in their warranties for obvious reasons and will not warrant screens without Apple Care contracts that have produced faults or failed after 12 months have passed.

The price of accidental damage

Apple we have been told will charge you anything up to £900 to replace the LCD screen in your Macbook Air 11. We've seen wholesalers charging £600 per screen for replacements, but most when we have contacted them have actually not had stock.

The Macbook Air 11 screen is actually 11.6 inches and is manufactured by two companies, AU Optronics and LG Philips. The screen although glossy works very well outside as the outer layer (polariser) has been treated with an anti reflective finish, that works very well indeed.

Replacing the Macbook Air 11 screen isn't the easiest job in the world, but you could for example buy the screen from us and take it to an Apple shop for fitting :) Tell the Apple shop while you are there where you bought it from. they may be interested to speak to us at the prices we have :)

The Air 11 screens in stock below, are genuine and brand new and conditioned as Grade A+, they're in UK Stock and can be delivered next day AM in the UK and in 2-5 days to EU countries.

Here are some useful links:

Apple's offical Macbook Air specifications

Macbook Air 11 Replacement Laptop Screen

Apple Macbook Air A1370 replacement LCD

Apple Macbook Air MC505LLA replacement LCD screen

Apple Macbook Air MC506 LCD replacement

Apple Macbook Air MC506LL 11.6" LCD panel

Apple Macbook Air MC506LLA replacement screen

AUO AU OPTRONICS B116XW05

LG PHILIPS LP116WH4 (TP) (A1)

LG PHILIPS LP116WH4 (TJ) (A1)

LG PHILIPS LP116WH4 (TJ) (A3)

Fitting instructions for this screen, how to replace the Macbook Air 11 screen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHNtnvzfSzY - an excellent video tutorial that will take you through the entire process and show you which tools you will require to perform this job and save yourself over £600

Retina Displays are coming to mainstream laptops, but what is a retina display?

The display found in Apple’s iphones and ipads is formally referred to as a “retina display,” due to the fact that they are composed of pixels so tightly packed together that it is impossible for the human eye to distinguish between them.

The displays used in laptops are altogether different however, with not nearly as high a pixel quality: to illustrate, 1366 x 768 pixel resoulution displays are only just starting to gain precedent above their 1024 x 768 pixel predecessors. Despite this though, the company Intel have predicted that, in the near future, laptops could be being equipped with the very same retina style pixel density now found in phones, a prediction that could bear the fruits of fruition as soon as next year!

figure1 above left shows a non Retina display pixel density, which looks blocky, the right hand side shows the same image on a Retina display. You can see the same image is finer as it is composed of finer pixels than the image left.

 In detail, Intel anticipate the following developments in the computing world-Laptops with 15 inch screens and 3840 x 2160 pixel displays, Tablets with 10 inchscreens and 2560 x1440 pixel displays and Ultrabooks with 13 inch screens and 2800 x 1800 pixel displays.

This drastic shift in pixel quality will be made possible, it is forecast, by alterations in the manner in which Windows and other operating systems manage pixel density. Whilst previous systems have allowed users to change their dots per inch setting, the results are rarely adequate. This problem, however, is avoided somewhat by iOS and Google Android as they are equipped to resize images to suit higher resolution displays.

It is thought Windows 8 will operate in a similar manner. Despite this though, until the balance between supply and demand reaches its economic equilibrium, one can expect these new retina displays to be significantly more expensive than laptop screens at present.

This, coupled with the fact that standard 1366 x 768 pixel displays are only just rising in mainstream popularity, may serve to indicate that it could be a significant amount of time before retina style laptop screens become commonplaces of the computing world.

HP COMPAQ REPLACEMENT SPS PART NUMBERS FOR SIZES ABOVE 15.6"

Many people prefer a larger screen, others prefer portability. HP Compaq offers a large range of laptops with screen sizes in excess of 15.6 inches, including 16" models right up to 18.4" screen models. Those who are looking for a semi portable desktop replacement would usually consider one of the popular 17.3" sizes that have recently replacaced the 17.1" screens in popularity.

Because the machine is not portable, doesn't mean it isn't going to become damaged, the screen is as always just as breakable in desktop replacement machines as it is in "on the go" netbook computers.

Once you have damaged a large screen, it may seem daunting finding a replacement. The first and most obvious port of call would be to contact HP directly, you can do that in many ways here http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/contact.html

Once you have contacted them, you need to explain that you would like to obtain their HP spares or HP SPS number for the replacement screen inside your machine. They may ask you some questions to identify the type of laptop you have including th edate of purchase.

Once you've provided this information they should then provide you with their spares number product code known as a Compaq SPS number. You can then compare that with the list of large sized replacement screens below, by HP SPS number.

For all other types of HP laptop scren please visit this link here and search HP parts.

HP COMPAQ 15.6" REPLACEMENT PAVILION AND PRESARIO LAPTOP SCREENS

Probably the worlds biggest selling laptop models, the HP Pavilion and HP Presario have sold in millions of units worldwide for many years. The most popular screen size in these units is the 15.6" size and usually comes in MATTE and the more popular Gloss finishes.

HP have always been a world leading company, so it's no suprise the group phased out the older 15.4" models for the newer 15.6" screens in their Pavilion and Presario models some 3 years ago now.

Of course, if you have had the mis fortune to have damaged your screen, the easiest way to replace it is by HP's HPSPS or HP SPS spares number. The below table is an exhaustive list of the HP SPS spares numbers for the most popular of the 15.6" models including most Pavilion, Presario and Notebook PC G series machines.

15.6 - the new 15.4, the 15.6 size comes in many flavours the most common being the LED variants, there are literally thousands of HP models with these fitted, including the popular HP DV6 series that come with non standard 15.6 inch panels. Order by HP Spare part number to avoid disappointment.

Find more Pavilion laptop screens here.

HP COMPAQ SPS MODEL NUMBERS REPLACEMENT LCD PANELS

15" is probably the oldest standard screen size in production today, so it is no wonder why today, the 15 inch size is the biggest selling replacement laptop screen panel on the market. Starting ten years ago with the non widescreen models of XGA standard, they progressed to SXGA and UXGA before being replaced by 15.4" widescreen models found in newer notebook computers today.

if you bought an HP Compaq computer and have damaged the screen, our advice is to contact HP directly and ask them for the HP SPS model number of your screen. They will ask you for the serial number of the laptop and maybe some other information.

Once you have been provided with an SPS number, you can compare that to our list below and find more information about your particular screen replacement.

15.0 - Old non standard square size 4:3 screens, still in hot demand due to their previous popularity and still available for purchase now. browse the HP sps part number list below of 15 inch sizes.  These are not widescreen models, if you require widescreen you probably need a 15.4 inch size. 

15.4 - the defacto standard for almost 10 years in laptop screen sizes, the first of the 15 inch widescreens and still a huge seller today in many DV4 and DV5 series machine as well as some DV6000 models.

Finding your HP 14" SPS replacement screen part code

Usually located on the back of the LCD screen itself, but much easier to obtain from HP. You can look up the part code for your HP laptop screen by model of the laptop computer using HP's very handy Partsurfer website. if that's too scary for you, a simple call to HP customer services or email will usually get you the part code you require.

Once you have obtained the SPS part code for your old laptop screen you can find a replacement from our exhaustive list of HP SPS replacement screen parts below.

Life is always easy with the Laptop LCD Screen Bloggers :) 

14.1 - Oldie but still a goldie, HP are still producing laptops with the older 14.1 inch size and WXGA resolution. In addition there are still thousands of moels out there with these types of LCD fitted, still a big seller this SPS part number list of 14.1's.

PROBOOK AND PAVILION REPLACEMENT COMPAQ SPS PARTS

13.3 - As fitted to many HP DV3 series machines and of course the Probook models, these 13.3 screens come in different types. The lower end HP machines take fairly standard replacements whilst the Probooks and some of the DV3 series take odd screens with smaller than usual connectors.

The 13.3" series of laptop screens are probably the most diverse in design, with many different models. The differences which can be disasterous to a replacement procedure can be as little as bracket or screw hole positions or as drastic as connector sizes or positions. For this reason we always recommend purchasing by HP's SPS or spares replacement codes. These are often only meaningful to Compaq themselves, however for your convenience we've provided an exhaustive list of the popular sellers below.

Easy as L.C.D :)

A full list of HP Pavilion laptop replacement lcds can be found here.