My Lenovo G570 died about a year ago - just stopped booting, blank screen no output via HDMI, VGA, internal screen and couldn't RDP in either.  It has been sitting in my cupboard slowly being recycled the RAM to another laptop the 3.5" drive to an USB3 enclosure and the only thing left was the screen ( the specs a 15.6" 1366*768) . I wondered if it would make a good  (cheap) second monitor to stand vertically next to my main screen to show other stuff when I'm playing games.  I did a bit of research and you can buy the driver boards from China (via Ebay £20 to £25))  and you can connect them up and supply some power (via 12v adapter)  and "Bob's your Uncle"  it works!  I've been using for a few months but have either been running via VGA or DVI and has been showing the expected resolution pf 1366*768, but today, however, after having a cable tidy up I connected it via HDMI and it is,much to my surprise, now working as a full HD monitor at 1920*1080.   I've used a few recycled parts for the stand (A4 flat sheet Al and an old Ikea TV flatscreen TV bracket) and a 12v adapter that used to power my broken PURE Evoke DAB radio so the whole thing has cost the price of the Ebay part.

Old monitors can also be converted into rpi magic-mirrors for those who like to play

 

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/magic-mirror/

Have another screen 10.2" from dead Netbook - to be a Raspberry Pi screen.  

 

Edit:  Kit arrived from China (just over a week)  - works - all I have to do now is make a stand.

Edited 6 September, 20178 yr by io1901