Oscar, a new Kickstarter project currently seeking funding, is an Arduino-compatible adapter that's able to connect a high-resolution screen to a computer. The adapter comes attached to the same 9.7-inch display used in Apple's Retina iPads, and uses DisplayPort or Thunderbolt to connect to a computer.

When connected to a Mac, the Oscar adapter allows the high-resolution 2048 x 1536 panel to be used as a second screen.

OSCAR is an adapter that allows you to connect a super high resolution 9.7" screen, often found in tablets, to your computer. It comes pre-connected to the LCD panel ready to be attached and is compatible will all operating systems using a Thunderbolt or DisplayPort connection. The board is Arduino compatible which makes modifying the behaviour easy and all the software and hardware is open source.

The complete Oscar kit includes an LCD screen that comes with an acrylic case and a stand, allowing it to be used for a range of second-screen purposes. The adapter included with the display powers the LED backlight and controls the power supply. Because it's Arduino compatible, the adapter can be used to control variables like backlight brightness through USB.

oscarkit
The full Oscar kit, with display, laser cut acrylic case, power supply, stand, and DisplayPort/USB cables can be obtained through a £150 pledge, equivalent to approximately $250. The screen alone can be purchased for £110, or $183, and the panels are expected to begin shipping in July of 2014.

Update 1:09 PM PST: As MacRumors forum user rootyb has pointed out, a similar product from Adafruit is already available for purchase for $250.

Top Rated Comments

rootyb Avatar
150 months ago
Or you could just buy the same thing now.

https://www.adafruit.com/qualia
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k1121j Avatar
150 months ago
??

whats this good for? did we just re-invent the wheel here
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GBrooks Avatar
150 months ago
It's 264DPI.

arn

True, but couldn't I hook up my iPad wirelessly with Air Display and use that?
Maybe this can extend your screen, whereas Air Display only mirrors?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Goftrey Avatar
150 months ago
The only way I can see this being utilised well is hooked on to the side of an iMac/Cinema display somehow. It just seems entirely pointless hooking a 10" display up to a 13/15/17" laptop.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Heart Rate Tracking Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Expected to Launch This Year With Key New Feature

Sunday August 24, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects Apple to release new AirPods Pro this year, and he said the earbuds will have a key new feature: heart rate monitoring. From his Power On newsletter today, with emphasis added:As for Apple's other devices, there's a lot in the fall pipeline — though many of the new products are only incremental upgrades. There will be Apple Watch updates, faster Vision...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 12 New Features

Sunday August 24, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborated a rumor that iPhone 17 Pro models will be "available in an orange color." Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are...
iPhone 17 Air Thumb 2 Blue Electric Boogaloo

Apple Has Reportedly Considered Releasing iPhone 17 Air Bumper Case

Sunday August 24, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple has "considered" releasing a bumper case for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Similar to the bumper case that Apple introduced for the iPhone 4 in 2010, Gurman said the iPhone 17 Air version of the case would cover the edges of the device, but not the back of it. Those bumper cases were made of rubber. Given that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have ...
Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Antenna Design

Two All-New iPhone 17 Colors Seemingly Confirmed

Monday August 25, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color. We've heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Just Weeks Away: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Wednesday August 20, 2025 6:44 am PDT by
We're only weeks away from Apple's annual iPhone event – rumored to take place on September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for enhancements,...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 or Wait for Next Year?

Friday August 22, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through what to expect from the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3, and whether it's worth holding off on an upgrade until next year. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The third-generation Apple Watch SE is rumored to feature a larger display (perhaps like the Apple Watch Series 7), the S11 chip, and...