In the past few years I have salvaged 4 LCD screens from curbs. All of them function without defect. I have no idea why people are tossing them out. One of the 4 was perhaps tossed due to size (it was about the size of a laptop screen). But the other 3 are a decent size. Most of them even have DVI connectors. I think one of the three only has a VGA connector, so perhaps the owner did not know that could be adapted.
If you notice a dumped LCD, grab it. Don’t assume it’s broken.
I also often see flat screen TVs being dumped. They are too big to easily carry on my bicycle so I’ve not made the effort to collect them and test them. Has anyone? I just wonder if I should make the effort. Why are people tossing them? Is it because ”smart” (read: cloud dependent) TVs are becoming obsolete and owners are not smart enough to use the HDMI inputs? Or is it more commonly a case of broken hardware?
(update)
Saw ~4 or so big flat TVs in the “proper” city e-waste collection. The city provides a pallet with walls (a big box) where people dump their electronics. Then the city goes through it and gives anything that works to 2nd-hand shops. They also try to repair some things. In principle, it’s a good idea to have a process like this. But I’m somewhat gutted by this:
- no one labels the waste as working or not
- the designated middleman who sorts through it does not bother testing most things.. e.g. printers are categorically destroyed.
- the public gets no access to the waste in the step between salvage and dump (I need a spare part for a particular device and have no hope of getting it)
- the stuff is just dumped unprotected in this big box. So other appliances get tossed on top LCDs and edges of those things damage screens in transport
It’s illegal to dump e-waste on the street or in landfills in my area. They must follow the above process because persnickety neighborhood cleanliness people have pressured the gov to enforced the ban on curbside dumping. But curbside dumping is actually more environmentally sound because locals have a chance to grab something in a less damage-prone way.
(Luckily?) most of the ones I see out on the curb are usually physically broken (usually the panel is smashed). I have an inverter in my car and will just plug them in right there to test them out, lol. I think I've only successfully rescued one good one recently.
I wouldn't say it's a valid reason to throw them out, but the 32" LCD TV I found and brought home was pretty energy inefficient (110 watts) compared to the 32" LCD I got a couple years ago (17 watts). It's an older model Samsung and has all the input type you could ever want, so I set it up in my basement with all my retro game systems hooked to it.
I would say roughly ~40% of the TVs I see are visibly damaged, and I wonder if kids had destructive fun with it after it was set on the curb. If it’s damaged but the backlight works, one option might be to remove the LCD and leave the light diffuser in place, then use it as a light table (e.g. for stained glass work).
A portable testbed sounds like a good idea. Since you found a good one, I get the impression it might make sense for me to go grab battery + invertor and a laptop and test it before carrying it.
Good point. Honestly not sure, and probably have no way to tell, how many might have been fine before they were set out. I just know that by the time I come across them, most have seen better days.
The inverter has definitely come in handy. Testing roadside appliances wasn't its original purpose, lol, but it definitely does a good job of it. I usually just check if they power up and, in the case of TVs/monitors, that the screen isn't cracked or horribly glitching. If it gets that far, I'll load it up and take my chances with it.