This is the article from Tom's Hardware:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ze-tv,918.html
While the article is a bit old, it does still work as a cheap way to make a DIY projector.
If you do have a working laptop you can still set it up to function as an extra monitor by using a program called MaxiVista. Otherwise you can't really wire a cannibalized laptop lcd to work as a second monitor. I haven't heard of anyone successfully being able to do it.