I would not make too much of a projection outside the Vostro 1700 and Inspiron 1720 pair - the Inspiron M1710 is a totally different chassis and appears to be Quanta-built, while the 1700/1720 look like Compal designs - i.e., totally different ODMs.

Notebooks are designed around a small set of LCD panels - other panels may not physically fit (the mount points can differ) -- and even if they do fit, the BIOS may not be coded for them, so you could find a totally white or totally black display.  The cable connections are far from universal.

If you decide to try another panel, go for another Vostro 1700 or Inspiron 1720 panel - and if you buy a different make of panel, even from one of those, be sure you get the data cable and inverter to go with it - those parts are not interchangeable between manufacturers of screen even for the same model notebook (i.e., a 17" LG-Philips panel components won't fit a 17" Samsung screen, and vice-versa - even for the same model notebook).

Can I just say how impressed I am that you can figure out who built those just by looking at them!?! :smileyhappy:

The older M1710 was part of a Quanta-built line - that was made public in the trade press.
I'm making a guess on the 1520/1720/Vostro1500/1700 - the split-DIMM (one under keyboard) design is a hallmark of Compal-built machines - Quanta usually puts the memory modules side by side.

I'll probably forget that promptly, but thanks, that's interesting!