Simple hulu HTPC

[Zephik]

Here's an idea I'm testing out in Sketchup 7 for a "hulu based HTPC". Just a simple design built around stuff that I have laying around, like my old laptop that I keep handy for parts. Its still fully functional in that it has the motherboard, processor and graphics processing unit so I thought I'd try and put it to use somehow. Here's the first idea I've had to make use of it in combination with hulu's new desktop application.

Its built using 1/4" plexi and black steel mesh (modders mesh?) surrounding the sides for both aesthetic and cooling reasons. The logo is supposed to be semi-translucent (frosted underneath maybe?) with a soft green glow. It measures approx. 16" x 11", but only because of the size of the laptop motherboard I'm using. I chose black as the main color because thats what surrounds their videos and its also the main color they use in their new desktop app, then of course green for the text because their logo is green.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7918/hulutopside.png
Here is the Sketchup file for those of you who want to download it. Maybe make some changes or improvements or just whatever. Build it if you want, since I probably won't. Too much else goin' on all the time it seems.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=0d316d825b3d44100de4fc1039a01674e04e75f6 e8ebb871

[Oneslowz28]

Will it turn my brain matter into goo matter? I like it. Go for it.

[Eclecticos]

Looks like a great idea. You should email them and ask for some alien stickers. :D

[NightrainSrt4]

Nice design! I've actually built a hulu pc under this same premise, but not with the hulu design, but Black and Red plexi and red oak.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3141/dsc04320xa0.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9359/dsc04322jr7.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8306/dsc04326vz7.jpg

I am going to rebuild it though, as I do not like the fact that I have the lcd sitting when it could be used, and my server/htpc now does the hulu duties.

+rep to a nice looking design

[Zephik]

Nice! Whats the measurements on that build? Nice idea on using wood in the build, that always looks great. My favorite would probably have to be cherry wood, but that red oak looks niiice. You should replace the plexi with wood too, that would look great I think. or maybe even clear plexi? That would look pretty neat.

+rep!

[NightrainSrt4]

Let me grab a tape measure...

If you are looking at the standing picture: 14.5" tall, 11.5" deep, 1.75" wide (2" if you count the screw heads).

It was supposed to be just the red plexi with the oak, but I went through several designs that just didn't work, and were smaller, so all I had left for the other side in the end was the black plexi.

I agree, all wood would be very nice. I was trying to use up the two huge pieces of red plexi I had bought for the reincarnation of Project: Nightrain, that just weren't the right color.

When I rebuild it, and add the lcd back in, I am going to just use wood. I am more comfortable building with wood, and it doesn't take forever to get a nice looking edge or bevel like plexi does (sand, sand, file, file, sand, ... polish... foreeeeeeeeevvvvvveeeerrrrr by hand).

It was originally supposed to have the lcd and was supposed to be an all-in-one, but I just couldn't figure it out. My issue, I believe, was how to integrate the cd drive. Turns out it isn't really needed.

[rendermandan]

What components did you use for that?

[NightrainSrt4]

It isn't anything impressive, just the guts from an old HP laptop circa 2002 or so.

IIRC it was a 1.8Ghz Pentium M with 512Mb Ram. Used the power brick for power and a vga cable to connect to lcdtv.

[NightrainSrt4]

Here's a couple pictures I found in a folder labeled 'Crap' lol.

Here you can see how much space there is. I kept the battery because the little audio board in the bottom left stuck out as far as it anyway. I couldn't figure out a way to redo the heatsink to allow for a smaller width either. As you can see, the board itself is quite a bit smaller than the entire case, but because of the heatsink and audio board extending out forced it to be a bit bigger.
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/9649/dsc04330.jpg

Had the height anway, so I added a heatsink on the ati graphics chip.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8891/dsc04338j.jpg


I did this "Hulu" rig with a laptop board, but it could easily be done with mItx. Actually MItx would probably have less limitations to deal with/more options and have a smaller footprint. I didn't actually get to use this much with Hulu anyway, as a few days later I set up the other htpc, so I honestly can't remember how it performed. I don't think too well though, as flash is quite cpu based, iirc.