in board movie MOD?!?!?

[MattMan]

I got an idea from the Doom 3 inspired computer (BTW awsome job...hope I can get that good one day, have to start first hu?). I want to put a little monitor on my computer...but I want it to be like star wars or lord of the rings theme...or maybe x-men...not exactly sure yet...guess it will depend on money avalibility and difficulty...but any ways...

I wanted to build my computer to have the little monitor on front and wired to an independant DVD player in the computer and then run a loop of all 3 Lord of the rings movies (if lord of the rings theme) and just have it running all of the time while the comp is on... anyone know if I could dowload the DVD to a computer and cut it and splice it together and make it join together seemlessly without any end credits previews, menu... basically run like a CD and just keep repeating sort of thing.

Another is I have seen a commercial for a Plasma TV that has lights on the back that change color according to what is on the TV,....I would like to incorporate that into the lights inside the comp....and know if that is even feesable(misspelled)??

Anyone have any ideas??

[Frakk]

I think you are going too complicated :)

[Rachel]

You're talking about doing some programing on top of messing with hardware. Do you know Java?

[ZeD]

Math,
the way those plasma TVs work is they change color according to what is on the tvguide software. lets say it turns blue for movies, green for sports, red for news, get what Im saying, its scanning the cable in feed. As for the movies loop simple, you can even use the free widnows moviemaker if all you wanna do is cut the credits and adjoin two others together. Your gonna need like 12gb of memory if you want to have all 3 2+hours DVDs open and ready for compilation though, they should be ripped and turned to divx\xvid however and let it run off the system. If however what Im reading is that you want the movies to keep playing even when the machine is off from a seperate and independant DVD player then thats also simple. Most mini screen have standard connectors attached to them, even the ones that do not arent too difficult to incorperate onto the LCD itself. Look for a screen which is prewired and ready to go right out the box. Good luck

Rachel, shouldnt you be in class?

[fishies]

If that's the case, the screen will burn out fairly quickly. If Zed's post is what you want, either commit yourself to a good quality LCD, or buy a cheap, replaceable solution. In an always on situation, the middle of the road is not the wisest of moves (cost/replacement.)

[Rachel]

Rachel, shouldnt you be in class?
How did you know? That's a little creapy. I was in class. In Tech Prep. I'm suppost to be working on my Capstone in class but there wasn't much for me to do there. Technically I'm still suppost to be in class but it's early, early release day. We got out at 12:20. :)

I guess there are easier ways than using java. But you could get your PC to do the things you want it to from using java. I'm pretty sure they use java in microwaves and stuff. If I looked hard enough I bet I could program something in java to do that. But it would be hard and I'm not good at java. I have used java before though.

[MattMan]

I wasn't really planning on leaving it on all the time. just while the comp is on..I know it is complicated..but I like to think big and then weed out what I can't do and work from there, cause to me it is easier to cut out parts and make it smaller than to add stuff and make it bigger ya know. But that is just how I think...

back to you Modders.... :P

[Rachel]

Is programing in java way beyond you? Because to get the computer to play the DVD when you turn it on is only a matter of using java. It could be hard to program or pretty simple. If this sounds like something you'd want to try I could ask my teacher about it. He used to be a programmer so this is right up his ally.

[Mach]

Mattman, this should get you started.

Hacking a PS1 screen (http://www.google.com/search?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=hacking+a+psone+screen )

I picked up a couple of these on ebay for about $25 a piece. You'll also need a car power supply ($10-15) that you can hack. You have two options depending on your video card. VGA or S video, IIRC. VGA is supposed to be clearer but requries soldering. That'll get a small monitor in your case.

Movies can be ripped using something like dvdshrink or similar. I'm not sure how you'd direct the video to a separate monitor unless your video card supports it or your dvd as you suggested.

[MattMan]

Yeah would you ask your teacher Rachel

and the PS1 screen seems good..do you think it would work with a PS2 drive?(don't know what you would call it after you modded it into your comp.)

sorry if this is just getting to complicated, but if it wasn't it wouldn't be a challenge, and if it wasn't a challenge it wouldn't be fun, and if it wasn't it fun I wouldn't like to do it. Did I lose anyone?

[Frakk]

if it wasn't a challenge it wouldn't be fun

I have to disagree with that. I still enjoy soldering leds and resistors and even putting a cable tie on my cables. the real fun is when you come up with the ideas, making them is just half of the fun:) it doesnt have to be a challenge to be enjoyable :D

[Mach]

Not sure I understand what a PS2 drive has to do with it. The PS1 screen is a small LCD monitor that you interface with a video card either via s video or vga. if you're asking could you hook a stand alone player to it. Sure, if the player drive supports either of those video out options. Or am I misunderstanding what it is that you want to do?

[Matthew]

He doesent have to program anything to get a movie to replay over again on a secondary output though. It can be as simple as your LCD being a secondary monitor and (after you have edited the movie(s) to the clips you want) playing it in the secondary window in WMP with repeat on. As for an LCD screen...a ps1 screen is fine...how big do you want it? How much are you willing to spend?

[Rachel]

He wants it to start playing when the computer comes right on. A program that runs automatically when the machine is turned on that ques for the movie to start playing wouldn't be hard to program. Actually to have to start up WMP each time you turn your computer on would be pretty annoying. I'm talking about a program that would run in the back ground at atart up and tell a program like WMP to start playing.

[ZeD]

Why program anything, just put an autorun tag in your startup directrory, 123 done.

[ZeD]

If that's the case, the screen will burn out fairly quickly. If Zed's post is what you want, either commit yourself to a good quality LCD, or buy a cheap, replaceable solution. In an always on situation, the middle of the road is not the wisest of moves (cost/replacement.)
That didn't seam to be a concern of his, but for referance why do you think the screen with burn out quickly, and how long is quickly?

[Matthew]

Rachel...what your talking about would require a lot of code. It would have to decode the video file and play it to a desired screen. Its just not worth it when you can use something already made to play video.

[MattMan]

well the PS1 monitor seems like a good idea...I am sorry if this is to complicated...if I in over my head just tell me, and help me dumb it down a bit so it can be feesable... even though I think it would be neat... and the question about the PS1 monitor to a pS 2, I could always just mount the PS2 in the comp and set it to teh monitor and just use it like a mini tv and dvd hook up on my comp... though it would just be cool to have the whole Lord of the Ring theme and just have the movie always running, just thought it was an idea,

BTW thanks to everyone for their ideas and help, even if you think I am stupid and crazy

[Rachel]

So your talking about the PS1 Monitor play LOTR on repeat plus you'll have a working monitor CRT or LCD? If your doing that you'll need two graphics cards or one that has two different video outputs. I asked my teacher and that is what he said.

[fishies]

Some LCD kits come with video controllers that plug into serial or USB port. Still, you will need to figure out the playback. Remember that this mod will actively suck your computer's resources. Have you considered a mini-pc inside your computer to hook up your LCD? That way, you wouldn't be eating up your main machine's resurces.

[MattMan]

no but that sounds like areally good idea, what would I need to do that?