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Thread: Project: ZERO

  1. #1
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Project: ZERO

    Good evening (morning?) to all!

    It's been a long time since I did any real modding around here, so I figured it was about time for me to do something. Also, having a worklog here will keep me on task, since people will (hopefully) be interested in seein the project progress and be completed! So here we go... Project: ZERO.

    The Idea:

    A complete media playback solution, small enough to fit behind a 15" LCD monitor, and cost $0; all parts/software must be things I already own, or barter for (no money), or be open source for software (or something I already have). Zero dollars spent.

    The Donor:

    A DV2000 laptop which had the screen removed in a rather unsafe manner (dropping it off a table onto the screen, which was open) was going to be scrapped, due to the cost of replacement on the screen. The unit was out of warranty, and owner decided to go new.

    Here it is, in pieces, but running.


    Specs:
    AMD TL-60 cpu (2.0ghz)
    1gb PC2-5300 Ram (soon to be 2gb.. just needs to be installed)
    80gb SATA HDD (currently in my XPS)

    The Screen:
    15" NEC Multisync LCD 1545v(1024x768 resolution)


    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    So at the moment, the system is laid out across a table, and running diskless, with XBMC Live. Media playback has been tested from the SD card slot on the mobo, and works great.. I'm currently listening to some music on it while typing this on my desktop!







    The optical drive that this is running from right now will have to go I'm afraid.. with the drive attached, the setup is too large to fit behind the monitor. I'll either installed XBMC Live onto the HDD (which is not currently attached) or I'll use Vista and run XBMC on there, or maybe use the Vista Media center, since this laptop has the cool little remote for it.



    I'm also planning on using a set of speakers salvaged from a Toshiba Laptop. They are Harmon Kardons, and sound great! Here's a shot with the remote and a quarter for reference.. the speakers are actually pretty beefy, and are completely enclosed in their own sealed little enclosures. Output is huge, and the sound quality is awesome.



    I'll be replacing the HP speakers (junk) with these HK's, and mounting them up the front of the LCD as well. I'll also be mounting the IR receiver from the laptop onto the front of the LCD, so that the remote will work.



    The mobo has a built in ethernet port, an SD reader (as mentioned; not sure if it's SDHC compatible.. I'll check that out later), and a few other goodies. Obviously it has a mini pci connector for wifi, and it also has a bluetooth adaptor, and 3 usb ports. It's unlikely I'll use the wifi, but the bluetooth could be useful, as well as the usb ports for game pads (most likely will be Xbox controllers.. never know when the urge for some SNES will strike).





    The power button for the unit is luckily on a remote pcb, connected with a short cable to a plug on the mobo. 3 wires (easily de/re-soldered) provide the switch, and a power LED (which *might* be moved to the LCD front also) means I can easily replace the button with a proper momentary power switch, which would be more easily operated.



    The mobo power connector is on a short pigtail connector as well, which also works well for me to relocate it and mount where I want.



    So there you have it, the start for my project. I'm still working up a drawing/sketch/whatever for the final project, but more details and changes will come along, I'm sure. When have I ever stuck to a plan 100%?

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

  2. #2
    baaah. billygoat333's Avatar
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    Default Re: Media System (NAME TBD) Project!

    nice! looking to do something similar with my DV4000, soon as I get time/ambition. excited to see what you do with this and will hopefully be able to steal/borrow some ideas from you!
    Quote Originally Posted by Omega
    ber is id elicous
    Centurion 5 Mod <<--- ON HOLD FOR THE WINTER

  3. #3
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Media System (NAME TBD) Project!

    Wow, seems like a very ambitious project, I'm impressed. Keep us up to date!
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  4. #4
    If it isn't stock, it's modded! slaveofconvention's Avatar
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    Default Re: Media System (NAME TBD) Project!

    Got me thinking now... I have a laptop in full working order except for a smashed screen - same situation - cost of screen is more than laptop would sell for repaired and I don't need it personally.... I also happen to have a 15" LCD sitting spare too hmmmmm heh I'll be watching this one....

    Current Projects: Lobo | Unimatrix | High Voltage | Antec 900 Revamp (Phase 2)
    Completed Projects: General Lee | Synergy Green | Liquid Yellow
    Planned Projects: K-9-PC | Limey

  5. #5
    GIVE ME THE CAKE!!! p0Pe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Media System (NAME TBD) Project!

    dude this is awsome! what is that program your running? xbmc? gotta look into that one!
    is that a 120.9 raddy on your case, or are you just happy to see me?

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  6. #6
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project: ZERO

    Update 2:

    So today I made the decision to use my 20" LCD (HP w2007) instead of the little 15" NEC. I'll still use the NEC for testing and mockup purposes, but the final product will be mounted to the 20" HP. (Which was also free! Yay for trades!)

    Some of you may wonder how I'll be mounting the system to the back of the LCD. Well, almost all LCD's now have the option to be wall mounted or arm mounted. I'll be using those mounting holes to attach an LCD mounting kit (which I already own.. was purchased for my LCDTV, so it's good for 120lbs.. lol), to which I'll attach a mobo tray and finally attach the mobo/system to that.





    Admire my makeshift workbench!



    I knew that I wanted to replace the speakers with something better, and not use an external powered set.. I'm already going to need 2 power cords for this rig, so I'd like to keep it at that. The decision to use the onboard audio output was an easy one, but the HP speakers were not up to the task.

    The salvaged Harmon kardon's are great, but I hesitated to cut up the HP set.. I might be able to trade them to someone else as replacements, or even unload the remains of the HP on Ebay or something, so I managed to find a matching 4 pin connector from an Acer laptop that had an incident with an impatient Newfie.







    I chopped the connector from the Acer, and soldered the wires to the HK speaker wires. Some heatshrink tubing to cover the joins, and we are golden. Note to self, shiny heatshrink tubing from RadioShack is GARBAGE.







    On this same topic, I decided not to chop up the HP power switch/LED combo, and found another matching connector from the remains of the Acer. This way, I can unload the switch later if need be, but mostly I dont risk destroying it, and not being able to boot Zero. That would suck.





    I'm now looking for a good power switch for this project.. no shortage of LED's here!

    I'm definitely going with the 80gb hdd for this project. I'll ghost the 80gb to the 160, and put the 160 into my XPS laptop to free up the 80gb for Zero, so that'll happen tonight or something.

    Desoldering the IR receiver might not be easy enough to be worth attempting it.



    There it is on the right.. Lets see the bottom if that pcb...



    Zounds! Perhaps I'll do more thinking on that.

    Tonight I'll be reassembling and testing HDD mounting solutions, and *hopefully* building a mobo tray.

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

  7. #7
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project: ZERO

    Dude!!! You've got a workbench that also dries your clothes?!?!??? Wow.
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  8. #8
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project: ZERO

    Well, it used to dry my clothes.. now it's just a workbench.. haha. At least until someone comes and takes it from my house for me.

    More updates to come tonight.

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

  9. #9
    "Lemme Sho' Ya' Sumtin!!!" - FMB
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    Default Re: Project: ZERO

    Looks good so far! I can't wait to see more!
    Project: Archangel Complete
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  10. #10
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project: ZERO

    Update 3 (small update)

    I'm definitely going to use the 20" LCD.



    It's just so much nicer than the 15", so I said "why not?"

    So, now to test mount the hdd. Since the original casing held the hdd in a tray, which attached to the bottom half of the case, i'm stuck with a mobo header connection sort of off by itself, and nowhere to attach the hdd.



    Obviously I cant rest it directly onto the mobo (zap!) so I had to come up with something. Hmm... there's holes in the board there...



    Ok.. so if the hdd was raised up from the board, say with some little rubber feet or something..



    ..like the ones from ANOTHER scrap laptop..



    Then I could rest it right on the mobo.. and attach it with...



    TADAAA!



    No, I'm not serious.. this is just a temporary attachment so I can continue working on this while I figure out a real solution.

    I also decided on the OS for this tonight.. I'll be putting Vista Home Premium on here, which will allow me to use wifi, emulators, xbox controllers, the fancy little media remote, etc, and since I already have it (it was the OS on this laptop originally), it cost me NOTHING.

    I started the install on it tonight, but since my testing keyboard and mouse are both PS2, i had to use a ps2 to usb adaptor, which the vista installer did not recognize... so I called it a night. I rearranged the entire basement to make room, and I've got lots left to do, but it's 1000x better than it was, so i'll call tonight a victory.

    Still sketching up my final product....

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

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