Digital Media Player or Picture Frame from an Old Laptop

[Hejira]

If Like me you have an Old Laptop gathering dust you may wish to consider what other use you could put it to!

I've wanted to make one of these for a while, I think it's a good use for an Old Laptop, you are basically turning your Laptop into a Mini Desktop PC n dependant on the spec of Laptop could be a feature rich Media Player!

Here are a few of the best examples of what I'm talking about:
Ksénia, Jules, Gaëlle & Nicolas A digital picture frame running Linux v2
Build a Wall Mount PC from an Old Laptop | Hack N Mod
AlanHelton The DIY Digital Picture Frame

This goes a little further, made me think about a touch screen option n demonstrates setting up a PC for a more specific use:
The iPhone Inspired DIY Kitchen Touch Screen Project

First I think the spec of laptop is important, only add functions that the laptop can comfortably handle so the user experience is a good one. Even the most basic laptop should be able to run a slide show n play n mp3, itunes player, Add wireless, internet radio player, better graphics bbc iplayer and so on the options are endless.

I've already stripped down a very old Laptop n plan to make a little time to have a go, anyone have any comments or suggestions. I'm thinking simple Mp3 Player, maybe Media Monkey, with a Photo Slide Show ScreenSaver!

 

[Munkey]

Sold to the Munkey in the front row :Clap:

Great timing mate, this is exactly what I was aiming for in the kitchen. Time to start looking at some touchscreen displays.

 

[Hejira]

Sold to the Munkey in the front row :Clap:

Great timing mate, this is exactly what I was aiming for in the kitchen. Time to start looking at some touchscreen displays.

I Thought it would be up your street Munkey, I'm really trying to get across using an old laptop or PC for a more limited but user friendly functional use. I hate chucking something that still works!

If you take the xpanel example I posted you could have touch control from that screen, I know only for Crestron with the Xpanel but your Matrix has RS232 control n a windows proggie so you could in theory have that proggie on the PC, run the RS232 to Cat5e back to you matrix n have control. Would need to be tested (cable run distance) but you get my drift?

 

[BIG-HOL]

excellent that mate, cant wait to see what you come up with!!!!

 

[Munkey]

I Thought it would be up your street Munkey, I'm really trying to get across using an old laptop or PC for a more limited but user friendly functional use. I hate chucking something that still works!

If you take the xpanel example I posted you could have touch control from that screen, I know only for Crestron with the Xpanel but your Matrix has RS232 control n a windows proggie so you could in theory have that proggie on the PC, run the RS232 to Cat5e back to you matrix n have control. Would need to be tested (cable run distance) but you get my drift?

Frightening but I fink I know what you're going on about.

Problem is most touchscreen display's only use a VGA connector, I guess a HDMI-VGA adapter would suffice. I'll read up on this some more today, I don't have much time to make a purchasing decision as the kitchen work starts in a week :FRIGHT:

 

[Hejira]

I'm thinking DIY solution:
Touch Screen Panels <- POS <- Business, Retail and Industrial | Virtual Village - UK

DVI to HDMI prob best option if HDMI required.

 

[Parad0x]

I'll probably do something similar but not as nice, basically i want to create a darts scorer with an old laptop, but i just want to be able to turn the screen round, not create a whole new casing for the laptop.

Any easy way to do this?

 

[Hejira]

I'll probably do something similar but not as nice, basically i want to create a darts scorer with an old laptop, but i just want to be able to turn the screen round, not create a whole new casing for the laptop.

Any easy way to do this?

The prob is all laptops are very different in their construction so the laptop is key to how easy you'll find it to do! It will be the length of the cable that connects to the LCD that will be restrictive.

You could consider using the VGA port of the laptop for a second display to an old LCD as an option.

 

[Parad0x]

The prob is all laptops are very different in their construction so the laptop is key to how easy you'll find it to do! It will be the length of the cable that connects to the LCD that will be restrictive.

You could consider using the VGA port of the laptop for a second display to an old LCD as an option.

Thats the backup option.

The laptop i have is a very old sharp gp1415 laptop with no battery so will need to run off the mains.

I've purchased a wireless keypad for the small project, its a nightmare though as i've got a cast on for the next 6-8 weeks.