Tiny Integrated Home Theater PC w/Display

Mark J. Foster writes "After searching for a solution that would let me control my home theater PC without disturbing the video to the projector, I finally decided to roll my own. I've integrated a Shuttle SS40G, with a Xenarc 700Y RGB-interfaced 800x480 TFT widescreen LCD: The fully-integrated package looks like this. For full details, check out my 'Special Edition' Shuttle 40G." This machine reminds me of the "lunchbox" style of PCs, but this one's got a much smaller footprint. Excellent mod.

Comments

Microwave!

[EuroChild]

You'd want to be careful that you didn't get this confused with your microwave... although both would look great if you put a dvd in 'em and turned them on 'high'.

Settled down in front of my Home Theatre PC...

[Boss, Pointy Haired]

...last night, and the movie got to a really quiet romantic scene.

I think the guy was about to propose, but I was startled by an almighty BONG and a 3 foot by 1 foot modal dialog box covering most of the screen politely informing me that a newer version of Windows Media Player was available.

Microsoft: Don't do that.

Tiny is the new big.

[wackybrit]

In 1989, Andy Warhol said 'Tiny is the new big.' I'm inclined to agree.

In today's society it's not what you've got, it's what you've not got and not having a 60" plasma TV with surround sound but having a 8" with two tinny speakers is what we're all aiming for.

I applaud you, Sir. Your device looks like a cross between a 1950's kitchen appliance, a miniaturized techno fridge, and a Mac Cube, and would be at home in any quiche eating Pascal programmer or Mac user's home.

Re:Tiny is the new big.

[MartyC]

I think you've missed something The tiny screen is just for controlling the DVD playback while he sends the full movie picture to a projector for full massive movie viewing.

Call me picky but...

[goldspider]

...there seems something very wrong with associating the word "tiny" with a "home theater".

Wow.

[Raetsel]

The pictures I'm referring to come from ftp://ftp.talix.com/pub/screenshots/shuttle -- Mark J. Foster's FTP site. (Oooo, I'm evil for posting that address... hey, at least I didn't make it a link!)

Mark, that thing is gorgeous!!! I love the idea, I've been thinking about small screens, just not quite like what you've put together. Bravo, well done, extraordinary work!

(Shuttle ought to hire you to build these for them to show off / auction off at trade shows!)

One thing I noticed, though... in ftp://ftp.talix.com/pub/screenshots/shuttle/Shuttl eBack.jpg the pile of power cables (I think there might be a power brick in there for the (external) monitor?), cords, and assorted connectors (don't forget the power strip, too!) is almost half the size of the computer itself!

Ouch.

Next project -- integrate a wireless keyboard & mouse, single-cable connection for the external monitor that includes power, video and audio, and a single power supply that will drive everything. (Yeah, I know, sorta like a Mac with their combined video/USB connection. Hey, I never claimed it was an original idea.)

Re:Wow.

[Mark Foster]

Hi, Raetsel!

Thank you very much! The cords indeed do have to go; that's one of the many reasons that this is still a work in progress (I just got the system to this stage this weekend). The power bricks you see are actually for my telephone gear, not for the monitor - the monitor power supply is fully integrated into the system, along with the switches and LEDs from both the motherboard and from the monitor. For what it's worth, the 7 switches along the bottom (from left to right) are: Monitor Power, Monitor Menu, Monitor Select, Monitor Adjust +, Monitor Adjust -, System Reset, and System Power.

Thank you again!

Cheers!
MarkF

Re:Why???

[Mark Foster]

Hi, QB!

You caught me! OK, another major reason I built this was for fun - for stress relief! Having said that, I've found the integrated display so valuable for full-time monitoring of my (remotely located)) home Linux server that I haven't been able to convince myself to move this off the breakfast counter and into the home theater! I guess I'll just have to build another one!

Have Fun!
MarkF

Re:Why?

[Zathrus]

The question is why would anyone like to have one machine controling everything

Because it's more efficient?

A well designed HTPC can replace a CD changer, a DVD player, a pre-amp, tuner, a TiVo, and a scaler/deinterlacer. And even if you buy the cheapest AV equipment and the most expensive computer equipment you'll come out ahead on the HTPC side.

Not to mention that you have all of that in one box the size of a desktop computer.

The biggest problem remains the interface -- you can do a lot with programmable remote controls, but it's still not as simple or reliable as components. Probably the biggest issue is the feedback component. A pre-amp may have a simple LCD saying "CD" or "Tuner", but HTPC's tend to use Windows interfaces which are more intrusive and nearly impossible to use without some kind of video output.

Of course, you gain a lot of flexibility - you can do anything with the HTPC you can do with a regular computer - but try explaining how to watch TV to a visiting relative (heck, my mom had enough problems with the TiVo when I was on my honeymoon).

As usual, the hardware side of things has been conquered first. Now work has to be done on the usability. And doing things like integrating a small LCD screen onto the system does a lot toward that goal.