ZapWizard's Media PC -Project on hold

For those of you who are reading the HUGE project log for the first time:
Here is the run down on this HUGE project.

EVERYTHING is modified, NOT just a Case mod, but TONS of electronic modifications.
This is probaly the first computer mod where the electronics came before the case.

The only thing not modified is the 56k Voice modem, and only because it could use DirectX for sound control.
Otherwise it would have gotten new jacks.

But back to topic:
This computer is simple the LARGEST single modification project ever.
The goal is a Home Theatre PC like no other.

It will have two TV Tuners, offering Picture in Picture, Dual surfing, Record one channel - while you watch another.
Pause Live TV.
It has an FM Radio that offers similar features, such as pause live radio, store a song to disk even when stored at the END of the song!
Play DVD's DIVX, MP3's
Display Photo's

The case is being built out of Acrylic, and will be made up of a combination of black vinyl dye, and tinted areas.

All the case lighting will be via LED's.
The LED's are in three sets:
Front Panel, Inside, and Bottom Glow

The LCD Screen in actualy a Compaq IPAQ PDA (In complete working order).
It is permenently mounted to a servo controlled interface.
This allows a whole host of features to be accessed even when the Media PC is off, or busy recording.

Feel free to take the time to read this project log.
If you have questions, first look for the answer, then ask me, I answer them all.

A quick read version is located here:
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34385

But please search for an answer to your questions before posting here. Otherwise I welcome yoru comments and questions.


-----------On to the original post-----------------------

Ok I have enough parts on their way to start my media PC.
So I am starting a project log.
A running log will also be kept here:
With more detailes.
http://www.zapwizard.com/MediaPC

I am going to use many techniques that I have learned here on bit-tech, and I will try to give credit where due.
I am also doing some stuff on this mod that no one else has ever done.

The case willl be hand built-plexi, black with a mirror finnish. (Credit to Macro)
Some parts will be black, some parts will be tinted

All the lighting will be controlled through the parallel port, or a microcontroller. This will allow for several different lighting modes, depending on what the machine is doing (Movie, Pictures, Music, downloading, etc...)

 

Inside



Inside the box will be all these parts:

• AMD Athlon 1600+ Processor
• 256 MB of PC2100 DDR RAM (Upgrade to 512Mb later)
• Soyo K7M Dragon motherboard
• Onboard Soundcard with optical/coax digital (Used for extra inputs and mixer)
• Onboard 10/100 NIC
• Onboard RAID/Secondary IDE controller
• Sound Blaster Live Value (Main mixer and output)
• ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon (TV, Video-in/out, HDTV, Component video capability)
• DLink USB FM Radio
• X10 Mouse remote RF remote
• 200Watt Compact PSU
• Pioneer 16X Slot-loading DVD
• CD-RW (To be added later)
• 60-80Gig Western Digital Harddrive
• 2x20 Character Vacuum Florescent Display with RED filter
• Integrated Wireless headphone transmitter
• 56K Voice Modem for Answering machine/Speaker phone capability
• Infrared (IR-DA) communication though motherboard adapter
• Lots of lighting effects via LED's and Cold Cathodes
• Modified heatsinks and fans
• Built-in X10 Serial House interface

 

• The Vacuum Florescent Display will list media playing, system stats, and playlists depending on the system mode.
• The eject buttons for the CD-RW and DVD will be re-routed to the front of the case. When the drives are accessed the lights surrounding the drives will flash off.
• The Volume control buttons will be wired directly to the VOL-CTL header on the SB-Live
• The Play/Stop/Rec and Mutli-speed knob will be connected to the parallel port, or game port to control media functions.
• The multi-speed knob will allow for fast-forward, rewind, chapter/song skip and back when playing media. When not playing media, it will be used for navigating files and playlists.
• The Red lights below the DVD are used to transmit to the wireless headphones
• The Audio inputs at the bottom will run to the motherboard's on-board sound card. Included are: Optical Digital In/Out, RCA Digital In/Out, Mic, Line-in, Line-Out, Line-out rear
• Not visible) at the right will be S-Video and RCA Video/Audio inputs into the TV card.
• The CD-RW will be hidden at the bottom, it will be recessed back from the front of the system by an inch

 

The Back



At the back will be the harddrive (White) it will be held in a removable tray
Also will be the various input/outputs needed to run the system
Cables will be kept to a minimum.

 

Looking mighty hot Zap

 

Parts I have so far

• AMD Athlon 1600+ Processor
• 256 MB of PC2100 DDR RAM (Upgrade to 512Mb later)
• Soyo K7M Dragon motherboard
• Onboard Soundcard with optical/coax digital (Used for extra inputs and mixer)
• Onboard 10/100 NIC
• Onboard RAID/Secondary IDE controller
• All-In-Wonder Radeon
• Sound Blaster Live Value
• DLink USB FM Radio
• X10 Mouse remote RF remote
• 200Watt Compact PSU
• Pioneer 16X Slot-loading DVD
• Integrated Wireless headphone transmitter
• 56K Voice Modem for Answering machine/Speaker phone capability
• Infrared (IR-DA) communication though motherboard adapter
• Modified heatsinks and fansBuilt-in
• Security camera
• 2.4ghz wireless video/audio transmitter
• X10 Serial House interface

 

Parts I need

• 60-80gig Harddrive
• 256Mb PC2100 DRR Ram
• Plexiglass and related parts
• Harddrive Rack
• LED's and Cold Cathodes
• CD-RW
• Vacuum Florescent Display

 

I think it is stupid to use such components for that :
a) P4 may be cooled with heatsink only, so it will reduce noise.
b) You might spend the money you spend on components on something else



and I hope you're gonna run linux not windows!

 

Looks like a great project zap! Looks like a lot of work though.

iSteve - I think the component choice is pretty much spot on. A p4 setup would cost far more, and I've never seen a p4 passively cooled.

What OS are you planning to go for?

 

That was rude iSteve.
You know I work for AMD, and a 1600+ doesnt make much heat.
The system will be silent running, just wait for the details on the fans. And linux cannot handle the amount of media I want to run through the system at the same time. It's nice and fast, but I have found that linux just doesn't run the software I need.
Windows 2000 will do everything I need.

The PC will have all these feature and more:

• TV-On-Demand, record, pause, play, watch via ATI's software
• FM-Radio On-Demand, record, pause, listen via Radiator software
• TV-Guide built-in via Guide+ software
• MP3's via Winamp
• CD-ripping and sorting via AudioGrabber
• DVD-ripping via Flask
• House house light control via X10 Home Control
• RF Remote control via MaX10
• Macro's via EZ Macros
• Remote control over LAN via Laplink
• Download movies and music via Kazaa
• And more

 

[cough]careful[/cough]

 

For off-site backup puposes of course.
Any movie I have ever gotten off of there I usualy end up buying the DVD. I have over 40 DVD's so I am not taking away from the economy. I Bought ten DVD's and three CD's for chistmas alone.

 

Ever thought about using Windows XP Media Center Edition instead?

 

Interesting I'll look into that, thanks.
But it needs to be able to run all the hardware I have.

 

It looks nice and pretty, but I don't see how to get a stand alone copy. And either way this PC won't have its own dedicated monitor. I will be using a swith to change between my PC and my Media PC. Plus it will be connected wirelessy to the living room TV.

When I get a High Definiton Monitor or Projector (HDTV) This PC will be used to run it. The All-in-Wonder Radeon has DVI output, and can output every video format from Composite, to Component, to VGA and DVI. So I can in theory run any video screen I want using this PC. Plus ATI already includes software that does everything that XP Media edition does.

BTW, My Athlon, All-In-Wonder Radeon, and LED's are all on their way, after that All I will need is the plexiglass.
I should be able to start this project very soon.

 

Man that looks like one hell of a hard project. Good luck with it zap I really hope it works because it will be kick ass once you get it running.

 

Erm, to be honest, I do NOT know you work for AMD

(note, I have AMD Athlon XP 2000+ in my PC and perfectly happy)

I actually did, P4 1.8GHz with a *huge* passive... in a stock pc, I think fujitsu-siemens one ...

 

There must have been a fairly reasonable fan blowing air somewhere in the vicinity(sp?) of the heatsink though wasn't there?

EDIT: Sorry zap, just realised I was hijacking your thread

 

The only fan there was psu fan.

 

All is forgiven iSteve

Ok I have been looking everywhere for a red VFD.
Aparently every VFD is gree/blue and if you put a red filter on it, they just look like crap.

I don't want the RED USB 2x20 character LCD from Matrix Orbital.
Although it was tempting. It just doesn't look like it has the contrast I need. Nor is is big enough to even look good.