Dedicated Media PC
-Plans-
(Image artifacts/blurs are due to jpeg compression)
My current PC has TV, Radio and DVD, but I wanted a dedicated PC that can do everything I want with media.
Everything built-in, and custom built out of Plexiglas. This system will be on 24/7 in either a low power mode, or full power mode. Recording TV, Downloading files from the internet, serving up media files for my other PC's.
System Parts:
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Custom built Plexiglas case, consisting of both tinted and black plexi glass. |
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AMD Athlon 1600+ Processor |
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256 MB of PC2100 DDR RAM (Upgrade to 512Mb later) |
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Soyo K7M Dragon motherboard |
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Onboard Soundcard with optical/coax digital (Used for extra inputs and mixer) |
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Onboard 10/100 NIC |
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Onboard RAID/Secondary IDE controller |
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Sound Blaster Live Value (Main mixer and output) |
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ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon (TV, Video-in/out, HDTV, Component video capability) |
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DLink USB FM Radio |
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X10 Mouse remote RF remote |
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200Watt Compact PSU |
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Pioneer 16X Slot-loading DVD |
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CD-RW (To be added later) |
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60-80Gig Western Digital Harddrive |
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Integrated Wireless headphone transmitter |
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56K Voice Modem for Answering machine/Speaker phone capability |
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Infrared (IR-DA) communication though motherboard adapter |
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Lots of lighting effects via LED's and Cold Cathodes |
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Modified heatsinks and fans |
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Running Windows 2000 |
Other Items depending on system space/money
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Built-in security camera hidden behind tinted plexi. |
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Built-in 2.4ghz wireless video/audio transmitter |
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Built-in X10 Serial House interface |
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Built-in Wireless mouse/keyboard interface |
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Hacked Compaq IPAQ used as a LCD and control interface |
The System
The system will be build as soon as I get all the parts together. This PC will not just be a case mod, it will be an extensive electronics modification also. As I will be re-positioning the locations of many of the inputs and outputs that normally reside at the back of the PC. Also serial ports will be made internal, along with the USB Radio and RF remote receiver which is made to be external. All the management of the system will be done either through remote control over the network, or though the RF remote. More complex actions will be done with Macros. All the red lighitng will be done with super bright LED's and some with cold cathodes. The lights will be controlled via the parallel port of maybe a microcontroller, depending on cost/time/complexity.
The system will be able to run its lights in several different modes:
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Movie Mode: Lights will be dimmed to, as not to distract from the picture |
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Music Mode: Lights will be at full power, and may pulse to the music. (Depending on time/complexity) |
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Picture Mode: Lights will be dimmed to 50% and run steady |
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Low-Power Mode: All lights will be powered off, except for the sleep button. |
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Downloading/Ripping Mode: All Lights will flash depending on system activity. |
The front panel
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The LCD display will be used to show system stats, and control most of the functions. It is a hacked Compaq IPAQ and has a touchscreen. It will also rotate to change the viewing angle. |
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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. |
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The Volume control buttons will be wired directly to the VOL-CTL header on the SB-Live |
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The Play/Stop/Rec and Mutli-speed knob will be connected to the parallel port, or game port to control media functions. |
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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. |
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The Red lights below the DVD are used to transmit to the wireless headphones |
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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 |
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(Not visible) at the right will be S-Video and RCA Video/Audio inputs into the TV card. |
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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
(Partial rendering)
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At the back will be the Harddrive (White) it will be held in a removable tray |
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Also will be the various input/outputs needed to run the system |
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Cables will be kept to a minimum. |