The next project

[AArdvark]

Well you know how I'm always thinking of mods and crazy projects, right? Why, just last month I thought of putting a 1280p hi-def TV in an old hulking RCA cabinet would be a cool idea.
Then, surprise! Tonight as we walk the dog I see my next door neighbor had put out a n old 24 inch Magnavox console tv on the curb. And me with a furniture dolly right in my garage, too....

Sign on it says it still works. Do I...

A] Buy a Raspberry Zero and install Pi Mame in it?

B] Install my PS2 inside it AND the Pi and rig some kind of dual controller setup?

C] Install the PC mini, the one I've been saving (I could put an XT in this, the cabinet is so big!) and then run any kind of emulator I want?






THE
CHOICES!
AARDVARK

[Donald Ebinsen]

Your choices depend on how big a challenge you want.

Simplest solution: what's the easiest thing to undo without causing an irreparable change, what can you rollback without a lot of fuss?

Alternate: What's the easiest to do? I hear these horror stories from I. C. Jonsey and his quest to replace I.C.s on his circuit boards while they're still running.

Alternate: What would be the hardest to do? If you can accomplish the most difficult problem, you can tackle anything. "If you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere."

My recommendation: What would be the most fun to do? What would bring you the most satisfaction for having completed it? Then you can say, "Yeah, I did that."

It was probably more expensive than buying one, but one of my proudest achievements was building my own computer. And I used it for three years before I upgraded. I really was proud of myself for accomplishing that.

[Flack]

Do I...

A] Buy a Raspberry Zero and install Pi Mame in it?

B] Install my PS2 inside it AND the Pi and rig some kind of dual controller setup?

C] Install the PC mini, the one I've been saving (I could put an XT in this, the cabinet is so big!) and then run any kind of emulator I want?

I assume each of these also includes the swapping out of the tube with a new HDTV?

If it were me I'd install the PC mini and the PS2. Get an HDTV with both composite and either VGA or HDMI inputs and hook them both up. The PC will give you a lot more processing power and gaming options than the Raspberry Pi will. The only advantage the Pi has is being smaller for saving space, and like you said, you've got enough room in that TV cabinet to put all those electronics and live inside it, too.

[AArdvark]

OK, thought the project out at work today and guess what. That tv is my new all-in-one tower.

Replacing the tube with an old LCD tv. Only 720p but has an HDMI input (and others) and will be better than trying to use the picture tube somehow.

Emulating the Atari 2600, installing the PS2 and the Xbox. I'll figure out if I want wireless controllers later. Mad Katz used to work pretty good on those things. I'm on the fence about putting the C64 Gamebase on it. Commodore games are meant to be played at desk level. The 2600 games are meant to be played down near the floor, just like at Grandma's house.

Dual monitors. One for the main tv and one to go at a standing workstation, probably over the piano keyboards. I do most of my recording standing up, this will be the music computer for the studio, btw. I'll need a display at eye level. Might even get a wall mount that can be lowered to desk level, dunno at this point.

Wireless keyboard with a trackball enables me to compute from the sofa or the workstation with ease.

There's a bunch of other stuff that I'll figure out as I go but that's the hazy plan at this time.


THE
MOD SQUAD
AARDVARK

[AArdvark]

Simplest solution: what's the easiest thing to undo without causing an irreparable change, what can you rollback without a lot of fuss?

Well, I'm not planning on actually watching tv with it. I want a cool-ass computer mod that only looks like a tv. I think I got the idea from a book called Bloodhype by Alan Dean Foster.

Re: building your own computer

Did you mean a Heathkit computer? Like assemble all the boards and then put it together?


THE
SCRATCH
AARDVARK

[Donald Ebinsen]

Re: building your own computer

Did you mean a Heathkit computer? Like assemble all the boards and then put it together?

Heathkit? Are you talking about the 1970s?

I'm referring to building a Pentium-based tower PC, not something made from the digital equivalent of stone axes and bearskins.

I was willing to put together a computer made with COTS components and that I could put together by reading the assembly book, but I have no interest in doing anything with soldering irons or wirewraps.

[AArdvark]

That would be 'assembling' your own computer.

I had a Heathkit TV that someone couldn't finish. Too many little doodads on too many PCB s. I started finishing it myself then realized it was too much work just for the pleasure of watching Brady Bunch reruns. The picture tube blew up in an impressive manner when I dropped it off the garage roof, though.



THE
FOOMP!
AARDVARK

[Donald Ebinsen]

I'm referring to building a Pentium-based tower PC, not something made from the digital equivalent of stone axes and bearskins.

That would be 'assembling' your own computer.

Wrong. Every book I've ever seen refers to 'building' your own computer. Doing a couple of searches on Amazon, no books on the subject come up on the subject using the search term 'assembling computer' but at least a dozen come up with the term 'building computer'.

Now, checking out Wiktionary, the word 'building' is defined as "the present participle of 'build'".

The word build in this context has the following meanings:
1. To form (something) by combining materials or parts.
2. To develop or give form to (something) according to a plan or process.
5. To form by combining materials or parts.

Dictionary.com has 'building' as "2. anything built or constructed. "

Assembling is what people do with the crap they buy from IKEA. The use of the word 'building' for constructing a computer is the correct word and I stand by my statement.

But we're getting off topic. What do you feel is the best choice for you to make for the conversion of this TV set into whatever repurpose you've chosen for it?

[AArdvark]

Oh, no I'm right and you're wrong.

[Flack]

With the tube removed and the game consoles located underneath, you could probably cram a body inside that cabinet.

[Donald Ebinsen]

Oh, no I'm right and you're wrong.

And the factual basis for your claimed correctness is?

But why the garbage about who's right or wrong about a totally unimportant issue?

Your question was to ask what was the best thing to do with an operational big-ass TV set of the "furniture" class circa 1990. And I suggested (1) Easiest to restore back; (2) What would provide the best utility value; (3) What would be the most challenge that would provide you the most pride of accomplishment; (4) What would be the most fun to do.

Now, all you've done is go off on a tangent after I said I built a computer and you said the correct word is "assemble" notwithstanding the fact that by the terms of the dictionary I am using the correct word.

What the fuck does that have to do with you rebuilding your TV set into something else?

You need to get away from that TBarfos asshat, he's contaminating you with off-topic-itis.

Let's try to stay on message and offer you a solution to your problem. Wer're not a bunch of squawking parrot women who complain their feet hurt but don't want to wear sensible shoes.

Stop acting like some ditzy broad, be a man, man up and solve your problem.

[AArdvark]

I was just gainsaying to get a rise out of you. I was going to throw in a Lego scenario where making something out of the bricks was assembling but pouring liquid plastic into brick shaped die molds was making them. But I don't feel like going into it.

I won't restore the tv back to it's original state if the project fails. What's the point of something like that in a flatscreen, 4K world. I'll just toss it, it's what the guy next door was doing. I want to make it into something functional and cool. A big ass gaming box and recording suite all in a sturdy wooden crate. A throwback to when they had to disguise televisions as furniture so people would buy them. Maybe not disguise, but certianly dress them up to fit in with the living room day-cor.


THE
LIVING COLOR
AARDVARK

[Donald Ebinsen]

I won't restore the tv back to it's original state if the project fails. What's the point of something like that in a flatscreen, 4K world. I'll just toss it,

Please, please, please, if you do that, film it and upload the video to Youtube. I'd love to see what happens when your back goes out. And be sure your health insurance and disability are paid up for your twice-weekly chiropractic visits.

it's what the guy next door was doing.

Does your neighbourhood have a large number of really stupid people who go around tossing 100+ pound tv sets?

I want to make it into something functional and cool.

Do you think an air conditioner will fit in it?

A throwback to when they had to disguise televisions as furniture so people would buy them. Maybe not disguise, but certianly dress them up to fit in with the living room day-cor.

No, it's that they would have been too big to put on a wall with a CRT tube about 2 feet thick, plus probably the load bearing capacity of wall studs would not support mounting a CRT-based TV set on a wall. LCD flatscreens are only 2-3 inches thick, and the weight in most cases is around 40-50 pounds or so, and this is within the safe load of the typical 2x4 used for residential studs.

Actually, setting up one of the older Raspberry PIs (they've dropped in price to about $29 I think) that support RCA connectors and loading a game emulator like MAME might not be a bad idea. If your TV only supports a two-wire antenna connection or F-style cable TV connector, you'll need an adapter. The newer Raspberry PI B+ has HDMI, I think.

[Flack]

[youtube][/youtube]

[AArdvark]

Sigh.

I can think of a body I'd like to cram into the tv right now but it wont fit.


The thing is on wheels which means that if I toss...DISCARD IT TO THE CURB I won't have to lift it.

Sticker says 1986, made in USA


THE
PATRIOTIC
AARDVARK

[AArdvark]

Goodbye to the guts. Maybe I should drop it off a roof!





Almost perfect fit!

[AArdvark]

Trying out the 2600 emulator with a little Yars Revenge



Watched Star Wars on it just to see what movies at grandma's used to look like.

Still have to make curved plastic top and bottom covers to fill the gaps. Need to install the infra-remote sensor in the spot where the original sensor is. Speakers will combine to mono output but I'll run a second line to my stereo poweramp so I can play through the stereo speakers. I think the stereo does surround sound (My boss, the owner of the company was upgrading his gear in his workout room so he gave me his old system) so perhaps I'll dally in the land of 5.1 audio, again.
I'm still waiting for more memory for the PC before I put it inside and strap it down. My nephew upgraded his computer so he gave me his old system. Funny how people just give stuff away just because it's a couple years old.


THE
FINISHING TOUCHES
AARDVARK

[Jizaboz]

Goodbye to the guts. Maybe I should drop it off a roof!

Save the tube for an arcade monitor!

Flack: Hahaha man I was so tempted to make that exact joke because the answers just read like psychiatrist dialogue, but you already did!

[AArdvark]

There was an accident involving a large rock. Well, it wasn't an accident and the monitor made a noise like fa-whoomp!

But it fit in the garbage bin a lot easier after that.


THE
SHARDS
AARDVARK

[Flack]

I'm a few days late, but, WOW! That looks awesome! Funny how a different "case" can give it an entirely different feel! It looks great!