July 18, 2007 at 06:08 a.m.New life of the old radio. Part 1: The idea.
Not so long ago I switched to Mac, and the old PC settled under the TV as a media center / file server. Everything would be fine, but the tower next to the telly doesn’t please the eyes, and it buzzes a lot. In addition, the pisyuk for such work was too feature-rich. I just wanted to build a comp simpler, but quieter in the back more sympathetic, but by chance (impressed by the article about the Steampunk fashion of Claudia ) I came across a photo of the “media center” of my childhood:
Radiola “Vega-300”. Photo from the site of Valery Kharchenko
Radiol was found in a day. True, not the Vega-300, but the Vega-RE 301C, but they hardly differ. Dusting at the school where I studied. He begged him, and shining with happiness, he wandered off to see what could be done with her.
It was not difficult to take it apart (not like at the age of 7, when I took it apart). Here I was going to place the hardware: In principle, with some modifications, full-sized components will fit here, but if you do not want any extra problems, it is easier to install low-profile expansion cards and find a smaller power supply.
Initially, I didn’t want to do just a systematic - I wanted a complete computer with a monitor, keyboard, etc. I wanted to install a small monitor under the cover of the radio, but it turned out that finding a suitable monitor is too difficult. 15 "models that fit perfectly in width but are too tall. I also wanted to build in the monitor because recently we started gathering with friends at someone's apartment with our computers and cutting into the counter (remembered youth :-)) , and I needed some portability.
I almost reconciled to the fact that the computer would be left without a monitor, but then I came across a parent laptop. Samsung R40 stood up like a native:
So I decided not to make a computer, but a sort of dock for a laptop. For me, this is a bunch of advantages, but I still do not see significant shortcomings (except for the financial issue). The radio will include: equipment for SATA HDD, an external sidyuk, an external TV tuner, a router, speakers (the sub, apparently, will live separately), a surge protector, a laptop charger and a USB hub. The laptop itself will live on the “second floor”, periodically leaving its habitat.
Now I am looking for suitable iron and thinking over all sorts of little things. Maybe someone can help me with advice?
To be continued ...
UPD:The docking station will be connected to the TV set and will act as a media center / file server. It requires the ability to play videos, music, photos, receive TV, radio, launch some toys (I don’t especially play games, but you can play Dandy’s “Tanchiki”). Occasionally, a laptop will be removed from the dock for work, a drunk with a counter. The laptop will practically not be used to work inside the dock. Those. you can stupidly put a laptop under the telly, stick an external tuner and screw into it, and it will be the same, but outwardly not so cool.
It was not difficult to take it apart (not like at the age of 7, when I took it apart). Here I was going to place the hardware: In principle, with some modifications, full-sized components will fit here, but if you do not want any extra problems, it is easier to install low-profile expansion cards and find a smaller power supply.
Initially, I didn’t want to do just a systematic - I wanted a complete computer with a monitor, keyboard, etc. I wanted to install a small monitor under the cover of the radio, but it turned out that finding a suitable monitor is too difficult. 15 "models that fit perfectly in width but are too tall. I also wanted to build in the monitor because recently we started gathering with friends at someone's apartment with our computers and cutting into the counter (remembered youth :-)) , and I needed some portability.
I almost reconciled to the fact that the computer would be left without a monitor, but then I came across a parent laptop. Samsung R40 stood up like a native:
So I decided not to make a computer, but a sort of dock for a laptop. For me, this is a bunch of advantages, but I still do not see significant shortcomings (except for the financial issue). The radio will include: equipment for SATA HDD, an external sidyuk, an external TV tuner, a router, speakers (the sub, apparently, will live separately), a surge protector, a laptop charger and a USB hub. The laptop itself will live on the “second floor”, periodically leaving its habitat.
Now I am looking for suitable iron and thinking over all sorts of little things. Maybe someone can help me with advice?
To be continued ...
UPD:The docking station will be connected to the TV set and will act as a media center / file server. It requires the ability to play videos, music, photos, receive TV, radio, launch some toys (I don’t especially play games, but you can play Dandy’s “Tanchiki”). Occasionally, a laptop will be removed from the dock for work, a drunk with a counter. The laptop will practically not be used to work inside the dock. Those. you can stupidly put a laptop under the telly, stick an external tuner and screw into it, and it will be the same, but outwardly not so cool.