hope this is the right place to ask this, because it will evetually go with my projector but...
i have seen the kits that you can use to make your internal CD and DVD-ROMs an external drive, but i was wondering if there is a similar kit or solution out there to make your DVD-ROM a stand-alone player that you could just plug into a TV or projector (or stereo for the CD-ROM). i have some extra drives laying around since i have upgraded my PC from time to time and was looking for a way to put them to use.
also, if there's not a ready-made kit, what would it take to build one? i am not worried about the cost or size, i am just curious as to how doable it would be. and while on the subject, what to make it play divx? thanks in advance.
i have seen the kits that you can use to make your internal CD and DVD-ROMs an external drive, but i was wondering if there is a similar kit or solution out there to make your DVD-ROM a stand-alone player that you could just plug into a TV or projector (or stereo for the CD-ROM). i have some extra drives laying around since i have upgraded my PC from time to time and was looking for a way to put them to use.
also, if there's not a ready-made kit, what would it take to build one? i am not worried about the cost or size, i am just curious as to how doable it would be. and while on the subject, what to make it play divx? thanks in advance.
build a computer is the simplest way ( or the only way). DVD-ROM is just a device to read the data. It won't product usable video for the TV. you have to has some sort of processor to make video signal from the data on the disc.
if you just want to play DVD, a off-shelf progressive scan DVD player is the best choice. and you can get under $100. there are a few players can play divx files, but I never tried.
if you just want to play DVD, a off-shelf progressive scan DVD player is the best choice. and you can get under $100. there are a few players can play divx files, but I never tried.
I think the only solution is MB+CPU+VGA. You can find PenII-III with MB under $50+smthng like TNT2 with video output $30 ret (read $15 on the street).
All you need - is to boot your MB using special Linux pakage and you got you DVD and (the best part of it) DIVX player.
You don't need HDD, etc..
Macrovision will probably be removed by software - haven't cheked it.
All you need - is to boot your MB using special Linux pakage and you got you DVD and (the best part of it) DIVX player.
You don't need HDD, etc..
Macrovision will probably be removed by software - haven't cheked it.
EasyPrey said:
ok, i am still kinda new to this stuff. is there some where that explains how to do this (the Linux thing)? is it just a regular motherboard? also, one of the cheaper mini-itx boards (VIA EPIA 800 All In One Motherboard) has "embedded onboard graphics, audio, 10/100 Ethernet, USB and TV-Out support but with an 800Mhz C3 CPU" and is about the size of a mouse pad for about $100...would that work?
see link
size of MB shouldn't matter - it is architecture that matters. Pay attention to devices/chipsets. Anyways you can always return it back to Frys
))
Here is link. RTFM there - it will help a lot
http://www.geexbox.org/en/
size of MB shouldn't matter - it is architecture that matters. Pay attention to devices/chipsets. Anyways you can always return it back to Frys
))Here is link. RTFM there - it will help a lot
http://www.geexbox.org/en/
I just bought a small DVD progressive scan player from Walmart for 45.00. I think they were the ones that were selling out at 29.00 the day after Thanksgiving. it is the Cyberhome player. Might be the simplest and cheapest way to go. I woudlnt bother trying to convert a PC DVD drive. If you used an old 486 pc (nearly free from most places that have old used ones they are throwing out) that would be good too. Might can ask around at the larger hospitals and businesses to see if they have an old one to "donate".. trust me it works.
Keith
Keith
EasyPrey said:486 won't be anough to play DVD - not mentioning DIVX
There is no reason to even bother with such cfg...
I beg to differ - I have used an old 486 DX66 running Windows95 with a Hollywood Plus Mpeg2 decoder card (these go for about £10GBP on ebay). The 486's onboard video was only 1MB, and the IDE controller was not DMA compliant - it still played DVD movies superbly.
DivX might be a different matter though - not sure if Mpeg4 would be processed by the decoder card...mmm..doubt it.
Of course it worked with the hollywood+ card it is meant for MPEG2 Decoding. It cannot decode MPEG4 because it is a different way to save the movie.
They have made a chip that is able to decode DivX though, running on the "Realmagic X-Card"
But it isn't possible to decode MPEG4 video on a 484 it is way to demanding. Even my 2400+ is using 30% of the CPU processing power if the DivX also includes AC3 audio, so You do the math
They have made a chip that is able to decode DivX though, running on the "Realmagic X-Card"
But it isn't possible to decode MPEG4 video on a 484 it is way to demanding. Even my 2400+ is using 30% of the CPU processing power if the DivX also includes AC3 audio, so You do the math
Here's a standalone that's region-free, plays 'everything' and has VGA outputs plus component, composite etc...$109
http://www.220-electronics.com/dvd/internationalsilver.htm
http://www.220-electronics.com/dvd/internationalsilver.htm
Yea Im planning on buying one of those exact dvd players( I found it searching online weeks back.......glad to see others found it as well) I will see if that yields results close to the computer dvd player via VGA cause the video and svideo on My good ol standbuy Infocus Powerview 820 causes the video in on this panel much smaller then the full screen( DUMB) I will keep you all posted on the standalone dvd player.
Re: Can my 486 PC tow wehicles ?
Ha, ha! Very smart, and very amusing.....
Point taken.
I was just making the point that you could use a 486 (virtually free) to create a standalone DVD. Buying a HW+ card (or an xcard for DiVx) from ebay is cheaper than buying a more powerful machine that has to software decode everything.
?EasyPrey said:henrik_mork, UrSv
Guys, if you ask me if 486 PC can tow wehicles - I will answer yes too. All you need is a wheels, motor, transmission, hooks, etc to be properly attached to it
Oh yes, I forgot about licence for towing
Ha, ha! Very smart, and very amusing.....
Point taken.
I was just making the point that you could use a 486 (virtually free) to create a standalone DVD. Buying a HW+ card (or an xcard for DiVx) from ebay is cheaper than buying a more powerful machine that has to software decode everything.
Slippers on sale!
henrik_mork,
you had a point and I actually agree with you. The only thing about it - it is same wasting money effort as with towing: although it's cheap - you won't benefit much from it.. hmm I'd say at all .
Don't forget that you can buy DVD player for $35 now - and it will be much more convenient than DVD-ROM in PC with decoding cards. I doubt you'll find divX decoder cheap (may be for divx 2.0 - but who needs it??). You can't upgrade it easyly also, even if it will have flash ROM, ... oh enough..
From money point of view 486 is same seeming good deal as K-Mart sale for slippers - they are sold cheap and that's the only nice thing about them.
Sounds to me like it's tastes-difference-issue already, heh
henrik_mork,
you had a point and I actually agree with you. The only thing about it - it is same wasting money effort as with towing: although it's cheap - you won't benefit much from it.. hmm I'd say at all . Don't forget that you can buy DVD player for $35 now - and it will be much more convenient than DVD-ROM in PC with decoding cards. I doubt you'll find divX decoder cheap (may be for divx 2.0 - but who needs it??). You can't upgrade it easyly also, even if it will have flash ROM, ... oh enough..
From money point of view 486 is same seeming good deal as K-Mart sale for slippers - they are sold cheap and that's the only nice thing about them
.Sounds to me like it's tastes-difference-issue already, heh
Easyprey
Fair enough. I agree with your points. I just like the idea of getting a few bits of old hardware and turning them into something that could perform a surprisingly good function. I guess that's where my interest in DIY projection comes from - getting $1000 dollars worth of performance, for around $150.
Its like people you know at school /work whatever, who buy the latest spec PC for like $1500, and then just browse the internet, and type letters in MS Word. Apart from high-end gaming, there is nothing their state of the art PC can do, that my old home-made 800Mhz PC can't. I've expanded it to the limits over the last 3 years with all 5 PCI slots occupied, 6 internal drives and more than 10 external devices connected.
For me, half the fun of DIY'ing is squeezing every last drop of performance and capacity out of your set-up, be it your projector, or PC, or whatever!
Fair enough. I agree with your points. I just like the idea of getting a few bits of old hardware and turning them into something that could perform a surprisingly good function. I guess that's where my interest in DIY projection comes from - getting $1000 dollars worth of performance, for around $150.
Its like people you know at school /work whatever, who buy the latest spec PC for like $1500, and then just browse the internet, and type letters in MS Word. Apart from high-end gaming, there is nothing their state of the art PC can do, that my old home-made 800Mhz PC can't. I've expanded it to the limits over the last 3 years with all 5 PCI slots occupied, 6 internal drives and more than 10 external devices connected.
For me, half the fun of DIY'ing is squeezing every last drop of performance and capacity out of your set-up, be it your projector, or PC, or whatever!
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