Newbie, please go easy on me

[drecain]

Ok so, Ive seen all you guys awesome jukebox builds and I want to build one for my wife. I have a guy who is going to build the box for me, but Im now stuck trying to figure out the inside workings. I have a 15 inch ELO touchscreen, I have an extra computer, 1 tb external hard drive, plenty of music, Album player software, and I know I want to put speakers on it as well as have an external jack to run it through my home system, and power button. Where do i go from here folks? Im not an electrical person, so how would you guys start or put this together? Please excuse my ignorance and point me in the right direction if this type question has been answered already.

[lilshawn]

my best piece of advice i have is to get the computer and everything working BEFORE you rip it apart and stick everything into the box.

that way if something goes wrong, you can figure out what went wrong easier.

I've spent many hours trying to fix a problem caused by what i thought was bad drivers or windows... turns out, i screwed down a cable and pinched the wire with the screw, cutting it.

if i had it going before, i would have known it was something i did during installation.

good luck, there's lots of help here if you need it.

[drecain]

Thanks lilshawn!

I also need to find out how to remove the touchscreen from its case without messing it up. Seems like this is going to be a bigger project than i thought. I just keep thinking of how cool it will be once im done.

[lilshawn]

most of the ELO touchscreen fronts are just snapped on. if you look at the edge you can see the seam.

just slip something like a butter knife into the middle of the seam on the long side and pry it apart, it has a bunch of snap things around the edge so you will have to run along the edge until you get there and then pry it.

be careful because some ELO screens have the touch panel mounted to the front bezel piece, not the actual screen. the cords are often short. if you pull and rip it off, it's toast.

starting on the long edge peek in and see if you can see the wire for the screen, continue prying. take your time.

then just get yourself some double sided tape and stick the touchpanel to the LCD screen edges. done and done!

[drecain]

Thanks again. Did you build a jukebox, if so can i see pics please?
I got so many questions to ask folks not getting any love though, thanks for your response. Ive been searching the forum but you literally have to read every post to get the answers you need, using the search feature isnt helping at all.

[lilshawn]

ya, this site is quite large with posts. it starts getting a little overwhelming when you need something specific and you search and search and can't find what you need.

just post what your'e looking for or what you need help with and we will help the best we can.

Iv'e converted about 6 different models of Rowe ans NSM CD jukeboxes to touch jukes. i've had to pretty much custom build each one to work. I don't have any photos, but i can offer up suggestions on fabrication or design if need be. I've run into lots of troubles and managed to get through.

i think the toughest thing you will find during your project is settling on a final look. you will change your mind so many times, things won't fit/work how you want. go with the flow. you will find your finished project will be far from it's original drawing. not a bad thing, just how things work out.

[drecain]

Thanks again!

[drecain]

Ok so i did a bit more research and I know the following,

1. i want to use a micro PSU
2. intel atom board and processor
3. I dont know if I what I should use to power up windows xp, i saw some places people used a laptor HD
4. I want to have a power button on front of my juke
5. I want to include a jack in front to run sound to home system
6. I want to have a cooling fan.

Now that being said I have no experience rigging this stuff, and recommendations or tips?

[egosbar]

Ok so i did a bit more research and I know the following,

1. i want to use a micro PSU
2. intel atom board and processor
3. I dont know if I what I should use to power up windows xp, i saw some places people used a laptor HD
4. I want to have a power button on front of my juke
5. I want to include a jack in front to run sound to home system
6. I want to have a cooling fan.

Now that being said I have no experience rigging this stuff, and recommendations or tips?

i have a corner juke built ( not painted yet ) but up and running , its a corner unit pics are here under my posts , basically while i was working out my design i have the computer just sitting behind the juke , when im finished painting which will probably be next week now i will only then pull everything apart

so far i have left right up down buttons running straight of a usb cord cut , using the black and red ( ground and power) i powered my leds using this method which is 5v dont use green or white as they are data  , not the way ill finish as ill use the 12v from the main power to do this , but a good temp measure while you get things going

difinitely get it working before you start to pull your computer apart

you will easily be able to extend power to the front at a later date , first thing is to work out what button you want

im testing a new juke program called skg juke and i tell you it will be awesome when completed , for this id suggest up down left right arrow buttons , a griffen powermate volume knob which has left right volume up and down and four other functions you can map to what ever you want , im using pressin and left = clear list  press in and right = next song , and a feature of this juke is too map to a playlist so press in short = my wifes playlist and press in long = my playlist

you can also map this to send computer into standby , but im having driver issues with xp and cant get it to standby but that is what ill do at a later date , no need for power button then and ill actually have two buttons added with ego and debbie on them for our playlists

heres the link to my juke , next week the power mate will be on under the screen and it will be painted  ,    yahhhhhhh was a great project and really not that hard all the info is here mate you only have to ask
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/showthread.php/28415-my-home-made-juke-that-will-run-my-speakers

good luck , and plan plan plan before you build , i didnt start until i had a lot of ideas in my head and sure on what i wanted

[egosbar]

you can run sound straight from your optical out on your computer to your reciever if it has one if it doesnt buy one lol , i have a long digital cable i might sell yet it cost me 80 bucks and works but i dont need it now my juke is close to my amp , the cord is around 8 or ten meters and works great

i only need a meter or two now

regards ego

[drecain]

man that is a sweet Juke!

[egosbar]

man that is a sweet Juke!

it will be one of the best mate but im biased lol , havent seen a corner one besides mine yet , mounted the volume knob today temporarily and god you turn of the light and it does rock , check in about a week or two my mate is a spraypainter and he will be painting it probably next week

[merlinknight]

As far a computer my system is running a FIT-PC2 with an ELO touchscreen.

h**p://www.fit-pc.com/web/

Regards,
Merlinknight

[egosbar]

my best piece of advice i have is to get the computer and everything working BEFORE you rip it apart and stick everything into the box.

that way if something goes wrong, you can figure out what went wrong easier.

I've spent many hours trying to fix a problem caused by what i thought was bad drivers or windows... turns out, i screwed down a cable and pinched the wire with the screw, cutting it.

if i had it going before, i would have known it was something i did during installation.

good luck, there's lots of help here if you need it.

im still running mine with the computer behind the box , cant see any point on really pulling the computer down , ive ran the leds by cutting a usb core up and using the black ground and red power allbeig 5v plenty to run lights etc

the only thing i really need to do now is run a longer power button so i dont move my box out

good luck , ill have to post some more pics of mine it come up great but didnt really do it justice when i last too some