Jukebox project: Converted Rock-Ola Tri Vue

[Chris]

I posted this in the WinCab forum already but thought it might be of interest here.  The person who sent this to me couldn't get logged into BYOAC due to database problems, so he E-mailed it to me instead.  Here's his description of the project:

"This was an unintended summer project, but very happy with the results. I bought the Rock-ola 506 TriVue wallbox at a local antique show with the idea of doing something like this. After completely gutting the wallbox,  my old Dell laptop was dismembered and cut to fit inside.  A PS2 encoder was cannibalized from a $5 keyboard in order to use the existing buttons on the wallbox.  I also modified the knobs on the sides of the wallbox with switches to flip the title strips forwards and backwards.  The coin return outlet is being used as a cooling intake, so I added a switch to the coin return button and configured it as a one button shutdown for the laptop.  PS2 and USB port access was added to the rear of the case.  I also added an internal audio amp with new speakers as the old rock-ola speaker cones were punched.  An audio out jack was also added to the rear of the case to pipe it to a surround sound system while cutting off the internal amp.  If you look closely at the title strips you can see how I group songs with a common genre by prefacing the artist with a two letter designation to indicate the genre.  The blue light strips flicker with the audio.  Together with your program this Rock-ola TriVue wallbox  has found new life again."

[Barry Barcrest]

That is really smart, it looks like it was designed that way .

[Chris]

It sorta was... here's what a Tri Vue normally looks like:

[Dermbrian]

Well done!

I really like to see objects like this gain new life through smart updating.  As a radio collector (sort of, barely), I have nothing against people taking an old radio and modernizing it to listen to modern media, when done keeping the spirit of the product intact.   I think it is far better to use something like this to listen to music than to just put it on a shelf as an interesting collector's piece. 

For example, I have one of these that I use to almost daily to listen to CD's players and IPods....and it still looks like this.  I just don't use the electronics that still exist in it.....but I may restore it someday.   I do light the dial, though.  It would look wrong dark with music coming out of it.

http://www.decoradios.com/consoles/12s370.htm

I am really impressed with your juke.

Brian

[Ken Layton]

Pictures of the inside of the wallbox please.

[hscience]

 Finally a member of the forum,  you can see the insides at http://hscience.tripod.com/Rockola_Trivue.html .

Dan 

[wrooster]

I was so impressed with your juke, that I'm trying to do the same with a 507.

How are you powering the original lights? Are they 12v?

[muzland]

Hi Chris,

What size screen is that? What is the macimum size it would take. I think your project is really cool and I am trying to source a tri-vue or similar to do the same to.

Regards
Muzland

[Karaokedude]

The Tri vue is approx 5.5 inches deep and 18 by 16

[hscience]

I am using a small 12 vdc .5 amp power supply to run 4 super bright LED strings.   I did not want to use the original incandescent lamps as it would have required more current and a larger power supply.   I was also concerned with the heat buildup inside the unit and was another reason I went with the super bright LED's.   One advantage of the original incandescent lamps is that they shine around the side perimeter illuminating the plastic panels better than an LED which shines mostly forward.   This wasn't a problem at all in illuminating the buttons with the LED's in fact I had to throttle those back with a series resister anyway.  Where I am trying to illuminate the panels I am using two mini super brights together in series one pointing right and one pointing left, instead of straight forward in each lamp hole.   

The size of the LCD screen that I used was the one that was original to the Dell latitude CPi laptop, I believe it is a 12.1" and has a maximum resolution of 800 x 600.  I did have to cut the bezel at the bottom in order for it to fit inside the TriVue front window.  The blue LED strings off to the sides were commercially made for decorating the inside of a PC case.   I had considered also using some of the shorter, colored, cold cathode florescents, but figured the LED's might draw less current.

Some is selling the TriVue 507's on eBay, looks like they have several and are putting them on one at a time.   The first time I saw one of these was at an antique show.  I was looking for something to put my laptop into, as my wife hated the laptop sitting out in the living room bare.  She really likes the looks of it now though and the TriVue has become our main music source.
   

Dan

[Karaokedude]

I managed to get 6 in the UK just got to get around to collecting them
they can be got from ebay very cheap or at least you could I think a few people have sussed the MP3 jukebox option so are inflating the price a bit but they were going for 20 USD which is all they are really worth unless your going to convert them

[muzland]

Hi Karaokedude,

I am in the UK. Any chance you could tell me where you got these from as I am looking to purchase to convert?

Or could you sell me one please?

Cheers
Ian