TOUCH SCREEN JUKEBOX/MEDIA CENTRE PROJECT - ADVICE PLEASE! (sorry CAPS!!)

[slapaham]

I'm a total music nut and always fancied building a touchscreen jukebox. I've seen some lovely projects here and well, I'm aiming a bit lower with mine. I literally want a LCD touchscreen hung on the wall - that's it! I was lucky enough to be given a free Dell 15" LCD monitor from my bro (it was surplus to requirements and it's in nice condition - like me, he looks after stuff!) I'm on an extremely tight budget (I haven't got bags of cash!) and I saw this as the cheapest option available... now, cheap isn't always good - I know that - but what are other people's opinions -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15-16-9-USB-Panel-Kit-Set-Add-Touch-Screen-Function_W0QQitemZ300349347885QQcmdZViewItemQQptZComputer_Monitors?hash=item45ee37582d

As long as it does a decent job and lasts I'll be happy.

My monitor is pretty much this one -



I have a few questions -

1. How easy is it to take these kind of monitors apart? I looked at the back and the only visible screws were to take the stand section off... there was also a lock symbol and a hole - is this anything to do with taking the case off? Any advice welcome!
2. Are touch screen panels easy enough to install? They look it - place in front of the existing screen and reapply the casing of the monitor over the top...
3. The wiring looks cumbersome on the panel... is the likelihood it will fit inside the casing of the monitor or is going to look like a shambolic mess with wires dangling outside the casing in an untidy fashion?
4. Are there any brackets/hooks that can easily be applied to the monitor that don't involve damaging it? As I said before, I just want a nice, neat flat screen monitor on the wall - nothing else (PC will be hidden somewhere - the USB cable is something I am not worried about for now)

Any advice/tips/solutions/etc will be gratefully received - really want some before I get my teeth stuck into the first project I've done for about a year!
 

Cheers Guys!

[gnateye]

the little hole with the lock picture is probably for a cable lock. and if you have he 4 hole pattern on the back of the monitor you can use a regular old vesa (sp?) wall mount.... we would need to see pics though to know for sure.

[slapaham]

Cheers for that...

Here's a photo...



 


I still can't get my head around how you would remove the casing - obviously something I need to figure out otherwise installing a touchscreen panel is going to be a horrible task!

[drventure]

The Dells are tricky.

You need to take the stand mounting plate off the back, then, well it's tricky 

Basically, the front and back halves are held together by tabs all the way around the monitor.

If you gentle try and pull apart the shell, you should see where it splits fairly easily. Then it's just a matter of separating it slowly, I used some small screw drivers and some butter knives (so as not to ding the plastic too much, In case I ever decided to put the shell back on).

Work your way around popping the tabs loose.

take care not to flex things too much or you might crack the screen, but there's not too much danger in that.

Disclaimer: This was for a Dell 2405. Your's looks very similar from the back, but it IS a different model, so there may be some differences there.

[Kevin Mullins]

First thing first..... the ebay link you pointed to is for a 16:9 aspect screen.....your monitor is not. You have what looks to be a standard 4:3.

And not all LCD cases will go back together properly without spacing it out away from the touchscreen.

[slapaham]

Thanks for the info guys!

I think you might be right Kevin... my mistake! Although a 4:3 panel can be had for a couple of quid more.

Anyway, found this handy video for anyone wanting to take Dell LCDs to bits -


So I take it with the wiring, you feed it through the back of the monitor and rest the panel's PCB in with the Monitor PCB?

Anyway, do you guys think I should give it a go?

[BobA]

Hak5 touchscreen mod showing how it is done.   Main problem is case closure after the mod.   Not a problem if mounting into another enclosure like a juke.

Hak5 Touchscreen

About 3 min into the episode if you want to jump the junk.

[Turnarcades]

If you're going to wall mount the monitor, why not build a simple box from 1/2" wood and none of the wiring tidiness will matter - you can rip the monitor case off and align that touch-panel in front or onto a plexi backing for added rigidity and some kind of neon lighting for a nice simple casing.

I've looked at these kits a few times with the intention of doing the same with a couple of spare 15's I've got lying around, plus I've just obtained some of the cool pub quiz machine software and games that I will be adding to it. First I'd like to see how good they are though.

[mlalena]

Another option is to remove the stand and use the 4 100mm holes in the back to mount the monitor.
Although 2 are not visible, I'm sure there are 4 screws in the 4 corners of that 100x100mm removable plate. You can find thousands of different monitor stands, wall mounts... that will match those holes.

[slapaham]

Thanks guys... opted for one... roughly about £53 shipped so hopefully it isn't a heap of rubbish!

I checked the measurements so I should have the right one. It says that the thickness is 1mm - if that is the case, it should hopefully fit in the enclosure - but we'll see... I'd rather not have to build one myself - and if I have to, well, I'll be looking for something CNC-based I think... I want it to look professional and a wooden enclosure would look extremely naff in my eyes.

It looks as though a vesa mount would fit as you say - I looked on ebay and these can be had for as little as £5.75 delivered - I will wait until I have got the panel before I make anymore purchases but if all goes according to plan then that will be the next (and probably last) thing I need.

Turnarcades - I will give feedback on the screen once it has arrived - I know I'd have appreciated it if someone had done this prior to me buying it but I couldn't find any feedback anywhere - the problem is it seems to be unbranded so it makes it difficult to query - fingers crossed it'll be decent enough!

Next thing is to find some decent frontends/jukebox software. My intention is to use an old PC (fairly powerful one mind you!), use Instantsheller to hide Windows and have it boot straight into the jukebox software or if I decide to incorporate some games/other software a frontend.

[Franco B]

I know why you haven't got any money, you keep spending it on Candy's! 

If you fancy coming up to mine one day we could make you a nice gloss black acrylic frame for it 

[slapaham]

I know, and they still aren't bloody finished! I thought they were all done but one of the monitors is buggared so I will have a bit of expenditure to get it sorted! Oh well, for how much I paid for them, they are still bargains! I see you're getting another Naomi/Net City? Haha, the cabinet collecting is contagious! What are your plans with this one? Was a bit of a bargain and Adam is a top bloke (as you know already)

I will have to take a trip down to your's sometime in the future if only for a beer... really appreciate the offer of the frame though  - I will see how it pans out when the panel arrives (hopefully in one piece and working) from Hong Kong. I'm living in hope it will fit but you know how these things go!

Also, couldn't help myself... got a cheap-o Vesa mount of ebay in preparation so I really hope it does fit!

[Franco B]

Yeah you got a fantastic deal on them

I'm rewiring this Naomi for Jamma/MVS and putting it on location at a University bar. More info [here] if you fancy a read.

Yeah Adam is a top bloke, I'm going over tomorrow lunch to pick it up

Yeah you will have to have a trip to mine or vice versa, prob best wait until I have something up and running until you come over to mine tho 

It would be nice if we could sort out some kind of UK meet for this year seeing as its unlikely there will be an IC10 this year. Hopefully someone else will see the potential it had though.

[Turnarcades]

It would be nice if we could sort out some kind of UK meet for this year seeing as its unlikely there will be an IC10 this year.

Was gonna ask this soon - why not?

[slapaham]

Yeah you got a fantastic deal on them

I'm rewiring this Naomi for Jamma/MVS and putting it on location at a University bar. More info [here] if you fancy a read.

Yeah Adam is a top bloke, I'm going over tomorrow lunch to pick it up

Yeah you will have to have a trip to mine or vice versa, prob best wait until I have something up and running until you come over to mine tho 

It would be nice if we could sort out some kind of UK meet for this year seeing as its unlikely there will be an IC10 this year. Hopefully someone else will see the potential it had though.

Nice going. So you'll be getting into the onsite business then? The students will love it I'm sure! I was always tempted to get machines to put out on site but I think I've come to the realisation in the last couple of weeks that I've achieved most of what I wanted in the arcade hobby. Still a few things I want to sort out/tie up and by no means am I leaving the 'scene' but it's going to be about playing the games from now on (well, once I've finished off the bits I need to - an Astro monitor and my bloody Vega supergun which is causing me headaches!!). We'll see how long I keep to that though as I know what I'm like!

I'll be keeping an eye on the Naomi project.

Yeah, have to get something sorted - haha, ironically, I'm a bit in the same predicament as you mate. I have 6 out of the 7 cabs running but I need to sort myself out a job and move out - badly! You can just about play the cabs in the cold, old garage if you're skinny and agile enough to squeeze around all the crap that lives in there! Anyway, hoping to move out soon so I'll give you a bell! Applying for jobs all over the shop tomorrow (including the U.S.) so it'll be interesting to see where I end up (have a kind of depressing idea it may be Norwich! )

Yeah a meet would be a great idea - I'd be well up for it. Really enjoyed IC09 - not as much as I should have - was quite a stressful time but it was still a top event! Yeah, shame IC10 is off the books (well, by the looks of it!)

Turnarcades - I don't think anyone really wants to go into too much but basically there was quite a falling out between certain members over at Arcade Otaku (which was the 'unofficial' birthplace of the event) - some of the members involved were the heartbeat of the event and so it's meant that while future events may or may not happen, it certainly won't be done by the same team. I also think some folk will feel hesitant about undertaking such a task again because of what happened - and this is totally understandable - just a shame.

[david656]

did you receive your touchscreen?

how well does it work

I bought an ELO touchscreen, but find it bulky and scratched up so would like to get something more compact, that seems just like what i want.

thanks

[slapaham]

Hi David

Yeah, it came really quickly - 7 days it took to arrive! Software disc was awful and didn't work - spent a day sorting it all out. Turns out that you can get the drivers online off some Chinese site! If you do opt for one get in contact and I'll let you know exactly where you can the software.

After the initial annoyance of the drivers/software, once it was installed, the panel works like a dream. Well worth the money. I'm very, very impressed! Incredibly accurate and response. I would highly recommend one. I'm almost tempted to get another one but there isn't really a need - just have to think of another project that might utilise one!