Walputer

Installation diary by Juho Roine

This is my second photoframe pc project. The first one (WallPC) started to have problems to boot, so I made a new one.

Update 14.11.2012: It can be switched on by IR-remote control with a help of an IR-contolled relay.

The aim of this project is to have a photoframe pc which

• Works on wlan
• Show's photos from NAS
• Identifies itself as media renderer with upnp
• Boots fast, uses directfb (not X)
• Is quiet (flash drive instead of hard drive)

Currently it can

• Show photos from local harddisk
• Download rss-feeds and show the headlines
• Show calendar and clock
• Automatically download and display some webcomics
• Display the song name being played on VLC (on different host)
• Switch on and off by IR-remote control

A nice index of other similar projects can be found here

3.1.2011 The computer (HP OmniBook XE2) was disassembled.

5.1.2011 Frame was bought

First I fixed the frame border to the display with masking tape, making sure it was exactly in right position. I used the original screws to mount aluminium plates to the display.

The screws were a bit too short, so I had to make extra 5mm insets for them.

I used aluminium L-profile to fix the plates, and eventually the lcd-panel, to the wooden frame.

Next: mounting the computer part on top of the LCD panel. I left the bottom cover of the computer intact because it strenghtens the construction and looks ok.

I made mounting plates for the hinge-side from aluminium. Had to shape them a bit to fit mic (seen in the middle picture below) and the modem connector. Wires for the power-button were soldered directly to the original power-button on the board.

The battery-side of the computer I fixed, again, with the aluminium L-profile. The construction can be seen from the pictures below.

Now it could be lift upright position. The LCD panel and the computer now rest on the aluminium construction. The power-button was soldered on a piece of pcb to the right side of the frame (seen on the left in the picture).

Operating system (Ubuntu/DSL/Debian Linuxes) being tested...

6.1.2011 DSL (Damn Small Linux) was installed to the HD. Networking (wlan) is still refusing to work (reason: SparkLAN WL-311F doesn't support WPA. WEP works ok)

7.1.2011 Ubuntu 10.04 was installed. DirectFB works. Wlan works (including WPA).
Current hardware:

• Modified HP OmniBook XE2
• SMC SMCWUSB-g usb wlan-adapter

11.1.2011 made side panels. Power button looks nice.

12.1.2011 Configured lirc. I use homebrewn serial ir-receiver. Display is possible to turn on/off (command: "vbetool dpms on|off" configured to irexec) with remote. (Update: to turn the computer on, I used external IR-controlled relay, see later posts)

5.11.2011 Added support for remote VLC osd (on-screen display). It shows the song name on display.

14.11.2012 Added possibility to turn the device on and off by IR-remote control. Because the computer is not able to wake by other than press of the power button, I used Velleman MK161 to signal the power button input. The IR-receiver on the right side is the receiver for LIRC (to RS232-port)