(please see
http://www.flickr.com/groups/buildyourownpvr/discuss/72057594080722774/ for the pics )
I like modern electronics, but don't much care for the newfangled
plastic cabinets they come in. I started this project out with a 1952
Philco TV console that I picked up for $40 at an estate sale. The
finish is original and old, but the wood is absolutely gorgeous. This
pic shows it in as-found condition.
After hogging out all of the old electronics, doors, and shelves, I
found that the opening just fit a Sharp Aquos 32" lcd. I picked
up last year's model, which didn't have (factory) removable speakers,
for $1500.
I have limited access to tools right now, so I used what was
available--mostly scrap wood from some cabinets we threw out--to make
the internal shelf and mounting point for the TV. Check out all the
space inside! Perfect for what I had in mind!
Easily the scariest thing I've willingly done, ever: pulling a
brand-spanking new Aquos apart so I could install it in the Philco
cabinet. Fortunately, it came off without a hitch and the (ahem)
mounting system fit perfectly.
The install was fairly straightforward and at this point, I had a
widescreen lcd in my 50+ year old cabinet, wired for cable. The IR
for the TV sits on the shelf just below the TV. The cable box sits
behind the grille on the left. There's a ton of space in
there...Hmmmm, might have to ask santa for a game console.
Then I picked up the computer hardware: 250G HDD, AMD 64 3000+, ATI
Radeon 9550, 1G memory, D-link wireless router and adapter, Gyration
wireless mouse and keyboard, a BigWater SE CPU/GPU cooling system,
and, finally, a WinPVR-150MCE (HURRAY for pcalchemy.com!).
True haxors should be very impressed with my use of lumber supports
and styrofoam packing materials as insulators/spacers for the mobo.
All in all, there's a ton of space, the system is cool and quiet (20db
@ 37*C scoring Ludicrous Kills on UT2k4 Onslaught), and everything
works. The HDD and DVD+-RW... are mounted up and out of the way now,
unlike in the pic. I was having trouble with WinXP not loading
correctly, which is why I was experimenting with FAT32 in this pic.
It finally loaded and I converted it to NTFS in the process. IR for
the remote goes right through the black speaker cloth I put behind the
grille. I used the same speaker cloth for the TV bezel; hot glue,
styrofoam, and brazing rod make up the frame for it. You wouldn't
know it to look at it.
This is how it looks inside now, with the HDD & DVD unit mounted
up on the bottom-side of the TV shelf. Liquid cooling is truly
awesome and the Gyration mouse is perfect for this sort of
application, though its not particularly good for gaming.
Here it is, done. Next up is to lose the cheapo home theater system.
Then I'll take the old cabinet doors and mount them such that they
close to cover the LCD, but slide completely inside between the TV and
the cabinet. That's next year's project. Now, where's my remote?
