Starting my ultra-portable PC project (PCp?) update Nov 26th

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:31 am

Lol, you've spent so much money on this you've prolly covered the cost of a used OQO

.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 12:35 pm

Thats a small motherboard (for the specs anyway)

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:14 pm

Jeff wrote:Lol, you've spent so much money on this you've prolly covered the cost of a used OQO .

Probably about half of a used OQO, and I can still sell some of the stuff I bought to recoup a good portion of my costs.

Post by **Triton** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:06 pm

yea OQOs are freakin pricey, could make an awesome pcP for half the price im sure

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:33 pm

Recieved the new board, pretty cool. 1GHz Via Eden processor, USB 2.0, dual lans, takes a DDR2 SODIMM, Compact Flash type I/II socket, built-in audio, runs off 5Volts (see http://www.bcmcom.com/bcm_product_ebc3266.htm ). Still waiting on RAM to test it out. I decided on a portrait layout of the previous landscape layout. I borrowed an idea from the Sharp Zaurus, and the gamepad will be mounted above the keyboard and will slide down to reveal the keyboard. Not sure on the gamepad I'll be using.

Next to CD for size comparison:
http://tom61.arcadecontrols.com/pics/ebcboard.jpg

On top of a tracing of the PSOne screen, ports view:
http://tom61.arcadecontrols.com/pics/ebcports.jpg

The new plans:
http://tom61.arcadecontrols.com/pics/plans.jpg

Tracings of the components for size references in the new portrait layout:
http://tom61.arcadecontrols.com/pics/tracings.jpg

New specs:
1 GHz Via Eden
256MB DDR2 RAM
20GB laptop harddrive
5" PSOne screen, with possibility of being replaced with a 6" VGA or SVGA LCD hooked to the board's controller later on.
Wifi via USB adapter
5200 mAh Li-Ion 9Volt cell maybe times two.
MAX787 PMW circuit to take down 9Volts to 5Volts
OS: Linux (probably Vida Linux dist.)

Edit: could someone resize the pics for the less fortunate? I don't access to anything but 2000 MS Paint right now, and that won't even open a 5MPixel pic.

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 7:53 pm

Looks awesome. Your work is amazing and your speed on this project is astounding.

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:21 pm

your speed on this project is astounding

LOL

Anyway, could you give us more details on the newfangled MAX787 switching DC-DC converter doohichy? It could be very useful to the rest of us

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:25 pm

Teraflop I'd like to see you build one as fast as he has...But anyway it's looking good, can't wait to see a final product.

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 11:25 pm

Details on the MAX787

cowsgoquack101: Actually at this point, terraflop is a bit faster, though arguably less sucessful. He started his first PCp shortly after I posted my project on here, got it to the point of nearly working, then ended up frying it. He even started a second PCp, seems to have died though...

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:17 am

Ok my bad apologies everyone. But still...

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:25 pm

Yeah, I fried my first one. I then purchased an Epia TC10000 Mini-ITX motherboard, which was nice because it had an integrated power supply: it only needed 12v input straight to the mobo. I lost interest in that and other projects required funding, so I said bye-bye to those parts.

Now I have a 3.5 inch form factor motherboard very similar to the new one purchased by tom61, except with a 400MHz Eden CPU. I placed a nice 4GB Microdrive into the mobo's integrated CF slot for storage, and added a healthy 256MB of laptop memory as well. In essense, the entire computer is within that single motherboard.

At the moment, I'm trying to get a suitable power circuit built. I also need to rewire the PSone screen for VGA use. If I had enough money for a MAX787 and its accompanying parts, I'd use that. Seeing as I already have a few working 7805's, however, I will prolly go with a much less efficient power circuit for the time being.

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:45 pm

Double posting for the sake of BUMP.

Well, tom61, I think the task of completing the first (benheck community) PCp is going to be up to you, as I'm pretty sure I'm out of the game. My attempts to get the PSone LCD running have failed, and I lack funds to purchase any other LCD alternatives. My 3.5" motherboard doesn't support C-sync, and it refuses to drop below 30 or 40 khz scan rate, coming way short of the 15khz needed by PSone LCD.

Woe is me.

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:24 pm

Thats too bad man.

I was looking forward to seeing it.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:44 pm

I think you should just lock the motherboard away in a closent for a whyle. You can pick up a 7" Lilliput for about $200 to $250 with a VGA plug on it thats almost garrenteed to work, Granted your Pocket PC will get bigger and cost more but... come on... thats a 7" screen

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:51 pm

That's a good idea. Now all I need to do is amass 200+ dollars with only a defunct eBay account and a few old PC parts