DVD Player - Plays Everything...

[SteveDVD]

TheInformer came up with this idea and he was trying to use an ATX case and motherboard. Well lets just say I am going to take it to the next level!

My idea is that we could make a very very small and cheap computer> put a dvd-rom and tv-out and high quality sound card in it > make windows or linux or whatever start up WinDVD (or something like it) when the computer boots up.... It is a computer so it would play everything

List of things needed:
Small case and cheap motherboard
small harddrive
network card (so it can watch movies from other computers
some tv out card (such as the Hollywood one with a remote)
high quality sound card
dvd-rom

I am hoping to make this a project. Anybody interested in helping just post below. I hope to get suggestions or anything...

[d4n13l]

http://www.viahardware.com/ss40g_1.shtm

If you want to try Linux out on it I could lend you a hand.

[SteveDVD]

I LOVE THE CASE!!

I think you can help me with linux

Is there anyway you can make it so it just boots into WinDVD or PowerDVD? I don't know we need to get the hardware list down and then we will worry about that... I think we could sell these and make money

[zzyzzx]

Still cheaper to buy a regular standalone DVD player.

[SteveDVD]

Yea but do DVD Players play everything including MPEG and DivX?

[mrpink]

Yea but do DVD Players play everything including MPEG and DivX

For posting on a site called vcdhelp, im shocked that you dont realize that mpg are vcd. Look on the dvd players list, see which players play vcd, svcd. And to let you know, yes there are players now that do support divx, they have windows media player built into them. Maybe before you end up blowing all your $$ on a homemade dvd player of sorts, you should do a bit of research.

[SteveDVD]

Thank you for that information MrPink....

It was just an idea..............

[Faustus]

Actally its a great idea... I already have a DVD decoder card so I could build even a slow system with a small hard drive and do this, very nice. Would just need to find a DVD-Rom Drive with super awsome play back, and then POW! super cheap disk here I come!

-Flaystus

[PlaiBoi]

I was also thinking about this type of project just today. LOL. But, since Mr.Pink says that there are players that play divx already...i guess it would better to just buy one of those...if they cost less than making our own. I'll check out the DVD players list and see if there infact are some DVD players that play divx, if not, i can see this project succeeding, plus, it seems fun!

[Faustus]

I'm mainly intrested in if these new sony dvd drives (DVP-NS315/B) can really play the cheapo media like I've been hearing... if so then personally i'd scrap the entire thought and buy one of those.

[d4n13l]

The "player" , will still be a PC at the end of the day. A DVD player will always just be a DVD player that can maybe play a few different formats. A PC will be able to do, well, just about everything from games to streaming audio/video across your LAN. If you only want something to play DivX/DVD/VCD etc on a TV, perhaps a DVD player will be better.

OR....

Why not just get an Xbox now it has been hacked? It will be a $200 PC more or less... I mean, it will now play just about any media format, and even MAME has been ported to it. All that you have to do is get it modded, then you are ready to roll. I suppose you could even play Xbox games on it too, lol.

[vcd4me]

Mr Pink wrote

And to let you know, yes there are players now that do support divx, they have windows media player built into them

Are you saying this player will play divx files burnt as data?

Do you know this is 100% true have you tried it?

What player is this?

If this is true then there would be no more converting 8) and I will buy

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[SteveDVD]

The models that play DivX (Not to say I have seen one) probably cost over $1,000. You could build a small cheap computer for cheaper than that. You could even modify it to do anything. You could put a capture Card in it and it could be a VCD with sweet quality. The ideas are mind boggling.

I even saw that small case in this months PC World Magazine.

[mrpink]

The models that play DivX (Not to say I have seen one) probably cost over $1,000.

Once again if only you would have done some reading you would have seen for yourself that they do in fact exist, and your just a tad bit off with your guess in price.
http://www.panasonic.ca/English/audiovideo/dvd/dvdrv32k_rv32s.htm

[SteveDVD]

ok $399 -


but you could tape shows on it. Do whatever the hell you wanted too....

[d4n13l]

Just get an Xbox for $199, it will be far the most flexible player for that sort of money... you even get a HD with it!

[SteveDVD]

ok i am done with this topic... Screw it...


Have a nice day!

[marsmayhem]

Wander over to www.media-box.org and take a look at what that guy's up to.

This topic should be called "Convergence Device". People are starting to realize that building a PC system that's small enough to fit in with the rest of their home theater appliances is a possibility, and when done right, can replace DVD/consoles/CD player/MP3 jukebox/photo viewer/Tivo, plus be expandable enough to let you do stuff an ordinary off the shelf box just won't...

Don't feel too bad SteveDVD - the future is coming. I did a bit of research into this stuff some time ago, and it's very feasible. It won't cost $200, but if you run the numbers for all the things a media box can replace, you might just come out ahead

I saw some beautiful PC cases at a German website and you'd never know they were PC cases - they look like home theater component decks.

Get a video card like ATI's AllInWonder for a good price, and you've got tuner/TV OUT/DIGITAL RECORDER. You've just replaced Tivo for the cost of a $100 card.

Load up some Playstation emulator and you've got a console ready to go. Or load up MAME and you're ready to roll.

Load up WinAMP and you've got your audio jukebox going as well.

Load up your PC games, and forget about XBOX.

Get a wireless PSX joypad adapter for your new PC and you're ready to go gaming from anywhere in the room.
Tie everything up with an interface like MediaBox, or develop your own, and tie it to a remote control interface, and you never have to leave the sofa.

Watch your DVDs from your DVDROM through WinDVD/PowerDVD/ATI DVD Player (comes with ATI All In Wonder .

Get a decent 5.1 sound card that can hook up to your HTS receiver and you've got gorgeous surround sound for anything coming out of your soundcard that can support it (like some games coming out now, or DVDs).

The list goes on and on.

Don't give up SteveDVD. It's a great idea who's time is coming fast...

[SteveDVD]

That guy has done a lot. Wait until MrPink gets to his forums though

[vcd4me]

steve don't give up just step back and think for a second maybe you can do this let's do some math

X-card(has remote) $100 (also has sound out)
200mhz computer $100(with this card you can use sm mhz computer)
dvd drive $ 50
Total $250

As for the player mrpink is talking about I really not sure about it being able to play divx.

Don't give up
VCD4ME

[SteveDVD]

Yea I know it would work and I could make some money off of it but I don't have the money to do it. I mean I make lots of money from web design but I am not spending it doing that. We need to make it a site project were everyone pitches in and gets a discount if it goes to sale.

[vcd4me]

I thought you just wanted to make it for your own use.

Besides there is already someone making and sellig one with the case that I gave you the link for in another post

Also ther is a chip already made to go into dvd players hopefully it will be out soon.

Talk to you soon
VCD4ME

[SteveDVD]

thanks for the warning....