Modder shoves VIA EPIA-based PC into 15-inch LCD, calls her i-EPIA

Okay, so maybe those all-in-one PCs have their positives, but seriously, who really looks forward to paying good money for something that's so impossible to upgrade? Tim Schellekens sure doesn't, and rather than biting the bullet, he chose to snap up one of VIA's EPIA motherboards, an old school 15-inch LCD and a bit of fiberglass. The four pages waiting for you in the read link detail the transformation, and while we personally wouldn't have gone to such extremes (buying two monitors to get one?) just to craft our own web surfing desktop, we definitely admire the dedication. Behold, i-EPIA.

[Thanks, Ewan]

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 6th 2008 4:15PM]

Calculate the time spent doing this project at about $10 an hour (low ball it).

They probably could have purchased the bigger and less hideous Dell XPS One for that.

Stupid.

[Raveen Bhasin @ Sep 6th 2008 4:19PM]

It is not the desitnation that matters....It is the journey that shapes you!

[DiRT @ Sep 6th 2008 4:41PM]

Way to miss the point. Part of the reason of doing this is not to save money but to see what you are capable of doing.

[Michael @ Sep 6th 2008 5:15PM]

Maybe it was fun? Did you ever think of that, professor smarty smart smart? Go back in your hole.

[John Bailey @ Sep 6th 2008 8:16PM]

Where do all these soulless little gits come from? The guy made something. Who cares how much it cost. He has something you never will.. The satisfaction of completing a project for the pleasure of making something.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 6th 2008 9:08PM]

"He has something you never will."

Yes he does: an ugly, slow, all-in-one PC. My bad. But of course, according to the Nerd Drama Academy here, I apparently have no soul and live in a hole because I don't think this was a great way to spend one's time and ability. Sorry, guys. I am going to go spend a bunch of time building myself a shitty speaker from some spare parts I have laying around. Then I can climb from my hole and truly be one with the world. And listen to crackling music.

[John Bailey @ Sep 6th 2008 9:29PM]

Don't forget to keep a running total of the parts and fill in your time sheet..

[pt0ne @ Sep 6th 2008 4:24PM]

if you went through all that trouble why would you build it into a 15" screen?

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Sep 6th 2008 4:43PM]

Maybe it's for a smart terminal—not for their main machine—n a kitchen or bathroom or some other smaller place that needs to be out of the way. Though I'd think they would have put a TV tuner in it if that were the case, though there are plenty of ways to stream TV to a computer over a network so I wouldn't rule out that possibility.

[Ken @ Sep 6th 2008 4:38PM]

I'm considering doing the same thing except using a full size ATX and my Hanns-G 28" LCD. The only thing keeping me from starting is getting around to designing a couple of custom PCI-E riser boards.

[Juan @ Sep 6th 2008 4:56PM]

You would need custom ones? Would getting one with a flexible cable connection help?
Found one at:
http://mypccase.stores.yahoo.net/1uricawcapcx.html

The biggest thing that holds me up on projects like this is the custom bodywork. I hadn't thought of fiberglass before, though.

[Ken @ Sep 6th 2008 6:14PM]

Hey thanks :D

That would do pretty good. I'm curious at what length of cable I'd start running into timing issues with PCI-express. I'm gonna go order one or two next week, make some longer ribbons and see what happens.

[Ken @ Sep 6th 2008 6:17PM]

Also,

I'd most likely fab a sheet metal cover. I'm thinking 18-20ga steel.

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 6th 2008 6:47PM]

If anyone knows where to get one of those that doesn't make the company a 100000% profit, PLEASE post. I've wanted to do a project like this, but I hate spending $50 on what amounts to like 70 presoldered wires.

[Caleb @ Sep 6th 2008 7:41PM]

Did a search on google for PCI Express 16 Riser Card and came up with tons of places that sell them from $10 range for right facing fixed to $60+ for ones with a ribbon cable. This gives me a few ideas...

http://www.google.com/search?q=PCI-Express+x16+Riser+Card+&rls=com.microsoft:*&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

[Greg @ Sep 6th 2008 8:24PM]

@Ken: A sheet metal cover for your computer? Wouldn't that hinder WiFi/Bluetooth, etc.? I'm not sure.. most computer have metal cases, but have plastic on the front, and I know that for the iPhone/iPhone 3G/iPod Touch they had to put plastic on the wireless parts.

Also, I'm not sure, but didn't titanium Apple laptops have WiFi problems?

[Ken @ Sep 8th 2008 4:41PM]

@Greg

That's why they make antennas. Apple had to hide the antennas because they put so much emphasis on form. Fortunately, home-growns don't have such constraints. So yes, steel.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Sep 6th 2008 4:45PM]

Any word on how much this cost in parts? As the first poster stated time and effort would make this more than a Dell XPS or iMac, but modders tend do these things to see if they can or because they can, not to save a few dollars. More power to them!

[Matt @ Sep 6th 2008 5:28PM]

If you actually FTFA, you would notice that he is running Ubuntu, but don't let that get in the way of your childish trolling.

[matt @ Sep 6th 2008 5:30PM]

Of course, that should be RTFA, but either way 'intellectual and open minded' has so far proved himself be be neither.

[SimonRichards @ Sep 6th 2008 5:36PM]

I find it is often more stimulating to FTFA anyway :)

[LJKelley @ Sep 6th 2008 5:41PM]

My my, aren't we so Intellectual. Yes, and so Open Minded as well.

[Alareth @ Sep 6th 2008 5:41PM]

Yeah, Apple is all about building your own custom hardware after all ...

[paul-engadget @ Sep 6th 2008 5:50PM]

yippee-i-epia!

ok, I'll get my coat.

[matt @ Sep 6th 2008 5:51PM]

Open Minded @wikitionary
Adjective

1. Willing to consider new and different ideas or opinions.

-----

Instead of just dismissing them out of hand.

Open minded is looking at things for yourself, not just taking up what is given to you, and over the years I have generally found people who act in a genuinely open minded manner to be some of the most interesting around, as opposed to the dull drones who just take what they are given.

[matt @ Sep 6th 2008 5:55PM]

Maybe if someone with half a brain wrote the comment system it would actually work.

*AOL Logo*
Ahh, that explains a lot.

[Smi @ Sep 6th 2008 5:52PM]

Intellectual and Open-Minded is exactly what you are /not,/ chum. I had a quick read of this chaps other comments and they're equally ignorant anti-everything-that-isn't-shiny-and-white brigade.

I'm not saying that Windows or Linux is better than Apple or vice-versa. It's just that your username is hilariously polar to how you actually are. Unless this is some elaborate joke, in which case I think the joke is firmly on you!

[w00fd06 @ Sep 6th 2008 5:58PM]

I love this, the layout seems good enough, although the design could be touched up, and it's not that expensive, plus the extra portability is always a plus, and you'll have more self-esteem if you do it right. My verdict, do this if you're cheap!

[DiRT @ Sep 6th 2008 5:58PM]

Nice gimmick, troll. Stop crying for attention.

[EricC @ Sep 6th 2008 6:27PM]

Ironically enough, I'd imagine I'm not the only person on the planet that automatically discounts anyone who uses the word "fascist" as NOT intellectual and NOT open-minded.

[HOOPER @ Sep 6th 2008 6:46PM]

@ intellectual

So uh, how many community service hours have you clocked this week?

[CJ @ Sep 6th 2008 7:02PM]

HAHAHA, I get it. You replaced the S in MS and Windows with $, implying that they are greedy and obsessed with money.

hur hur hur, funny.

[vileta2 @ Sep 6th 2008 7:24PM]

Seems affordable enough.

[Mark @ Sep 6th 2008 7:38PM]

That was a nice little mod.

I'm thinking of doing a similar thing with an old 15" laptop of mine. My plan is to jettison the keyboard and touch-pad, mount the screen the other way round, and house it in a frame, mounted on a stand.

Should make for a good file-server and torrent downloader.

[Greg @ Sep 6th 2008 9:00PM]

Sounds pretty cool, imagine doing that with a MacBook Air.. a computer integrated into a screen that's thinner than most ordinary screens. I guess it's a pretty crazy idea that no-one would pay for.. but you never know, Apple could sell anything.

On the other hand, if you want to make it into a 24/7 file-server/torrent downloader, wouldn't it be easier to just stick it under a desk, in a cabinet, or in a closet, and install VNC onto it? I've been thinking about doing something like that to my old Dell laptop for a while, but I just haven't gotten around to restoring it (the hard drive, fan, and the battery are busted).

[Mark @ Sep 6th 2008 10:23PM]

"On the other hand, if you want to make it into a 24/7 file-server/torrent downloader, wouldn't it be easier to just stick it under a desk, in a cabinet, or in a closet, and install VNC onto it?"

Yes, but what would be the fun in doing that? ;-)

[Juan @ Sep 7th 2008 12:02AM]

Cool idea. The Modbook (http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook) takes the turn-the-screen-around route, too. Nixes the stand to go as a touchscreen tablet, though.

[Lazarpandar @ Sep 6th 2008 8:58PM]

successful troll.jpg

[Spirit @ Sep 8th 2008 9:41PM]

for you who dont get it yet, Intellectual and Open Minded is a troll, essentially trolling mac fanboys, which have the stereotype of believing they are more... intellectual and open minded. However why he trolls, I don't know

[Cardbored @ Sep 6th 2008 11:23PM]

The is extremely professional looking... I am in awe O.O

[ssrat_ @ Sep 7th 2008 2:06AM]

It does look nice in the end, and even though I could not do it, I not only admire what he has done
but the finished product has gotten those that are not trolling to think a bit and those with talent? to pick up
some things and try to improve on it.

Mod wise that is what it is all about, showing what you an do, and inspiring others to do their own projects
-Rinse Repeat-

[USPmagDROP @ Sep 7th 2008 2:19AM]

Wow. Only fascists/libertarians like M$ or Linux? For one, it's MS. Use the real S key dude. Stop making yourself look like a douche.

I myself find Microsoft AND Apple on par with one another in the fascism rankings. I've not, nor have I ever been impressed with Apple, or Microsoft. I can make a Linux Machine just as snazy and useful as any Microsoft or Apple based system for half the price of the absolutely ridiculous consumer cost for an Apple machine.

I bet you drive a Jetta and call it 'eco friendly' too, don't you?

Who gives a crap. The man made something. He did something he wanted to do, with his money. It's experimentation and exploration of technology like this that takes our technology levels to even greater heights. Progress is a slow process, and everyone who tinkers and thinks only propel us forward.

[allenvanhellen @ Sep 7th 2008 12:11PM]

Looks like a P.O.S.

Point of Sale (terminal). teeheehee