writer
web developer
occasional genius
web developer
occasional genius
dotcom
Introducing: Altoid Video
12:07am Sat Apr 01, 2006
Update: IT'S AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE. Stop emailing me and asking if I can send you an altoids video. They don't exist. Every paragraph starts with a bold letter, read what they spell.
As you can see, I've been busy.
Positively, it took me a long while to come up with a new kit to hawk off on you guys. I tried solar chargers, body-heat chargers, charger chargers, shake-powered chargers, USB powered fans, USB powered neck massagers, USB powered lockpick, and a breath freshening device that fits inside an Altoid tin. Those all sucked, and I had a really hard time getting them to work, so I thought I'd just start with something kinda easy.
Real easy: a 4" LCD screen for watching movies from your iPod video. Why not?
Initially, the hardest thing was getting the screen to stay in there. Finding a cheap LCD, wiring my own interface, programming an IC to interact with an iPod and pull the videos in raw feed over USB when they don't do that by default, and making it all charge with one 9 volt battery, that was all easy -- it's just a real bugger getting a screen to stick onto the metal tin lid. Seriously, that was about 2 weeks of R&D time (turned out tape works the best).
List of specs: the screen is 16:9 and is capable of displaying High Definition video. One 9v battery provides two and a half hours of playback for the screen, which is half an hour longer than the iPod itself can play video. You can use the extra 30 minutes of juice to fill your room with a calming blue tone, or a hip & with-it color test pattern, depending on how you wire it.
For the picture, I have an episode of LOST playing. It's ripped from the DVD in widescreen at high definition, compressed to 4:3 to fit onto the iPod screen, and the Altoids screen stretches it back out to 16:9, it looks pretty good I think.
Oddly enough, I spent two days trying to add PSP functionality too, for watching videos or gameplay from a PSP, then I realized that the PSP's screen is actually bigger than this screen.
Order now! Kits to build one of these are for sale right away. They run a mere $29.50. To put it together, you need to be able to cut, solder, strip, crimp, and bend wire. Also, you'll need to get a license from the FCC to own and operate the device, since it uses certain types of radio waves to operate. Instructions for that and a copy of the forms you need to mail in are included with the kit.
Let me tell you, you'll be the coolest kid on your schoolbus with one of these babies.
Comments
tbonetpr
What an excellent kit! Unfortunately I don't get paid until Monday so I have to wait until after the 1st to order. I'd be foolish to pass on getting one of these. Why is it so expensive though?
Thanks Aaron, I enjoy your blog posts!
Thanks Aaron, I enjoy your blog posts!
9:04am Sat Apr 01, 2006
djspinmaster
is there any way that you could mount the lcd so that you didn't have to open it to watch? I think that would be awsome. you are the man for doing all this stuff
10:04am Sat Apr 01, 2006
IsraDude
Dude, please tell you've studied electronics and stuff somewhere........
1:25pm Sat Apr 01, 2006
whoohoo
is it just me, or is the scratchpad tricking all of us?
BTW: happy april fools day =)
BTW: happy april fools day =)
4:59pm Sat Apr 01, 2006
psp
wow awesome hats off to you on this one although it is pretty pointless on the ipod video for it would be easier to just watch it off the ipod the screen is not much bigger my question is can you get this to work on its own some type of internal memory or maybe off a memory card reader now that would be the shitt there or off my phone it connects to my computer via usb it is the samsung t809 if it can ill buy it
9:04pm Sat Apr 01, 2006
psp
aaron you mentioned you were trying to get this to work off the psp how were you planning on doing that would we have to open up the psp or would you just plug it into the mini usb cause from what i know you have to open it up but if you can figure out how to use the mini usb to output raw video off the psp make a device so we can connect it to the tv and play our psp on the tv there is already such a thing but you have to open up your psp thats why i haven't purchased it please let me know if this is possible
9:14pm Sat Apr 01, 2006
hahaha
nice, I think you got a lot of people with that one. Nice photoshop work too!
12:06am Sun Apr 02, 2006
Barney
It looks like it was posted FOR April 1st. I guess we know who's reading Aarondunlap.com at midnight, eh?
9:36pm Sun Apr 02, 2006
Thomas
I love the ipod video idea! If I had one though I would want to use it and the ipod sepretly using a wireless link between the two. I you build one then I will buy your altoid video and the wireless adapter.
11:35pm Sun Apr 02, 2006
cody
you would think that by the time someone got to this part
"Seriously, that was about 2 weeks of R&D time (turned out tape works the best)."
they would get the joke lol
"Seriously, that was about 2 weeks of R&D time (turned out tape works the best)."
they would get the joke lol
1:33am Tue Apr 04, 2006
hide
with a new kit to hawk off on you guys. I tried solar chargers, body-heat chargers, charger chargers, shake-powered chargers, USB powered
lol!!!!!
lol!!!!!
12:45pm Fri Apr 07, 2006
Leave a Comment
To prevent spam, links are automatically filtered from comments now.
a very good purchase, or
having to do with the best thing
a person could make.