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From: mydash@0o0.org[SMTP:MYDASH@0O0.ORG]
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 5:33:08 PM
To: My Dash
Subject: m-audio black box reloaded
Auto forwarded by a Rule

I received my M-Audio Black Box today. What is it? It is the hub for your guitar studio. Plug your electric guitar to it and from it to your computer. I now have an instant digital recording studio for my guitar. More on this later.

I always wanted some kind of dgital photo display in the family but they are very expensive and does not have wireless capability. I have an old laptop that has been laying around but could only run Windows 98. It is perfect for this project.

This is my requirement:
- Old laptop
- Painting frame. I recommend the RIBBA picture frame from Ikea because it is thick in size
- Boot into Windows
- Connect to the network via WIFI
- Access network share on remote server where pictures are stored
- Launch screen saver to display rotating pictures

Ribba picture frame. There are different sizes so pick one best fit your laptop LCD.


Confgure the laptop and make sure that everything works and behave the way you want it to after you hung it on your wall.
I run Windows 98 on this old laptop. To login to Windows with the network domain account, I use TweakUI from Microsoft to do the job.
To initiate the screensaver automatically after windows boot, I use Macro Express program to execute it. I also installed RealVNC remote control just in case I need to make minor changes remotely.


Looks like everything is working the way I want it to. Now time to strip the laptop of its casing. I got rid of everything that I don't need like the battery, floppy and CD-Rom drives, modem and speaker. The only crucial components are the main boards, LCD, HDD, PCMCIA card tray.

Now cut out the hole in the board that came with the Ribba picture frame for the LCD. I centered the LCD on the board and outlined it with a pencil. Then I use the dremel tool to cut the hole. Do not cut the hole too big. You want the LCD to fit snuggly.




Before I move on, I want to test it out. It still works. As you can see, it is coming together nicely.


I picked up a piece of poster board from Michael's, the local craft store, to make the border. Cut out the display opening.




The laptop guts are very light so I resorted to using duct tape to mount the whole thing behind the picture frame.


And here is the completed DIY wall mount photo display. The wire you see here is the power cable but at least it is wireless and I could update the pictures easily on the remote server. Cost? An old laptop, $10.00 for the picture frame and poster board and a weekend.

So you want a tool that could remotely shutdown/restart a Windows box, eh. Use Shutgui.exe.

shutgui.zip (8.2 KB)

So you want to hack this DVD player, huh? To get region free hack code enter it with the remote control in this sequence.

1. Turn the power on.
2. Open the tray.
3. Enter 789, OK, 0 (all one sequence).

A "0" should appear on your screen. Your Philips DVP642 is now region free.

After spending the entire weekend researching on how to open up the HMO feature and install backdoor on Tivo version 6.2, I completed with success. If you are interested in modding your 6.2 Tivo to unlock the HMO feature and install backdoor, check out this guide. The only part I was frustrated most about this hack was the Linux commands. I'm a Windows person and I know the OS in and out but I hate Linux.
To share your music and photos with Tivo, you must install the Desktop media server downloaded at Tivo.com.
A shot of the Music & Photos Tivo menu.

This is a little hack sequence I always tend to forget everytime the Tivo is reboot. Enter this request in your Tivo remote and you can forward 30 seconds with each click.

My Tivo just got updated to version 6.2 and my previous Tivoscript mod does not work anymore. I wish DTV hurry and realease the HMO feature. The only improvment in this update is the folder grouping of the recorded shows and faster guide search.

This is one heck of an easy and useful hack with a cell phone handsfree headset so you could hook it up to your car's aux imput. I have the SE K750i that plays mp3 with a 1GB memory stick duo pro. I hacked the headset so I could plug the phone into my car's auxillary input to play my mp3 like an iPod which I don't need anymore. If I get a phone call while the music is playing, the music will stop and automatically switch over to voice call. The voice comes out of the car speakers and I just talk normal. The mic in the handsfree picks up my voice just fine.

Tools:
Pocket knife
Soldering iron and solder
wire stripper

Parts you need:
1\8" female jack extention cable from Radio Shack or your local electronic store. ($6.00)

SE K750i handsfree headset.

01. Use a knife to crack open the handsfree mic assembly.

02. Remove the front and back cover and set them aside.

03. De-solder the right ear piece from the solder point on the PCB.

04. Cut the 1\8" femail jack with about 6" of wire and strip 1" of the outter insulation. You'll see a black, red and ground wire.

05. Strip a little insulation off of the red and black wire and tint the ends with solder.

06. Solder the red wire to the +S and ground to the -S solder point on the PCB.

07. Solder the black wire to the hanging black wire to the other end of the mic PCB. You have to remove the heat shrink first.

08. Now tape up the bare solder of the black wire with electrical tape. Keep is thin or else it won't fit back into the covers.

09. You're done with the hack. Put the mic PCB back into the covers you removed in step 02.

10. Once the covers are re-installed, cut the left ear piece off.

12. Here is the completed mod.

Now mount the phone on the dashboard, plug the hands free into the phone and the other end to the car's auxillary input.

The sound quality is just as good as any MP3 players. I love the voice calling because the I don't need the headset in my ear.