I was asking about converting HDMI to RCA/Composite video and people were like WTF?
Well, it has been really bugging me that I had to fire up my big set every time I wanted to listen to music on the 360, PS3, or music from my cable provider.
So, I looked on Ebay and paid about $26.00 for a 5.5” Audiovox LCD screen-- it is the kind that goes with a DVD, player and hangs on the back of a head rest in a car.
Here is a link to the product page for this on the Audiovox site: Model # VBPEX56
I also picked up an RCA Y-Adapter, 3 inch #6 bolts, 2 flat washers, and 2 rubber washers at Radio Shack and my local hardware store.
Next I went into my scrap wood pile and picked out a 2x4 and cut it so that it was just a little longer than the base of the screen. Then I made the appropriate measurements and cut out a hold just the right size and depth to force the base into.
Then I drilled two holes on opposite sides of the 2x4 for the bolts to slide through.
After spray painting the whole thing with some silver enamel spray paint (and letting it dry), I wedged the base of the set into the hole and mounted it on my center speaker stand on top of my TV.
I just need to get my 360 back and I can try hooking that up. I will also be playing with the PS3 to get that working. Nice to not have to fire up the big set anymore and leave it on all day; the little screen also folds back out of sight when not in use.
Finally, I programmed my Harmony to fire up the receiver, and 8300hd DVR without turning on the big screen. It also switches the 8300hd to a country music channel so that my lady will accept this latest addition.
Here are some pics of my silly little project:
LCD and Y-Adapter:
Base before painting:
Painting the base:
Side View after installing and connecting:
Side View Folded Back:
Front with Both Sets On while configuring my Harmony:
Bad Close Up, the motion on the football game is a total blur:
One more close up:
Here is a crappy little vid of me firing everything up for the first time after I configured my Harmony properly...can you tell that I was in a hurry to get this vid done for the site so I could start playing around with this thing (remember that for Twango Video click on the middle of the image):
Last edited by Rhino Chaser : 12-31-2006 at 05:52 PM.
Dude - that's awesome!!! Especially since it was so cheap! I hope it ends up working with the 360. That would be freakin cool!!! Way to save major money on your replacement bulbs for your TV too. Awesome.
I sort of have the PS3 working right now. I have to do a little switching in the PS3 menu (which means I need to turn my main set on and then off again), and this Y adapter isn't doing so hot.
When I get this figured out, I will get some specs up so that people can duplicate (if interested).
Last edited by Rhino Chaser : 12-31-2006 at 07:27 PM.
Very nice indeed please keep us updated, If I didn't have Squeezebox to listen to music I would give this project a shot also. Off topic Can I ask you were you got you TV stand? I really like the color.
Last edited by Christian Hometheater : 12-31-2006 at 07:57 PM.
Thanks Bro! It was $100 at Ikea....when I bought this set it was very popular, and the stands were going for close to $600. So I measured my set and the stand that they tried to sell me and went around to various furniture stores until I found this one. I like it because it is on rollers, so it is super easy to move my Ent center in an out when I make adjustments, or additions.
I was looking for small and super cheap...I think that this entire set up cost me under $30 (not including stuff I had laying around...like 20 rca cables, and scrap wood, etc.).
If you really wanted to spend some time you could make this look pretty nice. I hacked that base out in about 1/2, including the 1st coat of spray paint.
I agree. In fact, if more things pushed out of all outputs (don't know if this would be a drain on the processor or whatnot), we'd have loads of options for these kinds of things.
I haven't figured out the HDMI to composite solution yet. Right now I have the composite and the HDMI plugged into the PS3 and I am switching the PS3 to composite in the XMB menu. If I can't figure out a cheap solution I may prog my Harmony to do it for me.
Linear Mode
