• Registered: 2008-02-25
  • Posts: 21

Topic: Bigger screen size information wanted

I have initially been very excited with the chumby's potential, but I have been put off by most of my customers who demand a bigger screen size.  Since it is widely claimed in this forum that the design is customizable, I will like to ask if anyone can give me some model monitors that can be eventully adapted to connect to the chumby.  The bigger the better!, 10 inches to 90 inch displays... and I can live without touch screen... What will it take?, to install a vga port on the motherboard?

Thanks
KD

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,199

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

The device doesn't actually have a video controller - it has an LCD controller built into the Freescale iMX21 ARM processor.

For step-by-step instructions on attaching a VGA-resolution LCD to the chumby here's a step-by-step hack done by the original designer of the chumby hardware.

Duane's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-25
  • Posts: 21

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

Thank you, I had read that article.  It uses a 7 inch display.  Do you think that in likewise manner it will be possible to use a 19" display? or even 49"?? if so, would you point me to which part numbers?  Thanks a lot

KD

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,199

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

That's really a question for bunnie - however, he's currently in Japan participating in our product launch there.

What are you trying to build for these customers?

Duane's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-25
  • Posts: 21

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

Advertisement displays...  displays we can put on stores.  Something we can justify getting one thousand units of smile

KD

  • From: Kansas
  • Registered: 2008-01-28
  • Posts: 231

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

King D, I've read the forums for a bit and don't recall "customers demanding a larger screen size"...but just to inject a bit of humor here (HI DUANE), the way I use my chumby is as a bed-time book, so I do not want a 49" screen display. :-) But, I am "Hats off to you" for the ad idea!

  • Registered: 2007-11-09
  • Posts: 340

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

You would definitely need a Kensington Lock slot for public Chumbys, like ones in a store.

wayn3w

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,199

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

VGA resolution LCD panels top out at around 10 inches - if you go larger they tend to be 800x600 (SVGA) up to about 15 inches, and 1024x768 (XGA) up to about 19 inches.  The LCD controller in the iMX21 can only drive up to 800x600, since higher resolutions are pretty atypical for embedded devices.  I don't know anyone that sells raw LCD panels in the 49-90 inch range - they're mostly found as finished goods in TV sets.

Here's typical pricing in sample qualities for the types of displays you're talking about - several times the retail price of a chumby unit.

Frankly, I think you're probably better off building your advertising kiosks around a mini-, nano- or pico-ITX type motherboard than try to adapt the chumby hardware, which, while indeed hackable, is primarily designed around the current form-factor.

The costs are probably about the same and would have more conventional connections for video.

Duane's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-25
  • Posts: 21

Re: Bigger screen size information wanted

Totally answers the question Duane, thank you.  Even the motherboards I've found are on the range of $200-$300.  I believe the chumbies, as hardware, are at set at a very good price.

KD