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CPC Laptop.

Started by Bryce, 12:20, 25 October 14

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Bryce

Quote from: Gryzor on 13:01, 19 October 18
I have blocked Commodore machines from the site.

I connected via a CPC proxy :)

Bryce.

Gryzor

Damn your technology.

ibisum

Face when reading the first post: :)
Face when reading the last post: :|


I wanna see a CPCLaptop project!  C'mon Bryce, what's next?


Bryce

Hi ibisum,
     there's good and bad news regarding the laptop. The good news is that I have actually restarted the project and have put in a few hours over Christmas. The bad news is that like many projects, when you give it a "fresh-eyes review", you discover a gapping issue that you missed first time because you were bogged down in some other details (in this case I was focused on the screen too much).

The issue I found was that the original laptop had a big chunk of metal attached to its PCB. I removed this with the original PCB and modified the CPC PCB to fit inside the case, not realising how critical that chunk of steel was to the stability of the lid, frame and case. The laptop case would be in danger of snapping in two quite easily without it. Now I need to find a way of getting that chunk of metal back into an already extremely tight package.

There is also another (positive) difference to when I last visited the project. I now own a 3D printer! :) So I am also looking at what parts I could design to help the overall build. Including a modified rear panel for the lid, to allow me to get the entire LCD electronics into it.
This is my focus at the moment.

Bryce. 

ibisum

Awesome that you've still got a bit of attention for it, given all the other things you do - thanks for the update!  :) I remain glued to this thread for any further progress you might make ..

Bryce

As soon as I have beaten the PCB into the case with an suitably sized copper hammer, I'll post some more pictures.

Bryce.

Bryce

Just when you thought you'd never hear anything about the laptop project again...

I finally managed to beat the PCB into the laptop case with the hinge frame in place. There was much aluminium and PCB hacking involved, but it's not the first time that bits had to be hacked of the plus PCB to get it into the case, as anyone who's ever taken a close look at the PCB will have noticed :D

Now I can get on with converting the keyboard.

Bryce.



Gryzor

Looks awesome really! More, please :)

Bryce

#183
The keyboard is going to take a while, but I have lots of time at the moment. As soon as I have that sorted, the lid will be going back on so that I can finish the video side of things. Once that's done I can start adding things like the cartridge port and the HxC.

Bryce.

Edit: Just to give you an idea of how batshit crazy the keyboard solution is: Obviously, the laptop has a different layout and matrix, the plan is to glue these micro buttons onto the membrane and free wire them according to the CPC matrix. Let's see how that goes.



Zoe Robinson

This project continues to amaze me. I know I don't need a CPC laptop but every time you post an update, I want a CPC laptop. :D

Gryzor

I meant, more photos please! :D

Oh. So you're actually using the membrane only as a base? Theoretically you could change it with any other material?


Zoe is right, of course. Even more than Zoe though, somehow I *need* one. I'll fill in the actual "need" part later.

Bryce

I could of course use a different base material, but it's thin enough, has markings where I need to glue the switches and has 5 LEDs on it that I can use for power / HxC etc. If it all goes wrong, I can always start again with another material.


Bryce.

Bryce

#187
Well that was a pain in the arse to do, and I still have to solder the entire matrix! This could take a while...
Luckily, Mitsumi were really good on their tolerances, so every button is perfectly centred. The Keyboard is 0.5mm higher than before though, so I will have to file some off the keyboard mounting posts to bring it back the the position it needs to be.

Bryce.


Gryzor

Looks pretty. Will it actually be wires?

Bryce

Yes, there's no other way of doing it. I'm trying different types of wire at the moment, as they will have to be extremely thin.

Bryce.

Gryzor

Looking forward to the end result!!

VintageAdvantage

Quote from: Bryce on 10:54, 06 July 20
Yes, there's no other way of doing it. I'm trying different types of wire at the moment, as they will have to be extremely thin.

Bryce.
Did you figure out the wire by now? How is it going?

Bryce

I had to put the project on hold for a while, other more important priorities at the moment.

Bryce.



GUNHED

Well, this is a finished and polished CPC464 laptop here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0GfkJjZaNU
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

rexbeng

Nice job! I have to say that the LCD screen is pretty neat, definitely looks cool, however I doubt it's practical to use even to play games. Regardless, does this CPC run on batteries? Wouldn't justify the 'portable' if need to be plugged for power, at least by contemporary standards. I don't know if that's a work in progress, but I'd assume that speakers are to go inside the case as a next step.

I am really curious about seeing this developing.

GUNHED

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

Amagni

Not a laptop, but I got my eBay CPC without a monitor and always had a bunch of crap hanging off it for power and video conversion.

I finally got around to stuffing everything into a single box that the computer can sit on top of, and it makes everything so much easier!  There's also a Ulifac tucked in there with a USB drive.
426412713_10161834735178982_2626030915373171596_n.jpg

You can actually run the whole show off a USB powerbank, as long as you don't need the disk drive, but I'm happy plugging it in as I only use it at home.

Amagni

Here's what it looked like before for comparison...

dodogildo

Quote from: Amagni on 03:57, 16 February 24I finally got around to stuffing everything into a single box
Show us under the box  :D
M'enfin!

Amagni

Here you go!  It's pretty homemade so it's mostly plywood and tape, but it keeps everything tidy.
Left to right is the Ulifac, the RGB-to-HDMI converter and a small ATX power supply.
The LCD is supported by a coathanger that I bent to fit and screwed to the wood on the sides.
The little black triangle in the middle is an extra support for the middle of the computer, just made of foamboard pieces cut to fit.

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