Want to use CF01 for touchscreen

[Joe W]

Has anyone here ever run across a hack for disabling the PC on the CF01 and just using it as a touch screen? I may have to crack it open but I am not very good at identifying the righ places to hack the VGA (or anything else). I know it's a long shot but I figured I'd try.

JoeW

 

[jwilson56]

Best just to run Remote Desktop on it and use it as a thin client.... doubtful you could use the touch screen itself.

John

 

[Joe W]

I tried a test with the CF01 and put it in the car. The screen washes out in regular daylight. So, I think I'll need a real LCD monitor, one with good resolution and brightness.

I was originally thinking of using it in my van as a touchscreen interface - hook it up to a full size PC as a monitor. But your sugestion could work. With a peer to peer wire less network I could run VNC or something and controll the full PC with the CF01. Since I am putting this in a conversion van, I can put a full size PC almost anywhere and not really have worry about wiring back to the "monitor".

Thanks for the idea.
JoeW

 

[electron]

if you are thinking about putting a screen in the car, you better get one that was designed for this (see my car pc thread), as the regular screens will be dim (the Xenarc for example is 400 nits), and aren't as 'shockproof' as the car units. Power consumption could be another problem.

 

[Squintz]

I owned a CF01... I was going to mount it in my wall and use it as a touch screen to control my house. It was just way to slow. Eventually i will run a PC stored in a hidden place and mount a touchscreen monitor in the wall. I think you will be very disapointed if you get a CF01 but thats just my opinion. I would recomend that you start saving you lunch money and get something like electron has. A mini ATX and a Small touchscreen monitor. You may have to do a little extra work to hide everything and make it all look nice but in the end it will all be worth it.

What are you using it for? (Home Automation, CarPC, Ect.)

 

[Rupp]

Guys,
I have 3 CF-01's and if you use remote desktop sharing they are perfect. One of them I use the touchpad interface on and it works good as well. I have wall mounts but I can't decide where to mount them.

 

[electron]

RD is the only use I can see for these units, otherwise I consider them to be in the same class as the Audrey appliances.

 

[Joe W]

Since I started this, I guess I'll comment.

I already have a CF01. It wasn't really doing much which is why I though that I might be able to put it into service in my van as part of a carPC. I tried it as a full PC but it is way underpowered and limited in the # of serial ports to connect things to. But, I now know that the screen will wash out in regular sunlight when mounted anywhere near the dash since I tried it on Friday. So I figure the CF01 is out of the final design but it is still useful to test things. It looks like I will need an LCD monitor with enough brightness to be readable in the front seats and high enough resolution to be read clearly/quickly (I'l be driving).

Now, since I am working with a conversion van, space is not a problem. I can mount the CPU, a full size one anywhere - although on the floor between the front seats would allow easy access to the CD/DVD drive. (Possible a home made cabinet for the CPU, with cup holders, map pocket, CD holder, and other stuff could be built.) As long as it matches the wood trim already in the vehicle.

There are pplenty of connection points for the AV stuff - I already have two radio's in the van. One dash mount for all occupants and one in the rear that uses headphones, along with a DVD /TV that came installed. I already put a small 5.6" video screen in the front passenger seat to view the DVD's that are playing for the back seat passengers. I also hard wired my Garmin Streetpilot and mounted it on the dash.

I have all the miscellaneous parts other than the screen. I will most likely have to bite the bullet and get a 7" Lilliput or Xanac(?) screen.

 

[electron]

I would recommend the Xenarc, too many Lilliputs have gone bad (eventho 50% of the failures are due to bad handling when taking apart), the Xenarc is much higher quality.