Good way to add a small LCD screen with looping video in a prop?

Incept Date said:
Like this information, very useful. Want to add video or graphics to my Diamond Select Star Trek classic tricorder.
Click to expand...

I looked at the TOS tricorder and decided on the TNG tricorder to modify. That is one of my current projects. I wanted to boot to a GUI desktop, and I can't seem to do that in anything less than 30 seconds boot time. A long wait, but with the batteries I'm using, it might run for hours....so you could boot it before your cosplay or event and leave it in desktop mode. I'm using a Pi Zero and an lcd screen plus some leds and switches.
 
Earlier I showed an inexpensive and easy way to add a "working" video to your props using a cheap MP4 player.
The problems with the touch screen types are the lack of sensitivity of the screens, so I think
the kind that use actual push buttons would be the best feature. The buttons can be placed anywhere in the prop
and activated very easily. The sound can be amplified as well to add a larger speaker.
The only sacrifice would be the quality of the video image. It is not HD.
Here is a video of what I am talking about:


UPDATE:

 
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Yes, that makes it more of an option for a project if external buttons can be used.

But still not right for my tricorder project. I need to run some leds and play video 1 on button 1, video 2 on button 2, and 3 on 3. As far as I can tell from your video, the video files on your device are sequential. You can't get to video 3 without going through 1 and 2.

Close, but not right for this particular project.
 
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Of course there are many ways to add video and functionality to any given object for a price and difficulty.
But the original question was is there a "Good way to add a small LCD screen with looping video in a prop?
The method I have shown is by far the cheapest and easiest way to do this without a lot of experience in electronics.
It has been done this way in the past by many.
I look forward to what you develop for your project. It sounds like it will be very unique. :)
 
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propmaster2000 said:
Of course there are many ways to add video and functionality to any given object for a price and difficulty.
But the original question was is there a "Good way to add a small LCD screen with looping video in a prop?
The method I have shown is by far the cheapest and easiest way to do this without a lot of experience in electronics.
It has been done this way in the past by many.
I look forward to what you develop for your project. It sounds like it will be very unique. :)
Click to expand...

Yes, it's a good technique and fits the question. :)
 
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propmaster2000 - Thanks for sharing those videos. I have a similar need, on a different project, and that most recent video shows something that might work. Any chance you can share the specific make and model of what you were tearing down?
 
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Sometime ago I purchased the MP4 player off eBay. The particular one in the video is similar to this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8GB-32GB-Di...reen-FM-Radio-Video-Games-Movie-/352183281441

This version will not play GIF images but the first one (with the touch screen) will play them.

There are many different versions of MP4, video players at various qualities, prices and availability.
Since I didn't spend a lot for this one, it was worth experimenting with.
As I mentioned earlier, the clarity of the video is not HD.
Maybe different video converters would make the difference in the final video quality....

.
 
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propmaster2000 said:
Of course there are many ways to add video and functionality to any given object for a price and difficulty.
But the original question was is there a "Good way to add a small LCD screen with looping video in a prop?
The method I have shown is by far the cheapest and easiest way to do this without a lot of experience in electronics.
It has been done this way in the past by many.
I look forward to what you develop for your project. It sounds like it will be very unique. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing. I'll see if I can implement one of these for my ST:ENT scanner.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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