More crazy ideas

[Guest]

I recently purchased a portable DVD player that came with a second 7" wide-screen LCD unit.  This unit has composite inputs and takes +12 VDC.  The whole deal was only $120 USD.  This has really gotten me thinking about the possibilities of creating a truly portable 128 system.  The ultimate would be to obtain a plastic 128D case that includes the carrying handle and keyboard storage, then to create a clamshell top that fitted the LCD panel.  In reality, this is really crying out for a customized case, but the 128 mother board is just so huge, I don't know if it would make a difference.  I could see possibly creating a replace top for the standard flat 128 that would flip up from the recess behind the keyboard.  A modern laptop battery could be fitted into the extra space in the sides of the clamshell.

[airship]

Ooh, boy. I like the idea, but I think a C128 motherboard would suck down batteries like a sperm whale dining on krill. All those old DIP chips, you know.

While you're at it, why not rig a full-size 15" or so LCD screen? It would fit.

Here are a couple of pics of a DTV hooked up to a similar LCD (and simultaneously to a 4-line LCD display.
This was done by a guy named David Murray:

[Steve Gray]

I recently purchased a portable DVD player that came with a second 7" wide-screen LCD unit.  This unit has composite inputs and takes +12 VDC.  The whole deal was only $120 USD.  This has really gotten me thinking about the possibilities of creating a truly portable 128 system.  The ultimate would be to obtain a plastic 128D case that includes the carrying handle and keyboard storage, then to create a clamshell top that fitted the LCD panel.  In reality, this is really crying out for a customized case, but the 128 mother board is just so huge, I don't know if it would make a difference.  I could see possibly creating a replace top for the standard flat 128 that would flip up from the recess behind the keyboard.  A modern laptop battery could be fitted into the extra space in the sides of the clamshell.

Very cool. I thought of stuffing my C64DTV into a portable DVD case.

You might want to check out the king of this type of thing... Benjamin Heckendorn at http://benheck.com/all-game-projects/

He hasn't done any Commodore machines yet, but Atari is one of his specialties.

Steve

[Guest]

Thanks a lot!  I just lost three hours of my life.  Sheesh.

That guy's skill is INSANE.  I now firmly believe that if we actually got the Modern 128 Expander's electronics built we'd have no problem finding someone to make us some custom 128 cases to house it all as a single unit.

[airship]

The NEStari. Wow. I am in awe. He is obviously the god (little 'g') of modding.