Kitchen Touch Screen PC

[ASIHome]

Just wanted to share some pics of the Kitchen Touch Screen PC I've been working on. I purchased the ELO screen from the Hot Deal thread (the non-bezel one). I am using the OmniMount 12UCM under cabinet mount. I still need to make the frame (deciding on what type of wood to use). I am currently getting the PC ready. Going from XP (no SP's) to current takes a really long time.

 

[jwilson56]

Nice job!

 

[TXFlatLander]

I am loving that mount. Looks great. If I were you I would consider putting a white trim piece on the top of the TS, so when it is folded up it blends with the cabinets.

 

[signal15]

For a frame, I'd look for some stainless or aluminum channel, or angle stock, and have the corners of it welded, ground and polished so it looks like a solid piece. I've never really seen a good looking wood frame for one of these, they all turn out looking homemade. Copper might look nice also, but attaching the corners seamlessly will be more problematic with copper. You could braze the inside of it, and fill the outside gaps with Just for Copper brand Epoxy so they are barely noticeable.

The benefit of brazing is you can buy a MAPP/oxy torch for $40 and do it yourself. Otherwise, you either need to have a welder, or pay someone to do the aluminum or stainless for you.

Like TXFlatLander said, white on the bottom area so it blends in is a good idea. But, if the screen sits back far enough when it folds up, you could just put a white lip that hangs down off the front of the cabinet to hide it also. Angle the ends so it blends in, like an upside-down trapezoid, and countersink the screw holes from the bottom.

You may even be able to design something awesome at emachineshop.com and put that on there.

http://www.emachineshop.com

You download their software, design your part, and hit a button to get pricing and buy it. It arrives in the mail a few days later. Awesome.

 

[ASIHome]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. That emachineshop.com looks awesome. It may come in handy with some of my other projects. I have some mohagany, cherry and walnut laying around that I was going to make the frame out of. However a stainless steel look would match the appliances nicely. I was unsure about what to do about covering the screen when folded up. The white piece would work but may look weird with only one cabinet having and extension. I'll post more pics one the frame is done and the PC is i place.

 

[Neurorad]

REALLY cool.

May I ask what control system you'll be using? I think I missed your XP/SP thing.

Will you keep a keyboard nearby? How is the TS cabled?

I agree, you need a piece of white trim on the front of the folded screen

And thanks, Signal, on the emachineshop tip.

 

[pete_c]

Looks very nice.

I used similiar mount for a combo TV/monitor. It's held up well for about 2 years now. Its rarely flipped up though. Using a Mini PC with it with a wireless keyboard combo mouse. My wife still prefers to use the floating laptop though. I don't know if a touch screen would entice her to use the PC though.

 

[DrunkenLizard]

That is nice, been meaning to do something like that for ages.
How deep are your cabinets?

@Petec, I'm guessing if you built in some kind of recipe database or such it would go a long way.

 

[pete_c]

ASIHome,

How's the WAF relating to the touchscreen? Here its more of an acceptance of what exists. My wife does use the PC's in the house to shop, find receipts, email....etc. She most likely would use a a receipt DB on a touchscreen in the kitchen. Regarding HA she likes some "stuff" and other stuff she just accepts. She's fine with using Microsoft media center or the Tivo in the family room. Too much TTS annoys her but on the same note she misses regular TTS chimes if she doesn't here one.

- pete

 

[ASIHome]

The recipes DB is what sold my wife on me getting the screen in the first place. It will have a TV Tuner in it as well so I can still watch football when she calls me in to help. I sold her on the TS becuase she did not want a keyboard/mouse in the kitchen. The biggest reason, $65 for a 15" LCD whether the touch worked or not. I am also planning on using it to control my OmniPro II. I will also have buttons to lock/unlock the front door (Schlage/Vera combo). I am using one of HAI's softwares for the interface now, but am also looking at jonnynine's software.

Neurorad:
The XP/SP thing was just a comment about how freaking long it takes to bring a fresh install of XP Pro v2002 up to current. For the cabling, it will go behind the frame and up into the cabinet. It will then come out of the top of the cabinet to the PC. Power will come from a receptacle that is located in the cabinet above the under cabinet microwave.

 

[pipeman]

I was unsure about what to do about covering the screen when folded up. The white piece would work but may look weird with only one cabinet having and extension.

You could consider under cabinet white moulding around the entire cabinet. I believe that would look good and function well. Add some under cabinet lighting for extra WAF.

I built a frame for my ELO out of 3/4" routed oak, sealed and sanded about 20 times then sprayed black, (I have an equipment rack in one wall of the kitchen). Finish and spray yours to match the cabinetry, it'll look great.

 

[Neurorad]

Thanks again for sharing those pics, everyone.

Our kitchen remodel will probably happen Q1, and I need to cable without any devices in my possession. Attic above and garage below the kitchen helps, but I'd like to get it right.

Thanks for the microwave outlet tip - it's pretty close, as is the electric oven.

 

[pete_c]

Great suggestions and good looking installation!

Thanks for sharing.

Think I can convince her to maybe use a receipt DB. I cabled to the basement mounting the mini-pc in the basement rafters and used rapid run cables for the monitor. I also put a network connection behind the LCD to use the Mini-PC there instead. We are looking to remove the Kitchen counters, replace, tile back splash areas, paint next year. The older you get the slower it goes for me. This past year removed carpeting in dining room and replaced with wood and rebuilt fireplace.

For XP Pro SP3. You can "roll your own" XP Pro with SP3 using nLite. The thing with this will also be to install SATA drivers and change the NTFS checking to null when booting.

-PeteC

 

[sic0048]

For others considering a touch screen solution - you might also conider using the HP thin clients like the t5720 to drive the screen rather than a full blown computer. Originally I had my kitchen touchscreen running as the primary screen of my server (via some extenders). But I switched to a t5720 and couldn't be happier. It has plenty of CPU power to drive my CQC interface including flash weather maps, CCTV IP cameras, and traffic cams. But it consumes a very small amount of power (something like 14 watts) and has a small footprint so it can be easily hidden in a cabinet.

They run XPe which does allow you to install programs on the unit - which is how I installed CQC on it along with my touch screen drivers.

They can be picked up off Ebay (used) for about $100 each. Just try to get something with at least 512mb of flash storage and ram. Both components are upgradable, but it is generally cheaper to buy the unit with them already installed. I personally use a t5720 with 1gb flash and 1gb RAM.

 

[ASIHome]

For now, I have a mid-size tower that will be sitting on top of the cabinets. I know that won't fly for long with the wife, but she wants it up and running. When I can get another $100 out of her, I will looking into the smaller unit.