The Aliens Legacy
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Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
http://forum.alienslegacy.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17180		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Hawkins [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Hello fellow Marines,

to add something to new our next GerCM Table i decided to bring on a Grid Case, of course not the Compass II which i wouldn´t dare to open ;-)

My Choice was a 1520, due the large Display and the relatively good availability.

Getting a not functioning one over Ebay, i first thought about using a Tablet inserted into the Display Case, but i had second thoughts since its not seemed comfortable.

Finally, i changed my mind for a combination of a raspberry PI and a cheap 9" display from china, retro-fitting the GRID to new glory.

The raspberry is a cheap, cigarette pack-sized one Circuit-board pc with 4 USB connectors, HDMI & Line Out. Also capable of providing WiFi & Blutooth.

It offers a desktop like software and several Media Center (all will be chosen & downloaded during first install via WiFi)

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Step One:

Gutting out the Hell of the GRID

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With the old Interior removed, its time to test the new one. The Display uses a 12Volt adapter and the Raspberry PI 5Volt (in fact nothing else than a typical USB loading device for your cellphone). With that in mind i decided to only use the 12Volt Display Poweradapter only and branch the circuit to power up a car USB Adapter, which will then power the Raspberry PI.

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I removed the old diplay out of its housing also, installed a foambord as cover, glued the display on and spray-painted the whole thing anthracite to match the GRID as good as possible...cutting a small crack to put the connector foil (sorry no Photos of this step ) inside the housing where the driver board sits...

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I used the given openings to install the power & HDMI cable into the display housing, also used the GRID´s own power adapter connector & main power switch...I wanted to GRID to be as Original as possible ;-)


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The extra mile : Using the Original Keyboard

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With the Raspberry only using USB devices i needed to create a USB Converter for the original Keyboard... using a Teensy 2.0, a pre-templated program, some cable & soldering. First i test the keyboard to create a matrix of which buttons connects .. than adapt the program template and loaded it into the teensy...

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And here it is.. my newest toy for my fan boy Empire :-) If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask...Thomas



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Author:  stimpy [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thats really awesome! Nice prop!
Author:  TripD [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Love this build! Fan of rasberry pi, I might have to give this a try.
Author:  Moosh89 [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
That is amazing!! Such a fantastic piece for a table at an event!
Author:  577_ops [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 7:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Thanks Thomas! Well done.
The Sentry Flash runs great. Happy to have seen it in action.
Author:  schotti [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Amazing work Thomas! I was also Verry pleased to have seen this in person:)
Now all you need is a sentry gun :D
Author:  TECKNO VIKING [ Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
"OUTSTANDING. All we need is a Deck of cards"

Superb job.
Author:  Hawkins [ Sun Nov 26, 2017 12:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for your kind words..

The Sentry Gun Terminal was one of so many iconic objects in Cameron´s aliens and with the Blu-Ray Release, now almost everyone should have watched the Special Edition...learning about those sentry guns "Kick-Ass" ... pretty sure convention visitors will recognize this Prop (even not 100% SA)

Thomas
Author:  retrogarde [ Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
That is a thing of beauty!
Author:  knoxvilles_joker [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:51 am ]
Post subject: 
What did you ise for boot script and software for media plauback on the pi?
Author:  Hawkins [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 5:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re:
knoxvilles_joker wrote:
What did you ise for boot script and software for media plauback on the pi?


Code for the Keyboard:
I found a Website including the Template on Instrutables.com , where it is described step by step (the first tutorial i understood for real after looking for weeks)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Any-Vintage-Keyboard-Work-With-a-Modern-PC/

Just use a Voltmeter connecting both ribbon cables branches (one for input & one for output) and press the keys one by one. Note the pins which are connecting for each Key and adapt to the matrix in the boot script.

OS for the Raspberry PI:
The Raspberry PI itself offers several OS to choose from when it is setup for the 1st time ( including Raspbian & in my Case OSMC for Media Files ).
You have to install a Flash Player called "Gnash" for the Sentry Gun Flash Animation.


Thomas
Author:  Corp_Hicks [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:31 am ]
Post subject: 
That is absolutely awesome! Fantastic work!
Author:  TECKNO VIKING [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh the SENTRY gun will go down brilliantly with the public.

NSC events we had Simon's SENTRY gun up and running and that was awesome. Plus on the display tables working SENTURY Grids.
So Germany will be in a Very Pleasant treat with your hard work :D
Author:  Dropshipbob [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Awesome work! I wish I had the know-how to do this to mine.
Author:  gman666 [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
This is great! Does anyone think we can get a working Grid to run a program without gutting it? I really do not want to tear mine apart. I know this was talked about in the past.

Thanks!

Greg
Author:  SimonT [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Cool beans, would love to do this myself, but wouldn't know where to begin!!!
Author:  Hawkins [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Thank you all for you overwhelming response ...

To be frank, i don´t know jack about programming c-code, boot scripts and stuff like this...but i learned a lot from youtube & google in the last 5 weeks...

for the mechanical side it´s easy when you start carefully dismantle the whole grid.. first pop off the 2 screw covers on the backside..remove the screws.. then pull the upper metal cover towards the display case...try not to lose any screws ;-) ...and then move on...removing the circuit boards & Hard disk...

be careful when you pop off the frames of the keyboard & the Display case.. its very thin plastic....

I maybe make a little youtube video if this will encourage you...
Author:  Dropshipbob [ Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
gman666 wrote:
This is great! Does anyone think we can get a working Grid to run a program without gutting it? I really do not want to tear mine apart. I know this was talked about in the past.

Thanks!

Greg


If you had the right program, maybe. But no one's been able to do that with ONLY a gridcase, and nothing modern...which leads some to suspect that what we saw in the movie was maybe NOT being run on the gridcase itself.
Author:  Noble [ Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
AWESOME!!

Coolest project here in awhile.


User Klyball wrote an accurate program to run on a compass / gridcase.

It only lacks audio.


Does the Flash program have audio? Can't remember.
Author:  gman666 [ Tue Nov 28, 2017 2:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Noble wrote:
User Klyball wrote an accurate program to run on a compass / gridcase.

It only lacks audio.


My Grid case 2 plus does not have a disk drive. Would it work on mine? I know I would have to manually put it in.

Thanks!

Greg
Author:  Noble [ Tue Nov 28, 2017 2:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Klyball has his program on eprom, which is easily installed into an available slot.

(removable door above the keyboard)
Author:  gman666 [ Tue Nov 28, 2017 3:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
Noble wrote:
Klyball has his program on eprom, which is easily installed into an available slot.

(removable door above the keyboard)

How do you get one? Does he sell?

Thanks!

Greg
Author:  knoxvilles_joker [ Tue Nov 28, 2017 4:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
gman666 wrote:
This is great! Does anyone think we can get a working Grid to run a program without gutting it? I really do not want to tear mine apart. I know this was talked about in the past.

Thanks!

Greg


I wish I got more pics of your unit...

There is supposedly an expansion slot for a floppy drive?
Author:  gman666 [ Wed Nov 29, 2017 1:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Grid Conversion / Retrofit (Sorry, Picture-Heavy)
knoxvilles_joker wrote:
gman666 wrote:
This is great! Does anyone think we can get a working Grid to run a program without gutting it? I really do not want to tear mine apart. I know this was talked about in the past.

Thanks!

Greg


I wish I got more pics of your unit...

There is supposedly an expansion slot for a floppy drive?


No slot just a connection port.

Thanks!

Greg
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