Tri-Colour GX ordered, Some Questions!

[mizpah]

Hi Guys,

Am new to LCD's but have one included in a mod thats being put together (Link).

The idea is currently to mount the screen into a perspex 'false floor' inside the case, but clearly visable from a side window. It may be done a little like the murderbox mod - Link.

So the questions! (apologies there are a few!)

Will the screen have a good enough viewing angle to laid flat (like the image) and viewed from the side ? Or should I consider trying to find a way to have the screen mounted at a 45 degree angle ?

I note the IR reciever, with everything dismantled will I be able to either a) move it elsewhere or b) use a different mce compatible IR reciever and 'connect it' to the unit ? Will it prevent the screen from sitting flush, given the way its going to be mounted ? (essentially I need to find a way to control the unit with no line of sight to the current location of the reciever!)

Can the IR reciever function as the only reciever in a system and provide full MCE functionality over the USB port, or is it oly controllling LCD functions ? ( I assume the former!)

A unit has been ordered in a bay (which will just be chopped up!), should I have been able to order one with no bay, and an internal cable ?

I noticed a post last July, talking about a digital baybus card controlled by the GX, This it seems can control fans ? (I assume provide power and control speed!) Is it out yet, and can I control 9*120mm fans with it ?

And finally, it seems that there were four add on cards planned for it, what are the other three ?

Many thanks in advance, as you can see I have high hopes for the unit!

Mizpah

[mizpah]

Hi Guys,

An update for you!

Although I am still waiting to here more about the baybus, I am also looking at the Mcubed Tbalancer, as fan\ thermal solution. However a big aspect is reporting all of the data back to the Typhoon.

If anyone has the time to check out the mCubed, and let me know if it will 'talk' correctly to the typhoon via its various standards, and\or compare it to the baybus that would be much appreciated.

The thread about the mCubed is here

Thanks,

Mizpah

[mizpah]

I guess these might not be the busiest forums ;-) Is anyone around from Matrix who might be able to give me a steer, or am I better off trying to contact them directly ?

Cheers,

Miz

[Ray]

So the questions! (apologies there are a few!)

Will the screen have a good enough viewing angle to laid flat (like the image) and viewed from the side ? Or should I consider trying to find a way to have the screen mounted at a 45 degree angle ?

The display has about a 60 degree viewing angle both horizontal and vertically so you'd most likely have to find a way to mount it at an angle.

I note the IR reciever, with everything dismantled will I be able to either a) move it elsewhere or b) use a different mce compatible IR reciever and 'connect it' to the unit ? Will it prevent the screen from sitting flush, given the way its going to be mounted ? (essentially I need to find a way to control the unit with no line of sight to the current location of the reciever!)

The IR sensor is mounted on the actual PCB next to the display, if you look at the pictures in this topic its the square silver part with the black dot left of the display in the seconds picture. Removing any parts would naturally void your warranty. You can always buy a separate IR receiver like the little black box Microsoft sells.

Can the IR reciever function as the only reciever in a system and provide full MCE functionality over the USB port, or is it oly controllling LCD functions ? ( I assume the former!)

The GX implements the Microsoft MCE remote receiver specifications, so it will work perfectly with MCE. There are a couple of side notes though:

1) Microsoft only publishes the IR specifications for use by third parties for Windows Vista, so the remote will work with Vista but not with Media center 2005 we'd like to support it, but we can't.

2) Since GX only implements the receiver specifications and not the IR Blaster part it cannot change channels on your set top box, we will have an add on board in the future thats support IR Blasting.

A unit has been ordered in a bay (which will just be chopped up!), should I have been able to order one with no bay, and an internal cable ?

All GX'es come with a PC-Bay and a regular A to B cable, other ordering options are not available at the moment. The GX is fairly easy removable from its bay though just remove 4 screws and you're done

I noticed a post last July, talking about a digital baybus card controlled by the GX, This it seems can control fans ? (I assume provide power and control speed!) Is it out yet, and can I control 9*120mm fans with it ?

The bay bus card is not done yet, it will be able to control your fans without any problems but I'm sadly at the moment unable to comment on a release date for this card.

And finally, it seems that there were four add on cards planned for it, what are the other three ?

The PCBay has place for 4 add on boards, we will release a couple such as the baybus one but also ones with GPIO's that allow you to drive leds and such and a couple more I'm unable to comment on at this point in time.

We are also in the process of finding a proper license for the GX bus that allows customers to design their own add on boards in the future.

Although I am still waiting to here more about the baybus, I am also looking at the Mcubed Tbalancer, as fan\ thermal solution. However a big aspect is reporting all of the data back to the Typhoon.

If anyone has the time to check out the mCubed, and let me know if it will 'talk' correctly to the typhoon via its various standards, and\or compare it to the baybus that would be much appreciated.

The GX can run lcd studio which basicly allows you to create your own designs using a drag and drop system, somebody wrote a LcdStudio plugin for the mCubed, see this topic on the LcdStudio forums for more info.

I guess these might not be the busiest forums ;-)

Sorry for the long time you had to wait, didn't check the forums on friday, my bad, sorry

[mizpah]

Thanks Ray,

I appreciate the reply

Just to clarify, it looks as if I will need to 'chop off' the IR from the PCB in order to fit the screen flush to a perspex false floor (and just display the screen). This is possible, but will void the warranty, however is seems that you can can trim the edge of the PCB without damaging the screen element.

Many thanks for the mCubed link, I think timescale wise, thats my solution. I am looking forwards to playing with this!

Thanks,

Miz

[Ray]

The pcb is about 10-15 mm wider then the actual display on both sides, but since there's a couple of components on the back on both extentions I strongly advice against trimming that off, cutting the actual IR sensor off the pcb will void your warrenty but hey it's your unit can't stop you from doing it and the unit will mostlikely survive that operation (still you are doing it at your own risk) trimming off the excess pcb will definitly destroy your unit, still can't stop you doing it, but other then a paperweight the unit is pretty much worthless after doing that so I really really really advice against doing that

[mizpah]

Thanks ray,

Thats precisely what I was trying to clarify, surgery to the IR to allow it to fit flush it is then!