usb video player but need help

[chadcakes]

OK, I would like to build a small and cheap video player except instead of playing dvd's I would like it to play video files off a usb flash drive.

I don't really know what I need to run a flash drive to a small lcd screen.

Will I need a processor, and a motherboard? basically an entire computer, making it impossible to make it small and cheap.

My idea is to put a small linux operating system and video player onto the flash drive. I'm guessing its not that easy though.

So if someone could help me out I would be very thankfull. I need to know what exactly it would take, or if its even possible. Im a college student majoring in electronics robotics and automation. I also have a little access to computer parts.

 

[gabeNC]

What's your experience like? I've been doing programming for 15 years and component level electronics for about a year and i'm not that ambitious. Video decoding is complicated, i can just imagine how much more when interfacing hardware.

google "embedded linux". here's one for the low price of $499

**broken link removed**

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Many iPods can play video some even hi-def.

 

[chadcakes]

I am taking a C programming class now but thats it. One of my teachers I asked about it said it would probably be alot of coding as well. I was hoping there would be a way around it. I realize there are mp3 players that play movies I was just hoping I could rig something up with a flash drive a video screen and a few parts.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I am taking a C programming class now but thats it. One of my teachers I asked about it said it would probably be alot of coding as well. I was hoping there would be a way around it. I realize there are mp3 players that play movies I was just hoping I could rig something up with a flash drive a video screen and a few parts.

No, you're essentially building a PC from scratch - silly idea!.

 

[xiptron]

I can understand your enthusiasm although it's misplaced. When I was about 9 y.o. and gaining interest in radios and electronics (which wasn't a fashionable word in 1959!) I found a thick radio book in the library. It was mostly theory and mathmatics and way beyond my knowledge. However, toward the back there was a circuit diagram for valve oscilloscope - of course it was complicated and I didn't have a clue how to, but I wanted to build it!!! I used to dream of watching small green pictures on a 3" tube. Of course I never did, and despite over 40 years working in radio and tv, I never will (but I did build a xtal set lol). Now I marvel at an 'ipod', MP4 player or any other of today's micro devices that DO produce video on a small, portable screen. I have seen at least three decades of technological development and huge financial input into producing these and other seemingly impossible wizardry (including computers) so commonplace today. So listen to the others on this page - you ALONE cannot achieve what you want to do - unless you were a big development company with untold $$$$ to spend. The "few parts" you imagine you need are a long, long way from the millions of transistors and incredibly complex circuitry contained in the microchips and IC's that go into making that ipod produce that picture - ok? There's no point in re-inventing the wheel.

 

[Triode]

The easiest way to do this would be to get a Wii, install the homebrew channel, instal the video player for the homebrew channel, put your movie on a big SD card, and you have it. $200, but thats the cheapest way so far, plus you get a wii.