Home-Made e-book reader possible?
The Doctor
Posts: 37
I would like to make my own color version of the Amazon Kindle.· I want a Kindle, but can't see dumping the kind of cash that they want.· I also think having something like this home-made would be cool!
What I am starting with is several .pdf documents I have converted to .png and .jpg files using GhostScript.· What I would like to do is display these files on a 7" or so LCD screen.· Here's what I think I would need:
1)· A flash card reader which could read .jpg or .png files.
2)· A 7" or so LCD screen, 640X480? resolution
3)· A microcontroller (STAMP) to control it all
4)· Lots of batteries.· :-)
What I am thinking of is to have a menu displayed when the unit is first powered on that shows the files/folders stored on the card.· Two buttons could move a highlight bar up/down the list, while a third would act as an "Enter" key to open the file.· Obviously the file would be bigger than the screen, so·I was thinking the 7" screen would be wide enough, but the image would have to be scrolled up/down.··Once a file was open the two highlight buttons would become scroll up/down, while the third button would become·"Open next file".
I am a decent coder, so I think I could handle writing the menus and such, but I don't know about the hardware, and if the Stamp could handle something like this.· It would have to scroll/change pages fast enough so that the natural flow of reading isn't too terribly impacted.
Ideas/thoughts/comments/suggestions?
What I am starting with is several .pdf documents I have converted to .png and .jpg files using GhostScript.· What I would like to do is display these files on a 7" or so LCD screen.· Here's what I think I would need:
1)· A flash card reader which could read .jpg or .png files.
2)· A 7" or so LCD screen, 640X480? resolution
3)· A microcontroller (STAMP) to control it all
4)· Lots of batteries.· :-)
What I am thinking of is to have a menu displayed when the unit is first powered on that shows the files/folders stored on the card.· Two buttons could move a highlight bar up/down the list, while a third would act as an "Enter" key to open the file.· Obviously the file would be bigger than the screen, so·I was thinking the 7" screen would be wide enough, but the image would have to be scrolled up/down.··Once a file was open the two highlight buttons would become scroll up/down, while the third button would become·"Open next file".
I am a decent coder, so I think I could handle writing the menus and such, but I don't know about the hardware, and if the Stamp could handle something like this.· It would have to scroll/change pages fast enough so that the natural flow of reading isn't too terribly impacted.
Ideas/thoughts/comments/suggestions?
Comments
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
This means that the batteries can last freak'n forever.
It also has some crappy internet capabilities and can store something like 1500 ebooks.
I agree it's overpriced though. It's been reported that they charge 3x the production cost.
Personally, I use my Nintendo DS-lite as an e-book reader (you only need a $30 add-on and a micro-SD card to make it all work. PM me if you need info).
With a prop and a very expensive set of equipment, it's possible to do what you want. It would most likely end up being cheaper to get a Kindle though.
A BS2 can possibly do it with plain text only though if you use a text-only LCD.