An ambitious project idea for an "eGPU"

[Nightblade]

So, go back 2-3 months to when I was waiting for my S4M to come in, I was thinking of ways to make a portable desktop.

@Pedro I've been thinking. While your idea of pillaging a screen from a dead laptop would be a great idea, the problem becomes fitting a case for it. Unless you want to spend more money trying to make the case for the screen, what about getting a laptop, thin or not, and simply leave the screen inside the laptop bezel and do one of two things:

1. take everything out of the base and place the control board in there instead(including the keyboard, unless you have a board that can convert the keyboard to a usb plug). use the extra space to put speakers, batteries, a storage for a keyboard, whatever.

2. the other option is to still take everything out, but instead, chop/slim the base down enough to fit the control board, and some speakers. add a support on the back of the screen. Then cut some material to cover the now gaping hole and glue it/mount it together.

Combine both ideas.

I know that you can buy circuit board enclosures but if you could re-purpose the main Laptop frame (after gutting it) to house the board for the screen it kills 2 birds with 1 stone. Also, re-using the screens bezel saves a bunch of work so you don't need to build a custom frame.

OR OR!!! You take the screen, flip it around on the laptop and the base of the laptop acts as the screens stand and doesn't extend into what would be your keyboard space.

@SeñorDonut The problem with not chopping the base up and just taking out the computer components is that you pretty much have a laptop and essentially a giant sized eGPU. My biggest complaints with laptops is that the keyboard and touchpad are fixed to the laptop. Yes, having it fixed like that does make it easier to use while in your lap(although they tell you not to actually use a laptop in your lap) I might consent to the idea if it the source laptop was something really thin like a chromebook.

Although looking at chromebooks on craigslist.. I see some that are going for $50, but they only have 11" screens.

Also, if you were able to get the trackpad converted, you could take the keyboard out, and purchase a mechanical keyboard that fits the hole left by the original keyboard. if you could some how mount it in there, the keys shouldn't prevent the monitor from closing, which means the keyboard would have to sit lower than the original keyboard did. Or, if you weren't able to mount it, you could make it so that it could sit in the hole and be used like that, or taken out and adjusted to your liking.



Edit: If you did option 2, you would obviously need to make a stand for the display, since the bulk of the weight would be gone. This guy for his portable usb monitor used some velcro, a 4 inch tee hinge, and some rubber spray to make a stand. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FE690DI/?tag=theminutiae-20 (click the image in the reviews to see the post)

While I still wish I had gone with the old laptop idea and done some modding, I ultimately just bought a 60% mechanical keyboard and a 15" monitor from amazon.

IRL, I was explaining to my co-worker(we work in the Micro Maintenance Service of the IT department at my school) about the Lapdock and how I wish there was something like that for my new desktop.


What if I were to take this concept and have a eGPU version and a non-eGPU version(which is the original version discussed in the quotes)

Would it be possible to take an old laptop(the base has to be thick enough) take all the components out(except for the screen and the inverter) put the control board in there, along with a desktop grade graphics card, but remove the original heatsink & cooling fans, then reuse(if possible) the heatsink and fan for the original CPU and mount it to the graphics card? A thunderbolt board would also be used. as for power, either reuse the dc connections or install a dc/dc such as the HDPLEX 400w. Keyboard would either have the ends re-soldered and converted to a usb female and/or bluetooth wireless control board.


Not sure if this would work as the heatsink for a CPU and GPU have different mounting points. Also there is a concern of it simply throttling due to not being able to cool a desktop grade GPU.


What this would be used for:
Lets say I use a NUC for daily computing, but am dissatisfied that while I like how small the computer is, it isn't portable, unless I want to carry around a mouse, keyboard and a big monitor.
I also do not wish to purchase a notebook/laptop, as I want to have one machine and don't want to have to deal with the hassle of transferring files between the two.
With this "mod" I would make my NUC portable.

 

[1461748123]

Good idea, but even if you can cool a desktop-grade gpu in such a small space, you will likely need a custom cooling solution. Also, its surprisingly hard to turn a laptop's internal keyboard to an external USB keyboard, since the keyboard on a laptop typically don't have a control chip and rely on the laptop's motherboard to process the inputs.

 

[AleksandarK]

Also, its surprisingly hard to turn a laptop's internal keyboard to an external USB keyboard, since the keyboard on a laptop typically don't have a control chip and rely on the laptop's motherboard to process the inputs.

And use proprietary connection to laptop. It CAN(if you are master) be turned into USB or PS2, but it usually couldnt be done, as there are lot more wires carrying different signals, than USB or PS2 take.

 

[Nightblade]

wouldn't it just be easier to place a 60% usb keyboard in instead with a usb hub mounted internally?

 

[AleksandarK]

wouldn't it just be easier to place a 60% usb keyboard in instead with a usb hub mounted internally?

Laptop keyboard is SUPER thin (5-10mm) and having a PCB to house a USB control chip is going to take at least as much space. So it is best to use the existing space on motherboard PCB to house the controller. Just put the connector on the keyboard and have few wires going to the motherboard. That way you minimize space without adding much complexity.

 

[DelUser6216]

My search for the thiccest laptop has not been satisfied, therefore this is lil'a hard. Laptops have very custom mounting, so you gotta break the status quo man, build an enclosure!

I see you talking about an eGPU yo, so put an HDPLEX 160 OR HDPLEX 400 (depends on GPU power consumption), mini ITX motherboard, 23mm cooler, and SSD into a wooden (or acrylic) box, get some 12 watt speakers ripped out of a bluetooth speaker and an amp board, get a display controller (learn about it) and display of YOUR choosing, and leave the 6+2 PCIE connector outside a little hole in the case. Now just straight up plug in the gpu to the 6 pin, (I prefer gtx 1060 and below) and connect the hdmi to the controller board in the case if you hadn't already. Oh yeah, and the keyboard, get a "teensy" controller. No need for gpu enclosure, just... stick the gpu in yer waistband or somethin'.

Now this is pretty hard, but your concept... is even harder. If you do it your way, I give you this.
https://github.com/thedalles77/Pi_Teensy_Laptop
All in all it depends on how much you bid this as a hobby.

The final product I make should look like the link I have here. I have a lot of great-artist-steal-iness passion for this project: https://hackaday.io/project/15236-slabtop-portable-desktop-replacement-enclosure

In the image the done 6 pinned gpu should connect via video connector to the display board.

 

[Pedro]

And use proprietary connection to laptop. It CAN(if you are master) be turned into USB or PS2, but it usually couldnt be done, as there are lot more wires carrying different signals, than USB or PS2 take.

Yes, I looked into this too. It seems like different keyboard manufacturers have different scanning algorithms so you cant simply plug any keyboard into any controller. I looked into trying to get a laptop keyboard to output to USB/PS2 and its no easy tasks. Heck, most of the time the pitch on the wires in the keyboard ribbon cable are proprietary as well. You are better off just getting a keyboard that fits in your laptop chassis and framing it in.

 

[Nightblade]

@Pedro I was thinking the same thing. Getting a usb keyboard to fit in the laptop chassis seems way easier. I was thinking of going to my Uni's Surplus store/warehouse and picking up a 15" laptop(regardless of resolution) and then buying a lcd panel assembly(thats at least 1080p res) with control board and trying to fit it into the housing. Although I'm worried that the assembly wouldn't fit due to different mounting holes, but there are Dell models of laptops where they make two different variants of resolution for the same model. So maybe I could get one that's like that and just upgrade the panel to a 1080p one?

Either that, or just try to get a a desktop monitor and do the same thing. After all, I can pick up a used desktop monitor for like 40$

 

[Pedro]

Everything inside a laptop chassis seems very proprietary. Meaning I doubt the same mounting bracket for the original LCD will work with another LCD of similar size but Higher resolution.

I am just doing the Laptop conversion because its cheep...

• Laptop was Free
• LCD controller board + power brick is ~$50 shipped
• The random fabrication material I will need to will be minimal. Heck if the chassis becomes weak after I strip the guts out I am going to buy a HDPE Cutting board from IKEA and screw it into the chassis for structural support.
• The mini usb keyboard will be $10.

There will be nicer ways to do this (1080p lcd displays, mechanical 60% keyboards) but there is almost no way you can do it cheaper. Again, proof of concept. If this works & I don't mind traveling with it maybe then I will consider throwing more money at the next Rev.

I have about buying a 15-17" 1080p screen and building a lower chassis with a keyboard and mounting the monitor on a hinge to it. You can get super cheap monitors on craigslist. However the Monitor you buy will add cost, in addition it will be far thicker then the LCD screen from the laptop. Also you would need to fully fabricate the lower chassis that you mount your keyboard in. Extra work, but doable if you are handy (which I am not).

 

[Pedro]

....Aaaand I broke controller board on the back of the screen as I removed it from the laptop case.

Good job Pedro! On the hunt for another laptop screen.

Seriously considered the GeChic 1305H if i continue to have stupid issues.

 

[Nightblade]

If you are going to buy a screen, you might as well get the one I reviewed. USB powered and its 2k for $200.
https://smallformfactor.net/reviews...ultra-slim-ips-13-3-inch-portable-led-monitor

There's also another one someone else recommended in the same thread for $145 but its only 1080p. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0787RF8YB/?tag=theminutiae-20