The old Asus VX7 Lamborghini is still a lovely designed Laptop - even though it is not really a "laptop" due to its size and weight. However, besides the design, the VX7 has a real crisp monitor which can still compete with the modern hardware.
For a few years, I've been thinking on how to modernize this beautiful old laptop since there is no easy upgrade. There are no modern laptop motherboards that will interface with the old hardware. I was stuck until I found this article: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-USB-Laptop-Keyboard-Controller/
If I manage to convert this old laptop into a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse), I'd be half way there: The most important step was actually quite easy, I found a video controller board (B156HW01 v.5) for under €30 online. Thus, I was able to run the monitor with any kind of graphic input.
Next was the keyboard: in the article mentioned above, they rely heavily on the Teensy LC board, which can't be found anymore. The newer Teensy 4 boards are too pricey. I manged to find a Teensy 2.0 board, for which there is no support in the above article. I will make a separate post on the keyboard and how to get it to work as a USB keyboard soon.
The touchpad of the VX7 is very complicated since it is combined with the four status LEDs. But since it isn't supporting multitouch, I ordered an inexpensive external USB multitouch touchpad. I will have to figure out on how to replace the original with this one.
Finally, the webcam and the SD-card reader are already USB, I will just have to figure out the wiring. I have an old 4 port USB 2 hub which I intend to use to combine keyboard, keypad, webcam and SD-card reader.
If I get to this stage, I will have all the hardware useable for a modern single board computer. To assemble it into the old shell, I will have to Dremel cut all the internals plus the sides with the connectors from the housing. To reassemble the laptop, I want to 3D print new parts to integrate the new boards inside the housing and adapt the sides for the new ports.
Even if this sound quite easy, it will be a lengthy and quite complex process which will take me months since I have lots of other things to worry about.
Finally, there is the big question of which single board computer to choose: I kind of like the idea to get a LattePanda Sigma, which has for €575 a real good computing power: 13th gen Intel Core i5-1340P, 16 GB LPDDR5- 6400 RAM, 2 x 2.5 GB Ethernet, 4 x M.2 key, HDMI 2.1, 2 x thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB 3.2 gen 2 and 2 x USB 2. I could run Ubuntu and W11 in dual boot without any worries. Thus, for some DIY and under €700 I would have a kind of brand-new laptop.
What do you think? Which single board computer would you suggest? And finally, do you want me to share the experience?
Kindly BeePee
For a few years, I've been thinking on how to modernize this beautiful old laptop since there is no easy upgrade. There are no modern laptop motherboards that will interface with the old hardware. I was stuck until I found this article: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-USB-Laptop-Keyboard-Controller/
If I manage to convert this old laptop into a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse), I'd be half way there: The most important step was actually quite easy, I found a video controller board (B156HW01 v.5) for under €30 online. Thus, I was able to run the monitor with any kind of graphic input.
Next was the keyboard: in the article mentioned above, they rely heavily on the Teensy LC board, which can't be found anymore. The newer Teensy 4 boards are too pricey. I manged to find a Teensy 2.0 board, for which there is no support in the above article. I will make a separate post on the keyboard and how to get it to work as a USB keyboard soon.
The touchpad of the VX7 is very complicated since it is combined with the four status LEDs. But since it isn't supporting multitouch, I ordered an inexpensive external USB multitouch touchpad. I will have to figure out on how to replace the original with this one.
Finally, the webcam and the SD-card reader are already USB, I will just have to figure out the wiring. I have an old 4 port USB 2 hub which I intend to use to combine keyboard, keypad, webcam and SD-card reader.
If I get to this stage, I will have all the hardware useable for a modern single board computer. To assemble it into the old shell, I will have to Dremel cut all the internals plus the sides with the connectors from the housing. To reassemble the laptop, I want to 3D print new parts to integrate the new boards inside the housing and adapt the sides for the new ports.
Even if this sound quite easy, it will be a lengthy and quite complex process which will take me months since I have lots of other things to worry about.
Finally, there is the big question of which single board computer to choose: I kind of like the idea to get a LattePanda Sigma, which has for €575 a real good computing power: 13th gen Intel Core i5-1340P, 16 GB LPDDR5- 6400 RAM, 2 x 2.5 GB Ethernet, 4 x M.2 key, HDMI 2.1, 2 x thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB 3.2 gen 2 and 2 x USB 2. I could run Ubuntu and W11 in dual boot without any worries. Thus, for some DIY and under €700 I would have a kind of brand-new laptop.
What do you think? Which single board computer would you suggest? And finally, do you want me to share the experience?
Kindly BeePee
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