Retro DVD Player

An old vintage radio transformed into a slot loading DVD player. The 4 buttons control power, play/pause, stop, and eject and it can also be controlled via remote control.

Step 1 The Original DVD Player and Radio Case

I got the case from a vintage radio repair man in town. The DVD player is a slot loading Insignia model http://www.insignia-products.com/p-140-insignia-progressive-scan-dvd-player-with-hdmi-output.aspx which I picked up for $50 at Best Buy. I needed a slot loading DVD player for this project and was a little surprised to find there are not that many slot loading DVD players on the market.

Comments

[bricabracwizard]

Absolutely great instructable and a good looking DVD player, now if you can only mod the remote control to look as if it came from the same period.

[Golem100]

This is a fabulous project!  I love the way the slot load doesn't require cutting into the case. 

Now, what would be even cooler would be to take a car DVD player and have the radio dial fold back out of the way so the screen could slide out and pop up.

[davidprosser]

Great project!!! I love re-casing stuff like this. Although I prefer the older look, so would use a yellowy LED or incandescant bulb instead of a blue LED. Also you could mount the DVD display where the original display is possibly.

[solis365]

I'm not sure what the backing material is on that dial, but if you got some yellowed/faded parchment that matched it and put it right behind the glass, then mounted some amber LEDs behind that, it would give a nice yellow "incandescent"-ish glow, so long as the amber LEDs were properly diffused (you'd probably have to get a diffuser or sand them. the parchment would help with diffusion as well.) I can see it now, watching a movie in a dark room, with this little box sitting in the corner emitting a little warm light... classy!

[Phoghat]

Not only that, but if you could get some kind of fiber board resembling that which was originally used for these old radios and cut out a space for the display. Hey alinke, you do good.

[alinke]

thanks for the feedback Dave

[easyrider8]

Seems a shame to destroy a $100.00 radio to make a $29.00 DVD player

[alinke]

just the radio case was purchased, nothing was destroyed

[Phoghat]

No radios were harmed in making this Instructable?

[N1CK4ND0]

This is my type of Instructable haha. But knowing me it would end up looking like $#!T.

[tinkernaut]

Great job! As a long-time electronics re-casing DYIer, I really appreciated this project! Keep up the good work (and post the instructables)!

[pyrocop1]

I really like the old radio cabinet. I think a whole computer system would be cool.

[DIY Dave]

cool

[AT]

Very nice! Next you should take an old TV case and put an LDC panel into it.

[noelix]

Cool. Looks fairly complex though, I think I'd need a little more hand-holding if I were to attempt it myself! For your next task you should make a home theater pc in one of those old radios!

[Peter3D]

Cool ! Why not use a 'standard' DVD player, mount it a bit recessed and glue a piece of veneer, that matches the type of wood of the case, on the front of it. Gives you a bit more freedom.

[alinke]

thanks for the feedback, that would have been a lot easier probably could have been done without taking everything apart but I really wanted slot loading

[CowGuy]

Awesome! I'm so gonna make one!

[Brennn10]

Cool! Well done!