Having your computer monitor play a video of a roaring fire is good, but somehow I felt like it lacked the authenticity of a real fire. Though seeing a video of a fire evokes some feelings of nostalgia, I was always brought back to reality when I glanced to the side of the screen and saw some reminder that I was only viewing a technological reproduction of the genuine article.
I decided to enclose my monitor with a frame to look like a real fireplace mantle piece, and added in some slowly pulsating lights behind to mimic the soft glow of a burning fire. The entire frame and light assembly slips onto my monitor and can easily be removed after I've finished sipping my hot cocoa.
After having my desktop fireplace running for a few days, I can say that there's a psychological reaction to seeing the fire and feeling the ambiance the back lights give. I feel a warming sensation over my face and body as I type. The feeling is sublime.
Here's what I used to make mine:
Ready to make your own cozy fireplace out of your computer monitor? Let's go!
I decided to enclose my monitor with a frame to look like a real fireplace mantle piece, and added in some slowly pulsating lights behind to mimic the soft glow of a burning fire. The entire frame and light assembly slips onto my monitor and can easily be removed after I've finished sipping my hot cocoa.
After having my desktop fireplace running for a few days, I can say that there's a psychological reaction to seeing the fire and feeling the ambiance the back lights give. I feel a warming sensation over my face and body as I type. The feeling is sublime.
Here's what I used to make mine:
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Ready to make your own cozy fireplace out of your computer monitor? Let's go!
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Signing UpStep 1: Design + measure
I designed my frame to be removable, the frame slips in place over the top of the monitor and covers the entire front and top - there's a small ledge on the backside to keep it secured to the monitor when installed.
I took the overall dimensions of the monitor, along with the thickness, and made sure to make note of the distance between bottom of monitor and bottom of stand.
I took the overall dimensions of the monitor, along with the thickness, and made sure to make note of the distance between bottom of monitor and bottom of stand.
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The mass of the control box was too great, but that great wad of cardboard and wire is fine? Never mind the bare circuit board inviting unintended grounding incidents.
You put the nice frame around your monitor, but couldn't be bothered to have a nice stand to support the monitor?
Bottom line: Nice idea, Nice I'tble but your presentation sucks.
I would have made an extra 'foot' on the frame over the whole width of it, so that the foot of the monitor isn't visible anymore.
That way you wouldn't even have to make the frame hang on the monitor.
To be safe I would 'never' put an electric circuit with that high a voltage open and reachable like you did.
You should have left the circuit in the box. You could have made a hole in the box where the switch is, or you could have connected another safe switch to it.
Other than that it's just a great idea.
sunshiine
I suppose, just for fun, you could video nice fireplaces when you see them and build up a library of 'favourite fireplace' loops and so ring the changes a bit.
It would be cool if you could make the lights brighten and dim at the same rate the fire does. Maybe measure the brightness of each frame and have an Arduino (or similar) connected via USB to control the lights?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qqnk5jy2bA
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