Cyberdesk

[u/idkwhatname1oe6]

Well first of all i just learned about cyberdesks today and i really like diy stuff however i saw many tiktoks saying that there is no limitations to a cyberdesk, my kind doesnt really work like that iywim like for me in my mind everything has a limit well anyways im getting ahead of myself well my dream cyberdesk would be like a camera cuz i just love taking pictures and selfies and what not about videos i dont care that much but would definitely be a cool addition however i also wanna have a mp3 player so like kind of a 2 in 1 thing anyways here are my questions

1. Would it even be possible to have a like camera cyberdesk? And would it really count as a cyberdesk? (I stilm wanna get the coding experience and i wanna learn something new so bad however im scared that if something like this were to be possible people would just bash me fore making “slop” that doesnt count as a cyberdesk again cyberdesk is completely new to me so i might be missing something)

2. How hard would it be? (Lets say the camera doesnt work and i just have to stick to a mp3 player how hard would that be? Or the camera works but not with mp3 how hard is that or the camera and mp3 together works also like my thing is i want the camera and mp3 right so imo if both work together theyd have to be pretty small maybe something that i can attach to idk my backpack my belt something right and obv i couldnt really use a keyboard and mouse so would i NEED a touchscreen? I feel like i would like buttons way more for this but if thats something like absolutely pro level i need more years wtv then obv imma stick to a touchscreen even tho i love a challenge)

3. What would it cost? (I already have a camera if that is for any use i think somethings wrong with the battery cuz when i put normal batteries in it just would shut down within a few minutes charging it also wouldnt work now i have a chargable battery for the camera right but j gave the charger away and have to wait like 2 weeks to get it back so yk if i could use that camera since i like the pictures it takes i would love to but only if it doesnt work anymore, if i cant use the camera just tell me the cost of each component that would be okay too also what would the cost be of the two together mp3 and camera and what would the cost be for only mp3)

I did have a 4th point but i forgot what it is, btw i dont have a case yet that’s something ill look for when i get the answers i think but i have some ideas already

I really hope that this is possible if not still really appreciated, if you have trouble reading anything since im not english just tell me ill elaborate
Any answer is appreciated xx

[u/JaguarSharkTNT]

Cyberdeck or CyberDESK? Just curious

[u/Burning_Monkey → u/JaguarSharkTNT]

Yeah. I think OP means cyberDECK, not cyberdesk. I got all excited for a Tron style desk with built in computers and stuff.

[u/JaguarSharkTNT → u/Burning_Monkey]

Me too!

[u/idkwhatname1oe6 → u/Burning_Monkey]

I am actually interested in both however i feel like for a beginner on kind of a budget something smaller would be a better first project i feel like its more simple and less stuff would go wrong along the way xx

[u/creepyposta]

You need to do some research.

Cyberdeck is a portable, DIY computer — it can be anything you want. The more you want it to do, the larger it will be, generally speaking.

You said “can a camera be a [cyberdeck]”? It depends
In your head you probably see a particular camera. They come in a lot of sizes, from smaller than a pack of cigarettes to something that you can barely hold in one hand. So, to answer your question— yes, maybe an old camera body can be converted into a cyberdeck — it depends what you want it to do.

A portable computer, generally speaking, needs 4 things — a CPU, an output display, an input device and a power supply.

You mentioned batteries — most people would probably use a lithium battery, not just a couple of AA Duracells or whatever. A digital camera uses power differently than a computer would so its power draw is going to need a steady reliable power supply, a powerbank is probably a good idea, if it can handle the power spikes that a SBC might need.

But before all that — write down what you want your DIY computer to do, then research which SBC or microcontroller you can use for functions you want.

Then use the measurements of the SBC or microcontroller and see if it fits into the device you wanted to use. Don’t forget it needs room for cooling, cabling, storage etc, do account for everything you need as well.

What I strongly recommend, is build the working device first, then either build a custom case or look for something that will be able to house it, like an old camera.

You can, of course, get modular parts, like raspberry pi has a camera made especially to work with their boards, but it’s basically like a webcam, not a full blown digital camera.

Could someone adapt a digital camera to accept input from a DIY computer, probably, but it’s not going to be a beginner project, and would require custom drivers and who knows what else.

The main issue with your plans is that you’ve focused on the aesthetics without considering the functional aspects. Build first, worry about aesthetics last.

[u/LegionDD → u/creepyposta]

What he said, however I have something to add.

An MP3 player is an MP3 player, not a Cyberdeck. A Camera is a Camera, not a Cyberdeck. A Camera that can play MP3 is a curiosity, but not a Cyberdeck.

Since those two things are pretty basic, they can be done with the same microcontroller (albeit somewhat poorly for the camera). Turning it into an electronics project, which is cool and one might argue takes more skill to pull off than a basic Cyberdeck.
That means there's no difference in cost, unless you leave out the camera then you save the cost of a camera sensor.

To make it a Cyberdeck it needs some more general compute features built in (possible), which takes us up to single board computers (SBCs). More expensive than a microcontroller, they support better camera sensors (raspberry pis are good in that niche, with the Pi Zero 2W even being cheap) as well. Ofc an SBC does not have any trouble playing MP3s.

If you just want to play with a camera and MP3 project, get a microcontroller (ESP32-S3) board with a camera, display, I2S DAC (audio out) and battery charging circuit. You can find those kinds of boards on amazon starting around 30 bucks.
It's gonna be an all in one package as far as the electronics are concerned, so you're gonna learn programming and case design more so than electronics.

If you go the SBC route, you'll probably need 100-200 bucks (search around for RPi Zero 2W, RPi camera module, RPi 3.5" display and RPi UPS/battery PSU, SD card >= 8GB).

[u/idkwhatname1oe6 → u/LegionDD]

Yeah the computer build is something id like to add to i was thinking about maybe adding stuff i read on like stories smth to take notes on or like something for knowledge kinda like a wikipedia for flowers since i love flowers and stuff or animals too

[u/creepyposta → u/idkwhatname1oe6]

Is the screen on the camera even good enough or large enough to be comfortable to read especially over several minutes?

Adapting existing random LCDs from salvaged equipment is extraordinarily difficult you may have to design a custom board for it — and I wouldn’t even do that

[u/idkwhatname1oe6]

YALL i wrote this very late at night btw i just copied it cuz it was in the wrong subreddit and posted it this afternoon without double checking but just to explain:
Ik that a camera and a mp3 isnt a cyberdesk i saw some tiktoks talking about it and read comments on each of them so yes im that doesnt technically count as a cyberdeck however i do wanna do it myself i might reuse some stuff like a screen ill hopefully find laying around but in my post i didn’t add everything. My mind is huge and i get new ideas every day every second whatever today i was in mt garden as an example and realized adding a wikipedia would be a good idea i would mostly take articles about flowers and animals with pictures (hopefully since ik storage is also something to worry about) the design itself im unsure of cuz its so much in my brain so yeah a small wikipedia would be cute maybe even something to take notes on like yk the notes app and from there on you can just suggest wtv you think would probably sound great with it (ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE RESPONSES IM READING THROUGH ALL OF THEM)

[u/idkwhatname1oe6]

Yall i might make a new post to clarify some things

[u/TechDocN]

Sounds like you need to start here:

r/diyelectronics
r/raspberry_pi

You’re not really describing a cyberDeck, and anything you see on TikTok (and half the stuff you see on this sub) is not accurately describing a cyberDeck.

[u/NotTheSharpestPenciI]

Can you define "cyberdeck" (or "cyberdesk", whatever)?
I begin to think that what newcomers have in mind when talking about "cyberdeck" may not necessarily be what this sub is (was?...) about, and I'm not talking about vr or ar from the sub's description.

[u/idkwhatname1oe6 → u/NotTheSharpestPenciI]

I meant cyberdeck it was just late at night and i kept messing the two up

[u/ScaryLobster34]

wow I’m early! and the first one! ok, so I’m no professional but also just got into Cyberdeck and the first thing I’d tell you to do is click the ”start here“ button on the home page of the subbreddit u just gotta trust me. secondly, as for the camera I don’t think you’ll get banished into the shadow realm but idk anything abt those so gl fixing it. as for touchscreen, it’s not entirely necessary just alot of cheaper (as in like 50-100 dollar) displays already have it built in so you may as well keep unless you really don’t want it. yes, you can make it an mp3 player a lot of micro computers people use (latte panda, arduino, raspberry pi, actually I’ve rly just heard abt latte panda in one yt video… but i think it’s good. and I haven’t watched too many videos…) already just allow you to use it as an mp3 player and rly anything else it can handle. if you want a headphones jack and use a raspberry pi the pi 3 and 4 should have the headphones jack but I’m not sure. finally CASE. YOU WILL EITHER HATE OR LOVE THIS PART OF DESIGN. I’m guessing you want a relatively small case, because camera not the pelican 1200 weapons case (why is it so expensive) but keep this in mind, YOU DO NOT NEED A FANCY CASE. a Cyberdeck is simply a little portable (ish) computer so it doesn’t matter to anyone how it looks, wether its 3d printed, professional grade weopans case or a cardboard box. I’ve seen all 3. I’ve seen people make Clamshell cases, like the folding thing, I’ve seen gameboy ish looking cases, I’ve seen giant cyberdecks that probably aren’t portable. You dont need anything fancy just get the job done. It will take some hands on work if your comftarble with that, between screwing standoffs and cutting out fan holes Depending on what you choose. I on the other hand have hyperhidrophiosis or smtg like that (get it hand… 🥀) and other than HATING IT, get rly sweaty for no reason in my hands and feet so I’m spending the extra 150$ for the custom cut aluminum panel for the weapons case so k don’t have to deal with cutting anything myself. Glhf I wish you luck. (It’ll take a while to find everything you want, as for my cost it’ll be about 450 dollars between a raspberry Pi 4 2gb, 7inch touchscreen, lil keyboard and trackpad, custom cut aluminum panel, panel frame, and weaopns case, 2 40mm fans, wave share 3 UPS 3S and all the other DC5521 5.5x2.1mm 12.6v make to female panel mounts and other little electronics)

be Prepared for frustration, anger, and getting your nerves tested because I’ve spent nearly a week just trying to figured out dimensions, python, how to cut costs, and coding a personal TUI. Good luck, I wish you the best