This document covers general information about the MediaCow series of mobile hardware projects.
History
MediaCow dates back to 2018.
Origin of the name
The name "MediaCow" was first used in presumably November 2018 to describe a mobile portable media player device. The name evolved from "MediaBarn" after being originally named "Digital Media Locker Portable (DMLP)".
The name and theme of MediaCow is mostly inspired by my early childhood where I was still in Central New York within the Syracuse and Oneida areas. Cows were a common theme due to the dairy industry. A local business, Byrne Dairy had role in the theming of the device due to its prevalence in my early childhood. The "Media" part of the name had some inspiration from MediaTek.
The design of the first device that used solid wood boards from 2018 to 2019 is likely inspired by a dream or part of a movie that I saw when I was between two (2006) and six years (2010) old where there was this device with the case made out of solid boards and nails and there was a picture of a pasture with Holstein cattle on screen.
The design choice of using real wooden boards was used up to MediaCow Touch (1) "Nashville" in November 2020. MediaCow Touch 2 would use PETG.
Digital Media Locker (2018)
The idea of MediaCow started after the success of Digital Media Locker from September to October 2018. Digital Media Locker consisted of a 12v battery, Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, power inverter, various USB chargers, a 7" LCD, USB HDD dock and a HDMI LCD controller board taped inside a locker at my high school. Though simple and having an alarming appearance, it was praised by many.
After the required teardown in late October 2018, mostly about safety concerns with the lead-acid battery I was using, I later came up with an idea to fit all of the parts from the locker into a tablet-like device that ended up becoming MediaCow.
MediaCow (2018-2019)
In late 2018, with my near-zero knowledge of electronics, I started to work on the original MediaCow. I first used small boards held together with screws in a rectangle shape and then put a transparent polycarbonate sheet over the screen.
By 2019, attempts to put the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B into the case along with a USB battery pack, LCD and the LCD controller failed. I later substituted the Raspberry Pi for an Amazon FireTV stick which somehow worked and I was able to use the device for short periods of time without being plugged in. There was no audio so I had to use bluetooth for sound. I was able to watch the Castlevania anime series on it during this time. For myself in 2019, this was an amazing feat.
MediaCow Touch "Nashville" (2020)
MediaCow Touch, later referred to as MediaCow Touch 1, is a project I started planning in October 2020. By this time, I had a somewhat better understanding of electronics and software after introducing myself to Linux early that year and my employment at 2nd Life. I still did not know nearly anything about circuit design, battery management or CAD so the design did not end up like I envisioned it but it was still somewhat useful.
MediaCow Micro and MediaCow Touch Mini (2021-present)
From 2021 to 2022, with the success of MediaCow Touch 1, I came up with many different ideas for devices I could design. These ideas were unrealistic or had unrealistic deadlines for my limited skillset, especially at the time.
MediaCow Micro likely originated on July 24, 2021.
MediaCow Touch 2 "Paris" (2021-present)
History of MediaCow Touch 2 is covered by its project page
MonitorCow (2024)
MonitorCow was originally part of MediaCow Touch 2 until it was split into its own project. Unlike MediaCow Touch 2, initial prototypes; MonitorCow-N156KME-GNA, would be made out of MDF (medium-density fibreboard) due to their size.
Ideas to build my own computer monitor likely dates back to 2017.