Help with making a device (cheap media hub)

[sneaky666]

Where would i start to create a cheap device that has a usb input and usb output, the device when plugged in a tv (that doesn't play video files from a plugged in usb) and another usb with a video file, plugged in the other side of the device, will allow the tv to read it and play the video file, just like how a media hub works. The device should be able to decode the video file and stream the output to the tv, since the tv doesn't support playing videos.
The tv i am using is a samsung hdtv lcd LN52A550P3F if your curious to know.

thanks

 

[KingNothing]

You want...a computer. The problem you will run into if you try to create a 'custom solution' is that the majority of video files you need to decode will only have decoders written for the X86 or X64 instruction set - meaning you will need a common processor anyhow. On top of that, most videos require a ton of power to decode in real time.

My recommendation is to look into small and cheap computers. I've seen some that are small enough to fit in electrical boxes. You could start by looking at mini-ITX computers, and installing a version of linux with media center software. You could write a script to auto-play from any USB drive that gets plugged in.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

What makes you think, that you can get the tv to play video data being delivered on the usb port?

 

[sneaky666]

so its not possible at all?

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

It is not possible using the usb port of the tv, since the manual says that the usb connector is for playing mp3s and pictures, but not movies. It is certainly possible the way King nothing described it. But then you have to connect the video card of the pc to the dvi or vga or composite port of the tv. You can try your luck with this, but it might be too slow:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/

 

[sneaky666]

is it possible to modify a device that can play hd videos to have a hdmi input, to connect to a tv?

What if i use a camcorder that has an hdmi input, and sd card input, then is it possible to play a video file from the sd card on the camcorder, which then gets transferred to the tv though hdmi? Can this work?

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

Are you confusing input and output? You need hdmi output!

Modifying will work only when very few changes are needed. Otherwise running a small computer is your best option. Why don't you just by a La Cinema Classic HD by LaCie and be done with it?