[757labs] Art Everywhere 2 proposal

[telmnstr at 757.org]

Hello everyone,

   Febuary 25th is the deadline for Art Everywhere.

   This is where people build artwork that goes into empty storefronts 
along Granby Street.

   Do we want to do something?

   An idea I had for last year (which got the people who do the art 
everywhere excited):

   A display composed of different LED signs, televisions, computer 
monitors and other display devices that show real time incoming 
information from various sources around Hampton Roads. RSS feeds and web 
scrapes of neat things from around the community. It would be best if it 
was positive things. We might be able to score some bonus points by 
pulling in stuff from NASA Langley (http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/), JLAB, 
and other places like that.

   My original idea was to keep it very mixed and seemingly low tech.

   I have an extra box that does ethernet to 25 serial ports, and with this 
it would be easy to have a single older linux laptop computer push data 
out to dumb terminals, LED signs, the later generation of RS232 equipped 
typewriters. In addition I was thinking a PC with the right type of video 
card might be able to push like 6 or 8 televisions. From here, it might be 
possible to "fake it" using wierd / old fonts that look retro, when really 
it's just xwindows apps that look like a commodore 64 printing text (with 
a fake mock up in front of it.)

   I've got relay racks in storage that could be used to support the thing. 
The portmaster. We've got terminals and TVs. I've got a few signs that 
aren't in use at the lab. What would be needed is mostly the work in 
getting it to go. Much of it is easy. The harder stuff is is getting Linux 
running and a bunch of old TVs driven from a PC. Could also have a dot 
matrix printer or something and have the paper feed up and over, and 
slowly print out stuff on that?  The idea being "information overload."

   Maybe these are the solution:
http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-VGA-TV-Composite-S-Video-Adapter-NTSC-PAL-Y93-/220511891062?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3357886e76




   It's for real, and a chance to support the community.

   I'd like to do it. But will need help with doing the computer to drive 
it and such.


   Also, we can probably sutmit more than one thing.

   Also, if others have ideas!?!?