This is it!

Finally!
 

I have to admit, I am not handy. It could have been better, but I think I am satisfied with what I made. 

The space inside the table is a little more than the thickness of the monitor. In addition, the monitor is thick in the center is thin on the side, especially for the 2 top edges. So I put in some wood blocks for support.

Play Store!

I initially cut out 2 holes for inputs and buttons but I realized I need a 3rd hole in the middle or the monitor cannot be pushed out! I also put in some cardboard for buffer. But it is proven to be not enough as the screen still ended up about 2mm below the table surface. Some day I will have to fix this. Also, the edges are still a little too rough. Something to consider in the future.

Due to cooling concerns, I decided to hang the android stick outside. Luckily, there is a platform under the table to keep the power supplies and hide the extension cord while not in use.

Some final thoughts, capacitive screen is definitely the way to go. While I am limited to use fingers or capacitive stylus, there is a lot less false positives. The biggest disappointment of this project is the screen's viewing angle. While it works fine as a monitor, the viewing angle becomes an issue when viewed from above. It becomes difficult to view when I am seating from the sofa.

But overall, I cannot complain for a coffee table running full Android 4.4 for less than $220! And I am 100% sure that I can just as easily change it into a Windows 8 tablet.

In summary, here are the final process (skipping all the investigations I made):

1. Get Android Stick
2. Test and pick the best custom firmwares (it should have screen rotation support, ideally with working Wi-Fi and BT)
3. Determine how to build kernel and test with my own custom kernel. Make sure Wi-Fi works!
4. Get Touch capable monitor (with HDMI)
5. Add USB Touchscreen support to custom kernel and test
6. Get Ikea LACK table (black color is the best)
7. Measure and cut out the table top for screen
8. Cut 3 holes in the bottle for wires and access
9. Put together and enjoy!

Detailed steps can be found in my blog posts below.

Time for some action!

This is long overdue. There were a lot of things going on but I finally get around to do it.

I got the LACK coffee table from Ikea for $20 and proceed. At first, I decided to cut out the space for the speakers as well. But after noticing the speakers about 2mm recessed from the touch surface. I think I want to first try hiding the speakers inside the table and leaving only the screen.

I first use pencil to trace the line, and then use a cutter to leave a mark. And then finally cut off the board with my cheap dremel. The board just peels right off, leaving the bee hive papers. Not a surprise for me as I have seen it before.

I rip the paper off and slide the monitor in. The inside depth is about the depth of the monitor. It is a near perfect fit!

That's all for the day. Tomorrow, I will need to drill some holes for ventilation, cables and controls. Then it is the final assembly.