Is there a cheaper, simple, smaller solution to having to use a laptop to drive my DELL LED monitor?
All I want it to be able to do is say "Congratulations SO & SO". Maybe if it had some cool color fades etc.? Something that would be small and simple and cheaper so I wouldn't have to surrender a laptop to the cause.
The easiest solution would be to use an Android HDMI stick connected via an HDMI or HDMI-to-DVI cable. You can make a short video, install an appropriate video player app, and have it loop. Of course, these HDMI sticks will only work if your monitor has an HDMI or DVI input. If you need VGA or DisplayPort, you'll need to look at other similar solutions.
Alternatively, you could build your own Raspberry Pi-based system, use a Roku or Apple TV (or any other "home media player" device, etc.
Yet another option would be to create a video with your desired content, burn it to a DVD, and hook the monitor up to a Blu-Ray or DVD player (again, assuming you have the appropriate cable to connect compatible ports from each device).
The cheaper solution is probably a raspberry pi.
It can do what you want and more (playing video/sound, being reconfigured via network, ...) and if your monitor has USB ports you can power it directly without additional cable needed.
Also the pi is able to display on both HDMI monitors or TV and old composite video TV sets which can be handy.
Note: it won't work on VGA monitor but since you mention a led monitor, it should have HDMI or at least dvi (which is compatible with HDMI, just requiring a cheap passive adapter)
