Hurens Project: htpc ~ Fill The Gap ** /!\ 56k /!\ **

Well 1st of all hi, Kia ora ( new zealand maori for hi / sup / yo / gday / WASSSSUPPPPP ).
Been a browser of these here forums for a wee while now, watched a many a fine piece of art work produce from some really talented people from all corners of the globe.

Now i grace u with my horred atemps at modding a case too, well, as the title says FILL THE GAP.........

This project was thought up about an hour ago, while i was sitting bored infront of my screen looking at an old pc sitting under my desk.
So plans were spur of the moment,you should see what im getting at and the way im going about it via the **cough ** high quality camera work **cough ** photos ill be supplying 8).

the hardware

abit NF7-s rev 2
2600-mobile
generic unamed 512 ddr400
gf4 ti4200 vivo
creative audigy
lg oem 16x dvd rom
1 x 20 gig seagate ide ( will be replaced with ata )
1 x 200 gig seagate ata
TT silent boost hsf ( not a fan of TT myself, but these are nice and quiet just what i want )
generic unnamed atX case
ps1 lcd ( depending if i can obtain one seeing ive been lookign for one in my area for neally 6 months x_x )
3 - 5 x 80mm lian li case fans

The plan

My tv cabnet has a huge gap in the bottom of it which is normally home too a VCR that we got with the system when u brought it.
Now i have a 2yo that just loves too put his fingers, and other objects into the front of it which over time has killed it. Not that we ever used it, well maybe once.
So i removed it from the cabnet and im now left with a big blank gaping hole that isnt the most attractive of things whiel your sitting watchign tv.
So i thought * ouch * why not take this horried case thats doign nothign and make a HTPC, too fill the gap.
Now i got carried away at 1st planning without even making sure that it would fit.

Feel free too comment, likes, dislikes, how the wether is in your neck of the woods, whos hot and whos not =D

im in no rush too finish this case as i have others in the pipelines.

It wont happen over night, but it will happen.....


a quick random picture of my work area.....


the case


the beast inside

all stripped down

 

now it would have been good too show u guys a rough plan of how i want the case too look, btu as i said this all started an hour ago

now i dont need this, there...

removing the 5" and 3" bays for reloacation

outta there


now these will be used again, as you'll see shortly :]

now with the bays removed i thought id better make sure that the motherboard will fit, as i didnt even think at the time


saweeeet ~

this is the tv cabnet with the void

u can see my sons made a few toys at home in there


now the front panel is calling for a make over too allow it too blend in with the dvd player that sits on the top shelf.


and after some quick measuring u get this scribble mess =D


the guide lines for what ill be cutting out.
The area will then be replaced with some 5mm straight black acrylic too give it the sam elook as the dvd player.

and after some planning

i have the acrylic ready too be cut, and have marked out 5mm in from the edges for me too give a little router work when its ready.

now i cant cut this at this point in time due too it being 1:20 in the morning and my sick mother is asleep in the room above >.<, but this will be done in the morning.

Then with that in mind i thought EEEEEKKKK id better make sure that the case was auctally goign too fit were i wanted it, so i shot upstairs with the case and did a quick test fit.


this shows u how much the front sticks out

but when its cut out it should sit pretty flush.....

and if not ill just have too do some work too the rear of the tv cabnet =D

as the case is flush with the rear panel of the cabnet i have too mod it for power, s-video etc anyhow.


well the rest of the pictures will have too wait for the mornign as i have the wife yellign in my ear too come too bed


untill then .......

 

... yeah well, hmmm.... that was quick

now with the plan for the case too sit sideways ive got too think for were im going too mount the hdd's and also the dvd rom.

X marks the spot


stupid little tab getting in my way, meets the rath of my bull nose pliers



now my next problem was too do with how i was going too place the rack as space was a little limited

or

the gap between the rack and the mobo....

15mm.

but ive now opted too cut out the front too allow the hds too fit through the front 20mm
and the rom will slot through too the front form ont op off the 3" bays..


wel this is it for tonight / day...


nothing flash... as its just begun...

mroe too come tomorrow, feel free too comment and question

 

little update for the morning

this morning i thought id start off with the power button, and start the front panel.

the dvd player buttons. i just happened too have a silver button lying around from a mates mod i was doing, i thought it would fit in just great.

and the button i have

so i got too a test piece of arcylic too see about mounting options.....

1st it was off too the ever so trusty drill press

drill through a test piece of acrylic



with the button fitted on top it really doesnt look that great

so in saying that i mounted it underneath and was happy with the way it will look

little bit of hto glue will be applyed behind too hold it in place, or maybe a little bracket 8)

now back too the modding more photos throguh out the day

 

now too continue the front work. next was too cut the acrylic and the front face of the case.





some heat gun action required later in teh day =D

now too the front

and everyone knows the results of a high spped tool through plastic

straight off the jig saw

and with a quick little file we now have straight edges ~



and everytime someone new comes too my house the thing that buzzes them out is this...

they all think ive modded my washing machine

 

next up was too get too the hdd rack and rom mounting

in order for the 5" cage too fit i had too do a little cutting



a rough guesstamite too were ill be cutting


now that its cut ( still need too file down ) i can now get too planning out teh cut for the hdd's too slot through
and the rom too slide through too the front



now when u look at this it just looks as it does, i lot of lines left rigth and centre, thank god i knwo were im cutting


the test rom slides through perfectly ( for the time being )

hd slots through the front perfectly also



now you can see that the base for the 5" sits higher then i hadantisipated, but im off too fix that as i press submit reply


more too come in a short while.

no comments

 

Very nice, and i like your washing machine... a lot.

 

Nice so far, like the way your converting it to a desktop, very innovative! I used to have one of those cases but cutting the retatively thick steel is painstakingly tough when you have a small dremel clone! Nice mobo too, all the best people have 'em

 

l33t washin machine keep it up

 

looking good au!

gotta get some more pics of that sweet sweet washing machine though.

 

well i wen ttoo it and sorted out the rom mounting....


IT FITS !1!12!@#

snug as a bug in a rug ~

and the hd plaement worked out perfectly ^__^

Now it ws tiem too get the front arcylic bent.
first of al teh ever so important measurements, finding the middle

the middle of the frotn panel itself


and then getting down too some clamping

with some more alligning


then it was time too grab the drill with a 1/8 drill bit



the same process too both sides, and time too prep it for bending...


bolted through with some bolts from a chipset block i have lying around

and the weapon of choice


tapign down the adjasent side too alloy me too bend the plexi perfectly too the angles of the face.

after a little heat gun action and soem tape too hold the flex in place i left with a nice curve

im letting it cool off before i go attack the other side


see u soon =D

tahnks for the comments.

yeah that washign machine is pretty wicked, but i dotn advice watching the wash cycle while on the booze


:edit: yay 100th post

 

the gap on second sides gap too bend

the man in action yet again

and two good lookign curves imo at this point.


one the arcylic has hardened ill start the planning for the drive stealth and the placement for the power button, leds.

and ive anyone near nz has a spare ps1 lcd feel free too ship it too me

but its now time for me too have a little break, more later on =D

 

Looks cool

 

thanks =D

im quite suprised hwo well its turning out for somethign that has little / no planning.

and for those wondering why ive written all over the case, YES it wil be getting a paint job, as painting cases is my specialty

 

nwo i was thinking what i could use for feet.
I of course wanted somethign low profile, and something that went with the theme.

and then i realised that i had the feet from my stacker that i wasnt using.


a bti of quick measuring

drilled and screwd on, and at the time of shooting the picture i could only find 3 >.<, but have the fourth now 8)

sitting down with the acrylic cover off

once ive cut the drive bezel out ill be give the black a go over with some 1500 wet and dry too give it a dulelr look as its out of place being so shiny.

the psu ill be using is a coolermaster real power


cables presleaved from a previous mod

and the blue led fan was replaced with a spare 120 CM fan also donated from the stacker.

now i get my copy of media centre tomorrow which ill have a play around with, and im also hopign too obtain a microsaoft multi media keyboard during the week too top it off.

But theres one thing that ive been thining about with the case and thats the hardware.
I think putting an nf7-s and a mobile 2600 is just a bit on teh over kill side
so im now thinking of just running a tbird 1600 with 2 x 512 pc2100 sticks on an asus a7a266 board.

But hey lets see what happens =D

but im modded otu for today, more updates and the lieks tomorrow =D

 

I am currently looking for one myself and find them coming up all the time on flea bay here in Oz. If you want one I'm happy to get ya one and post it (if you need).
My question: what do you think i should pay for one? being news to the mod game and only just discovering the wondeful world of PSone screens, I don't really know what I should pay and don't really want to get ripped off. I see two going at the moment, one for $64AU by itself and the other one with no bids yet for $65 with a PSone.

 

well the thing is the chances of finding them is rare so you've really got to pay what the person wants, or be like me and wait for a decade for one too pop up at the right price.
but $64au sounds fair, but there was a place in nz sellign them for $88nzd new, but ran out of stock and im still ( 8 months later ) waiting for an update.....

 

Ive now decided to make a completly new front from plexi, as the current imo looks a bit on the taccy side.
Ill be using a standard iR + remote too controll the system for the time being
The iR will be mounted above the dvd rom, behind 3mm clear / frosted acrylic.
just to give u an idea of were im going with the front



going with the lines that the dvd player has.

i should have it all cut out soon, stupid 12v cordless likes to die quickly. Cant wait to get paid then visit the hardware store and grab a new jigsaw.

i have a majority of the pieces cut out, but have alot of file work too do.
updates and gluing, drill placements and more tonight / tomorrow....

all the fun stuff will start happening tomorrow when i start with the side panels,fan placements and start the painting process.

untill then..........

huren out ~

 

Looking good so far bro

 

heeh cheers man, hows orange comming along :B