This ain't a project log.............yet. I'm posting this here first so that i can hopefully get some feedback/comments about my ideas, and with any luck, ideas on how to actually pull it off. LOL. So, i decided to build myself a HTPC, I have my desktop connected to my TV permanently anyway, so I figured why the Dickens not. The basic idea for the 'function' is this, create a box which will be connected to my TV permanently and which I can take to LAN's that i partly organise to use as a media pc for our regular 'projector/movie' sessions. With this in mind, i figured that i may need to 'muck about' with software on the thing and as TV displays are horrible for this, i decided to have a go at integrating a KVM within the unit. The original idea involved me building an ITX machine within a custom case, but then i thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that I have nowhere near the level of ability to build a custom box.......so, that idea got thrown away in favour of buying a Shuttle barebone and modding the crap out of it. LOL. So, with that decided, I chose the unit, the SK43G, Cheap and potentially powerful (not really necessary for a media box, but nice nonetheless) Enough of the ramble, below are the plans for the 'external' mods. A little explanation on the design.....I'm a Transformers nut. (G1, not the crappy new stuff)......nuff said. On with the pics. You will notice that the front panel is not Shuttle......the plan involves building a completely custom front bezel which will house the following.... 1/ 4xbuttons (power, reset, DVD drive, KVM) 2/ 5xLED's (Power, HD, DVD drive, KVM PC1, KVM PC2) and yes, i know the images only contain 4 LED's 3/ PSOne LCD Screen, already modded this into another case, so i know i can do it. 4/ 'Stealthed' DVD Drawer cover. Quite simple, but i'm not overly sure which materials i'm going to use to build it, but i have a few ideas. So, that pretty much wraps up what i have so far......any ideas or comments are more than welcome. Thanks TheMightySpud
Wow, I really like the sidepanels But IMO the front panel looks out of place, maybe you could make a more 'faded' panel to fit with the other three if you get me?
'Til All Are One' is the Autobot 'mantra' i suppose you could call it. When an Autobot dies, his/her 'essence' joins with the Matrix (the right side panel) which, depending on what you believe (comics or TV show) contains the Autobot God's (Primus) Essence. the grey and oprange bits are the casing of the matrix, the thing itself is kind've a glowing 'jewel' i have had an idea of how to illustrate that in the mod, but haven't had time to adjust the 3d model yet. @ Retrogamer, I'm not sure what you mean by more faded, any chance of elaborating? Thanks TheMightySpud
me being an old knee high too a grass hopper transformer fan i think its cool. gl with the mod buddy.
Yeh, I mean the 3 sidepanels are really cool, I like that, its just the front panel is a bit contradictive to the other 3 sidepanels. When I say 'faded' I mean how the sidepanels are quite lightly coloured, like theyre made of plexi or something? I think when its done it will look cool though
Thanks for the kind words, see now i'm really nervous about starting it properly as i'll haveta pull it off. lol. Anywho, the rectangle at the top of the front panel is the dvd drive cover, i'm not 100% sure if i'm going to do it that way yet, i have a Pioneer 106s slot loader that i may use (if it still works), i put in the black 'outline' to illustrate the way it's may work. The larger rectangle is the PSone LCD that i'll be building into it. (if anyone wants one cheap btw.... Ebay Link 26 available apparently.) The buttons i'll be using are these Not sure of the size of them, so yeah, the ones on the image are off scale. As for the panels and the image at the front, i had an idea for something a little different while at work today (yes, my job is that boring), i'll update the pics and post them up in a little while. The panelling itself is probably going to be made of balsa plywood and then painted over, hopefully, if i can figure it out, with a kind've brushed metal paint job (unless someone has an old Shuttle cover they would like to donate so that I can hack it to pieces LOL. (Lord help me lol) Also, the extruded panelling will be a lot shallower than i have on the pics, i've been looking at them a lot and they seem to be too deep, so again, pics in a little while. keep the comments coming Thanks TheMightySpud
As promised, a few updated images of the idea. As you can plainly see, i've decided to colour the main unit black. I've decided to try something different with the top panel, bascially to make the front panel look less out of place, and to make it easier for me to build. lol. The blue glowy bit in the middle of the matrix panel will be an 80mm blue led fan, the fan grill i'm hoping will be a custom clear perspex panel, not 100% sure how i'll do it yet, but, i'm still in the prelim (ain't even bought the Shuttle yet lol) As always, any further comments/ideas are more than welcome. TheMightySpud
3mm is too thick (that's how thick the panelling was in the first bunch of pics) i want 1 maybe 2 mm top, the current pics are 1mm, and finding 1 / 2 mm plywood is a pain around here.....i'll see what i can find anyway. I'm still thinking about materials the like anyway,so there's still time. TheMightySpud
yif you can see if u can find basswood that is what i am useing on my project it harder then balsa but east to work with
Well, just so you know, this project ain't dead, got my shuttle yesterday, and will be starting the project log shortly after posting this final final image TheMightySpud
Links to the log, and the discussion. Project 'Til All Are One' Project 'Til All Are One' - Discussion TheMightySpud
