Case Mod - In Progress XBMC in the Sky+ (HDbox)- A HTPC Build - Update 30/11/13

Great idea mate, like the build but dont understand how you can work in that basement

 

lol, slowly with very little side to side movement

 

Haha, makes it all the more amazing!! Keep it up dude!

 

I had the same idea a year or two ago, apart from I was going to use an old white non-hd box. Never got round to doing it though.

Gonna watch yours and see if I can get motivated to give it a go.

Brads

 

Brilliant idea and i like the progress so far , not yet got into the side of Media pc as ive not got my own space but when i do i can see me doing this ^_^ ,

Never realized there was so much space to be has inside the Sky box , one thing that worries me about your goals is making the sky buttons still work how will you achieve this ?

 

Well u have a bit of a progress (or lack of) report on the buttons.

I started work on creating the pcb to replace the existing switch pcb. Initially I was just going to Dremel away the traces in the existing pct and wire up small patch cables I connect how I needed. Now decided to do things correctly (I say correctly, I'm not pcb designer so those in the know don't bash me too much!).

I'm not posting all the details as there are loads of how to guides for pcb design.

So into photoshop, layout designed, transferred to pcb, trimmer and ready for etching - doh!! Etching solution seems dead, presuming due to its age so I've ordered a 1l bottle of hydrochloric acid and some 6% peroxide which will become my etch fluid. After 1 1/2 hour in my existing stuff it hadn't so much as wore the ever edges never mind anything else.

As it stands not much progress on the case side too. Waiting till a get a few hours so I can do some more liking and start painting.

On a side note, 120mm fan in the case top or not?? I'm in two minds as although the system is fanless, a bit of air movement wouldn't hurt. I was thinking slipstream thin 120mm fan at 5v directly over the motherboard as an exhaust. Then a standard wire fan grill sprayed black...

Maybe my initial planning stage should have had - well - planning involve

 

I will be watching this and may have to do my own, have several boxes around not in use, didn't realise how much space there was either.

Interested on your final result on using the buttons

Good luck

 

I would get a 60mm FAN and use existing Sky Fan mount as input and then think about extracting air maybe the other side with another 60mm fan ?

 

i wouldnt put a fan on the top as it will ruin the idea of the Sky box look , it'd be awesome for it to look standard , id go for some rear fans like 80 millers or even smaller just to took at the side of the Io sheild ,

 

Well that was what I was thinking as I was trying to go for 'as stock' as possilble look. I might have a play with the 60mm fans I have and see what the noise is like run at 5v - didn't really want to use small fans due to noise but mayne at 5v a 'in on one site' and 'out on the other' approach might work well. Really trying to avoid high ambient temps.

Good news, the PCB drills arrived today so that one bit out of the way lol.

SilveR_172 - Don't know how much of the start you read over but my solution to the button issues is a games controller called IPAC-2 - its basically an emulator for the keyboard so you can wire up a switch to one if its 32 inputs, then configure it so everytime you hit with switch, its send a 'P' for example - which could be configured as Play in the XBMC software - you get the idea

 

have you thought about using the pci exhaust fans?
nice and quiet when run at a sensible speed.. and only take up 1.5cm in height

 

Yeah I'd thought about those, I have one kicking around somewhere too. I thought maybe directly above the main heatsink could work well.

Think its going to be a case of dig out all my suitable fans and test at difference voltages. I want to be able to run quiet but fans always on so theres no need for any switches or controllers to be involved.

Also trying with idea of some kind of 45 degree housing / bracket so I can use a larger fan (say 80mm) and use the bracket as a duct to the case sides which hopefully would equal more air flow at set noise, or same air flow at less noise...

 

Looking good mate!

 

what is the height of the unit? (i dont have one to hand at work)

 

I'm not at home to measure up but I'd guess about 75mm. If the stock fan is 60mm there's a bit above and below

 

While I'm still waiting on a few bits to be delivered this week I've had another bash as the PCB layout this morning. Now for those of you who are in the know, don't abuse me too much - I've little PCB knowledge and NO design knowledge at all. All this was done in photoshop.



This will be for the 9 buttons on the top of the box. There will be a 2nd board to make for the front (next, stop etc) buttons. The combination of the two will be linked to the IPAC-2 controller to emulate the keyboard presses, which in turn control the XBMC interface.

 

Got a few more goodies which will help towards the finished item.



1l Bottle hydrochloric acid, small bottle hydrogen peroxide, Box of Paxmate acoustuc mat and sat on top of the box (you may need to look close) a few sets of ATX style pins.



Did some more work on the layout and mounting. Decided the IPAC-2 is easiest to mount on some more stand offs as I'd initially decided to mount on the case vertical front but since I have spare space on the case bottom I kept it easy. This should aid in wiring too as the small slit in the front panel will be where my ribbon cable passes over for the front button PCB's.

For anyone familiar with Mountain Mods cases, I used some of there 120mm FAN/HDD mount plates to act as a HDD mount. Didn't bother with any antivibration on the HDD as my end game in for a SSD in here. Note the old HDD kindly acting as a spacer.



PicoPSU power in cable wasn't long enough to route neatly so stock connector cut, wires extended and a bit of braiding love. Should neatly route under the motherboard and along the back of the case now

In prep for tomorrow I've refilled some low spots on the rear IO area so should be able to sand that flats and give it a coat or two of black - just to tidy it up a little.

 

Looking very tidy!!

 

coming along nice mate keep up the good work

 

Looking great! As far as cooling goes, why not mount a couple of rubber feet on the bottom to raise it from whatever it will be sitting on, and then mount a 120mm fan to the bottom? Should create lots of airflow.