Case Mod - In Progress Project: 19" U1 Rack - Music computer - Update 15/09/08

Hello there!

My Name is Martin Lund and I'am a 19 year old boy living in south Sweden, I have modding computer things for some years now and with this project, I’m going to use a 19” rack mounted Rad Kilomux-2004. I buyed this for just 50 Swedish crowns that’s like 8-9Euro.
I don’t really know the purpose this Unit have ment to be used to. But I think it have been a Sound/video link between Gothenburg and Stockholm (Solna). And now it’s too old to be used for that.





Some people think maybe that I could have sold it for some money but I’m so in love whit 19”rackmounted products. I have build for some time back two 19” rack units one of them is U4 and the other one is a U3. I also have some U1 hubbs and other boxes that I have used for some modding. I also have build a 19” 150cm high rack for mount my chassis in. I just got to buy some new hardware for one or two computers.





I have just moved the 19" Rack stative into the room . so there is no networkskabels not yet concted.
Sorry for bad picture.

At the front of my 19” unit it was a LCD Display that I will use for view the played song for example. The thing I just ask myself about this Display if it runs under the HD44780 controller. If not, I will buy another LCD Display what support that controller and use it instead. I have one time before made a LCD display whit HD44780 controller so it’s not hard to do another one. This project is going to be a music computer, first it’s just going to play music in my workroom, but later in time when I get a faster internet connection I will set up a web radio.

The buttons in the front will be used for a Winamp-controller.
For example one button will start Winamp and start/stop playing.
Another one will take next song and forward play and the third will take previous song and backwards play.
The Case will not take much different shape because I want it to be like original lock.
It’s just the I/O ports of the moderboard that will expose that it is modded.


The hardware I will use is not any super effective but it will work great for this.
The Motherbord comes from Intel and is some years old it’s a (name here) and is a bit like VIA’s moderbords.
I was getting this from a friend over the Swedish site www.sweclockers.com for a time ago.
I have just mounted the hardware out from the original case.





800mhz S370 Celeron
256mb ram
slim CD
10gb Hdd - will be replaced
Graphic and network and more.

A built -in PSU in the moderboard. 12V and transform it to 5V, -5V, -12V, 3.3V
Extremly compact, if I say so.
The only thing I’m missing on this motherboard, is a PCI-port. But it’s not necessary.







Here is a Slim-DVD that possible is going to be used instead for the Slim-CD. The only problem I have with this DVD is that it doesn’t bootable from this motherboard. I don’t know why.



In the original chassis was a FAN-Dukt that I maybe will use if I can.



The harddrive that I use for the moment, will be replaced by another harddrive when I buy a new.


But let’s go back to what was inside the 19” U1 box instead.



The front.





A closer pic on the buttons on the frontpanel, which I will use for Winamp-controller.




Pictures on the back of the LCD-display and the buttons. The two red LED will be used for Power_on and HDD_LED. There’s also more LED’s that maybe will be used for something else.









Stay Turned.

// Martin

 

This is how the circuitcard looks like on the other side where the buttons have been placed. There is also five I/O for the circuitcard that you could have monted the unit with.








The PSU and the modercard.














Between the circuitscard there was rails that kept it in place. There was also a 40mm fan that I will use to chill the harddrive.





And something like this I’ve planed to place the motherboard and the harddrive in.
The PSU will also be removed.


// Martin

 

Here’s a little update that about what I have made.
It’s not much. Many people thinks that it’s just to put the things in it and then it’s done.
You always comes to difficult problems. My problems will probably be to attach the things orderly. I have only 4cm to spare.




I removed the display from the front, I think I have enough space to replace the display to another one.













Here will I attach the motherboard




You take some of these and remove the part that you don’t need. Now I can attach the motherboard and I saved the space by doing like this.




Like this it will look like when it’s monted. The distance is not attach, it’s just put there, so far.

 

hmm ! cool very different i like it !! somehow it feels like a mix between a full motherboard and a pico

 

Thanks.

yee, you can say it is lika a mix between it. it works great for this project.

One new Display is bought and some other tiny things.
It come pictues of this later when i have it at home.


As you can see it's not much space over, I have just like 4.2cm to play with.
I have some problems to fit in the Slim-cd. The ide cabel to the harddrive is in the way for the Slim-Cd but I think I can cut some of the plastic of the kabel so I can fit it in.
The Molex cable that hangs out is for the harddrive and I have now replaced it with a longer one that I maked myself. Pictures of this comes later.




Like this the Slim-Cd will be mounted.




And what is this?

One of the old circuitboard and what will I use it for?


A harddrive on the circuitboard? That is a bad combination.

Like this the circuitboard was placed in the rack unit. It's a shame to destroy anything great like this. Why not use it?


My mind says to me that I most place the harddrive on the circutbord and have it like a fast access to the harddrive. Just to take out a few bults and I can change the harddrive.


Something like this it will be.



A metalplate will also fit in overthere with some fake I/O ports. Just to strive for a original look as I just can make. By not destroying to much of the case.


I took the dremmel and grinded of all the electronics . just so I can fit it in the harddrive. I will do more whit this later.


Something like this it will look like.


It can take a few days when the next update is.
The reason is that my girlfriend most have som love and i am starting at a new job in some days .. 2 shift i will work so it mabey take up tomuck of time for the modding.

But hand out there i dont forget you all.

// Martin

 

Nice start Martin. This should be interesting. And I love the Swedish "moderboard". That's fits us all on this forum
John

 

Sweet a rack server mod

 

Can't wait to see where this one goes. Lately I've really grown more and more interested in rack servers. Haha. I'm not sure why though...for some reason they just appeal to me so this one is right up my ally!

 

A littel update again

Now i have a 2*16 Lcd here at home. But i think i mabey can get the original started.
And the Lcd display i got was the wrong one that i ordered. but i can mabey use it in the future.

bought some otherthings also. some buttons and heat-shrinkable tube kit.








And here is the new display (to the left). it is to big bescuse i got the wrong one. so i can't use it in this mod but i mabey can use the old one.



A piece of metal will be fit in here.



I cut the curcuitboard with a hacksaw.



I want it to look like something else when you take out the harddrive.



i cant use the short cabel to the harddrive so i maked a longer one.




Use Heta-shrinkable to isolate the cables.



And here is the reselut.

// Martin

 

Nice cable sleeving job, it looks really clean

 

Looks to be a really interesting mod. Keep up the good work.

 

very well done,nice idea of recycling the old rack case..i like small computers,and this one is going to be super slim, love all slim pc's!i'm really looking forward to see the finished product!

 

Thanks..

Hopes you all like it
Sorry for the update have taken long time.

Now it’s time for me to do a little update.
I’m really pissed at myself. I lode the LCD, after that I’ve started with an halfdone lode wrong. I discovered that in time before it had made any damage.

Anyway I had another sheet metal to do.



This one I’ve got from a friend. The sheet metal was a bit to long and only 1-2 mm too high. I fit almost perfect from the beginning.



I draw where the I/O shall be. I took the old I/O sheet metal as a template and draw of it. It’s not complete, you’ve got to fix a little.

I also found this display. This one will be used later in other coming projects.




The one below is the one I will use for this project. (not so good pictures)



I need a 10Kohm trimpott.




ALso a Lpt cabel. (printer)



It’s the contact below I wanted because I don’t have any printers that use the upper contact and also only 2 of my laserprinters goes by the USB protocoll.





How do you do to keep in mind which cabels that will be used and where they shall be?
Well You’ve got to measure which cabel that will be used and then label them so you know which the one is, so you know that it’s the right cabel. OBS doublecheck that you’vwe got the right cabel. Check more then twice.




How did I do to measure which cabels that I will use`?
Well I had my schedule.



Keep in mind that I don’t have any backgroundlight. I don’t use pin 15 and 16 and schedule. The schedule is changed to a display with 14 connections.



And something like this is the resault.



Har inte brytt mig om att ha 'rätt' färg på kablarna mellan tex trimpotten och displayen mm. 5v tas internt från en molex.
I was so stupid that i conected it into 12v .. F*** .. instead of 5v. the smell of electronics is just to nice to smell.
Sorry for the update have taken long time i work very bad times around the clock.
But it will comes updates!


// Martin

 

New Update 24/07/08

Hello there.

Gotta work harder whit my project.. But i don't have much time over. i work night 9-10 hours everyday and the rest time i sleep or i eat. or see my girlfriend.

but i will try to get this right on track again

A small update just. have been working on some other things in the house that had to been fixed.

Bad old pics.








This was the computer i get the motherboard from.









Was installing another one 40mm fan to the harddrive and to the rest of the system. I will use a harddrive on 250Gb or 320Gb on this it will just be much music
My new update will probably handle about the Winamp controller or the LCD display.

Well soon i gotta leave and go to work again

//Martin

 

This is looking very interesting.

 

Sorry for no update...

The host i am using is moving to another serverhall.

I have not done much to it.
i have invested in a TFT 7" display.



it cost med 150 Swedish krones. that is like ~ 20 dollars.. very cheeap.
i will mabey use it or sell it off.

Two pic of the postscreen and bios.




I have also monuther the harddrive and installed the computer. just now it is just in 'test mode' will see if this config work fine.





EDIT: pics are dead ?? will replace them soon.

// Martin

 

Looking good mate.

 

Most of us can understand the girlfriend thing. Keep her happy and you stay happy, and get to mod every once in a while. Nice work.

 

Update now
Just a smal one but it is an update

I Have conected the three 40mm fans. and i knew that 40mm fans sounds bad but i have to use it
2 fans for the harddrive and one for the cpu. i gotta move the motherboard 1cm closer to the harddrive also.


Here is the conecction. the whitecabel i dont knowe what it does.


lock better this way.


what is this for cabel then??



I im moving the NiC' Leds to the front.



Installed.



My 19" rack stative. this computer will fint in here later.
The U3a and the 24p Switch is not coneccted.
Have allso orginised the room a littelbit.

//Martin

 

It's looking really good.