Project .:M^4:. MultiMedia HTPC (update 8/6/4)

This is my first mod posted on bit tech's forums. so far i have decided to name this pc M^4 which is short for "martin(my last name) multi media machine" if only i knew how to write exponents in html...

anyway this box no larger than the average DVD player will house a mini itx board. the CL1000 to be exact. here are some specs
1ghz
256mb ram
160 gig maxtor hdd
150 watt psu
slim DVD drive
MO 20x4 blue LCD

basicaly all of these components will be fit in a small a box as possiable. I am looking for something flat and wide rather than tall or long. here are some pictures of the first few mock ups in sketchup





the motherboard will rest on standoffs elevating it above the DVD drive which will sit below it. the hard drive will be under the ati all in wonder. the ati will have all of its ports rewired to short cables that connect directly to the back of the case rather than use the cables it comes with. the motherboard will be mounted a few inches short of the back of the case. extension cables only for the ports needed (network and usb) will be made. a vga cable from the ati card to the back plate will be made as well.

i am trying to get this to look as much like a finished product and less like a modded box. so the back will just have the necessary ports instead of a big rectangle cut out for the mobo.

the psu will be re wired so i only have as much cable as i need and the right lengths. the final colors should be silver and brushed aluminum in the front.

let me know what you guys think... more picture comming shortly

 

Mmmh, I suggest you re-thinking your fan placement: you have two fron fans for intake and no fan for blowing out hot air.....

Just my 2 cents!

 

first i have to agree with papeniglio you should have one fan blowing hot air out of the case

and i think you should try the new mini-itx board the EPIA MII 12000 because it should be a little bit faster with its 1,2Ghz

 

you mean M^{^4} ?


looks interesting, I hope it works out OK

 

Looking good so far

-Sam

 

I think he just means M^4
M^4 = M⁴

 

How do you write those numbers that way??







Cheers,
Mike

 

Subscript Chars

 

just type:

PHP:

M[sup]4[/sup]

to get M⁴

good luck with your project, the designs look nice =)

 

Well the design of the box has changed a little since i did those sketchup models.

i decided to scrap the 2 fans in the front due to the ammount of noise they will generate. the psu fan is also now facing up instead of to the side and a hole will be cut in the top of the case to allow the air to come out. the psu will also suck air in from acrost the motherboard. i may add a fan near the hard drive to cool things down over there, otherwise that many fans are over kill.

here is a pic of the current state of the project in a cardboard box so i can get more of an idea how all the parts will fit before i decide on the final size of the real thing



I know its a mess but it gives me a good idea of how big i need to make everything so that it fits right.

this is a pic i drew a few min ago for the design of the front plate. soon as i can get the sketchup model finished (at work ) i will post those pics
but this shows the basic layout for parts in the front. i want to keep it as simple as i can. the red thing is an ir sensor and the blue circle is the power switch. thumb screws int he corners and the vent hole design i came up with.



more to come...

 

Iinteresting... I am looking forward to see what results from your so far ghetto modding

 

I have more sketch up pic's of the aluminum box that will be built with the demensions i need so far. my video card is comming tomarrow so I hope to start on the box then.

front pannel


back of front pannel. the blue parts willl be clear plexi with blue led's inside so that from the front the vents will glow a suddle blue


assembled


bottom piece


Final box with demsions

 

How did you get your Capture card to sit like that?? a riser?

 

How did you get your Capture card to sit like that?? a riser?

 

yeah. i found a nice small one designed for servers for $5 online and with the height the mobo will be raised with the standoffs and the height the riser extends the card it should just clear the har drive below...

*note that is not the AWI card in the picture.. its actuially a isa sound blaster used to give me an idea of how much room the card would take up.. the real card is on the way and will be here tomarrow. 32mb ati aiw off e bay. should be just plenty for watching movies etc.

 

32mb!

I really like the front panel, very cool looking. But don't use red for the IR reciever area, it sticks out too much. Use black tinted plexi instead (or maybe some blue plexi to match theme).

P.S. it's spelled "subtle" lol, sorry, doing english homework at the moment.

 

the red color was only there to show what that shape was. in reality it will end up looking black and hopefully blend in well.

more updates tomarrow inc. the Ir circuit and some custom cables

 

Looks like my server design...

I like the sketchups or what ever you used. Looks like you have your hands cut out there. Good luck

 

agreed, and maybe you should try to fit larger slower fans in there, those look suspiciously like 60mils, they'll be noisy

looks really compact laid out in mockup though .. nice

 

looks very nice ideas but i would agree with Rogan, a larger fan running slower, maybe 2 80mm's at 7v, if you get decent ones they should be inaudible