PROJECT: Score-Coder - !!minor update!! (13.03.04)

so here's the thing.....

i went to a lan last year, and they had this nifty scoreboard thingy which was basically just a manually updated web page.

Now working for an e-sports shoutcast station, we needed an encoder machine.. i figure.. why not have one machine that did both ?

cool... i have the two cases.. basically the big desktop machine is just a desktop version of a tower case. think of it as a tower on it's side if u will. same general dimensions etc... the other is a "slimline" desktop case from packard hell.. sorry bell...
anyways the packard bell has a few things going for it, lightweight and small but still strong,it has built in infra-red ports on the front. the good thing about it is all the exterior plastic is "clipped" onto the steel chassis (you'll see later).

the good things about the big desktop is that it's big, even sturdier so plenty of room for "goodies", and room for side windows, the downsides? well it's got no ir (not that much of a problem - transplant ) but the only plastic is on the front so i'd have to work out a way to make a 1 inch "thick" front fascia.

So... how many ppl here are thinking... why a desktop and not a tower????

the answer? space... i know some ppl are thinking but a tower has a smaller foot print.. but it doesnt when u consider the monitor too... this way I can put the monitor on top of the case... hence (as above) side windows and not one on top of the case

so.. I have foto's of both cases.. just need somewhere to put them. so if u guys have any ideas that would allow me to put the photos on lemme know.. i have hosting, but not the b/w that bit-tech forum readers would probably like... i can try it tho see what happens...

update later....

 

ok.. here's the pics...

First off the "large" me....



and now mini me (sorry couldnt resist)... That's a standard cd and 80 mm grill for size comparison. You'll see why it's taped to the top half of the case later. The Guts? P233, 72 meg ram, 800 meg hd - really high tech

 

A pretty hard metal case

 

now.. i said the plastic was all clipped on.. .didnt i???


well here's the proof....

the lid (sorry about image quality, flash is strong on my cam. will replace it when i can get a better image):



the rear is a couple of screws as you can see.... the front? just those horrid push clip things.....

 

Would you mod the front panel ? I think you should mod it !
Make it petty !

 

yea...

For those wondering where i'm going with this...

i'm thinking rip off the plastic and replace it with some form of plexi/perspex, for what I have in mind, it would have to be tinted, but dark enough tint to hide the steel underneath..

being unemployed time is in abundance, but unfortunately, money isnt... and with my casting i'm working on american time (i'm in the uk) so i'm asleep a lot of the daytime... but not always

 

i'm trashing the front panel.. rescuing the IR cover thing and perspexing the front..

FYI: I know a lot of ppl call it plexi etc, but i know it as perspex so that's the term i'll be using.



now I know my drawing skills arent the best, but that's thesort of thing i'm thinking of now you all know who i "work" for...

i'm going to be using the logo as a fan grill.. gunna take a lot of cutting etc, but backlit with a blue led fan should look cool

 

maybe you can cut a window in the top !

 

i cant.. the whole reason for using a desktop case was the footprint and space required... hence putting a monitor on the top.

when we goto a lan event, we dont know usually before hand how much sapce u get but normally we get enough space to put 3-4 pcs plus a mixer.. and by pc i mean the standard space u get with a monitor... (pc on the floor).

I know.. that sucks, but at big lan events space is at a premium, this way, i still use the same amount of space as i would get but have everything to hand...

the other thing, on the one that was at the lan that inspired me, althought it being in a 1u rack case, it had a 6.5 colour lcd in the lid with a touch screen.. that i thought was awesome, so i'm thinking about doing the same thing, but w/o the touchy.. dunno yet that's why i havent decided.

 

You must put your monitor on top of it??

 

unfortunately, it's a case of having a tower on the floor/under the table where no1 will see it, or on top with a monitor on it... i dont have an lcd monitor but then ilast one i went to, i didnt need one they provided me with a nice 19 inch lcd however, here's one of the "good" lans... we had practically as much space as we needed. But if u imagine the space between the mixer and the switchboxes on the right (which controlled what went to 3x42 inch plasmas.. humina humina) that's basically how much we get which is more or less the size of a standard desktop case. so.. to show this thing off.... yea unfortunately i do.. but... i'm still thinking about that 6.5" lcd in the lid and/or using an tft monitor... if i went tft then i could possibly put a window in the lid.. as I said.. undecided... but as i have only one of these cases... its bes tto leave it till later.

 

The space own you ! By the way , You also can paint the Case. Rather than have a window.

 

yea i can... but seriously... the plastic that's on their is beige stuff.... <shudders> imho, if i'm gunna do this... i'm gunna to it the old fashioned way... rip it, strip it, duct tape it seriously.. the lid especially is crap scratches and cuts all over the place.. plus i'm going to have to build a new back on it anyways and mod the rear end of the chassis as the current mobo etc is set for a single level set of mobo connectors not the "norm".....

however.. i'm still undecided about which case to use.. the problem is... the large case holds the current encoder, so if i was to start stripping it, then i'd be stuffed for casting.. however...it does provide for more "goodies" and i dont have to mod the back of the case as it's already set for the newer atx style mobo's plus.. if i went that way, the side windows could be bigger and have a custom design on them....

as I said.. i dunno what to do.. hence posting here... i like "small n petite" (like my women /me looks around for wife.. ahh in bed ) but i also like big n "grunty".

the larger case has the same footprint just twice as high.. and i've been dying to use this 120 mm mains fan for years i might just go ahead and use that case...

decisions decisions decisions....

[edit: mebbe a 6.5 inch in the front instead of the big fan? mebbe a big rad and watercooling instead of the lcd...... what's a guy to do on his first major mod?]

 

I will rather want a TOwer than a Desktop . Tower also will have better finishing result!

 

yea i'd prefer a tower too.... but those that know me know I like to be a p.i.t.a as well as being different.....

so... after a small discussion with some friends (about 300 in the irc room for the station.... we settled it...

i know i'm going to more or less be without an encoding machine for a while, but hey.. big *CAN* be beautiful <sp?> right????

i'm gunna go the whole hog... mod the big bugger.....

this is going to be *ahem* interesting....

 

I havent worked out what colour to do the front, ideas please.. bear in mind the current panel is ABS and is about an inch "thick". more photo's to come. I have the colour i wanna use.. a nice metallic paint. 1 question, whats the best way to paint over the beige paint that's on the metal? i have white primer and the paint.. do i have to strip it down to the metal or can isand it down enuff and prime/paint over the top?

The inside of the case will possibly done in the same colour as the case.. more photo's to come..

the side window will be clear with the logo in it.. i still havent also worked out how to make the logo (the one u can see in the first sketchup) into a fan grill yet.. so ideas on that too.

 

PROJECT: Score-Coder - A Casters Best Friend (updated... yip)

so... as you can see in the previousposts... i've done a bit more work on the concept design etc, also i been spending my "allowance" that the big boss (the wife) gives me

i got some sand paper etc, hopefully it'll work, i've never used alu. oxide before on this ssort of paint, i've used it a couple of times on the car bodywork and it seems to have worked ok on that... This paint however is a different story...

Now i want to know if any1 else has had the same problem with their other half... quote: "why are you starting this? there's enough to do around the house and you'll be start this and not finish it etc etc etc" you know the drill

anyways.. pics of my stuff.. i bought myself a nice new toolbox to keep my modding gear in... also, my old man bought me a nice big powerfull dremel for xmas, this will come in handy.. has all sorts of bits.... i do have a question however.. I got a set of jigsaw pieces but i have a couple of questions on which blade to use.. it said suitable for metal, wood, laminates, and plastics..
They go in coarseness left to right (teeth per inch), 6, 7, 8, 12, 24, then that weird black one (see below)

The question i do have... wtf is the right hand blade for.. i've zoomed in a bit on it for you, but basically, it's a blank blade, but has like a sandpaper texture on the end. it's hard to describe, it's not got any teeth, just as i said.. it's just like sum1 took the grit from a very coarse bit of s/paper and stuck them onto the edge of the blade.. anyways... here the pics, more to come... gunna open the case up and show u the guts... as it stands atm...

 

ok.. so here's some shots of the case etc... you will notice a couple of things......

first, on the back.. there's 3 screws above the slot and port bit.. this case has a removable section on the back for the slots and the port cover thing.. could come in handy.....

second, the front of the chassis is practially flat... cool... this would make for some simple fascia work...

third, the drive cage is totally removeable. the only thing in this damned case that isnt... is the cdrom cage.. that's not a problem, but with all this removeable stuff it'll make painting the interior a lot better... yes u heard it right, i'm painting the interior too.. most probably black that way it'll show off the lighting a bit better... that's the idea anyways.. well back to the pictures....

 

You got a better idea with your friends. Hopefully the MOD is starting

 

yea.. i've keyed the paint on the lid.. all ready for the painting etc...stripping down the insides now.