Clockwork

[DrRobotnik]

This week I'm planning on starting on a clockwork pc mod.

I'd like to build a working wind up clock movement (without clockface) into the front of my old case in place of the 120mm front vent. Anyone seen this done before? (pretty sure it will have tho)

Not too bothered about cooling on this one as its my old workhorse of pc that sits in the front room now acting as a music/movie machine.

A quick question:

Is there a way to supply an output from windows that can activate a servo on errors and alert? I'd like to have a machanical chime for these.

(that last was hopelessly worded but i've just got back from work and i'm bushed, hope you get what I mean)

[DrRobotnik]

This is the sort of thing i'm looking at at the mo:

http://www.ycbclocks.co.uk/media/_130-070_copy_2.jpg

[AKA_RA]

you could easily write software using a parallel port, if youre motherboard for the case even has one. i know that it was pretty easy to use the parallel to make my mouse mod with blinking lights and such, but i honestly had to ask a friend about making the actual program. sadly i lost the original and never made a back up, but luckily the mod still has some life in it thanks to the Relais Timer program i picked up somewhere on the net. im pretty sure its a legal copy. it would be good for running test circuits and such, but wouldnt work as a way to interact with windows errors and such.

[DrRobotnik]

Cheers AKA i'll look into the parallel port and possibly find some code to rip. In the meantime i better get looking for the parts.......might be nice to attach a large cog as a side window with a fan in its center.

PS Could the mods move this to Project Worklogs.....sorry i posted in the wrong section i should be whipped (not that im into that sort of thing!)

[Mach]

Check out phidgets, they have a relay interface kit or a servo kit that plugs in via usb.

http://www.phidgetsusa.com/cat/viewproduct.asp?category=1000&subcategory=1100&SKU=1014

http://www.phidgetsusa.com/cat/viewsubcategory.asp?category=2000&subcategory=2100