Desktop LAN Party Case

[Indybird]

Just recently I had this great idea to make a desktop LAN case. Right now I'm still planning the details and gathering the materials but here's my idea. It will be a desktop case with integrated speakers and a folding monitor mount. That way you have everything (other than the keyboard and mouse) in one box. It will sorda be like a really chunky laptop. I'm planning to make it out of aluminum with a plexiglass window on top and a plexiglass cover over the front panel.

If you have any suggestions or comments I would find them very helpful.

Thanx, Indybird

[Omega]

Sounds cool.

I would just suggest gettin' a normal case, and putting a moniter in the side, and getting a LAN strap, but that would take away the purpose of modding.

Okay. Some suggestions, eh?

Try to keep the moniter cables in an unexposed area. If they're exposed, you, or somebody else, could possibly cut them, accidentally or on purpose.

Make sure the hinge or whatever is kind of sticky, so that the moniter can support itself. Or make a support strut for it when it's opened.

Maybe, if you want to integrate the keyboard into the case, try to come up with a laptop-like solution?

Maybe you could make it fit in a standard 50cal Ammo case, but be able to pull it out and unfold it for useage. Like have the 50cal ammo case be for a protective transportation thing, and you take the computer out to use it.

Cover the screen with plexiglass or something. Don't want it gettin' damaged.

Hope this helps.

[maximan1]

Hmmm...sure go on. I may suggest an idea that I just came up with (just for your case). You could make a case look extremely awsome by cutting out a few inches from the middle and putting a screen in the side. Add a handle and VIOLA!!! You get a awsomely slim LAN case with a built in monitor.
Make it a glossy black for extra coolness.
Just my suggestion, maximan1

Oh and welcome to the forums

[Omega]

Maximan, that's a cool idea. Too bad it wouldn't work too well -- the middle of the case has components in it.

But in the name of the modding spirit, you can probably find a way to move those pesky components out of the way...

[maximan1]

Lol sure my next mod BRING IT ON BABY YEAH!!!

[Omega]

Haha.

[maximan1]

Hahaha.

[Indybird]

First, thanx for all the suggestions. More are appreciated.

Second, I'll give you the general plans for the case. It will be 20"x 15"x 5.5". If your looking at it from the top, the MB is in the upper-right, the PSU is in the upper-left, the 2 hdd bays are in the lower-left, the 4" (shielded) subwoofer is in the lower-right. and of course the external drive bays are in the lower-middle. It will have 1 external 5.5" drive bay and 1 external 3.25" drive bay. There are really two of each but the left 5.5" bay will be used for a LCD Fan Controller and the left 3.25" bay will be used for the front panel connectors (USB, Firewire, Audio). The top will have a plexiglass window with a basic design over it. I would like to paint it gloss black with metallic silver accents.

Well thats all, just to let you know I plan to have this done in about a week and a half.

By the way I like the ammo box Idea!

[simon275]

Sounds cool. and bloddy heavy having to lug that around would not be fun. And if it fell it would probably kill medium animals or small children. Any way its good to see you are using a sheilded sub wolfer. If you are gonna be lugging it around alot.

Maybe go for a laptop hardrives ones that are stable and can survive bumps and drops. As hardrives were designed to stay in one place.

From a mechanical standpoint the way people neglect their HDD's amaze me and I'm not surpized when they break and then people complain. This happens at a Lan's a bit. The average 3.5" HDD is a metal disk spining around at 7200rpm in a small metal box and constaly having a arm move over it reading from it.

So that's why I say go with a 2.5" laptop HDD they take up less space and I presume they are more sturdy if they are meant for a laptop.

Some one correct me If i'm wrong.

[Indybird]

Sorry I haven't replied in a while, the person supplying me with materials (for free) is on vacation. He'll be back soon, then I'll get everything going...

[.alchinko.]

ok plexi a case over the screen that would fold down but then have a keyboard in it..... it would be really cool. be able to see the underside of the keyboard when its folded up and it would be protected.....

[.Maleficus.]

There isn't really much to look at on the underside of a keyboard though... unless you mod it :D