New basic HTPC - 16-Dec-2014

[Waynio]

Here is a new HTPC I started to make today. :D

Spec
Gigabyte GA-Z97N-GAMING-5
Intel Core i3 4370
Noctua NH-L9i Low Profile CPU Cooler
2x Enermax UCTB12 T.B.Silence Fans
Corsair ATX PSU
4x 3.5 HDD
1x 2.5 SSD
5.25 optical drive



Sketchup.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC1.jpg



Printed, cut & tacked together.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC2.jpg



Stuck on 2mm aluminium sheet.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC3.jpg



Cutting the panels to size.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC4.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC5.jpg



Sanding to the edges.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC6.jpg




Drilling all the mounting holes.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC7.jpg




Countersink to deburr the other sides from catching on the scroll saw.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC8.jpg




Making a slit for the optical drive eject button, a dremel would have been better but I don't have one.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC9.jpg




Eject button done.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC10.jpg




All panels basics cut, drilled & sanded.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC11.jpg




Now the 45 degree bevels, I've grown to like edges like this.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC12.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC13.jpg




Front.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC14.jpg




Bottom.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC15.jpg




Top.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC16.jpg




Back.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC17.jpg




Sides.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC18.jpg




Stacked & that's all for this update.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC19.jpg



I'm yet to come up with a name for it. :D

[d_stilgar]

Nice progress! I can't wait to see the interior when you get this built out.

[Waynio]

Nice progress! I can't wait to see the interior when you get this built out.

Thanks d. :)



The handy 10mm nut blocks lack a 3rd face mount so have to add them manually, here drilling & tapping.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC20.jpg



Cut 2 lengths of square bar to mount the optical drive, drilled & tapped to fit to front & back panels.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC21.jpg



Optical drive mount, square rods & a little 3mm sheet.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC22.jpg



Fans going into this.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC23.jpg



More square rod for the cases feet.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC24.jpg



Mounted.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC25.jpg



Base complete with added nut blocks.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC26.jpg



Add the panels.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC27.jpg



Walls up & optical drive mounted.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC28.jpg



Sturdy to pick up by the optical drive.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC29.jpg



All panels on.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC30.jpg



To do...

Add mobo spacers, add HDD cage which I made earlier, install hardware, do a photoshoot & then just use it.

Should get that done tomorrow. :)

[TheMainMan]

Simple, clean and elegant! This is a very nice build Waynio.

[Waynio]

Simple, clean and elegant! This is a very nice build Waynio.

For some reason all of a sudden I just wanted simple so went for it, thanks Main. :)


It's complete, well minus an optical tray cover.



Motherboard mounted on 30mm spacers.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC31.jpg



The HDD cage is made of 4 2mm panels & 8 nut blocks, holds 4 HDD & 1 SSD.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC32.jpg



The big spacers allow excess cable to go underneath the motherboard.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC33.jpg



Bit of a snake pit behind the optical drive & yes I'm using an e-sata cable for it. :D
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC34.jpg



Mesh being stuck in place with JB weld in the background.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC35.jpg



All assembled & good to go, shame about the slight bulge above the optical drive, must be a smidge out of place to cause that.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC36.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC37.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC38.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC39.jpg



But the gap isn't noticable where it is & the eject button works. :D
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC40.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC41.jpg



Temps. :)
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC42.jpg





I could really do with making a collapsible light tent for completed shots.

[d_stilgar]

Your builds always make me jealous. It's been 6 years since I've had any sort of shop. I need to figure out how to fix this within the next six months.

[Waynio]

Your builds always make me jealous. It's been 6 years since I've had any sort of shop. I need to figure out how to fix this within the next six months.

6 Years without a cure for the creation itch, ugh, hopefully you will work something out. :)


Added the finishing touch with an optical tray cover.

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC43.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC44.jpg

[Aero]

That's beautiful. I love the bare metal, it really makes a great center piece for the media center.

[Waynio]

That's beautiful. I love the bare metal, it really makes a great center piece for the media center.

Thanks Aero. :)


Can't sleep so messed about with the design. :D
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC44-1.jpg

Possibly. :D


Not got the material though so it'll have to wait. :)

[Konrad]

Did you affix a metallic face onto the disc tray?

I've tried that before, poor results. Exacting dimensions seem critical if you want the damned thing to close properly. Any advice?

[Waynio]

Did you affix a metallic face onto the disc tray?

I've tried that before, poor results. Exacting dimensions seem critical if you want the damned thing to close properly. Any advice?

Yes, pulled the stock bezel off & stuck a piece to the tray end with JB weld, used 3mm aluminium to bring it slightly proud of the front panel.

If it's having trouble closing a file set is your friend. :D

[TLHarrell]

Tape the cover in place first, then bring the drive tray out to it.

[Waynio]

^ Or that. :D

[Waynio]

New front, couldn't wait for the perforated aluminum with wanting it done by 2015 so went with the chunky brass hex mesh. :D

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC45.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC46.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC47.jpg

All the best for 2015. :)

[Waynio]

Installed it. :D
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC48.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC49.jpg

And thats it done.

[x88x]

Very nice affect with the brass hex. I like the color balance.

[Konrad]

Hmm, I just noticed no GPU card, Waynio? I'd always thought a centerpiece of HTPC builds is the TV Tuner?

Looking into building my own (albeit far less visually-awesome) XMBC/HTPC box, I was checking out which TV Tuner component you'd chosen for yours.

[Waynio]

Very nice affect with the brass hex. I like the color balance.
Thanks 88. :)


Hmm, I just noticed no GPU card, Waynio? I'd always thought a centerpiece of HTPC builds is the TV Tuner?

Looking into building my own (albeit far less visually-awesome) XMBC/HTPC box, I was checking out which TV Tuner component you'd chosen for yours.
Could get a USB one but for an expansion card I'd need to mod or make a new rear panel, big part of the aim was a low power HTPC with OK storage 14TB. :D

[x88x]

big part of the aim was a low power HTPC with OK storage 14TB. :D

I've never really understood the draw of an HTPC with local storage, but maybe that's just me. :P My ideal HTPC would be something along the lines of a NUC (http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/nuc/overview.html) or LIVA (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Product/Product_LIVA.aspx), hidden away out of site, streaming media and games from either internet or LAN sources.

Yours sure is pretty, though. :P

[Konrad]

I suppose everybody has different needs and different definitions for HTPC. For me the ideal HTPC is basically a fancy fast DVR sort of gizmo able to drive good audio, watch TV, stream Netflix/YouTube/etc, record and play and store piles of music and movies. Maybe serve as a wifi platform, too, just for mobile-device convenience.

[TheMainMan]

I've never really understood the draw of an HTPC with local storage, but maybe that's just me. :P

The advantage to local storage is typically for speed AND simplicity. Having a network storage device that can put out similar performance to local disk is typically either expensive or complex or both. Network tuning can be a bit more of a hassle than simply plugging in SATA disks.


Yours sure is pretty, though. :P

That is something I think we can all agree to :up:

[Waynio]

To be honest I don't know enough about NAS so include space for HDD's, simplifies things for me. :D


Last few shots of this.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC50.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC51.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/waynio_2008/BasicHTPC/BasicHTPC52.jpg



Right now I'm happy with this HTPC so I'm pretty content & it'll probably be while until my next project, design wise I'm just not enthused at the moment.