Console - PC (need ideas)

[slobra]

Here is the deal

Im building a PC that i can easily take back and forth from college , to LANs, etc., and i want to look somethign like a game console when it is all said and done.

With Plenty of cutting and bending i finnaly fit all my hardware into a Powmax Micro ATX case, The case is very small, about 4 inches wide and 11 inches tall and long. Considering i very rarley use a CD Drive (only for installing games and buring music), And it is going to be damn near impossible to fit it, im not going to have an internal CD drive, only enternal.

Here is my delay, I cant decide on what i want to do for the outside of my case, I have it stripped down all the way to the frame and i plan ondoing it all custom on the outside. I have thought about wood, metal, plexiglass, fiberglass, and everythign else, i cant decide.

I have access to alot of equipment such as a sandblaster, laser engraver, sublimator printer, and a few other cool toys(my mom owns a trophy shop).

Please help me with some ideas!!

sorry i have no pictures i cant find my camera.

Thanks,
Brad

[progbuddy]

You should do a plexiglass case with cool engraved designs in the side. Then, make a rounded handle with the sandblaster, polish it, and attach it. And, to spoof it up if you have the space, install a few LEDs in the middle to shine outwards. SICK. lol.

[slobra]

My last case was made out of plexiglass, i called it the sun. I think im gonna stay away from plexiglass and too many lights.

It was cool though, On the side i had a huge picture sandblasted of calvin pissing on an apple(mac).

[Slug Toy]

you could make an xbox on steroids design. by this i mean the first xbox.

if you use styrene or any sort of styrofoam, you can carve it pretty easy, and you can immitate a design pretty easy. the original xbox had it own good look, all those ridges along the sides. actually the ps2 had a similar style. you could take some artistic liberty with that sort of design and make it look very refined... or grungy... or subtle... or anything really, and then have little slits for air, and have an led behind to light the slits up. could be very interesting.

if you want, i could make a sketchup design... you already provided the dimensions so it wouldnt be too hard.

[slobra]

you could make an xbox on steroids design. by this i mean the first xbox.

if you use styrene or any sort of styrofoam, you can carve it pretty easy, and you can immitate a design pretty easy. the original xbox had it own good look, all those ridges along the sides. actually the ps2 had a similar style. you could take some artistic liberty with that sort of design and make it look very refined... or grungy... or subtle... or anything really, and then have little slits for air, and have an led behind to light the slits up. could be very interesting.

if you want, i could make a sketchup design... you already provided the dimensions so it wouldnt be too hard.

I was looking at my ps2 and thinking about how easy it would be to copy the design. But i think if i did something like mroe of an xbox 360 design with a fan like this right in the middle.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/Defyantmods/HPResurrection%20SERVER/IMG_3694.jpg

[Airbozo]

have you thought about using a slimline dvd/cd?
5"w X 5"d X 1/2" thick (not including power/io adapter)


http://www.case-mod.com/store/panasonic-cw8124b-slim-dvdromcdrw-combo-drive-slot-load-p-1621.html

[slobra]

have you thought about using a slimline dvd/cd?
5"w X 5"d X 1/2" thick (not including power/io adapter)

ill check into that

[Slug Toy]

i like the 360 with the blowhole idea. i would assume the fan would be in the top. a question comes up though... fan in the center or off to one side? symmetrical always looks good, but being off to one side might give a cool effect, especially if you light it up right too.

[slobra]

does anyone know of a converter so i can change the output on a laptop drive to IDE,

[Slug Toy]

unfortunately, no idea. what type of output do the laptop ones have in the first place?

will the slimline one not work? its actually not a bad idea... just a little expensive.

[The Black Pumpkin]

There are converters to do that, as well as for laptop cd drives.

I don't know where to FIND them...but... :redface:

[Dirty Moogler]

there are converters available ...
this is wat they look like...erm im sure there are retailers ur side of the pond ..
but it can b done pretty easily and cheaply ;) its 9.99 GBP ...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36947&doy=30m8&C=SEO&U=strat15

i found a slot loading dvd burner for $83...
http://meritline.stores.yahoo.net/pioneer-dvr-k06-slim-8x-dual-layer-dvd-burner-drive.html

so it wouldnt b too costly to add a dvd drive
erm do u have any pics of ur case ...or its dimensions ? jz so we can have a better idea of the size ;)
hope the links help

[slobra]

there are converters available ...
this is wat they look like...erm im sure there are retailers ur side of the pond ..
but it can b done pretty easily and cheaply ;) its 9.99 GBP ...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36947&doy=30m8&C=SEO&U=strat15

i found a slot loading dvd burner for $83...
http://meritline.stores.yahoo.net/pioneer-dvr-k06-slim-8x-dual-layer-dvd-burner-drive.html

so it wouldnt b too costly to add a dvd drive
erm do u have any pics of ur case ...or its dimensions ? jz so we can have a better idea of the size ;)
hope the links help


thanks, but i figured out how to get a normal drive to fit, I started my project today i will try to get some stuff posted up in the project galleries ASAP

[DaJe]

My last case was made out of plexiglass, i called it the sun. I think im gonna stay away from plexiglass and too many lights.

It was cool though, On the side i had a huge picture sandblasted of calvin pissing on an apple(mac).
It'd be interesting to have a small little box computer, completly clear, with 50 billion orange LEDs inside.

[progbuddy]

You could get one of those spherical cases.