My New "BoomBox"

[aericdavens]

Well guys, this is my first post, figured I would start off with a mod of my own since you guys are such pro's at these things....And I'm a newb starting out. I've got tons of ideas for new mods and such. My first one is probably one that has been done several times over, BUT! Not one I've done myself :D :D

Any and all critisim (constructive or otherwise) is welcome as I'm a beginner and if you see something that is a big "no no" please let me know

So here goes, my new "BoomBox"

This is a side by side of the stereo I'm moding and the computer the parts are coming from, yes, I know the thing is old, but hey, better to start out with some stuff you won't mind breaking if it comes down to it :D
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2431.jpg

[aericdavens]

My goal is basically to put the old gateway in the stereo and use it quite literally as a boom box, except I'm going to have it networked to the computer in my room which has all my music on it, that way I can listen to tunes in the living room or while I'm modding and such.

This is a pic of the inside with the motherboard just sitting in there so I can get a good idea of what I'm working with.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2434.jpg

The back

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2438.jpg

[aericdavens]

The actual stereo still works, just the cd drive portion of it is all messed up so it just collected dust until I got the bright idea to put a computer inside of it.

This is a pic of the first piece of plex to be used

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2439.jpg

I'm going to use the buttons for the cd drive to open to...guess what, open the cd drive, hehe, and the button beside it used to control which cd was being played, it will be converted to the power button for the cpu. I'm thinking of putting the 3 leds to use as well, hdd activity, power for the cpu, and not sure about the other one just yet.

Power button board and LED's
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2441.jpg


This is where ther power button panel was removed from
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2439location.jpg



And just for the heck of it, I decided to take off all of the sides and everything so I could get a better feel for what I needed to clean up from the stuff that wasn't working on the stero (cd drive portion)

This is what teh wireing looks like, yea, a big mess, a hot glue gun and some hiding of the wires helped a little bit
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2448.jpg

[aericdavens]

This gives you a better idea of what I'm planning with the over all look of the inside. I plan on keeping the original outer casing to the stereo, but the back and the bottom are gonna be acrylic. The middle level will hold the cd drive on top and have the hard drive mounted to the bottom of it.

This gives a look at what it will eventually look like

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2451.jpg

Another view of the rear with the mbd and upper acrylic layer placed in to get an idea of what it will look like with the cd drive

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2455.jpg

trying to line the cd drive door up so that I can use the old drive panel for the cd drive

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2457.jpg

[Murader]

Great concept. thats a wicked idea. "RECYLCLE, REDUCE, REUSE, if none of the above apply. Mod the **** out of it"

[GT40_GearHead]

great idea only one concerne, wach out for the amp in the "boombox" you want to stay away from it

[DaveW]

This looks pretty cool. You seem to know what you're doing, so i won't tell you to be careful. It's looking good so far, good luck ;)

-Dave

[aericdavens]

great idea only one concerne, wach out for the amp in the "boombox" you want to stay away from it

thats the small box with the yellow wires going to the circuit board that has the ac power plugged into it? I know not to cross any wires or anything on it, I'm mounting it behind the casset deck, hopefully that won't affect anything.

Dave-
I know enough to be dangerous, lol, the only thing I'm not completely sure about will be when I want to start wireing some LED's inside of it.

[GT40_GearHead]

thats the small box with the yellow wires going to the circuit board that has the ac power plugged into it?

noup, that is the transformer, and you also want to stay awai from it with any PC stuff, the amplifier in this case would be a circuit on that big PCB and should have a heatsink on it, but now that you pointed to the transformer, it is your first concerne, the speakers can't have that much power so the amplifier would not produce so much E.M.P.

[Omega]

That's a badass idea. Show up to a LAN party with that thing and a moniter and then people will be like "...wtf?" until you start pwning their asses at CS or something.

I love it!

[Razors Edge]

Yeah, For a "Newb' you got something there. Love the idea, Can't wait to see how this turns out.

[aericdavens]

Thanks, Razor, makes me feel good you guys approve of what I'm using to mod, hehe.

Here are a few updates as to what I"ve done so far.

This is the base with the motherboard mounts bolted in, just using some bolts with the nuts doubled up b/c I didn't have any proper motherboard mounts
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2458.jpg

This is with the motherboard mounted to the base, think it looks pretty good

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2462.jpg

Another shot of the motherboard

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2463.jpg

This is with the back panel and the motherboard inside the box

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2464.jpg

The only real problem I've run into so far is how I'm gonna provide additional support to the PCI cards, as I will have to cut a hole for the upper part of the bracket, but not sure how I'm going to mount it there, I want to have the back panel either open and close with some hinges, or have a method of bolting it in and easily remove it for later upgrades/maintenance.

[aericdavens]

I went ahead and mounted the power supply in there as well so I could get that out of the way, there is a piece of plexi under it to help hold i up, then it has one bolt on the lower side that you can't see.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2467.jpg

With the hole cut in the door/panel

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2470.jpg

Good to find uses for the PCI bracket covers for other than what they are made for :D I used one to help mount the PSU and make it more secure

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2473.jpg

This is a side fan grill i mountd, gotta love the dremel

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2487.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2475.jpg


This is with the rear panel again

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/aericdavens/New%20boom%20Box/PDR_2489.jpg

[nzcubey]

i really like this, it would be really funny watching people cry when you pwn them at a lan with a boombox XD

[aericdavens]

Well, no real updates recently as I've been working like crazy, and I've hit somewhat of a roadblock with the rear plex panel....
I attempted to have it work like a door, I crazy glued two small pieces of plex to the upper and lower sides on the right corners. A good idea in my head, but when I actually put it in, well it didn't want to open and close all the way, hehe.

Any suggestions?
That's what I get for nto thinking it through all the way. So now I gotta either sand down the right side so that it swings out unhindered or cut a new back panel.