Case Idea

[jaxspades]

I want to take the frame of a case, then cover it in modders mesh, and then with plaxiglass. That's my idea right now, and I would be painting the framework orange, and then all the drives too...
The Modders mesh would be a dark grey, and I think I'll just put in some practical things like a side door, 4-8 front USB Ports, Temp stuff, etc...
I just need a sturdy frame. Hopefully cheap, but you get what you pay for. Any ideas on cheaper sturdy frame work?

[Omega]

Just try to find a nice, cheap Antec case. Can't go wrong.

[jdbnsn]

I can't attest to sturdiness, I guess it's ok. I have a case that I would give you, but I think the shipping charges would be too much for it's actual value. Depending on where you live, check www.craigslist.com and you are sure to run across many free cases of people cleaning out the junk. I've seen some pretty good stuff there. If you're in a bind and can't find anything, let me know and we can discuss the case if you want it.

[jaxspades]

Hmmm...How about this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811156053

I looked at some antec stuff on Newegg, I'm going to try ebay, since Newegg's cheapest seemed to be 60 dollars.

Thanks for the advice so far!

[Omega]

For a frame, that should be more than suffecient.

[simon275]

Solid case. Cheap but sturdy why Antec is good. This one is fine.

[jaxspades]

Okay,
since this pc is all about being gaming/music editing/video editing...
would this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829121113

also work as a sound card--only externally, through the firewire cable?
Hopefully some of you guys are music editing people..........

anyways, if it is, I plan to embed it on the top-rear of my case.
thanks

[simon275]

I believe that you can use this as a sound card I had a look at the manufactureres page for http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410-main.html

And they talk about getting crystal clear DVD Audio output and that must be coming from the computer so I believe you could use this as an expensive sound card.

You could easily put it in your case with no cables running outside by running the cable to a firewire header on your mobo. (IF you have one)

Hope this helps.

[jaxspades]

Thanks, I would put it inside, but the then if I put it up front, the speaker ports on the back of the unit would be inside the case, so...
I like the whole putting it on top thing. Then it has all ports easily accessible.

[jaxspades]

Here are some Sketches of my idea

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p165/jaxspades/FireWraith2.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p165/jaxspades/FireWraith.jpg

I cant decide if I ant a dark gray or that metal look...
and all the windows will have modder's mesh behind them.
The box jetting out on the side is the M-Audio Recording Box.

This is the start of Project Fire Wraith

[jaxspades]

Hmmmm, my Google SketchUp skills need some improvement... :neutral:

[simon275]

They are pretty good. Where are you gonna get the mesh from. I know you can get mesh cheaper then this but this stuff looks so nice in real life.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=314&products_id=3398

[jaxspades]

I might get it there, but I have heard of cheaper at Menard's or Home Depot. we'll see when the time comes.

Oooo....and I found a great power switch, but it's almost as much as the case!

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=60_118&products_id=4445

It's nice, since it is metal and orange..........
I hate how expensive things can be!

[progbuddy]

Oooh, I like the sketchup. Anyways, I would personally go with a metal look. I've seen some cool designs done with aluminum. I think your case would look good with a brushed metal look.

[jaxspades]

Thanks!

I am unsure still. I like the look of a glossy dark grey, but a nice polished aluminum wouldn't be half bad either.........

I can't wait to begin, but it will be a while....like May or June.... :(

[slytherock]

Sorry to introduce myself this way, but only one comment. You say that you're gonna use the comp for video editing, hope you plan on adding a couple of Hdd. If you dont, consider some extra space for them. As an editor myself, hdd are the first component I think of.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/th_Frontviewbeselsoff.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/Frontviewbeselsoff.jpg)

And dont forget, more Hdd you have, louder the case is, so think before the mesh part. Just my 2 cents

On a side note, modding cheap cases is fun :)

[ScWoL]

A nice thick layer of glossy black enamel always looks nice, then you could use silver or a mettalic cover to highlight your bezel and other parts.

[jdbnsn]

Sorry to introduce myself this way, but only one comment. You say that you're gonna use the comp for video editing, hope you plan on adding a couple of Hdd. If you dont, consider some extra space for them. As an editor myself, hdd are the first component I think of

My, what big storage you have...

Welcome to the forum slytherock, I had no idea you needed so much storage for editing. What type of editing do you do if you don't mind me asking?

[slytherock]

Thx for the welcome
I do mostly advertising for TV, but my sided project turned around sports (where I work) (http://www.zulufilms.com)
(here's an exemple in football) (http://versusquebec.com/multimedia.do) and in short movies.
I work with AVID, most of my tutorials on the net are about tweak on this platform (they are on an obscur site, I dont even know if they're still online) And my principal hobby is modding and OC.
As for Modding, I'm more into the practical side of it; improving work space, cleaning, add airflow and electrical add-ons. I'm really impress with the quality of case transformation I see in this forum, but it's not something I'm into, as I say, it's more practical, in part cause I'm not a gamer, but a worker :)

sorry, I dont want to Hijack this tread, so that's enough of me ;)

Edit: BTW for the storage:
4*320 Gb Seagate Sata Raid
2*160 Gb ATA
3* 300 Gb External Firewire
2* 250 Gb External USB2
1* 160 Gb External USB2

To be back on the topic: try to find old comp on garbage days, they're always full of good parts you can use on building around a cheap case.

[jdbnsn]

Sweet vid, I especially liked the end where apparently the call was made and a player starts jumping in celebration just as the song is winding up for a punch. Good timing! Saw your double PSU build, impressive! I have recently been faced with the possibility that my comp may need a second PSU and that gives me dangerous ideas...Thanks!
Jon

[slytherock]

I think that was not one of mine, sorry. That one is Juvenil football, mine are University. Check for my name under the clips. Or let me link you directly to one I like (http://versusquebec.com/multimedia.do?oiMultimedia=8)

[jaxspades]

well, I'll be having a 320gb for Windows and games...

and a 160gb for all my media--videos and about 20 gigs of songs.

The videos are only going to be about 7 minutes or less in length, but I know--that those can still take gigs at a time...
so, eventually I may have to add another 160gb or a 250gb or something...but until then, I think that the 320 and the 160 will be enough...

[jaxspades]

Darn. I just saw Dave's tip-3000. Mine seems alot like it. Not completely, but quite a few similarities. Back to the Drawing Program...

[jaxspades]

Well, I think I came up with a slightly new idea--but still close to the old one.

I'll get the pictures from sketch up in the next post soon...

[jaxspades]

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p165/jaxspades/FireWraith2Back.png

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p165/jaxspades/FireWraith2.png

There are my new pics...I got rid of the box on the side, because, it is only a recording device, I guess...So I might go with X-Fi, and yes, I am FULLY aware that it is apparently a waste of money if I do not get a 7.1 surround.

I, however, like it for other reasons--it takes sound processing off of the CPU.
Plus, I have the potential for 7 speakers, which I may want to get in the future.

Anyway, back to the case...I haven't decided if I will put the PSU on the bottom or top--I don't know if there are pros/cons to the placing of it, so feedback on that would be cool. That's also why I haven't drawn the PSU in yet...

Also, I want Water Cooling in there somewhere--the radiator will probably be next to the mobo I/O's, and I was thinking of putting a vent on the side, behind the mobo...would that help a lot, or is it pretty much useless?

I am getting a Dremel in the next few weeks, so I hope to buy the case and begin work then....I probably will only have the worklog updated up to the finishing of the case, since I won't be able to deal with the components and the water-cooling until spring break or later.......

[jaxspades]

Also, I want to have 8 USB ports in the front...so I was looking for options--I've been searching Newegg, FrozenCPU, and Performance-PC, and I can't find what I need. I had originally thought of using a USB cable that was hooked up to a gate, but I can't find that anywhere...any suggestions?

[slytherock]

Are you talking about this? (http://www.startech.com/Product/ItemDetail.aspx?productid=USBPLATE4&c=US)

[jaxspades]

YES!!!

Thanks!

[slytherock]

No problem, I love startech for that kind of parts :)
I also found that most of the cheap local shops sell that kind of parts (used) for around 2$, just in case...