New Computer...

[arsenic480]

hi, my names colin, and ive been viewing this site (and the youtube videos ive found) for quite a while. the work you all do is amazing and has sparked something inside me ^_^ the urge to create my own computer...

im not too savvy in terms of WHAT all i will need. i purchased a medium sized case for all the components ill need, which i assume will be enough. over the next few days, ill be painting the case in honor of my favorite game-series. the legend of zelda. i do a lot of pen and ink art, but im new to airbrushing, so i thought this would be a good chance to give it a shot, cause i can always fix my early mistakes later.

my questions are as follows:

WHAT all will i need to make my computer run (see how dumb i am at this point)?... i want something ill be able to run pretty demanding games on with the graphics at a reasonably good range and as little lag as possible. i own guild wars, and on my current PC, its like walking through wet cement.

WHAT types of paint should i use?... like i said, im kinda new to ALL of this. i read about "createx paints", and i think i may pick some of them up soon tp give them a shot. is there a certain type of airbrushing paint that is good for "mod work"? ive also heard "procolor" and "tri-art" are decent... but i dont know if there are better/worse options. id like the former ^_^

...are there any good manuals to pick up on computer modding?... ive seen a lot of your guys stuff, and to be frank, its amazing. i really like the LEDs incorporated into some of the computer, and i think id like the cut a triforce out of the side panel, cover it with plexiglass and have some yellow OR bright white LEDs behind it, but im not sure if there is a GOOD way to go about this. i thought itd be a cool idea so there was a triforce through which you could view some of the inner workings of the computer (those are the coolest parts sometimes).

is there a good way to cut the side panels... a good tool to use... a good method?

im getting started, so id love it if you could give me pointers/advice/help. ill post pictures as i go along in this project, and i hope it turns out as cool as ive envisioned. thanks guys.

-colin

[arsenic480]

also, are there any good sites to purchase components at reasonable prices. it feels like best buy has me shoved over, grabbing my ankles :P

[Drum Thumper]

hi, my names colin, and ive been viewing this site (and the youtube videos ive found) for quite a while. the work you all do is amazing and has sparked something inside me ^_^ the urge to create my own computer...

And so his madness begins... :p



im not too savvy in terms of WHAT all i will need. i purchased a medium sized case for all the components ill need, which i assume will be enough. over the next few days, ill be painting the case in honor of my favorite game-series. the legend of zelda. i do a lot of pen and ink art, but im new to airbrushing, so i thought this would be a good chance to give it a shot, cause i can always fix my early mistakes later.

Oooooh. I like this idea. Legend of Zelda is one of the all time greats!



my questions are as follows:

WHAT all will i need to make my computer run (see how dumb i am at this point)?... i want something ill be able to run pretty demanding games on with the graphics at a reasonably good range and as little lag as possible. i own guild wars, and on my current PC, its like walking through wet cement.

Quite simply, you need the following: Power supply, motherboard, processor, RAM, hard drive and video card. And some cables too. I'm assuming you already have the mouse, monitor and keyboard. And yes, I realize this answer is vague. You'll see why at the end of this post.



WHAT types of paint should i use?... like i said, im kinda new to ALL of this. i read about "createx paints", and i think i may pick some of them up soon tp give them a shot. is there a certain type of airbrushing paint that is good for "mod work"? ive also heard "procolor" and "tri-art" are decent... but i dont know if there are better/worse options. id like the former ^_^

I'll let the masters answer this one. I'm more of a techhead.



...are there any good manuals to pick up on computer modding?... ive seen a lot of your guys stuff, and to be frank, its amazing. i really like the LEDs incorporated into some of the computer, and i think id like the cut a triforce out of the side panel, cover it with plexiglass and have some yellow OR bright white LEDs behind it, but im not sure if there is a GOOD way to go about this. i thought itd be a cool idea so there was a triforce through which you could view some of the inner workings of the computer (those are the coolest parts sometimes).


Get Pauls book (http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Guide-Extreme-Mods/dp/0789731924). It will become your bible.




is there a good way to cut the side panels... a good tool to use... a good method?

Dremel and a metal file.




im getting started, so id love it if you could give me pointers/advice/help. ill post pictures as i go along in this project, and i hope it turns out as cool as ive envisioned. thanks guys.

-colin

Welcome aboard! Post some sketchups or drawings since you say you've done a lot of pen and paper drawings.

One thing you might want to seriously consider is setting a budget. A pretty decent machine can be built for $500, but will it do what you want it to do? Take a long hard look at your favorite games. Examine the recommended specs. If you can afford to, make that your absolute minimum.

[arsenic480]

hah, cool ^_^ thanks man.

i read this and realized-... im kinda **** outta luck. ive got a fordom flex shaft in the garage, but i dunno if that will work. i guess a router may-... i think weve got one laying around somewhere.

ill do some sketches before i go to bed tonight. ive gotta work all day tomorrow, but my real work will begin tomorrow. i sat in my living room and drooled over my new case (into a cup of course... no need to get electronics wet). its nothing special or that nice looking, but the possibilities are there, and thats what makes it so hard to sleep.

the games i want to play-... are ever growing. the requirements raise as fast as gas prices, so i think ill go above the minimum by as much as my budget will allow ^_^ leaves me some elbow room.

i think i remember some site called "___eggs" or something like that?... sold a lot of computer stuff. i do have a monitor keyboard and mouse, but i plan on buying new ones so my other computer isnt completely desolate. id rather not just put it out of its misery-... a slow death is more suitable.

thanks again though... gonna start sketching now ^_^

[arsenic480]

heres a fast sketch of what i want to cut out on one side...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/arsenic480/zeldaconcept.jpg

...ive heard about radiation leaks from the lack of coverage, and was wondering what i could cover this with (if its possible) to reduce or eliminate this problem. i thought plexiglass with heat-resistant caulk might work, but i dont think plexiglass is microwave proof ^_^ haha.

[Omega]

There's no microwave radiation put off by computers.

You'd need a Magnetron to do that, anyways. Most computers don't have those.

The worst type of radiation you'll get is UV (from cathodes), and even then, it's really, really weak.

you mean something like this?

http://www.lotechdesigns.com/host/images/685zeldaconcept.jpg

[arsenic480]

haha, nice crop/skew ^_^ this computers really falling to ****. photoshop took ten minutes to load, and i just gave up after that... and it seems too late to do any "perspective drawing" for me. ehh, gotta be up for work in a few hours.

my friend was joking about the radiation thing and it was getting me a bit paranoid. maybe ill buy a magnetron-... then ill show you all whos boss!

do you think plexiglass is the way to go, or should i substitute it with true glass or even the "museum glass" (reduces all glare).

speaking of UV, i live in arizona-... so if it hasnt killed me yet, im not too worried :santa:

[DaveW]

Plexiglass is the way to go. :) Nothing else produces results worth bothering with.

-Dave

[Bucko]

Real glass is bad. It is heavier and more likely to shatter. You want the little bit of flex of plexi, plus it's easier to cut with a dremel.

[arsenic480]

if i paint the panels green... would a red triforce envoke fear in my enemies, or would the classic yellow be best? hmm... so many choices and i havent done more than tear the thing apart ^_^

i looked at new egg and found some stuff that looks like itd fit my budget and EXCEED my needs. so, ill post it tomorrow. dunno if there will be compatibility issues, but maybe we could have a discussion on that too ^_^ haha.

thanks for the help guys, ill talk to you tomorrow-... or-... later today?

night :D

-colin

[Aero]

for cutting that I would say a jigsaw would be best. If you could get your hands on a dremel/rotary tool that might work. Put for the curves and points you want a jigsaw would probably give you the most precise cut. Work slow and from the backside of the panel. That way if you slip or scratch anything it won't be visable. Also pick up a set of files (pretty cheap, maybe $20 at the most). Cut about 1/16 of an inch inside of the design and then file it out. Be prepared to take hours of filing (you forearms will grow after this, but hey, thats how modders get all the ladies). This will take longer than cutting it straght away with the saw, but the final product will look mucho better.

[.Maleficus.]

Yeah, a jigsaw is the way to go. It will take you ages with a Dremel (unless you get the diamond coated cutting disks, which are way more expensive in the long run than investing in a jigsaw) and it will turn out worse than a jigsaw because you don't have the control you have with a jigsaw. I just bought one, and I'll never use a Dremel for cutting long cuts ever again. One thing to keep in mind though; the jigsaw blades are thick, you you can't get into too tight of spaces with it. Other than that, you'll be fine.

Also, I'm a huge fan of Zelda, so I can't wait to see this thing take off.


Edit: Haha Minty, your title is awesome!

[xRyokenx]

The basic list of components is this:

Motherboard
CPU (that's compatible with the motherboard)
RAM (also called the "Memory," stands for Random Access Memory, I think :think:)
Hard Drives
Video Card
Sound Card (if not built onto the motherboard, most are these days)
Optical Drives (CD and DVD)
Case
Power Supply
CPU Heatsink (if it doesn't come with one)
Peripherals (Monitor, Keyboard, etc.)

If I've missed a few components, go ahead and PM me or whatever and I'll add 'em to the list.

Minty, what is your title supposed to be anyway? Dare I ask?

[.Maleficus.]

It says "P I M P".

[xRyokenx]

Oh, that explains a lot, lol... what's this? Did his keyboard break and he can only type the letters "D," "V," and the brackets? Hmm... lol. :D

[arsenic480]

im gonna drive to ace tomorrow morning before i pick my friend up from work. i may ask them a bit about what they suggest in terms of models and all-... dremel or jigsaw. the only problem i see with the jigsaw IS the lack of fine detail i can achieve easily. ill look at what all they have and decide what will work better for me. ive got quite a steady hand, so the dremel may be a better option for me, but the jigsaw seems to have recieved quite a bit of praise from you guys, so maybe ill see if theyll let me demo some of them on the old computer cases i have ^_^ i doubt it, so if all else fails, ill pick up a jigsaw, and if it doesnt work out, maybe exchange it for a dremel... so many options...

ive decided to paint the panels green and leave the rest of the casing black/silver (respectively)... this is my first project, and i dont want to go too gung-ho and destroy something that could be simple and cool. for the green paint, im leaning towards a mid-gloss forest-green possibly with a metallic flake in it... give it some shine ^_^

on one of the corners of either panel im going to add the TLOZ text, though i dont know if it will look too bare, or if simple is the way to go. ive heard some stuff about a modded wii with the triforce, hylian shield and mini/removeable master sword. sounds pretty cool, so im gonna search that out.

ive been looking at a lot of the actual computer components, and i think ive found a few that seem like they would work well for me, but im not sure if theyre compatible with each other. i was wondering if you guys knew if they would be, or if you had suggestions in what i should get instead or in addition to what ive listed. any help would be greatly appreciated.

NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188016

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103778

A-DATA 2GB 240-Pin Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211061

Western Digital Caviar SE16 320GB Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136074

LITE-ON Black LightScribe Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106055

Thermaltake Venus 7+ CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106034

my tower has a 350 watt power supply in it now, so im not sure if ill need a new one or if i need anything else for the computer (other than the monitor, mouse and keyboard)... thanks again guys, youve all helped a lot :)

-colin

[Drum Thumper]

my tower has a 350 watt power supply in it now, so im not sure if ill need a new one or if i need anything else for the computer (other than the monitor, mouse and keyboard)... thanks again guys, youve all helped a lot :)

-colin

350 watts won't cut it. I'm running a somewhat similar system and I get random lockups, crashes and everything else that points to a PSU problem if I turn my CCFLs on.

I'd recommend 450 watts minimum if you're adding lights of any kind to your system at all. Yes, I realize that LEDs draw considerably less power, but it's always a good thing to have too much PSU than what you actually need.

This looks to be one sweet machine. Can't wait to see it!:up:

DrumThumper

[arsenic480]

awesome ^_^ power supplies through that site are pretty cheap too... ill go a bit higher than that too, cause im gonna wanna add a lot more stuff as cash starts running in. im trying to start up a comission "business"... though as i end up doing it all for free or just giving it away, the money isnt there-... and working at sports authority isnt the best paying job ^_^ hah.

[arsenic480]

right now im worried about the casing-... ive made little progress other than some sketches and designs, but is there a better chip for running games as opposed to regular applications?... im trying to build a pc that will run my games (unlike the current one which systematically vomits them out).

[Indybird]

First of all welcome to the forums...
Second, what about a graphics card?
If your going for high-end but still cheap I'd recommend the 8800GTS 320mb.

Third, Im going to have to agree w/ Minty on this. I'd highly recommend Intel Core 2 Duo proc + nforce 6 series mobo.
If you do go the intel way I'd get this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115005
Its fast, overclockable and cheap...

[armadilloben]

You'd need a Magnetron to do that, anyways. Most computers don't have those.

yet they all wonder why i need a 7 kilowatt psu.........:twisted:

[armadilloben]

First of all welcome to the forums...
Second, what about a graphics card?
If your going for high-end but still cheap I'd recommend the 8800GTS 320mb.

Third, Im going to have to agree w/ Minty on this. I'd highly recommend Intel Core 2 Duo proc + nforce 6 series mobo.
If you do go the intel way I'd get this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115005
Its fast, overclockable and cheap...

in case you missed it indy, nvidia released their new 8600 and 8500 lines i sometime this past week. you can buy a really nice 8600gts with 256megabytes of 2000mhz of overclocked GDDR3 memory from bfg technologies for around 230 at newegg. in my opinion is a better deal then the 8800gts. and besides its single slot

[Indybird]

in case you missed it indy, nvidia released their new 8600 and 8500 lines i sometime this past week. you can buy a really nice 8600gts with 256megabytes of 2000mhz of overclocked GDDR3 memory from bfg technologies for around 230 at newegg. in my opinion is a better deal then the 8800gts. and besides its single slot

If you read some reviews you'll see the GTS 320MB is alot faster for not much more money...

[dfigravity]

if i paint the panels green... would a red triforce envoke fear in my enemies, or would the classic yellow be best? hmm... so many choices and i havent done more than tear the thing apart ^_^

i looked at new egg and found some stuff that looks like itd fit my budget and EXCEED my needs. so, ill post it tomorrow. dunno if there will be compatibility issues, but maybe we could have a discussion on that too ^_^ haha.

thanks for the help guys, ill talk to you tomorrow-... or-... later today?

night :D

-colin



how about yellow plexi with red CC lighting behind it??

[arsenic480]

not a bad idea actually... im thinking about etching something into the plexi as well ^_^

SOOOO... i went to ACE HARDWARE today, and boy are my arms tired :? i got a black and decker jig saw, and realized-... i am not as skilled with power tools as i tell all the ladies. i drilled a few nice sized holes into the panel (where the triforce will be) and noticed that 90 degree angles arent easy for me. dunno if there are any good tips or extra tools i can buy to make this a bit easier.

im considering getting one of the saws that has the U-shaped body (with handle) and the blade is just a strip-... im kinda tired, so im spacing on the name. i remember when i was building some stuff out of wood in the past, this made things kinda easy.

ive also heard about a tool that takes little "nibbles" out of metal, and dont know what its called, but if anyone knows what im talking about-... would it be worth it?

the jig saw is a little too big (?) for the smaller triforce im cutting out (6x6 inches)... but i may just need some pointers.

im also thinking about making a large master sword and hylian shield which i will layer (maybe a centemeter or so between each) and mount to the other side of the tower.

also, thanks again for all the computer advice/suggestions... i actually enjoy trolling component sites in the early hours of the morning now ^_^ youve given me a new addiction.

-colin

[.Maleficus.]

Yeah, I also noticed the lack of graphics card. I didn't look at you mobo very carefully, so sorry if it has video-out already, but if it doesn't you'll have a hard time computing things :D. You said you play some games but nothing too fancy right? You can get a 7600GT for fairly cheap now, so that would be a good option.

Also, a lot of people are recommending an Intel setup. I'm going with that. AMD hasn't released anything mind-blowing for a while, and right now Intel is killing the multi-core market. A Core 2 Duo or newer Pentium D (with the right mobo and RAM) will destroy anything AMD puts up against it. Before you buy, I suggest looking at an Intel setup too, and comparing both.

Only advice I can give is strengthen your arms I guess. After a while it will get much easier. And use the slide on the bottom of the jigsaw to keep it nice and parallel to the metal. It makes it a lot easier.

I'm not sure what kind of tool you're talking about, maybe post a picture?

I think you're thinking of a "Nibbler".

Sword and shield sounds like an awesome idea.

[arsenic480]

i purchased the "nibbler" and has worked out very well for me... after drilling into multiple points, tweaking the metal and cutting my hand up in the process, ive begun quite a bit or work on the "triforce" cut-out. i spent the last hour or so in the backyard with a halogen light looming over me as i "nibbled", sanded and yelled at the side panel.

good times.

...

i still have a lot of work to do, but i figured id at least post an image of my progress thus far. so:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2222/triforcelh3.th.jpg (http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=triforcelh3.jpg)

its a grainy picture (off my cell) and its just beginning, but this is what i have so far ^_^

[armadilloben]

If you read some reviews you'll see the GTS 320MB is alot faster for not much more money...

my next cards are gonna be 2 8600gts cuz i love sli and when im not running sli i run 3 monitors (2 desktop 1 5 inch screen) so for me its cheaper and i dont really want to buy a single card because i love sli so much

[xRyokenx]

Just my opinion, based on nothing more reliable, than my on meandering experience.

-Jai


(However this goes) If you take nothing else from this song, wear sunscreen.

ROFL That was an awesome song, if that's where you got it from, lol. My parents used to listen to it quite a bit.