Lots of free cases and more ideas for mods and a question about PS2 in a PC case.

[Bucko]

As I mentioned elsewhere on the forum, I scored a few free cases over the past week to add to my growing pile of raw material and works in progress.

First up I got this Acer case last weekend. I swapped two 80mm UV Blue fans for it:

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7710/cameradump049xx6.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5237/cameradump048ok4.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1530/cameradump046mp7.jpg

It doesn't take a full size ATX MoBo, only the shorter ones with 4 expansion slots. The tool less drive bays actually work quite well. I'm thinking of using this for my main PC as it only has the shorter MoBo. I'd cut the side mesh out and make it a window, maybe a Defyant style blowhole in the front or maybe make a whole new front.

Also included with that Acer case was 2 Aluminum brief cases, which I don't know what I'll do with. Either use the material for some sides on another case, or make a brief case PC:

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8749/cameradump063ea9.jpg


Now the cases I got yesterday.
First up an IBM Aptiva with an AMD K6 in it:

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7411/cameradump060fl9.jpg


which has a door the CD drive can still open through:

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/9776/cameradump061ig5.jpg


It was a little dusty when I took the front off:

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/2967/cameradump056bb0.jpg


Then there's this DSX PC with a 486 in it:

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/5802/cameradump059ny9.jpg


And the insides:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1671/cameradump057bo5.jpg


Both of those cases I have no real plans for. But hey, they were free! Both also use the older style case where the tops and sides are one piece, so putting in side case fans would be a real pain. Maybe the Aptiva front door might get used for something on another case.


Next up we have an ancient Intel powered desktop PC which I haven't looked inside yet, but I know it's the oldest one and it has Windows 3.1 installed on it:

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5817/cameradump062xa7.jpg

I quite like this one. It's tall enough to take full height cards in it and it has nice simple lines. I'm thinking of painting it black and making it a HTPC and sticking it in my stereo cabinet.

None of these cases is likely to have much happen on them soon as I want to finish the Mini-Rat PC before I start on another mod.


At the top of the thread I said:


add to my growing pile of raw material and works in progress.

I wasn't lying either, my pile of works in progress and raw material is getting quite big...

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/1236/cameradump064xw3.jpg


I could have chucked the PC I'm using at the moment and my laptop into the picture, but I couldn't be bothered. :p

So there you have it, my latest cases and what I might possibly do with them.

[jdbnsn]

Nice Loot! I'm jealous!

[Eclecticos]

Nice collection you got going there! I'm gonna have to got scouting for some myself. .

[FuzzyPlushroom]

Then there's this DSX PC with a 486 in it

Got one of those cases myself, haven't modded it yet though, aside from attacking the back of it with a hacksaw so I could use an AT board with an onboard PS/2 mouse port.

Yeah, you got a solid collection. I've probably got as much stuff around, but it's not nearly as nice.

[modmansage]

Just curious, where do you get this stuff from exactly?

[Bucko]

Just off friends. The acer case was from a mates computer after he bought an iCute case to put the guts in.
The other 3 came from another friend. 2 of them were sitting in his cupboard for years and one was in his Dad's cupboard for years.

[Bucko]

I am thinking of putting my PS2 in a PC case, just to give me an excuse for another case mod with more space for cooling too.
Does anyone know if I could use a PC DVD drive in the PS2?

I've had a quick look at Google and couldn't find a definitive answer though. That and I'm slightly drunk and don't have the energy to search more deeply.

If you have any useful links for mucking around with the PS2 cooling, put in a PC case or DVD answers, post them up.

EDIT: I'm not interested in a mod chip or using illegal copies or anything that breaches TBCS rules. I simply want to use my PS2 in a PC case and possibly a PC DVD drive to make mounting it easier.

Thanks in advance.

[Redundant]

I found some videos on taking the PS2 apart (http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=PolarControls)...

And in these disassembly photos (http://content.techrepublic.com.com/2346-10877_11-53468-34.html), you can see that the driver circuit for the CD drive is built into the slim PS2's motherboard.

The chances of the ribbon cable from the laser from different CD drives being the same are slim to none. :( You'll probably be better off using the original drive.

Good luck anyway. :)

[FuzzyPlushroom]

From having taken apart a couple full-size PS2s (albeit not a slim one) it looks like, yep, it's gonna be a thousand-to-one chance, anyway. Maybe it's possible, but it looks like a LOT more trouble than it'd be worth.

[D1337]

ps1+n64+dreamcast all in one case. DO IT.

[Bucko]

ps1+n64+dreamcast all in one case. DO IT.

I no longer have a PS1 or an N64. Both were given to my younger Sister a while ago. I'll have to ask her whether she still even has them and if she wants them if she does still have them.
Besides, why do a PS1 when a PS2 will play PS1 games?

As for the PS2 mod, I was thinking it would look cool in an old Atari 2600 case. I might have to look on eBay for one. I don't want to mod my 2600 as it is in perfect working order and it was a birthday present from back in 1983. I'd like to keep mine original.
My PS2 is one of the early models. The big version, not the slimline one.


Also, if anyone has any good ideas for a computer case that could be modded into something non computer related, feel free to post it up. I would like to use some of the spare cases I have lying around and don't need even more working PCs.

I'm sure the Geek blood flows strongly in me when I want my PCs to look like anything but a PC and I want anything non-PC to look like a PC...

[lukeisthecoolest]

did anyone else notice that the comps back them were much more cluttered compared to today? idk i just noticed that when helping my friend mod his old comp :?

[D1337]

I no longer have a PS1 or an N64. Both were given to my younger Sister a while ago. I'll have to ask her whether she still even has them and if she wants them if she does still have them.
Besides, why do a PS1 when a PS2 will play PS1 games?

As for the PS2 mod, I was thinking it would look cool in an old Atari 2600 case. I might have to look on eBay for one. I don't want to mod my 2600 as it is in perfect working order and it was a birthday present from back in 1983. I'd like to keep mine original.
My PS2 is one of the early models. The big version, not the slimline one.


Also, if anyone has any good ideas for a computer case that could be modded into something non computer related, feel free to post it up. I would like to use some of the spare cases I have lying around and don't need even more working PCs.

I'm sure the Geek blood flows strongly in me when I want my PCs to look like anything but a PC and I want anything non-PC to look like a PC...


because they will all fit, their cheap, and they still have some kickass games.

You could build a speaker system, using actuators to pop out side panels carrying the each speaker.

Disco box.

toaster oven mod has a few tutorials.
Coffee maker?
Handgun/money safe

[Bucko]

I got another free computer today. A guy at work was going to throw out this old IBM Aptiva with a PIII in the bin, so I said I'd give it a good home.

The front:

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/6785/cameradump113nz2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The guts:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7067/cameradump114ei8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


And the back:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1895/cameradump115br0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I have no plans for it, but better in my house than a workmate's bin, I say.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

95% sure that's a SB Live! Value there, Bucko. I've got one myself, and when it works, it's a great card. (For that reason, it lives on the shelf.) Doubt there's a whole lot else in there that's useful, since it's from about 2000, but it'd be a good router, print server, etc. at the very least. Kind of a neat case too, pity it's a vertical-PSU unit though.

[Bucko]

It is indeed a Soundblaster Live! sound card. This PIII is a blistering 550Mhz.

I'm actually thinking of making this a Retro Games box. I have Windows 95 and 98se.
Chuck one of those on, keep the floppy drive and load up all my old Sierra games (Space Quest 1-3, Police Quest 1&2, Kings Quest etc) that never really liked running on a fast PC under XP.

Gives me an excuse for another mod and makes use of otherwise useless stuff. I like playing them old games now and then, and it would be perfect for those times when you are in the mood for old school goodness (like when I pull out my Atari 2600).

[Helix666]

Wow... 550Mhz. What luxury. :p
When I was younger I had to program in BASIC on a 40MHz processor with 64KB RAM, uphill both ways in the snow.
(Yes, I had an easy life.)

:D

[FuzzyPlushroom]

Good plan, Bucko! The few older games I play (SimCity 2000/3000, mainly) have no problems under XP, otherwise I'd consider doing the same... that and I don't have a large enough spare HDD, really. A pair of 8.4s, dual-boot 2000 and 95b on my spare Athlon 850 though... hmm... It's tempting.