Extreame Case Modification

Quu · Post by **Quu** » Tue Nov 19, 2002 6:23 pm

I am lookign at revamping my portable video server (B-Ko)

the current B-Ko has been a bit of a problem. The computer is to large to be truely portable, and is to prone for lose cables while being shipped and moved.

does anybody know of a cheap or free (hell... considering how many cons i go to and show this at they will get lots of free publicity) place to get case mods.

I am more than willing to pay for materials, but considering how much I already drop onto cons... i don't think I can afford much.

my goal is for this to be small enuf to fit in a carry on luggage bag. (there is measurements on http://www.faa.gov/avr/afs/back.pdf ) or be small enuf that padding the hell out of it and putting it in checked luggage is an option.

it must hold
Motherboard+cpu+memory (built in net,audio, and vid... MicroATX)
2 PCI card on motherboard (NetStream 2000 and raid card)
floppy drive (some cons give me logo's onfloppy)
DVD-ROM
1 system drive
4 raid drives

option stuff in there (ie stuff i can live without but would be nice to include in the design)
second system drive (for capturing)
space for Pinnacle Studio Deluxe (PCI card)

Extra PCI slot for wireless network card (it would save me the donble of a USB one)

the local MicroCenter has some bare bones systems for sale... with a small case... my oroginal idea was to just mdo one of those by adding an additional drive cage and cooling fans... but i don't have the metal working ability to make it look good (lots of people see this) nor really the time...

any ideas?

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Wed Nov 20, 2002 3:45 am

You might find some info at the small-form-factor forum. Most of these guys are working Shuttle boxes, but they talk about other cases, too. A few of them are doing some great-looking case mods.
http://forums.sudhian.com/categories.cfm?catid=33

If you're going to do the work yourself, these acrylic cases might be easier to work than a metal one. They might also be too big (18x18x8 without handles), but they would draw a lot of attention, especially with an internal black light while set up in a dark video room. And they're a bit pricey.
http://www.clearcomputercase.com/photos.htm

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mckeed · Post by **mckeed** » Wed Nov 20, 2002 3:29 pm

This sounds like the VJ portable sytem I was trying to build as it had the same type of requirements. The only thing I can suggest to to build it from scratch. I've seen soem half height type cases, based on the flex ATX spec but larger obviously. But those would eliminate your extra things you want to include in it. With all those HD's though...its going to be hard. Even in a mid tower that is hard(I know cause this sounds like my current editing system). I would instead invest it in a very good padded case instead that fits a midtower sized case. Something like a hard clamshell with different densities of foam inside to really secure it in there. I know they make things like this. But I don't have any sites handy at the moment. If I find some I'll send them along your way.

Quu · Post by **Quu** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 7:28 pm

as another option... i am lookgin at rack mounted cases along with "roady" rack enclosures....

klinky · Post by **klinky** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 8:19 pm

I don't know man, I think you're going to have a hard time getting answers here since we're all so poor

I would ask this again at the Arstechnica Case + Cooling Fetish forums

http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopi ... f=77909585

~klinky

Waldo · Post by **Waldo** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 5:04 pm

I'm assuming that those loose cables were the reason why B-Ko kept loosing track of raid array?

Quu · Post by **Quu** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 11:33 am

yup...

sorry about that waldo.... B-Ko is getting a total revision so that will never happen again...

SiberWolf · Post by **SiberWolf** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 2:30 am

Rack mounted cases? Heh, those are far outside my budget, at least for quality ones.

I do have an idea I've been wanting to experiment with for awhile, but haven't got around to really toying with. Aluminum tool cases. Can pick one up for about $20 at Home Depot. And with a little skill it could be built into a nice looking, extremely portable computer. Getting that many drives in there would be the real challenge though. But I think it could be done.

If you're interested, just give me a little time to look into it further, and I'll see if it will actually work as I planned. If so, I could probably put one together for basically the material cost, which would be quite low compared to a lot of other options.

Org Profile · Post by **VicBond007** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 12:00 am

It's VERY possible to install a pc into a large briefcase. I mean literally install it in it. As in, the briefcase IS the case. The big killer is really the 4 RAID drives. If it could get cut down 1 a system drive and 2 RAIDs, hell, I could actually probably do that for you, and keep it adequately cooled. I've been wanting to get my hands dirty with another mod ever since I finished the watercooler

IM me.

Org Profile · Post by **Vlad G Pohnert** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 10:51 pm

One additional problem with having all that hardware is the total weight. This may be a problem as a carry on (weight restrictions. The other thing is you may have to be able to turn it on or prove what it is. I do quite a bit of traveling on planes over the past few years and a lot of places want to see the equipment turned on if it is a carry on.

How about using silicone or similar jell to keep the cables from coming loose and then a foam padded metal box with additional layer of bubble wrap for the shipping of the system. That's what I did with the machine I brought to AWA. (I got the box at work and it's actually designed for computers).

I donno, just some thoughts

Vlad