| The
Hardware - Machine 1 |
|
Motherboard: |
ASUS A7N8X Deluxe (chipset: nForce2) |
|
CPU: |
AMD Athlon XP 2200+ |
|
Main memory: |
1024MB Samsung CL2.5 PC2700 DDR-SDRAM (2 x 512MB) |
|
SCSI: |
Tekram DC395UW - UltraWide SCSI - 40MB/sec, PCI |
|
Graphics: |
A Creative 3D Blaster GeForce 4 Ti4400 with 128MB. Cooled by a Zalman HP80
passive cooler + a 120mm Enermax fan at the case side. |
|
Video Editing: |
Built-in FireWire (IEEE 1394) at the motherboard. |
|
Sound system: |
Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live! Platinum (full digital in and out, front
connectors for almost everything, multi-channel playback). |
|
Hard disks: |
1 x Western Digital 120GB (7200rpm, 8MB cache, DMA100)
1 x IBM DeskStar 80GB (7200rpm, 2MB cache, DMA100)
1 x Western Digital 80GB (7200rpm, 8MB cache, DMA100)
1 x IBM UltraStar 18ES 9GB (7200 rpm, 2MB cache) running at SCSI |
|
CD-ROM/DVD: |
AOpen 3'rd generation DVD, software playback (PowerDVD preferred, some HW-support
from GeForce4). |
|
CD-Writer: |
External Plextor 48/24/48x USB 2.0 (silver aluminum case, black front). |
|
Network: |
Wireless LAN (11Mbit/s) by Netgear.
Two 10/100Mbps ports at motherboard (1 x 3Com, 1 x nForce2) |
|
Case: |
Lian-Li
PC-60USB, gently modified for look and cooling performance. |
|
Operating system: |
Microsoft Windows XP Professional |
| The
Hardware - Machine 2 (almost done) |
|
Motherboard: |
Microstar (MSI) P4 865PE Neo2 |
|
CPU: |
Pentium 4 2.8 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, HT |
|
Main memory: |
Apacer 1024 MB PC3200 CL3 (2 x 512 MB, Dual Channel) |
|
Graphics: |
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro |
|
Hard disks: |
1 x Seagate Barracuda 120 GB (7200 rpm, 8 MB cache, DMA100) |
|
DVD-ROM: |
Samsung? |
|
Network: |
10/100/1000 Mbps built-in at motherboard |
|
Case: |
A "pre-modded" el'cheapo no-name case stripped from all noisy parts.
Low-noise 300W PSU from AOpen (with internal 120mm fan) replaced the cheap
300W that was included.
All noisy fans at CPU and GPU are replaced with silent options (fanless
heatpipe for GPU). |
|
Operating system: |
Windows 2000 Professional |
| The
Hardware - Machine 3: PowerAMP |
|
Motherboard: |
AAEON PCM-6890 (Industrial type with all on-board) |
|
CPU: |
Intel Celeron 533MHz (FPGA) |
|
Main memory: |
128MB PC100 SDRAM |
|
Gfx - Main system: |
On-board C&T69000 with 2MB display memory, connector for both analog
VGA and digital flat panels. |
|
Harddisk: |
1 x Hitachi TravelStar 60GB (5400rpm). |
|
Network: |
On-board Realtek 10/100Mb |
|
Case: |
Under contruction. When done, it will certanly fit my tube equipment. |
|
Unique bus: |
PC104 bus (a ISA-bus with different connectors), used to interface my special
hardware for keypad and LCD. |
|
LCD: |
A monochrome 256 x 128 pixels LCD based on a Toshiba T6963C display controller. |
|
Power Supply: |
Custom built to fit the case. |
|
Operating system: |
Windows 98 Second Edition. |
| The
Hardware - Machine 4: Mini-ITX Router/Firewall |
|
Motherboard: |
VIA EPIA 800 Mini-ITX |
|
CPU: |
VIA 800MHz C3 (fixed at the motherboard) |
|
Main memory: |
256 MB PC133 SDRAM |
|
Gfx: |
On-board VIA Apollo PLE133 (part of the chipset). |
|
Harddisk: |
1 x Hitachi TravelStar 20GB. |
|
Network: |
On-board VIA 10/100Mbps + 10/100Mbps Realtek in the PCI-slot |
|
Case: |
An old SUN CD-ROM case modified to house all part. PSU is a laptop "brick"
with custom built ATX-converter. |
|
Operating System: |
Astaro Security ver. 4.008 (special Linux with firewall/proxy/router software). |
| Common
Components |
|
Display: |
NOKIA 446Xpro 19" CRT Display (1600x1200/85Hz max, USB Hub/Control) |
|
Input devices: |
Keyboard: A no-name standard Windows-keyboard. Indicators changed to blue.
Mouse: Logitech MX700 |
|
Printer: |
Hewlett Packard DeskJet 970Cxi |
|
PDA: |
3Com Palm IIIc (Palm III with color screen and 8Mb RAM, PalmOS v3.5)
Ericsson MC218 (relabeled Psion 5MX) |
|
MP3-Player: |
iRiver iFP-190 (256MB flash-player) |
|
CF-Reader: |
SanDisk ImageMate Compact Flash with USB 1.1 |
|
Scanner: |
AGFA SnapScan e40 (USB1.1) |
|
Digital camera: |
Minolta Dimage A2 |
|
This is how it looked before I started the upgrade of my system with the
Lian-Li PC60. |
|
After some hours of work this is the result. Wich one would You choose..? |
|
LCD with backlight inverter together with the USB-hub. The hub was originally
built to be put in a 3.5"-slot. I removed the PCB from the original
casing so I could put it as the picture shows. I soldered pin-strip connectors
at the back end of the board (under the sockets) to be able to connect the
internal USB-wires from the PC-case. The entire assembly fits in a 5.25"-slot.
|
 |
Original
front-fans was replaced by Enermax fans to allow adjustable speed and glow-mod.
The blue light comes from four 3mm blue LED:s mounted in the frame of the
fan. The clear blades of the fans allows for this nice effect.
The "fanbus" is a way to control the Enermax-fans by using their
built-in speed control. I just swapped the small original trimmers with
real potentiometers. The blue light behind the knobs are a trick made up
by a special type of plexi together with some blue LED:s. |
|
A test run showing off the effect by the modification. |
 |
A
the left side a larger fan was wanted (just above the graphics card). An
Enermax 120mm was selected for this. The fan went through the same modification
as the two behind the front - this time with 5mm blue LED:s for more light.
Of course, a hole in the side had to be created... |
| |
Making big holes requires some work with a hacksaw and other tools to smoothen
the shape - or you can use one of these. This is a special large-hole cutter
for wood and board, but with some effort it is possible to use it with aluminum.
Forget it for normal steel cases! |
|
Raw cut directly after hole was completed. Not that clean but almost perfectly
circular. Some cleaning of the edge is required. |
|
The finished 120mm hole. Four mounting points are required by the fan and
it's guard. |
|
Fan in place with the laser-cut guard attached. |
 |
The case completed but still empty. A modification to hide the LiveDrive
panel (a part of the SoundBlaster Audigy) have to be invented. |
 |
Replacing battery power with real power from PSU. |
 |
Internal connections to USB-hub and LCD. |
 |
The ASUS motherboard with CPU and heat sink mounted. |
 |
Fans connects to fan-controller using 3.5mm tele-jacks (easy to disconnect
in case of replacement or service). |
 |
Live-Drive cover and display window assembly. |
 |
Final installation - all in place. A FanDuctingMod have been attached to
the CPU fan after this picture was taken. |
 |
The blue VFD. This one uses a BGMicro 2 x 20 character VFD. It is connected
to the PC via serial connection. It also takes 12VDC from the PC using a
simple adapter. The unit has a built-in 5V stabilizer that allows running
from anything between 7V up to 25V. The case is a Hammond box made of plastic
and the front is made of blue glass (not plexi).
In reality, the display aren't that bright as the picture shows. The camera
over-exposes the picture due to the dark color. Blue light is also a color
that is tricky to capture in film (digital or analog). |
 |
What's behind that blue glass. Below the display module is the regulator
and filter capacitors. |
 |
The back side. The P1-heatsink is used to cool down the 5V-stabilizer. It
runs hot due to the rather power-hungry display module. |
 |
Another picture of the VFD in use. |
 |
The mini-itx-machine. In this tiny box, I have managed to squeeze in the
motherboard (EPIA 800), a 2.5" harddrive and a custom built ATX-converter
(to convert 19VDC to needed ATX-levels). Actual power is provided with an
old HP-laptop "brick" PSU. This solution made this tiny box possible
and I got rid of 220VAC in the box (with the additional problems it creates).
The machine is at least safe against technicians that plays around in it
- 12VDC is the highest voltage in there. |
 |
Front view of the case. It was a CD-ROM house before - that's the reason
for the front cover. Maybe an LCD ends up here if someone gives the hint
of how to get it to work with the Astaro Security software. |
 |
The business end of the same box. Thank's to pre-fabricated cover-plates,
it was not that tricky to get it nice. But there aren't much space left
for additional connections... |
 |
The original design shown above proved to noisy when put in to service.
That tiny fan at the motherboard (sits at the C3 CPU) generated more noise
alone than my gaming rig! Also, I had my concerns about it's reliability.
So, I changed it to something more suitable. A combination of an old Pentium
Pro heat sink and some leftovers from a Zalman ZM80 heatpipe cooler created
what is shown at the picture to the left. A small fan running at 9V cools
the harddrive (it went rather hot during operation). |
 |
Top view. There aren't mutch space left. |
 |
A view at the power supply side. |
