5.25" Front panel/bay suggestions?

[Hitokiri Batohsai]

I am using an Antec 300 case with two 5.25" free bays. The other is taken up by my optical drive. It has two USB ports-which I use both to plug in xbox controllers to play offline games. I already have an external card reader. Previously I had a case temp monitoring system (Thermaltake Hardcano 12) which is digital but after 3 years it broke-the controls are frozen and I had to manually destroy the speaker as it kept buzzing as my system has passed the 25C temp I also had a Thermaltake Xspeaker-and that was useless most of the time since I got a good speaker system.

I have passed the bling stage and want something that does not stand out. Any suggestions on what useful stuff to mount to it? I would like to control my pc's volume somehow so maybe a remote function is nice. Maybe a HD rack?

My motherboard has another extra front USB socket-so extra USB's are always good. I don't use Firewire and my mobo does not support USB 3.0. I have a Corsair Hyper 212 Pluse cooler so something long is not that good-though I could just rearrange placing the optical drive at the top Currently its placed at the lowest slot.

 

[chibiotaku]

A drawer, maybe? I'm making one out of an old cd drive for my cm stacker 830 (9 5.25" bays to fill). It's going to be storage for thumb drives, extra screws, etc.

 

[Hitokiri Batohsai]

A drawer, maybe? I'm making one out of an old cd drive for my cm stacker 830 (9 5.25" bays to fill). It's going to be storage for thumb drives, extra screws, etc.

Good idea-but the pc vibrates-not sure I would like the sound of screws vibrating in the tray.

 

[AQ_OC]

Scythe KM02-BK 5.25" Bay Fan Controller



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811998055

 

[CMadki4]

I love the Antec 300. So simple and versatile. Lots of room, but not overly massive.

1. I put a scythe fan controller (the most inexpensive one I could find) in mine. Used the bay cover to make a new faceplate to blend it in. Not blingy at all.

2. You could put a hot swap in. Those come in handy (for some more than others).

3. Trade out your external card reader for an internal one that has some extra USB ports and maybe a few fan controllers, ....and a coffee maker and Rockstar beverage dispenser.

 

[Hitokiri Batohsai]

1. Fan controller do not work since my case fans are all Antec Tricool fans withall fans set to the lowest setting. I'm also bored with fan controllers now-analogue ones are best-they will last forever compared to the digital ones. Nice fan controller setup there BTW.

2. Hot swappable are good. Here is a nice one, but I don't need it yet. I did look at Silverstone but its not as cool as these.The only problem with these is the puny fan. The Antec has 2 fans at the 3.5" hd bay which is great-this is more of a downgrade rather than an upgrade.
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Products.aspx?C=1257

3. Now that you mention it, this would be cool. Only that I don't smoke and that lighter is useless. Maybe can mod 2 USB ports there. Here is one I found-are there other brands aside from this? Without the lighter bit.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-A2021-Beverage-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B0002F8WLM

Any website links of products useful to look at?

 

[x509]

3. Trade out your external card reader for an internal one that has some extra USB ports and maybe a few fan controllers, ...

Can anyone recommend an internal card reader that actually works? I've seen some reviews that are pretty negative. Extra credit if it's also a fan controller.

 

[Hitokiri Batohsai]

Can anyone recommend an internal card reader that actually works? I've seen some reviews that are pretty negative. Extra credit if it's also a fan controller.

All internal card readers I've used works but poorly executed. For one, if you eject your drive, the entire card reader is ejected so if you want to mount something else, you need to restart the pc. Also, all ports appear as storage drives, even though nothing is plug into it.