Hello everyone. I've finally decided to post my formal worklog here at the [H]. I've teased a few pics on these very forums, but this log should give you all a better idea of my progress and intentions. Since I actually started this mod in December, the worklog follows a timeline starting back then. I'm not going to edit out my references to days passing, so if things seem a little off, that may be why. So, on with the log...
12/20/06
Well, things are about to get interesting...
For while now, I've been trying to decide what my next mod will be. I've been really anxious to start a new project, but the direction I was taking, was still undecided. Until tonight, that is. As the current owner of two P series Shuttles, I'd really like to purchase another Shuttle. However, I feel that the current Shuttles are a little lacking in upgrade options. I feel that even the new P2 released next month, may not have the expandability I'm looking for. The most obvious solution, if I want to stay SFF, would be to get a micro-ATX case. So, with that in mind, I purchased a Silvertone SG01 a short time ago. A few of the benefits are obvious, but the biggest to me, is the fact that I can keep the case and still upgrade the hardware. Now of course, I can't have just any old case, it's got to be modded!. With the success of my first mod still fairly fresh, I've decided to up the ante in a very large way.
For the time being, I plan on using most of my existing hardware. All parts currently in my SN26P, with the addition of an eVGA NF-44 motherboard and a Silverstone Strider ST75F power supply, will make this thing tick. From that point on, things will get a little more involved. Below are a few notable additions that will set this thing apart.
* Custom aluminum faceplate
* Dual slot load DVD burners
* 7" Xenarc widescreen touch display
* 4 hard drives, 2 of which will be Raptors (Update: Due to space constraints, only 3 drives will fit)
* Custom fan speed controller
* Dual nVidia 8800 GTX's
* Last, but not least, this to cool the CPU.
Go ahead, tell me I'm crazy! I've set myself a pretty lofty goal here, especially with the addition of the cooler, but isn't that the fun part? While the interior of the case will require significant modification, the differences on the outside will appear to be mostly cosmetic. I also realize that my CPU will be limiting my GPU's pretty severely for the moment, but since I run 3 monitors, it would be nice not to have to enable SLI to play a game with all the eye candy cranked up.
While this project is currently in the planning stages, I would anticipate the work starting sometime in early January. Of course I will keep a worklog going, and update it frequently once I start. Anyway, I'm always open to questions, comments, or criticism.
12/23/06
Here's a little teaser of the panel I'm working on. The layout has been changing daily, and nothing is final, but it gives you an idea of the direction that I am heading. The only thing I am unsure of at this point, is whether or not I like the design of the vents on either side of the screen. You can see that I plan on modding a fan speed controller in to the vent on the right.
12/28/06
Well, I've been busy ordering parts to get this project moving forward. I've got a trio of Sunon 60mm fans, various silicone fan mounts, and other assorted noise dampening hardware, on the way as of today. This afternoon I received my SilverStone PSU and fan speed controller. This weekend I'll get the aluminum picked up, in addition to any screws and similar hardware I might need. There are a few other things undecided at this point, but within a week, I should have everything finalized. Tonight I'll start stripping the case and LCD so I can my get my faceplate design finished. Stay tuned... pics to come.
12/20/06
Well, things are about to get interesting...
For while now, I've been trying to decide what my next mod will be. I've been really anxious to start a new project, but the direction I was taking, was still undecided. Until tonight, that is. As the current owner of two P series Shuttles, I'd really like to purchase another Shuttle. However, I feel that the current Shuttles are a little lacking in upgrade options. I feel that even the new P2 released next month, may not have the expandability I'm looking for. The most obvious solution, if I want to stay SFF, would be to get a micro-ATX case. So, with that in mind, I purchased a Silvertone SG01 a short time ago. A few of the benefits are obvious, but the biggest to me, is the fact that I can keep the case and still upgrade the hardware. Now of course, I can't have just any old case, it's got to be modded!. With the success of my first mod still fairly fresh, I've decided to up the ante in a very large way.
For the time being, I plan on using most of my existing hardware. All parts currently in my SN26P, with the addition of an eVGA NF-44 motherboard and a Silverstone Strider ST75F power supply, will make this thing tick. From that point on, things will get a little more involved. Below are a few notable additions that will set this thing apart.
* Custom aluminum faceplate
* Dual slot load DVD burners
* 7" Xenarc widescreen touch display
* 4 hard drives, 2 of which will be Raptors (Update: Due to space constraints, only 3 drives will fit)
* Custom fan speed controller
* Dual nVidia 8800 GTX's
* Last, but not least, this to cool the CPU.
Go ahead, tell me I'm crazy! I've set myself a pretty lofty goal here, especially with the addition of the cooler, but isn't that the fun part? While the interior of the case will require significant modification, the differences on the outside will appear to be mostly cosmetic. I also realize that my CPU will be limiting my GPU's pretty severely for the moment, but since I run 3 monitors, it would be nice not to have to enable SLI to play a game with all the eye candy cranked up.
While this project is currently in the planning stages, I would anticipate the work starting sometime in early January. Of course I will keep a worklog going, and update it frequently once I start. Anyway, I'm always open to questions, comments, or criticism.
12/23/06
Here's a little teaser of the panel I'm working on. The layout has been changing daily, and nothing is final, but it gives you an idea of the direction that I am heading. The only thing I am unsure of at this point, is whether or not I like the design of the vents on either side of the screen. You can see that I plan on modding a fan speed controller in to the vent on the right.
12/28/06
Well, I've been busy ordering parts to get this project moving forward. I've got a trio of Sunon 60mm fans, various silicone fan mounts, and other assorted noise dampening hardware, on the way as of today. This afternoon I received my SilverStone PSU and fan speed controller. This weekend I'll get the aluminum picked up, in addition to any screws and similar hardware I might need. There are a few other things undecided at this point, but within a week, I should have everything finalized. Tonight I'll start stripping the case and LCD so I can my get my faceplate design finished. Stay tuned... pics to come.