SFF System Up & Running

[RedXray]

Finally made a decision on which system to get. It was neither the Shuttle SN41G2
or the AOpen EZ18. I kept looking and found a Biostar IDEQ with all the same
components as the others plus a few more. The Biostar caught my eye with It's
sliding door that covers the drives. After firing it up I noticed the door was actually
semi transparent and the drive LEDs can be seen through the door. One more
thing I liked about the case is the Top and Doors are individual compared to the
others with the top and doors one piece. This will make it easy to Dremel a
window on each door plus the pair is available at Biostar for $30 if I screw up.

This board also has Raid Serial-ATA where the others didn't. I was impressed with
the way Biostar channeled all the IDE cables and power wires through the case frame work.
The Nforce "Crush" northbridge has a huge passive heatsink which
aids in the quietness of the system. The CPU heatsink has a large heatpipe through
the center and the copper core was fairly smooth. I knew If I didn't Lap it
I would catch it from Mr GF Burke, so I 600/1000/1500/Compounded her to a
decent shine.

I stuck in a Retail XP 2500 333 Barton core and It idles at 36C... cooler
than I expected. I'm now running the dual head integrated GeForce 4 MX 440
and the Dual 19" CRTs look great. I have a ti 4200 that will probably go in it
(when I find a DVI to VGA adapter for dual) I haven't bought the ram yet
and just have 512 of 2100 that I had around.

I can't believe how quite this thing is, it's eerie lol.
I'm happy with the choice but any of the others would have been
good also I guess. Now it's time for the Dremel, Plexi and some lighting.

Oh I found it on sale for $223.00 plus a $40.00 mail in rebate so final = $183.00.

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQBox.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQWire.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQSink.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQSink1.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQBoard.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQFront.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQSide.JPG

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQDoor.JPG

[oner001]

Excellent choice! Nice n clean you can eat out of it lol! Post more pics when you got it done.

[sixshot666]

Originally posted by RedXray@Mar 12 2004, 01:27 AM
I knew If I didn't Lap it
I would catch it from Mr GF Burke, so I 600/1000/1500/Compounded her to a
decent shine.
and dont forget to paint the rom drive.
because we know how much he loves that color. ;)

[BruceOite]

*jealous of mirror shines* I lapped my heat sink but could never get the perfect mirror. I did use Burke's walkthrough as my guide...

I like the case man, RedX amazes again...

~B B)

[WVJammer]

Great job Red. I've got one of their mobo's & never had any trouble out of it.
But know you've given me the fever to get one of those, where did you get yours?

[curtisjade1]

great job redxray

[JonR]

Looks great Red. Nice pics and captions. Are you going to get a 6in1 media reader for that 3 1/2 bay? That would look sweet. Or a lil VCD for the front?

[RedXray]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback.

Tomorrow it's going to get hacked up by a dremel
and some 426 wheels! After seeing these SFF systems online...
They look so much smaller when you actually see one.
It's about the size of a shoe box just a little taller.

Hey Jam, Here is a link (http://www.futurepowerpc.com/scripts/cfg_prd.asp?PRDCODE=SYBI-IDEQ200N&REFID=)

JonR thats a good idea with a LCD in the 3 1/2 bay. Got a link?

Review (http://www.sudhian.com/showdocs.cfm?aid=397&pid=1408)

[[GF]Burke]

Very tight man.

love it.

Nice lap dance too.
;)

[RedXray]

Thanks Burke Can't wait to see your new project
as it starts taking shape. Thats a sweet mainboard
similar to the one in the IDEQ but with more of everything
like PCI slots USB pin headers etc.

I can say this was the easiest computer I have built.
The board is already mounted along with all the cables
and power wires. It has a strange HSF mount almost
like the P4s and it was so simple to secure to the board.

It was fun building this sucker, but the real fun starts hacking
it up and making it a mod worthy of Yoshi's Forums standards.

[WVJammer]

Thanx for the link Red.

[Thecookiemonster]

Very cool red-x :) i like it, i need to find a way to get some more money so i can start my new mod. I really like the lap too.

[RedXray]

The grinding and hacking has begun.

One window finished. The window has to be mounted on the outside
for the door to meet with the frame to allow the hooks to clamp down
or the door will not fit flush.
(every window I have seen were like this even the factory FIC IceCube)
I also have to cut or drill some vents in the window. my temps have
risen 4°C with out the original left side vents.

Now I need some smaller CCFLs and to do the other side. Most computers
would show the backside of the mobo on the right side. These SFFs mobos
lay flat on the bottom of the case making two windows viewable.

I also want to do some lighting with the case feet. I was thinking of using
lexan rod about 2"dia X 1" tall mounting the original feet to the rod and
illuminate them with some LEDs.

http://casemod.mystarband.net/122-2278_IMG.JPG

http://casemod.mystarband.net/122-2266_IMG.JPG

[LAMA]

hey red x hows the onboard vid. on that mobo?

great work, I like the window also.

[Thecookiemonster]

thats very cool red, what did ya use for window/ what is holding it in(how did ya mount window) I really like it. Looks like some thing the manf. would have made. Great quailty look man.

[WVJammer]

Hey Red, there's an article in the March issue of CPU magazine about putting an Matrix Orbital MX2 usb lcd in one of the Shuttle systems like this. They put it below the 3.5" bay,but from the pics it looks like it will fit right in one.
You have to subscribe to their mag to get to the content on their site though. I thought that maybe you could use one of these in yours.

[[GF]Zenix]

good job

any problems with the ide running thought the case?
can u take it out and put it back in?

[[GF]Burke]

Very sw33t.

how did you get the window cut so even/neat?


Feet for ur case (http://www.xoxide.com/ledacfomod.html)

(Zenix, sup man :o )

[[GF]Zenix]

yo burk

the panda has arived

[LAMA]

hey X can you post a pic or 2 of that hs/radiator set up?

[Master Bob]

Red, nice job. That window looks reall, good.

AH The GF clan is taking over!!!

[TheDistur]

Originally posted by Master Bob@Mar 14 2004, 05:47 PM
AH The GF clan is taking over!!!
Um, yea, omgwtfinvaderz :huh:

[RedXray]

Thanks again everyone.

hey Burke I thought me and SGTShady were the only father
son team here on the forums! hehehe, thanks for the link I
was thinking of a larger Diameter piece of stock but the LEDs
are perfect and will save a lot of soldering and wiring, $15.00 ain't bad.


Jam those are kewl LCDs but $95 @ Directron is a bit steep
I'll have to think about that but would look super good.

Cookie I used plexi from Lowe's and small machine screws to mount.

[GF] Junior lol I mean Zenix, no problems and the IDEs would have to
have one end removed to extract from the case. (but not sure)

Lama the GeForce 4 MX 440 is probably the best onboard solution but I haven't done any serious
gaming. You know it will need to have a good card in the AGP for the latest games.
(I may install a ti 4200 for now and on all the SFFs the vid cards cooling fan shows through the window!)
Heres a HSF photo you asked for.

http://casemod.mystarband.net/HSFIDEQ.jpg

[[GF]Burke]

nice.

HEY! lol
How did you make the cut so "perfect" looking (window) ?

[RedXray]

Thanks Burke
I used a dremel on the door and filed the edge by hand for about 20min to get it straight.
On the plexi... I just scored with a plexi knife and snapped on a counter top edge.

I'm looking for a piece of metal that has small perforated holes to use as a guide
to drill about three rows of small vent holes along the bottom of the window for cooling.
Don't want to but necessary.

[WVJammer]

Nice job on the window Red.

[JonR]

Sleve those cables!
Get some CCFL or LED fans?

Oh Oh oH!! How about you make that window a mirror that when you turn on a a CCFL inside it becomes see through. That would be sexy.

Oh and links to LCD's...
1 (http://www.matrixorbital.com/pages/default.asp) and I lost 2

[Southerntracker]

Looking good Red. Can't wait to see the finished case.

I don't know how big you want to make the vent holes, but if you know anyone who installs car stereos (or recently bought one), most of them come with a metal bar around 6-8 inches long with holes evenly spaced along the distance. The holes are around 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Might be too big for what you want, but I thought I'd mention it. Instead of 3 rows of holes, you could always do one row of bigger holes.

[DRock4WC]

Originally posted by JonR@Mar 15 2004, 10:04 AM
How about you make that window a mirror that when you turn on a a CCFL inside it becomes see through.
That'd be really good.

[WVJammer]

Hey Red didn't you say that you wanted some LED feet (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=00-888-033&depa=0) for this system?

[JonR]

Those are a bit large for a shuttle system, no?

[Thecookiemonster]

yea. a little to much support :/

and it will have probs. the mombo's on those sit right ON the bottom. and there are little groves on those feet + wire's i dont know if where would be good clearnce

and it would look like a pair of skeies on that case :P

i like the one's burke picked.

[RedXray]

I finally found some time to get back on the SFF project.

My temps jumped way up buy having no vents on the window.
So I drilled a Hundred and Twenty Three holes for the vents.
Now I need the right length screws and chrome acorn nuts.

More later...

Http://casemod.mystarband.net/IDEQvents.jpg

[car_dude]

nice nice

[Thecookiemonster]

red, thats uber nice looking. That window jorb is looking VERY proffesicnal. What did you use to do the holes. Did ya just draw them and get the dremel ?

very nice ! *i also love the little errr-e blue light* :)

[RedXray]

Thanks cookie
Theres no way I could have drilled the holes
freehand. I looked around and found this piece
of stainless with the perforations in it and used it
as a guide for the drill bit.

I simply screwed the window down with the mounting holes
and used my cordless drill, drilling from the other side. (the masking tape is only for scratch protection)

http://casemod.mystarband.net/122-2284_IMG.JPG

[Thecookiemonster]

ow very cool, and a great idea. I like's it :) thanks for the reply.
*me looks around for scrap metal that has some holes* :P

[RedXray]

hehehe

It's actually a bathroom towel bar & shelf I bought at walmart last year ($7.00)
The shelf pops right back on in just a matter of seconds :P

[LAMA]

great job, I really like how it looks X. The blue CCL is nice along with the much needed ventalation holes.

[scifikg]

creative solution. what is next?

[RedXray]

I still have the other door to cut.

Need to buy some 2700 RAM (currently 2100)

When I get a DVI to VGA adapter (for dual CRTs)
I'll be sticking in a ti4200.

And I have decided to drop the cash for a crystalfontz LCD
for the 3½ bay.

http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/631/631TMFAL_430.jpg

[WVJammer]

123 holes? Man, it looks great Red.

[Thecookiemonster]

That lcd screen is going to be worth it man, and it will look uber cool :)
but wont the video card sorda kill the veiw of the side window when ya put that it ?

[JonR]

Actually that window will give a great view of the video card. Now Red has to get one that look cool, cause he'll be looking at it all the time.

And is that a CCFL or a Super Bright LED that's lighting it?

And lastly, lemme know how the CrystalFontz LCD works out. I've been thinking about picking one up.

[Thecookiemonster]

seanse the video card is a big part of it. Have ya thought about any mod to it ? I rember a post way back, about some one getting those bic, UV senstive pens, and he draw on some of the board and gave it a very cool desgin, i think that be very cool man :)

[JonR]

Yea, I remember seeing that also. He followed the tracers on the bacn and front of the card. However IMO I think that either you do that or get a sweet looking card like the Albatron cards Like this one... (http://pcmag.shopping.com/xPO-Albatron_ALBATRON_FX5700P_128MB_DDR_VGA_DVI_TVO) I mean they look so cool.

[Thecookiemonster]

Originally posted by RedXray@Mar 17 2004, 05:37 AM


Need to buy some 2700 RAM (currently 2100)


i dont know what max on the board is, but this is a good deal at new egg.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc....-141-424&depa=1 (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-141-424&depa=1)

[waxon]

Thats really cool looking red x ray. As usual, you shock me of how well you do this kind of stuff.

[LAMA]

yeah red its really nice. Just keep us posted with more pic, im sure you will.

[waxon]

Can you gimme a link to the lcd. Thats real neat and I'm considering one for my computer.

[DRock4WC]

I'm quite late with this, but where did you get it from? TigerDirect has a barebones kit with a 2400+ and 256 megs of RAM and all that crap. The Small Form Factor thing intrigues me now because I'd like to have a machine for screwing around with stuff like hacking AIM and ...I can't think of why now... but I don't have much room for another system so this would be perfect with some minor adjustments to LEDs and whatnot.

I think I'd probably go with an 800Mhz P4 HT though. I use AMD and Intel, so it doesn't matter, I just really want to try out the HT. Would the onboard GeForce 4 MX be good enough to run like Medal of Honor and that stuff?

This seems like it'd be pretty cheap way to go. Plus I'm hoping to get my one job to pay for a new laptop.

[WVJammer]

Here (http://www.futurepowerpc.com/scripts/cfg_prd.asp?PRDCODE=SYBI-IDEQ200N&REFID=) you go DRock.

[RedXray]

DRock I almost bought this SFF system, It is a P4 with the 800Mhz HT platform.
Newegg $262.00 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=56-101-444&depa=0)

[RedXray]

I Decided to install a ti4200 which is a little better performer than the onboard 440 MX
(which worked pretty darn good)

I found a DVI to VGA adapter so I could retain dual monitors and It works great,
but needs TLC as in not pushing the case against the wall as it could easily damage the card.
I had a little problem with a heatsink touching the corner of the PSU so a little
dremel to a couple fins and it popped right in. I also added a round UV CCFL
and since space is at a real premium in these cases I decided to add the switch
to the NIC's backplane.

http://casemod.mystarband.net/SwichBackPlane.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/VideoTrim.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/VideoClear.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/VideoEye.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/VideoFinal.jpg

[DRock4WC]

hmmm...the recommended gear that pops on that page looks good, too. 2.8 gig P4 HT, 512MB DIMMs of Kingston PC3200 RAM, I'd have to pick up a DVD burner like you did and maybe finally get a flat-panel. Seems like a good idea.

I think I want to get a laptop first and since I currently have the HP (might have to give it back since belongs to the office...right...) I will probably get an iBook or PowerBook. Love Macs. Plus I want an iPod and I need to redeem my 2 free Pepsi iTunes songs.

[RedXray]

Yea I understand that..

I use my laptop a lot and it would be tough to get along with out it.
Especially at school as when I have time to burn, I like to sit in open lab
and watch a DVD when I'm caught up. Plus I can plug into the network there
and circumvent the admins bs and run what I want.

[Thecookiemonster]

very nice work ! :D

i like it, did ya add uv sensetive stuff to capactors ?
that card looks really cool in there, good to see not a dull one :)

[RedXray]

Yea I did a little dabbing with the fluorescent pins L0L

I always wondered why the card makers didn't put the fans and cool
looking stuff on the top of the cards so they would be visible. I guess
because of cooling issues. The SFF solves the cards visibility but the darn
Biostar mobo has the PCI in front of the AGP. All the other SFF systems have
the AGP next to the windows. Oh well... Thanks cookie!

[osiris]

lovely Redxray! i love the design of the case :D and the window is superb!

[RedXray]

Final Update.

Well I have finished the other window and thus everything I had initially planned is complete.
The right side has a wide frame that I didn't want showing through the plexi so
I layed out the door to hide that part.
This little computer was a lot of fun building and modding. I still need to order some 333 RAM
and find some more tech looking window nuts & bolts.
Thanks for the encouragement and sugestions... both helped a lot.

http://casemod.mystarband.net/RDoor.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/RDoorCut.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/RDoor2.jpg

http://casemod.mystarband.net/RDoor1.jpg

[[GF]Burke]

Very tight man.

I still dont get how your cutting so perfect with a frig'n dremel.. you need to come over and hook me up ;)


Hey, if you havnt bought your "feet" yet, buy from this (http://2cooltek.safeshopper.com/54/462.htm?320) guy. He's kewl and cheaper.

[scifikg]

Originally posted by [GF]Burke@Mar 22 2004, 03:10 AM
I still dont get how your cutting so perfect with a frig'n dremel.. you need to come over and hook me up ;)

I'm amazed at this as well. Good job. Very clean looking. :)

[Thecookiemonster]

Originally posted by [GF]Burke@Mar 22 2004, 03:10 AM
I still dont get how your cutting so perfect with a frig'n dremel.. you need to come over and hook me up ;)



I second this !



really tight red-x i r like it alot !.very sexy ;]

[RedXray]

Originally posted by [GFBurke@Mar 21 2004, 10:10 PM
I still don't get how your cutting so perfect with a frig'n dremel.. you need to come over and hook me up ;)




Thanks for the props on the dremel work guys. I don't do anything different than you.
Always cut on the backside as you know dremels love to skip across your work.
I use a fine flat file with a handle and do the edges by hand. Eyeball the high spots and
work them down first, then chase the full edge over and over until level.

[Thecookiemonster]

do you wont whatever your cutting on something, like plywood etc. Or just prop it up on something etc.

Thanks for de tips.

[Southerntracker]

Looks great Red.

[RedXray]

Thanks Southerntracker.

cookie
I have tried to cut through using plywood flat under the pieces but It seems to
bog down my dremels speed and cutting power. I actually duct taped the door
to the wooden rail of my deck carefully placing it so cutting edge had clearance.
This worked nicely as it placed the work at a good height and allowed both hands
to control the dremel. On the larger case doors I clamp a piece of plywood to my
workbench and basically do the same.

[JonR]

Nice work red. Looks really slick. Using the template for the air holes was a great idea. One I'm sure I'll be using sometime soon.

And yes, your Dremel skills are rather good. All it takes is a steady hand, flex shaft and paitnece.

[LAMA]

I really like it, but now I feel that its almost too big. Im really starting to get into the mini-itx deal. ;) But I still like it Red

[RedXray]

Every photo I had seen of the small form factor PCs gave me the same mental
picture of what size I thought it would be. When I opened the box I was
surprised on just how small they really are.

I thought of the ITX format but there not powerful enough to do any kind of
the latest gaming. The ITX is awesome for embedding a pc into a cool housing
but the power is an issue. That said I want to do one of those embedded PCs
real bad also... Both platforms have there advantage.

Cool Stuff !

[LAMA]

everythings good and small untill you come to the power.
Darn You Power! ;)

[Thecookiemonster]

Originally posted by RedXray@Mar 22 2004, 02:34 PM
Thanks Southerntracker.

cookie
I have tried to cut through using plywood flat under the pieces but It seems to
bog down my dremels speed and cutting power. I actually duct taped the door
to the wooden rail of my deck carefully placing it so cutting edge had clearance.
This worked nicely as it placed the work at a good height and allowed both hands
to control the dremel. On the larger case doors I clamp a piece of plywood to my
workbench and basically do the same.
Thank you ! :)

[sixshot666]

Cooling the Shuttle XPC. (http://www.overclockers.com/articles984/)
this might help in cooling a little bit.

[TheDistur]

um...its uber Red, really uber :D

[Alonso_Bistro]

very clean work !