The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Case Modding Frank Baldan |
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Frank Baldan writes about his favourite computer — a showpiece that looks a million dollars — and he introduces us to a little known hobby named case modding |
I hate to say it, but it took the Apple iMac and G series for us to see how good
a computer can look... a piece of furniture to display rather than just a
workstation; one that actually looks pleasing to the eye. PC manufacturers have
accepted the challenge, extended their range and now produce towers and systems
in a variety of colours and styles. You can now display your investment rather
than kicking it below the desk, or you can simply add your own personal touches
to your tower. Welcome to case modding. Case modding has been around for a few
years. It covers everything from a few nutters doing weird and innovative
modifications to the exterior of the tower, to practical and functional cooling
solutions for the humble beige box. From a simple window panel to show off the
inside of your case to adding LCD units and neon lights inside your tower you
can transform your PC into something special and a real show piece.
The Case
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One case manufacturer from Taiwan, Lian Li is a leading manufacturer of
aluminium PC cases. The finish and features of the Lian Li range make them
arguably the Rolls Royce of PC cases. The PC-65 pictured here (Figure 1) is
finished entirely in aluminium. It includes three 80 mm fans, two at the front
and one at the rear. The two front intake fans have a three speed adjustment
control, enabling control of both cooling and fan noise levels. This case features a removable hard drive rack (Figure 2) which is located behind the two front fans. Not only is this an effective cooling solution for your drives but it can also hold up to four HDDs. And there are four 5.25 inch bays and three 3.5 inch front bays that provide more options for your drive needs. There is a sliding motherboard tray for easy mounting of components and four front USB ports to save you fiddling around the back of the case and the whole case is completely tool-free thanks to the use of thumbscrews. Indeed this would have to be one of the easiest and most pleasurable cases I have worked with in the last ten years, with loads of convenient and practical features for the do-it-yourself enthusiast. At $360 it is not the cheapest case on the market, not by a long shot, but as with all things in life, you get what you pay for. This case will last for many years to come and make upgrading components a breeze; it looks terrific too. |
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Add-Ons
It doesn't stop with cases. This manufacturer has brought out many accessories
to add more functionality and special touches to the finished unit. There is a
multimedia bay (Figure 3) that sits in a spare 5.25 slot. This product brings
your sound card ports to the front of the case with the added features of a
firewall port and two USB jacks to make video editing, music creation and, of
course gaming, much easier. The unit comes with easy to install cables and makes
a world of difference to anyone constantly needing to access the back of the
case ports. Those beige coloured CD-ROM and floppy drives have not been
forgotten either. Face plates for some of the most popular drives on the market
are available (Figure 4); they attach to the unit with double sided tape, giving
the tower that polished, straight from the factory look.]
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Case Window
When you consider the amount of money you spend on the components inside your
case it makes sense to show them off, doesn't it? A side window panel (Figure 5)
is the answer. Lian Li makes a factory fitted panel to display your inner
workings. Quite simply it is a Perspex sheet mounted on a cut-away side panel
for the left hand side of the case. The side panel will set you back $90, or you
can save money and buy it as a combo with the case.
Window kits are also
available for do-it-yourself projects. These kits contain the Perspex panel,
rubber mounding edging and a template for cutting the panel. To cut the side
panel, a Dremel is the power tool of choice here, or a jigsaw can be used. Add
some lighting and you have a very impressive product.
Case Lighting
There are three options for case lighting, Cold Cathodes, Neon lights and Lazer
LEDS. I have chosen to install two of the LED units with my project. These units
each contain three ultra-bright, high-intensity blue LEDs. They simply use a
spare Molex connector from your power supply and produce enough light to
illuminate the insides of the tower. The LED unit itself measures 30 mm wide,
making it easy to fit it in tight spaces and conceal (Figure 6). There are also
80 mm fans on the market that contain three fitted LEDs within the clear casing
of the fan. At $30 each for the LED fan and lights, this will be an impressive
and cheap modification to your tower.
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Rounded Cables
Counting power cables, IDE and floppy cabling and the odd SCSI device, the
amount of spaghetti in a case can be quite annoying for anyone upgrading and/or
tinkering. Rounded cables are the answer (Figure 7), they reduce cable clutter
and improve airflow in the case. These cables are simply encased in flexible
tubing rather than being in a flat grey ribbon format. They also come in a
variety of colours for all the IDE, SCSI and floppy devices, and for cases with
a window fitted it gives the insides of your unit a tidy, well organised
appearance. For this project I also used some electrical wire spiral wrap for
the power supply cabling. Readily available at hardware and electrical supply
stores, this product is a cheap and effective means of controlling cable
clutter.
LCD Unit
Would you like to know how your hardware is performing, or how hot your CPU is
running after four hours of non-stop gaming? Then an LCD unit is for you (Figure
8). The VL Systems LIS unit retails for around $150 and it's a fantastic unit
for displaying a wide range of hardware statistics. This unit uses one serial
and one USB port to gather information on CPU usage, component temperatures and
networking to name a few. It does this by using the supplied software and with
third party plug-ins such as Winamp and Motherboard Monitor.
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With Motherboard Monitor installed you have the option to display CPU
usage, temperature readings of your motherboard and CPU, voltages and
fan speed. The Winamp plug-in turns
your LCD module into a visual, twenty bar graphic equalizer. RAM usage, hard
disk storage space remaining and IP addresses are just a few of the many display
features you can custom set to suit your needs and requirements. The software is
user friendly and simple to configure. The unit comes with a back light and is
easily installed in under 15 minutes in a spare 5.25 inch bay. At the end of the day case modding is all about adding improved functionality and aesthetics to the stock PC tower, a hobby for PC geeks world wide. But, who in the world would have considered a fish tank incorporated into a PC? Well, someone has. A few months ago Lian Li released a side panel that doubles as a fish aquarium, complete with water pump, plastic fish and a case light. But be warned, this upgrade may be grounds for divorce or a weekly trip to the psychiatrist. |
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Web Sites
http://www.pccasegear.com.au
PC Case Gear - a Melbourne based online store that supplies a wide range of case
modding products.
http://www.lian-li.com
Lian Li Web site for full specifications on its case and accessories range.
http://www.vlsys.co.kr
LCD unit manufacturer in Korea.
About the Author
Frank Baldan has been building computer systems for personal use for the past 10
years. He spends his working hours in the busy prepress department of a major
Melbourne printing company - an occupation he has enjoyed immensely for 20
years. His special expertise is in the area of high end pagination systems,
utilising both Apple Macs and PCs.
Reprinted from the June 2003 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
