Idea's needed for modding antec sonata case

jozi

I'm getting a antec sonata soon (hope it arrives tomorrow) and i'm thinking of modding it.

I know its meant to have a nice look to it etc, to good to spoil by modding it and i dont want to spoil the look of it either.
I was thinking of modding it in such a way that it still looks like stock.

So far what i would like to do is put a side window in it of some sort (not a square one), maybe some form of a shape. (I'll have to try be creative with it)
In time i'm going to a a silent as posible 120mm fans to the fan mount at the front (by the drives i mean)
Where else is a good place for fans? On the underside blowing up?
As fas as i know (from reading reviews) there's 2 LED's on the front case, can they both be used as HD LED's?

I know some of you on boards also have this case, have you's touched it? Any think my case can be a guinea pig for??

It's going to be a slow proces as i dont have a very heavy wallet (i blame fas for paying trainees not much, every little helps!)

Thanks,

Jozi

jesus_thats_gre

I have not touched the little beaut... Mind you, I would love to put in a dark tinted window with another fan in it... Not too dark, just enough not to be able to be able to clearly see individual components and enough to see blue lights of some sort inside.

Col_Loki

Yea its such a nice case id feel bad about cutting it!! The only other place to fit a fan is at the front (i think it has to be thin so be carefull when buying), this well be blowing air into the hard drives and accross the motherboard - good thing. The front lights (blue) are very bright and have a lovely effect, they cannot be used for the hard drive.........

What are your plans, ie what sorta design ?

jesus_thats_gre

Any update on your plans Jozi?

jozi

Got home from work about an hour ago and there was a nice shiney case sitting there waiting for me, it is very nice!!! (Nearly getting second taughts!!!)

Still have to strip everything out of my old case but i put a hole trough one of the plates where the floppy drive will sit for the fan controler for the cpu.

Thats it so far.

Had a look in the shed for some perspex but dad's busy there so its hard to find anything. Where you you get perspex, any hardware store?
Want to cover the punched out antec on the side with perspex.

Not sure what kind of design i'd do for the window.

@ Col_loki is there a way of making the front LED's work as hd LED do you know?

I'll keep posting as i progress

Jozi

Col_Loki

I wouldnt think so TBH. It would be really annoyin anyway as it flashes very fast. Its a nice case, would be nicer with a well done clear side pannel.........

jesus_thats_gre

I reckon a frosted window would be the biz, slightly tinted. And mirror the exact same Antec writing from the metal cover.

Jammer

the walls are quite thick on it arent they? would it make much difference noise-wise?

jesus_thats_gre

The walls are not overly thicker than any other decent case, if any thicker at all!! They are not insulated either!

jozi

Finally after a few hours of messing with the psu cables and everything else in the case i got it all together an up and running!

Whats that i can barely hear my hd's! They are really more silent

It is alot more quiet than my previous case (even with the antec true power 430 watt) but still very noisey now! Running stress test program and have cpu fan up at full rpm. (trying to oc)

I have the knob for the cpu fan on one of the 3 1/2" plates, will post a pic tomorrow.

Then leds are very bright! Good thing i didn't try hook them up hd leds!

Dont think the panels are any thicker than the ones of my old case, thicker wall would prob be more sound insulating.


jozi

unklerosco

B&Q sell perspex and lidl r selling window tint film dirt cheap this week... Why not try glass spray. U can get it in B&Q in a few different colours. Would look different. I've a tinted panel on my case. U cant see into it when the lights r off, impressed my dad, my gf just thinks im a nerd.... She's prob right :-)

jozi

A B&Q in cavan, that be the day but we do have a lidl so i'm going to seen about getting the window tints there.

I have decided to put frosted glas behing the punched out antec on the sides not sure about what i want the window to be like.

jesus_thats_gre & COL_LOKI do you's find the case temp to be high-ish? With my old case mbm reported the case to be 21C now it says its 25C

jozi

jesus_thats_gre

Yeah cooling definetly isn't one of the best features. My MB temp is 25 at the mo but can be 29 or so under load. Mind you I have a Prescott, so I would expect it to be hotter...

unklerosco

Try any harware store, they should have perspex, failing that a glass shop(???) should sell it.

How many case fans r u guys using. My MB is generally between 30-35c... Mind u i dont have any fans running yet, waiting to get some 120mm. Gonna install my arctic cooler now on the 9800 and see if that makes a difference...

neokenzo

Originally posted by jozi
jesus_thats_gre & COL_LOKI do you's find the case temp to be high-ish? With my old case mbm reported the case to be 21C now it says its 25C

LOL
You call that high? Mine is 39C

Col_Loki

Mine's round the 30 mark when idle so your totally fine!!

jesus_thats_gre

And on to my processor.. my processor is 39C idle at 2.8 and 42C when idle at 3.52GHz. It hits 55 or so when playing Far Cry.. Is that safe

jozi

Got to work this morning with some perspex if found in the shed and a sander, here's the results.

jozi

Here's what i did to the case the day i got it.

I was going to put the front bracket for my fan controler in a 3 1/2 bay instead i decided to drill a hole in one of the plates for it, done 10 mins later.
See pic for what i done

jozi

And here's a pic of where the fronted perspex went.

For people doing this to when putting the perspex on the side of the case with the mobo, have the case upside down this way if the perspex doesn't stick it wont fall behind your mother board!!!

In the pic there's a lamp on the otherside of the case shining some light trough, i magine this being blue. Not sure how i'm going to put a blue light in there but i'll sort it out, cold cathode maybe???

Finally got the pc finished to, new monitor (last was borrowed) floppy (decided to order) and new SATA hard disk, now i can start modding.

Next a side window when i think of a design that will look nice.

Jozi

jozi

Them front led came in handy! Have a look at the pic for an idea what it would be like having blue light behind the perspex.

Cam isn't great mind you!!

jozi

Col_Loki

One thing you mite notice is slightly higher temps because your cutting off the air holes. So far so good anyway !!

jozi

Yeah it runs a few degrees higher (no more than 3-4).

Because i have no light coming from within you dont really notice the perspex, looks a bit black even! Mite have a look at putting something else there that will come out white

jozi