Mac / PC mod advice

dj_deevey

Hey all, just looking on some pointers really on a mod that im planning with a PC in-a-mac-case hybrid thingy

heres what i got to work with
1 x cd writer
1 x G4 case
1 x p4 MB with 3 pci slots and 1 x agp slot
1 x geforce 3
1 x radeon 7000 PCI (as soon as i can)
1 x modem with firewire port built in
1 x Inca 88 soundcard with separate midi controller card + breakout box

1 x 15" tft monitor
1 x front bay with firewire, extra usb ports and capture ins facilty for the geforce

now comes the tricky bit.... how to fit it all in a mac case ?

basically my plan is to create a mobile music and visual rig outta this cause im tired lugging round everything separately,

ok my plan is to embed the monitor into the side of the case and cover over it using perspex or somthing

im gonna have to cut slots in the front for the bay , floppy drive and midi card (its not a pci but still uses up the space at the back)

the sound card is a bit of a nasty because the cable is about 3/4" thick, and is hard wired into the breakout box and the connector on the other end is bigger than a scsi so god knows how i'll manage that.. and it has to be looped from outside the case back inside and up to the cd drive bay

im thinking of doing somthing similar with the vga connectors.... and maybe rerouting them back inside the case to a side (or front as it will be) panel, other option would be to re-solder on new connections from the board wired up to it, rather than going out and coming back in..

the motherboard actually fits perfectly in the g4 case and i managed to rip the backplate with the usb/parrallel port etc.. off and old PC and it (as well) fits excatly into the slot where the mac plate used to go..so at least its pretty much prob solved that end..

..although im wondering if maybe i could make its so no wires hang out at all from the original slot, and colering up the whole ass end of the unit !!!


anyways... anyone with and input as to probs with integrating the tft etc...... please post your views as to what i should maybe think of before i start ripping things apart and making an unfixable mess!


i think its an interesting project, just dunno how feasible as yet

po0k

Is this an imac case? I take it that it is, what with integrating a tft and all......
Re: the audio card, is it a really good piece of pro kit?
ANy chance you'd consider remounting the connectors for the break-out box/midi controller thing?
got any links to a better description/pictures of the card?

halkar

It is not going to be easy but it is possible

I think Arstechnica did something similiar but I can't find the link :rolleyes:
Good luck !!

dj_deevey

cheers for the link SyxPak it should help alot... and seems that alot of the probs hes comacross, i shouldnt run ito (hopefully) at the last min,

nope its a G4 case alright not an imac i kinda intend stripping my TFT screen and remounting it some how into the side of the G4 case, iv spent a bit of time tonight marking it out, now i just need to get some extra cutting discs for my dremel and it'll begin...

the screen will have to be broken up quite a bit to fit properly, but im pretty sure it can be done, without too much pain, i took it apart and stuck it back together this afternoon just to make sure that it isnt too deep n all that..

heres the link to the soundcard to give you an idea of the size and breakout box etc... it doesnt have quite the sound quality, but has more features than the SB live or audigy, the 8 in / out is kinda handy to say the least.. looking at the connector, its kinda like a large parellel plug but with three rows of pins, im gonna see if i can pick a match up and maybe simply route from the outside of the case back in.. x the fingies..

the soundcard

the case had already had the mac locking mechanism taken out before i got my hands on it, and the motherboard actually fits quite well just need a few extra holes in the side of the case..

iv decided in my wisdom not to keep the original Mac apples and colour all over, and redo the whole front and sides of the unit in some other color (thinking mettallic black might be nice..) purely from the point of view of colour matching the cd drives, and any extra panels i may have to recreate while im doing this...

po0k

Originally posted by dj_deevey
cheers for the link SyxPak it should help alot.

Shaggy: "It wasn't me"

Thank halkar tbh.

Good luck with it.

dj_deevey

sorry bout that .. posted the wrong name

thanks halkar

halkar

Sorry it wasn't Arstechnica but it was Hardocp had the other mod that I have seen.
Looks like a major surgery to me good luck!!

dj_deevey

The tft will be the hard job i think, after seeing the mods in those links, i actually think think it may not be too bad fitting anything else inside if i can get over the cosmetic hiccups, and make a neat job of it...

oh did i mention my sister is a model maker? he he, having someone that has experience in making epoxy resin look like 65 million year old fossil, or polystyerene look like brushed aluminium must be an advantage (only hope she can fill gaps around cd drives as well as she does the above) LOL

wish me luck...i start cutting today assusming maplins are open (i think they are) and i can get some blades and connectors and a few other bits n bobs.


morning all

keep ya posted