Functional Casemods? 54
attercoppe asks: "I'm looking for opinions and advice from Slashdot readers on a case mod idea. I'd like to install a second (small, low heat, no fan) power supply to run a single CD drive. The idea is to basically integrate a CD player into the case, allowing me to ditch my bookshelf stereo (yay convergence!). But I want to be able to use it without having the computer booted (to avoid waste heat and all the associated fan noise - PS, CPU, and two 4" fans). The question is, can I wire an existing drive, and maybe one of the supplemental fans, into both the existing and the new power supplies? Will one PS get feedback from the other through the drive? Do I need a switch to choose which PS to use? I know I won't be able to use the sound card... that's ok. No, I won't have a tuner for radio - that may come later. Tips, ideas, ridicule?"
Ridicule? (Score:2, Funny)
You've come to the right place.
Ridicule (Score:2)
Fans (Score:2, Interesting)
Sounds cool though, you plan on just plugging the speakers into the CD-ROM's Headphone plug, or using amplified speakers hooked up to the audio out connector?
cd-rom's headphone plug? (Score:1)
Re:cd-rom's headphone plug? (Score:1)
Re:cd-rom's headphone plug? (Score:2)
Re:cd-rom's headphone plug? (Score:2)
Re:Fans (Score:1)
Re:Fans (Score:1)
As far as audio out... (Score:3, Informative)
You can get small, fanless power supplies that will give you 12v, you might want to check around hobby supply places, if you get lucky you might find one for pc components with a molex connector, but chances are your most likely find will be a non-pc power supply, which you can use just fine, you'll just need to make sure the voltage and current levels are the what the cd-rom expects, and probably splice an old molex connector to it to connect to the cd-rom properly.
Good luck in your utterly useless venture
Re:As far as audio out... (Score:1)
No workie (Score:4, Informative)
You can connect diodes from both PSUs, pointing towards the CD, but the diodes have a 0.7V drop...
Or you can just buy that MSI barebones system, that already has the functionality that you crave...
Use the Goggle, Luke!
Re:No workie (Score:2)
Anyone who's used an external drive enclosure has done the exact same thing. And as long as signal lines are within
Not to mention that the scenario you name doesn't happen, because the power supplies have significant amounts of impedance which limits that current flow. Still, feeding power into the output of a switch-mode regulator is a bad thi
IIRC (Score:1)
Re:IIRC (Score:1)
NewQ (Score:1)
Re:NewQ (Score:1)
Or instead... (Score:2)
Re:Or instead... (Score:2)
already a solution... (Score:3, Interesting)
You can turn on and off the computer and still use the home theater section independently.
Re:already a solution... (Score:1)
Magic Diodes, no switch required. (Score:1)
If you are woried about having both Power Supplies configured to power a single device like a Hard Drive (so it runs when either ps is on) you could try putting diodes on the leads from each of the power supplies to the device. Its DC after all...
That way current will only travel in the intended direction, and not back into the switched off ps... Your power supplies may already have protection against this sort of reverse current flow..
Re:Magic Diodes, no switch required. (Score:2)
However, you can buy zener or other low-drop diodes for a few dollars.
I would just hook one ps to the CD and let it be on independent of whether the computer is on or off.
Re:Magic Diodes, no switch required. (Score:2)
Common silicone diodes have a forward voltage of 0.7v. Germanium is only 0.3v. You are probably thinking of LEDs which start around 1.4v (red) and up.
Re:Magic Diodes, no switch required. (Score:2)
Why 2 PSU to CD? (Score:2, Informative)
Why having 2 PSU to the CD? The second one (only for CD) will be able to always power it if the primary is only connected to th MB. Since the CD and MB talk to each other only through the IDE cable, and this cable is meant to convey signals (ie, no current), there shouldn't be any problem with the minimal different voltages both PSU will supply. Of course, that means having the second one always on if you want to use the CD at the same time than the computer.
Of course, if it all burns in giant flames, don'
Re:Why 2 PSU to CD? (Score:2)
Hacks galore (Score:2)
First, get an external CD-ROM drive [ebay.com]. Get one that fits your needs and can function as a stand-alond CD player. I have a Panasonic PCMCIA one, which just happens to show up on the listing when I looked. If you want a single enclosure solution, you can build some sort of cr
A messy solution (Score:2)
Btw, your 2c sounds like my $20!!
Re:Hacks galore (Score:1)
1. Dismantle external drive enclosure.
2. Mount PS in computer case.
3. Mount spare CD drive in empty bay.
4. Hook it all up!
(and of course...)
5.?
6.Profit!
let's see (Score:2)
To better answer your question, I have a Dual P2 running linux as a file server. It has 3 9 gig SCSI drives connected to it, but they are so damn huge (full height) that I had to bolt them all together with sheet metal and sit them outside the dual p2's case. Not to mention the huge amount of power they suck down, and the huge amount of heat and noise they generate. (You thought a 7200 RPM was loud. Y
Re:let's see (Score:1)
Not really. Really not the same thing at all. Thanks for coming out, though.
I think this might be worth considering, no? (Score:1)
Re:I think this might be worth considering, no? (Score:2)
Functional Casemods (Score:1)
EPIA power supply (Score:2)
You can of course power an EPIA Mini-ITX from a normal A
What you need (Score:2)
http://www.applefritter.com/accessories/powercd
Too bad they don't make em anymore. They're really rare and expensive collector's items.
Here's an idea (Score:1)
simple eh? (Score:1)
Re:simple eh? (Score:1)
Re:simple eh? (Score:1)
Why bother? (Score:2)
One of the guys I worked with at Dell had this rig set up in the testing lab. Even had a set of speakers with wireless remote that would let him turn them up/down/off from across the lab.
You can even wire up a set of jacks and get a splitter allowing you to hook the computer speakers to the car stereo and the PC at the same time. If you get a set of car stereo speakers and mount them in the box and slap a handle on it, you've
better idea (Score:2)
1) make the PC quieter -- replace it with a tiny Shuttle, go nuts with the mods at http://www.quietpcusa.com, store it behind baffles under your desk.
2) Get a Slimp3 hooked up to your existing bookshelf or to one of those super-tiny amplifiers. Some people even skip the external amplifier entirely and hook their Slimp3 up directly to powered speakers.
3) Rip and sell your CDs.
4)
5) In Soviet Russia, Natalie Portman gets all your profit -- but trust me,
Re:better idea (Score:1)
I figure, since you were naming Slashdot cliches, you wouldn't want to forget that one.
Try this: (Score:1)
Fits in a 5 1/4" drive bay too.
It only requires 12V power from a power supply, so you can hack that, and you can wire the analog output of a CD-ROM drive to the NewQ's Line-In. Have fun.
Tips, ideas, ridicule? (Score:2)
MSI MegaPC barebones kit is the answer... (Score:1)
What about audio cassette decks? (Score:2)