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[FA_Q2]

I did the "bright" desktop for a while (dual monitor setup):

The glowing cable there is blue EL Wire inside white sleeving:

This was back when I had modded my rig to have an external PSU so my extra long GPU fit in the desktop case (was a rats mess until I made the custom cables)

lol, wow.

Why not simply get a larger case?

Maybe it was already a full sized case?

There is no way. I don't think they make components that will not fit in a full case - they are huge. Been a long time since I have seen a full tower though.

 

[Montrovant]

I did the "bright" desktop for a while (dual monitor setup):

The glowing cable there is blue EL Wire inside white sleeving:

This was back when I had modded my rig to have an external PSU so my extra long GPU fit in the desktop case (was a rats mess until I made the custom cables)

lol, wow.

Why not simply get a larger case?

Maybe it was already a full sized case?

There is no way. I don't think they make components that will not fit in a full case - they are huge. Been a long time since I have seen a full tower though.

Both of my PCs are in full tower cases. There is a lot of space inside......but I don't put a lot into either PC. If someone were adding numerous components, especially someone who's doing as much by themselves as Evercurious seems to be, might end up with space issues. Multiple hard drives, video cards, cooling system, I don't know what for audio (I have never done much to worry about audio), I imagine it's at least possible to run out of space. I also don't know if any of the top-of-the-line components run large; I seem to remember that happening with mid-size cases, but I haven't had to worry about it for years.

Then again, maybe it was just cheaper and/or more fun to jury-rig a smaller case.

I'm too lazy and easily frustrated to go to that sort of trouble.

 

[ChrisL]

I have a PC for work but I play on the laptop. I prefer the laptop. I can sit on the couch and play on it, and watch TV too!

 

[EverCurious]

It's all about the GPU length. When you start looking into high end GPU's they actually tell you the length on them specifically so you can double check that you have enough clearance in your case. Both the Radeon HD5790 I had originally and my new R9 290x's are extremely long cards.

Here you can see why I had to originally use my PSU externally; note the bottom right side is where the PSU would sit in this particular case design, you can see where I had to cut into it a good 3/4" to make this card fit (In this picture the front of the case is on the right side):

That's actually why I switched cases when I got the 290x's because they're even longer. The SilverStone case is awesome because it's got the PSU along side the motherboard instead of in the front of the case (In this picture the front of the case is at the bottom)

As for why I went with these particular cases, sheer aesthetics. I wanted a to have it look like a stereo shelf rack system: (from the bottom in the picture is my home theater receiver, my bottom case, and my top case. That's a custom built shelf that connects up to my desk):

TMI FILE:
Its a completely customized system or fully "modded" as they say in the custom computer world; I popped the entire back off my top case and refabricated the back in order to center the MB so that I can run water pipes along both sides and not have it look off center. (Original case back, and centering the MB in the case)

Newly modded top case (you can see the water pipe fittings and such in the front of the case, you can also see that these GPUs overr hang the MB by a good 2" at least heh (front of case is on the right side in these views):

As I noted I centered the MB so that I can run pipes to my CPU and GPU's on either side of the MB and I moved all the "guts" (the PSU and drives) in to a second case so that I can put a reservor in the front of my top case. (First one has my LED mb tray I made, and the second gives is a mockup with a reservoir [though not the res I'll be using in my final design] also the cards will be a bit shorter without the shrouds when I switch them over to watercooling - waiting on a part for my new res) There's an aluminum panel that goes on the front in the third pic, holds the res:

(this is my new res):

Also, my LED tray is set up so I can completely customize it's color, flashing, etc. I've made my own audio driver PCB (kind of like a motherboard) to run the LED's in time with music if I feel like it - here's a little video of third round of testing as I've fine tuned the lights on the MB tray to flash with the bass of songs [the middle box at the top in the beginning there was my second led test as a reference to show how much I've been able to fine tune it to the base driver]) - LED test

I've made separate PCB drivers for LEDs that'll be in the water pipes on either side of the motherboard as well as LED's that'll be inside the reservoir, behind my monitors, and behind my guitars and violin that hang on the wall - they're all connected so that I can swap the auto channel (right, left, center, rear right/left, sub etc.) to any of the lighting sections I want. So essentially I can do anything I want with my lighting in the room (which I wanted for my singing videos - this system will eventually be in a recording studio upstairs after the last of the kids moves out in a few years.)

Finally, for GP, this is my second (or bottom case) with the PSU and drives in it. I've also got an Asus AM1 ITX down there; basically a small PC where the cpu and graphics card are combined on it. (like a laptop or a tablet in a lot of ways) I use it as a coding platform [I'm a programmer] as well as a juke box)

 

[ChrisL]

It's all about the GPU length. When you start looking into high end GPU's they actually tell you the length on them specifically so you can double check that you have enough clearance in your case. Both the Radeon HD5790 I had originally and my new R9 290x's are extremely long cards.

Here you can see why I had to originally use my PSU externally; note the bottom right side is where the PSU would sit in this particular case design, you can see where I had to cut into it a good 3/4" to make this card fit (In this picture the front of the case is on the right side):

That's actually why I switched cases when I got the 290x's because they're even longer. The SilverStone case is awesome because it's got the PSU along side the motherboard instead of in the front of the case (In this picture the front of the case is at the bottom)

As for why I went with these particular cases, sheer aesthetics. I wanted a to have it look like a stereo shelf rack system: (from the bottom in the picture is my home theater receiver, my bottom case, and my top case. That's a custom built shelf that connects up to my desk):

TMI FILE:
Its a completely customized system or fully "modded" as they say in the custom computer world; I popped the entire back off my top case and refabricated the back in order to center the MB so that I can run water pipes along both sides and not have it look off center. (Original case back, and centering the MB in the case)

Newly modded top case (you can see the water pipe fittings and such in the front of the case, you can also see that these GPUs overr hang the MB by a good 2" at least heh (front of case is on the right side in these views):

As I noted I centered the MB so that I can run pipes to my CPU and GPU's on either side of the MB and I moved all the "guts" (the PSU and drives) in to a second case so that I can put a reservor in the front of my top case. (First one has my LED mb tray I made, and the second gives is a mockup with a reservoir [though not the res I'll be using in my final design] also the cards will be a bit shorter without the shrouds when I switch them over to watercooling - waiting on a part for my new res) There's an aluminum panel that goes on the front in the third pic, holds the res:

(this is my new res):

Also, my LED tray is set up so I can completely customize it's color, flashing, etc. I've made my own audio driver PCB (kind of like a motherboard) to run the LED's in time with music if I feel like it - here's a little video of third round of testing as I've fine tuned the lights on the MB tray to flash with the bass of songs [the middle box at the top in the beginning there was my second led test as a reference to show how much I've been able to fine tune it to the base driver]) - LED test

I've made separate PCB drivers for LEDs that'll be in the water pipes on either side of the motherboard as well as LED's that'll be inside the reservoir, behind my monitors, and behind my guitars and violin that hang on the wall - they're all connected so that I can swap the auto channel (right, left, center, rear right/left, sub etc.) to any of the lighting sections I want. So essentially I can do anything I want with my lighting in the room (which I wanted for my singing videos - this system will eventually be in a recording studio upstairs after the last of the kids moves out in a few years.)

Finally, for GP, this is my second (or bottom case) with the PSU and drives in it. I've also got an Asus AM1 ITX down there; basically a small PC where the cpu and graphics card are combined on it. (like a laptop or a tablet in a lot of ways) I use it as a coding platform [I'm a programmer] as well as a juke box)

Well that is some impressive setup you have there. What do you do on that thing anyways?

 

[EverCurious]

Mostly I'm a gamer, specifically player vs player so frames per second is important when I'm trashing other players I also do 3D rendering for architecture which takes a beefy card as well. I make videos also so a lot of graphics processing needed. Its a recording studio, a 7.1 surround sound theater, and an all around beauty

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

 

[ChrisL]

Mostly I'm a gamer, specifically player vs player so frames per second is important when I'm trashing other players I also do 3D rendering for architecture which takes a beefy card as well. I make videos also so a lot of graphics processing needed. Its a recording studio, a 7.1 surround sound theater, and an all around beauty

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

You are going to need a whole separate room just for your computer stuff!

 

[EverCurious]

True, but I need a room that's sound proofed for my recording studio anyway so that's part of the plan. I'd actually already have it but a friend graduated college and came up here for an oil job (just a couple months before the Saudi's declared economic war on Russia) so he's a bit stuck - My husband has sort of adopted him and gave him my studio upstairs so now I have to wait for the youngest kido to move out heh

 

[Iceweasel]

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

You need therapy.

 

[Ringel05]

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

You need therapy.

Don't we all......

 

[Iceweasel]

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

You need therapy.

Don't we all......

If only I had deeper pockets ....

 

[Ringel05]

It's a $7K machine and I'm not even done yet... Full parts list

You need therapy.

Don't we all......

If only I had deeper pockets ....

My pockets are deep, they need to be to collect all that lint.

 

[EverCurious]

Well now obviously if I didn't have the money I'd not have built this system heh

That list doesn't even include all the supplies and tools... I have a stack of mod supply boxes that's about 5' long, 3' wide and 5' tall in the game room >.< I wouldn't doubt I spent a grand or three more on that stuff >.< Modding ain't cheap, at least not the way I do it.

 

[Bleipriester]

Have you ever heard of Vaas, island ruler and freelance entrepreneur? No, probably not, otherwise you probably wouldn´t read this post. Vaas collects donations and offers employment in return. This is very lucrative and international active businessmen work with him. There are two kinds of jobs he offers: Security and assistance. Assistance is not the best rated job and if you are given the choice, choose security.

 

[Iceweasel]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

 

[Bleipriester]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

The only one who blows stuff away is Vaas. The donations support Vaas´ humanitarian efforts to bring people home who got lost. Unfortunately for the relatives, most choose to work for Vaas in the assistance branch.

 

[Montrovant]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

The only one who blows stuff away is Vaas. The donations support Vaas´ humanitarian efforts to bring people home who got lost. Unfortunately for the relatives, most choose to work for Vaas in the assistance branch.

I own that game, but I haven't played it.

 

[Bleipriester]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

The only one who blows stuff away is Vaas. The donations support Vaas´ humanitarian efforts to bring people home who got lost. Unfortunately for the relatives, most choose to work for Vaas in the assistance branch.

I own that game, but I haven't played it.

So then it is due right now

 

[Montrovant]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

The only one who blows stuff away is Vaas. The donations support Vaas´ humanitarian efforts to bring people home who got lost. Unfortunately for the relatives, most choose to work for Vaas in the assistance branch.

I own that game, but I haven't played it.

So then it is due right now

I'm in the middle of playing Shadowrun Returns as well as Jade Empire. I'll get around to the Far Cry eventually.

 

[Bleipriester]

Donations? Sounds like he's a sponge. One can donate to Linux, an open source effort that blows commercial products away.

The only one who blows stuff away is Vaas. The donations support Vaas´ humanitarian efforts to bring people home who got lost. Unfortunately for the relatives, most choose to work for Vaas in the assistance branch.

I own that game, but I haven't played it.

So then it is due right now

I'm in the middle of playing Shadowrun Returns as well as Jade Empire. I'll get around to the Far Cry eventually.

Quite a game.