Prototype Blinky

[BaK]

Hey guys!

Check what I've found at the local waste center!

This is a JBL Creature subwoofer (v2).

Are you thinking what I'am thinking?
Would make a great case!!!

There are even holes for ventilation:

So I picked it up as I have this atom board laying around:

which should fit just fine:

Not like in the picture, the motherboard will have to be put upside down, but I don't see any issue with this.
I still have to figure out how to make stands for the mobo though.
Will have to dremel some plastic parts here and there but that looks easy.
And there should be plenty room left above the back of the motherboard for an SSD.

A Pico PSU, some red paint and I should be good to make a retro gaming machine, looking alike one of the ghost of Pacman, Mr Blinky!

Comments, ideas or suggestions are welcomed!

 

[Phuncz]

Oh wow, I can't wait to see more of the Blinky project ! There's a lot of room in the case though, maybe put a huge tower cooler on that Atom and you don't even have to run a fan

 

[AleksandarK]

^^this is great idea.

 

[BaK]

Yeah good idea @Puncz! Especially as I like my cases to be filled up to the max!

One issue though is the hot air will be trapped in the ghost's head.
Maybe if I can set the mobo up enough, while still leaving ways around it for air movements, there will be space for a big fan under it.
I need to clean / dremel the base first with to see what options remain.

Another issue I see is the brackets for the heatsink are very minimalist, dunno what kind of big tower will be compatible with these. No backplate, no screw, ...

I have anyway another little thing in mind to make use of the inside...

 

[Reldey]

Maybe you could make the whites of the eyeballs perforated, with solid pupils for ventilation. This seems like a sweet idea.

 

[BaK]

Brilliant!
My first idea was to add lights behind the eyes, power LED for instance, but after a quick test the plastic is not seethrough enough.
So maybe I could mix the two, air and lights through perforations!

Two options:

 

[AleksandarK]

Brilliant!
My first idea was to add lights behind the eyes, power LED for instance, but after a quick test the plastic is not seethrough enough.
So maybe I could mix the two, air and lights through perforations!

Two options:

Defenetly number 2. When it lights up it will look like he is looking some where.

 

[BaK]

Had a little time to check in what position the motherboard is going to be installed.

Motherboard upside down:
> Dremel opening for the I/O ports

+ 'easy'
- stock noisy cpu fan, VGA


Motherboard regular position:
> dremel circled base parts to let air in
> drill eyes ventilation holes
> remove interfering audio ports (line IN only ?)
> remove interfering PS/2 ports
> remove interfering parrallel port (?)
> replace VGA ports (with DP15 hole female insert)
> VGA to female HDMI
> HDMI male to female panel mount
> VGAtoHDMI power: USB female to male right angled
> VGA2HDMI audio: 2x5 pin header to jack
> USB : 9pin header to 2x USB panel mount
> replace CPU fan with a bigger an quieter one

+ fun, silence, HDMI
- time

What am I going to choose?

 

[Phuncz]

"Easy" should be in the red, since that's not a challenge and thus no fun. So I only see one option.

 

[BaK]

Heh, good interpretation, thx for the extra motivation!
Will double check if everything is doable and then GO!