What did you do today?

hrh_ginsterbusch

Master of Cramming
Nov 18, 2021
441
169
wp-devil.com
I'm attempting to compile an operating system on a machine with 8GB RAM and a 4 core CPU... I must be mad. But I'm gradually stamping out compile step errors and gradually getting closer to building all the packages with each hurdle I overcome. Plus, I get to say I added a patch to the Linux kernel if this works out.
Good luck with that, I'm already struggling with compiling a custom kernel (for eg. RT usage) or Mixxx (because no packages for Debian available).
 

Soul_Est

SFF Guru
SFFn Staff
Feb 12, 2016
1,536
1,928
In my case, it's to add a hardware device quirk for a particular screen I use, since the product's name and vendor are not listed in the source files for it. The DMI match is a very specific use case, so unsure if this would actually be a patch that I'd add to the public version of the build.
I still think you should. The kernel usually supports various quirks. The most notable one to me were for various third party DualShock 3 controllers.
 

Soul_Est

SFF Guru
SFFn Staff
Feb 12, 2016
1,536
1,928
Good luck with that, I'm already struggling with compiling a custom kernel (for eg. RT usage) or Mixxx (because no packages for Debian available).
If I may ask, why use a Debian instead of a custom operating system built for content creation such as Ubuntu Studio or Indamixx?
 

Solo

King of Cable Management
Nov 18, 2017
859
1,432
This was not today, but last week, and I forgot to share it. I needed to share it somewhere where people would understand how awesome it was.

I found out my friend has an Audioquest HDMI cable. He is not tech savvy. He probably got played by a Best Buy employee. That thing is one thousand percent more than the display its plugged into.
 

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
It's been a bit since I've posted anything, so I figured I'd jump back in. I ordered a bunch of new hardware today. I was holding out to see what the 14th gen Intel reviews were like, and consider me thoroughly unimpressed. Much higher power consumption for the most part, and that's really not where I want to be in an SFF build. So, I decided to go with a 13th gen i7 13700K. I also bought a Thermalright AXP120-67, MSI MPG Z790I Edge, 96GB of G.Skill Trident DDR5, and a MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ventus 2x. I may revisit my storage options and get a new SSD or two as well. Either way, this all should be a very nice upgrade from my previous hardware that's currently 4-5 years old.

In the past couple of months, I also procured a new Bambu X1C with AMS to replace my tired old delta printer. Between the X1C and the Peopoly Forge I got a year ago, I think I should have most of my 3D production needs covered. Although I've not really spent much time thinking about modding for while now, I will say I'm feeling inspired at the moment. Where that leads, who's to say. I've gone through this cycle before, lol.
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,711
1,650
It's been a bit since I've posted anything, so I figured I'd jump back in. I ordered a bunch of new hardware today. I was holding out to see what the 14th gen Intel reviews were like, and consider me thoroughly unimpressed. Much higher power consumption for the most part, and that's really not where I want to be in an SFF build. So, I decided to go with a 13th gen i7 13700K. I also bought a Thermalright AXP120-67, MSI MPG Z790I Edge, 96GB of G.Skill Trident DDR5, and a MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ventus 2x. I may revisit my storage options and get a new SSD or two as well. Either way, this all should be a very nice upgrade from my previous hardware that's currently 4-5 years old.

In the past couple of months, I also procured a new Bambu X1C with AMS to replace my tired old delta printer. Between the X1C and the Peopoly Forge I got a year ago, I think I should have most of my 3D production needs covered. Although I've not really spent much time thinking about modding for while now, I will say I'm feeling inspired at the moment. Where that leads, who's to say. I've gone through this cycle before, lol.

From what I read the 14th gen Intel are not really inspiring for SFF bunch.

Bambu printer is nice, one of our forum friend here using it as well. I heard you can pretty much print out of the box.
 

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
From what I read the 14th gen Intel are not really inspiring for SFF bunch.

Bambu printer is nice, one of our forum friend here using it as well. I heard you can pretty much print out of the box.
No, the 14th gen really isn't what I hoped it would be. I usually buy hardware that's solidly middle of the pack as it usually tends to offer pretty good performance and power consumption without breaking the bank. I just didn't see value this time around. The tradeoffs in cooling alone would make for a much larger system than I currently want. I'm trying to stick with a small footprint air cooled rig right now.

Yeah, the Bambu is a game changer for sure. I heavily modified my delta several times over the last 7 years, and thought the print quality was pretty good. The first print on the X1C was better than my best print ever on the delta. It was just as easy as slice and print. Since then, I've run through a few filament specific flow pattern calibrations, and it's even better. Oh, and the AMS is amazing as well. I'm extremely happy to have it sitting on my desk.
 

Dawelio

Awesomeness
SFFn Staff
Dec 17, 2017
524
439
No, the 14th gen really isn't what I hoped it would be. I usually buy hardware that's solidly middle of the pack as it usually tends to offer pretty good performance and power consumption without breaking the bank. I just didn't see value this time around. The tradeoffs in cooling alone would make for a much larger system than I currently want. I'm trying to stick with a small footprint air cooled rig right now.
^ This above, completely agree with it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: craigbru

hrh_ginsterbusch

Master of Cramming
Nov 18, 2021
441
169
wp-devil.com
I got back to the case I ordered last week, of which I thought I would have to return, because it doesnt fit an AIO as planned (MiniNeo / KXRORS / Shiny Snake S400 in cream-white).

BUT after getting up in the morrow of a greyish Sunday, it turns out, that there still might be some hope, to move the AIO on top of the case. Thus I took a lot of measurements, and now am convinced to be able to either rise the case top by up to 20 mm, and maybe also shave off another 5 mm of the mainboard position, lowering the MB, so that there is at best enough space to fit up to 54 mm of AIO + fans in-between. That'd mean the volume would rise to nearly 12 L, ie. 15.5 x 34 x (20.5 + 2) cm ~= 11.9L.

The OTHER option might be to just put the radiator ON TOP of the case, and either create a large cut-out or drill enough holes in case top for proper air flow of the fans sitting below.

Main disadvantage: Would need some kind of protection or cover when traveling with the case, which is one of the reasons I bought it (aside of reduced footprint on my desk).

cu, w0lf.
 

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
I had an opportunity to snag a new monitor today, so I took it... It's a 45" LG OLED Ultrawide. Specifically the 45GR95QE. To say I'm a little excited is a gross understatement. Most of my fun purchases over the last 5 years have been Jeep related, so it's nice to back in the computer hardware game. If there's any downside, it's that I'll likely need to pick up another additional monitor. The LG has an aggressive 800R curve, and while that will be fantastic for gaming, it won't be for the CAD work that I do. I'll get it set up tonight and see how it goes!
 

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
I'll get a pic of the new setup added once I get my desk cleaned off, but I spent more time than usual gaming this weekend. The LG is absolutely amazing. Super fast (240hz w/ gsync) and fluid. It's unreal to see blacks that are actually black thanks to OLED. It's really almost unsettling how much the screen draws you into the game play. Almost a VR-lite experience. I know some reviewers are quick to call out the relatively low PPI for a sreen of this size, and they are partially right. I say this as coming from a 34" widescreen with the same resolution. It's not really an issue in most cases, and I don't find reading text really a distraction or anything. I did end up getting another additional monitor however. I got a 32" LG QHD 32QN600-B to sit beside it. I'll do all of my CAD design work on it, and seems to have been the right choice after a little usage yesterday. I wish I could have gotten another OLED monitor, but that's a lot of extra cash for probably not enough benefit. I'll have to spend a little time calibrating colors and such to get a better match between the two.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: rfarmer

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
I got all my new hardware up and running over the weekend. Talk about smooth! My previous hardware wasn't bad, but compared to the new gear, it's a world of difference. Now I get to spend the next week or so reinstalling software and purging things I no longer need. I was definitely overdue in that department.
 

GuilleAcoustic

Chief Procrastination Officer
SFFn Staff
LOSIAS
Jun 29, 2015
2,972
4,397
guilleacoustic.wordpress.com
I got all my new hardware up and running over the weekend. Talk about smooth! My previous hardware wasn't bad, but compared to the new gear, it's a world of difference. Now I get to spend the next week or so reinstalling software and purging things I no longer need. I was definitely overdue in that department.
What did you get and what did you have ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rfarmer

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
What did you get and what did you have ?
I had an Asus Strix Z390-I Gaming, i5 9600k, 32GB HyperX DDR4, Zotac 2070 Super, and 4 Samsung SSD's of various capacities.

I've moved to an i7 13700K w/ a Thermalright AXP120-67, MSI MPG Z790I Edge, 96GB of G.Skill Trident DDR5, and a MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ventus 2x. I also ended up getting a couple of new SSD's. A 2TB Samsung 990 Pro for the OS, and a 8TB QVO for the bulk of my game storage. My other SSD's are being repurposed for other misc. game and data storage.

I should add that all this is still being powered by an HDPlex 400W Hi-Fi DC-ATX. I'm still undecided as to whether I'll move to the 500W version, or get the 500W GaN.
 

GuilleAcoustic

Chief Procrastination Officer
SFFn Staff
LOSIAS
Jun 29, 2015
2,972
4,397
guilleacoustic.wordpress.com
I had an Asus Strix Z390-I Gaming, i5 9600k, 32GB HyperX DDR4, Zotac 2070 Super, and 4 Samsung SSD's of various capacities.

I've moved to an i7 13700K w/ a Thermalright AXP120-67, MSI MPG Z790I Edge, 96GB of G.Skill Trident DDR5, and a MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ventus 2x. I also ended up getting a couple of new SSD's. A 2TB Samsung 990 Pro for the OS, and a 8TB QVO for the bulk of my game storage. My other SSD's are being repurposed for other misc. game and data storage.
Awesome, that's quite the upgrade indeed !

I should add that all this is still being powered by an HDPlex 400W Hi-Fi DC-ATX. I'm still undecided as to whether I'll move to the 500W version, or get the 500W GaN.
Saw that new 500W Hifi on HDPLEX website yesterday, looks very nice and have a lovely and T H I C C heatsink too :



 

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
Awesome, that's quite the upgrade indeed !


Saw that new 500W Hifi on HDPLEX website yesterday, looks very nice and have a lovely and T H I C C heatsink too :



Yeah, it does look fantastic, and would no doubt save a little room in the build. The GaN might be the better option in the end. I do have just enough room to spare, and it's plug configuration might be more ideal. I'm sketching out ideas right now...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Arboreal

hrh_ginsterbusch

Master of Cramming
Nov 18, 2021
441
169
wp-devil.com
What I did today: Contemplate another few insane builds. All case mods. Kinda got stuck with the Milo ML11 being just a weee bit too small, and have been researching on and off during breaks for quite a while, about how to achieve a bit more height .. or sth. like this. mATX SFF cases are sooo rare :(

So the results for TODAY are:

a) Get a Jonsbo V9 and do extensive case modding; actually, get TWO of them, and use one as the base, and the other as a parts donor, to create a vented side panel, and to implement some sort of inside rail / attachment with the front panel, to lower the position of the PSU (essentially double the front, but do cut-outs for the PSU only with the donor front panel, which sits on the INSIDE). And then, we'd have enough space to easily drop the SilverStone Vida 240 in. Add some decent fans to it, et voila! :D

b) The other case I've always wanted to build with: Chieftech UNI UK-02 .. here, with the white version. Its weight is only 3 kg. After the operation probably even less.
Be a bit more radical and cut away the whole right side, where the PSU would normally be located. Thats at least 84 mm less in width. Now position the radiator in front and then cut the top until it nearly touches the rad (240 mm). My guess is it could be lowered by at least 36 mm (18 mm = 1 GPU slot). PSU is positioned in front of the MB, but there should still be enough room left (might even allow for ATX, but SFX / SFX-L is all I got, at least with anything 600+ W). Final result would roughly be: 14.3 x 30.6 x 38 ~= 16.63 L


Oh yeah, and for the rest of the day: Finally managed to add better window blinds using semi-transparent curtains, with the twist of glue-on-only curtain rail mounts. Curtains in a color gradient ranging from orange-yellow to a nice deep magenta. They're a bit long, but that helps with the temps and the rather bad isolation of the windows.

So far, the rail mounts stick solidly to the window frames. If they ever should fall down / come loose, then I've still got several options left, including double-sided tape (3M, that one thats loved by all people doing case mods and SFF PCs; yes, that one) and heavy-duty duct tape (something or other called Scotch Extremium).

cu, w0lf.
 
  • Like
Reactions: craigbru

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
I finally got the majority of my apps and games reinstalled on the new system, and made a change that I'm still trying to wrap my head around. I didn't reinstall Chrome... I'm actually sticking with Edge for now. Sure, it's Chromium based, but has a few extra features that seem to work well for me. I plan on sticking it out for a bit.

I also went ahead and ordered the HDPLEX 500w GaN power supply. It should be here tomorrow already! After some testing with a watt meter over the weekend, total system draw is around 390w. Certainly not something I'm comfortable with keeping on my current 400w DC-ATX for long.
 
Last edited:

craigbru

Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006
Original poster
LOSIAS
Jul 2, 2015
343
839
It's funny, you see so many new cases and mods that now integrate LCD screens of some kind. I'm proud to say that I was one of the first to do that close to 20 years ago already. I really can't believe it's been that long! I mention that, only to say this... I ordered an LCD screen for the new build today. Although I had originally planned to add either a 7" or 8" screen to one of the earlier OSIDIAS revisions, I was struck by a new source of inspiration. It's still a 7" screen, but its aspect ratio is very non-traditional. I know I'm being a bit vague, but I've gone through so many design changes I don't want to get ahead of myself. More will be revealed at a later date.

As for now, I've been catching up on a little gaming over the weekend. The 500w GAN is installed and working very well. It gets hot but stays within the spec'd thermal limits. According to my watt meter, I did hit at least 460w of draw at some point. I'll definitely plan some active cooling in the new build design.
 

Soul_Est

SFF Guru
SFFn Staff
Feb 12, 2016
1,536
1,928
And that's that for the Steam Deck in the experiment. I submitted a refund request on the 512GB model over the headphone jack crackling and static issues. I am mixed about the 1TB model as I wish to keep it though I have multiple things that I could spend that money towards, like my freelance business, acquiring winter boots (ugh), and my car. Would be good to replace Full Circle and sell off computer parts I don't need though.