Re: GS in PC Tower case

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Supertimer writes ...
> 
> wsmith@NOSPAM.ctron.com (Will Smith) wrote:
> 
> >|>If you don't like to tinker, you may not understand.  I have taken my GS
> >|>apart and put it together again in a tower case.
> >
> >was this hard to do?  what are you using for a power supply?  (is the
> >PC power supply compatible?!?)  what about the cards?  do they line up
> >well with the slots on the case?  keyboard?  questions, questions...
> 
> It was not hard to do at all...
> 
> I mounted the motherboard with the expansion cards going horizontal
> in relation to the ground (you need to drill some extra holes in the
> tower case because the GS has different mounting holes than the PC).
> The cards are light enough that they stay put this way.  The only time
> this could be a problem is with unusually heavy cards, like the Focus
> or MicroDrive units...
> 
> The cards don't line up with the openings on the case, but that's not
> a problem because Apple cards, unlike PC cards, have ribbon cable
> extended DB connectors that can be mounted on the openings at
> the back of the case...
>

     Have you tried drilling out the rivets that hold the PC slot
openings panel in place? Removing the back panel would give you free
access to on-card and on-motherboard sockets.

     The motherboard sockets (e.g. for Diskette, Monitor, etc.) would be
firmly anchored; but, one or two Slot cards are likely to present
problems. A Stereo Board will have cables running to your external
amplifier or speakers. The SCSI interface card usually has a fairly
heavy, stiff cable connected. For these cables you would need to have
wire ties to the case in order to relieve strain. This would prevent a
card from getting whapped against another card or yanked out when, for
example, you move your Zip drive.

     Maybe the best approach would be to just slice off the back of the
GS case and mount it over the opening left when the original PC slots
panel is removed. Then, your motherboard is mounted so that it backs up
into the proper case openings and your SCSI, etc. slot card sockets are
firmly anchored.

     Either way, with a full or mid-tower case and a front-mounted fan,
all your stuff would get plenty of cooling.

 
> For the power supply, I rewired a PC power supply to feed the GS.
> The voltages are the same, so simply match +5V with +5V, +12V
> with +12V, -5V with -5V, -12V with -12V, and the grounds and your
> GS will be ready to run!
>

     For sure, with like 25 Amps on the +5V line and 10 Amps for +12V,
you've got plenty of juice. This kind of makes me feel like taking our
spare GS and doing it. (No, no,... back, wicked Temptation! Still ...) 

 
> The PC power supply (250 watts) and fans have a benefit...my GS
> is more stable now than it was in its native case.  I recommend
> this upgrade for those who feel up to it. Use a full tower case for the
> best results and most room to work with.


     By the way, with a full tower case and a few mods to the drive bays
area and moving the power supply up or down, you have room for mounting
a second motherboard-- say an old '486 PC or, maybe neater, a C-64 or
128.


 
Rubywand