Re: GS in PC Tower case

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> wrote:

>Supertimer writes ...
>
>> 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.

Nope; I opted to replace the slot opening covers in the panel with
special covers with DB openings on them.  For on-motherboard
sockets, I bought extension cables.

>     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.

That's why I opted to get the slot covers with the DB openings. Also,
I didn't leave the cards completely hanging.  The power supply to
motherboard wiring goes down from the power supply, over the cards,
and into the motherboard in my setup.  This provides a little support
to the cards...

>     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.

That's an EXCELLENT idea...actually that's better than the way I did
it...you'd have to have a GS case to sacrifice, though...

>> 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 ...)

An even better case than PC Tower is...A Macintosh II case!  The
disk drive openings are perfect for the GS' 3.5" disk drives. Finding
one to hack is the hard part.  There is nothing like ripping a Mac
apart to vent your frustrations on Apple's treatment of the II.  ;-)
Revenge!

>     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.

If the GS could remotely control a C-128 sharing the same tower
case with it...why, the GS can then get the 1571 drive working!
What a novel idea...