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Clear Computer Cases
DeeezNutz writes "Here is the startings of a company that wants to see clear pc cases! They have pictures. " It's pretty impressive looking - the cases that is. The hot-rodding of computers continues, I guess.
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You can already buy a sweet clear case from http://www.lovermecases.com
Go find something original to post.
Hell I built one of these cases over a year and a half ago. It is currently running my web site/dns/e-mail and many other things, and has done this really well for over a year. I have pictures of it on my web site at www.markpc.com just click on plexiglass case. You will actually be seeing the computer that is hosting the site!! hehe kinda cool. Mark
The good thing about metal case is that it won't build up a static charge, which is that last thing you want around with computer equipment. Atleast when you touch a metal case, you know that any charge you're carrying will be grounded.... That won't be the case with an acrylic/plastic case, and I'll bet there'll be a ton of zapped motherboards/memory chips/CPUs/hard drives.
probably didn't. But then again maybe your just expected to wrap the thing up in chicken wire to help block radiation.
arguably better - they will also send you just a clear side-panel or drive-bay panels for your existing case if you like http://www.clear-viewtech.com
I'd like to see a chassis that could accept boards or eject them like a VCR, hotswappable too. For some reason it seems insanely cool to imagine pressing a button, and watching the case spit out the motherboard from the backplane. Yeah, it's not really possible with PCs since the bus is integrated on the mainboard, but with a bigger machine it would be cool. And pointless, but cool.
It's true. Even the metal boxes don't alway provide enough shielding (as many hams have found out when using computers in the radio shack). Try tuning around on an AM/FM radio in a building filled with PCs - you'll often find a lot of spurs from the computers. You're likely to find that the RFI covers up all but the strongest stations. Then imagine what it would be like if there were *no* shielding on the computers.
Well, depends. Is it worse if a neighborhood radio user can have you forced to not use the computer because it's throwing out too much RFI?
Just tell your friends that it's a terrarium for dust bunnies. Trust me, they'll be far more impressed than with a clear case.
Your courageous and selfless spelling corrections have made me a better person.
Well, It would be easier to know when it's time to clean it :)
is no case at all! I mean, you CAN just put a power supply on a table, put the mobo on a thick magazine (I used to use "Compooper Shopper"), put the hard disk on the table top, wire it up and it'll work great. How I used to 'test' and burn in parts for the verified parts pool.
try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
They can make a cool case, but what's up with the darned scrolling javascript status bar? I thought that everyone knew to not use blink and scrolling statuses by now, unless absolutely neccesary? :)
Not that I'll be stopped from getting my name on the waiting list anyway, though...
But as they're still producing machines, you could say that there still in operation, I think.
I worked with one, and while it was not very powerfull and quite expensive, the way they upgraded CPU was really nice: take out one card, replace with another with the newer CPU, wait until the LED says everything is OK. Do the same with the other card.
It's done! No interruption whatsoever! Nice..
On a related subject, I'm color blind and I wish they would stop using green/red LED for visual feedback as I'm absolutely unable to tell when something goes wrong.
Once I've loose some hours to understand why there was a problem before someone told me that the hardware has a problem, GGRRR.
It occurs to me that you'd either need some serious climate control or very heat insensitive fish. Even with a lot of fans, your average 24x7 PC would cook a goldfish.
Greg
I thought it was a joke story at first, too. The cardboard is actually the plexiglass but with a protective brown layer over it so it doesn't get scratched up while you're working on it. Scroll down some and you'll see the real thing.
A planet where apes evolved from men? Long live the apes.
Yeah, which is why I haven't done this. Even if this guy managed to pull this off without contaminating his disk platters, he's ruined the hermetic seal and air (and dust) could get into the drive after he's reassembled it. So I would guess this type of operation would dramatically shorten the life expectancy of your drive, not to mention void your warranty :)
I'd like a clear laptop case that would hold one or two PC/104 cards. I'm sure I could make some interesting effects with the edge glow from the LCD backlight, too...a little tinting, some fiber...
...so I don't have to send it through the damn X-Ray at the airport...
-----------------------
To understand recursion, one must first understand recursion.
The old PS2s from IBM had nice cases too bad they where Microchannel :(
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Yeah, and with all the static on that plastic, the dust would stick all over it even more (hundreds of times worse if you have filthy habits like smoking, or cat ownership ;-)
--
"It's tough to be bilingual when you get hit in the head."
You know, i'd really rather NOT see the hulking dust bunnies that run and play inside my computer case...
Heck, I wouldn't use a good board in a non working prototype.
So how far away from the thing do you have to be in order to listen to AM radio? When the computer's running, I mean.
It'd be a real shame if the Federal Chicken Checkers took an axe to the thing.
How would holes in acrylic or other clear plastic cases hold up? It seems like they would strip out pretty fast.
Acutally most oils seem to be non-conducitve and with a pump and some more stuff you could cool the oil (although, certanly not as easy as with simple air and some fans), but oil transports sound BETTER than air so you would end up with a noisier computer.
Ah yes, fish won't like to swim in oil that much too :)
I used an old Cromemco Z80 based computer back in the late `80's. The computer was an old ColorGraphics LiveLine II weather graphics computer. It's 10MB (I believe) hard drive had a clear cover on it. I never knew this while it was in operation. I think that thing had 8" platters in it! I wonder if any are still in operation somewhere?
It's mandatory to wash your hands before returning to the land of Dairy Queen.
Maybe moderately salty or "brackish" water would make the best medium for an aquarium pc. Pufferfish, for example, would make perfect companions for internet surfers. They are hearty and longlived and withstand a wide variety of temperatures and water conditions.
fred
a modicum of decorum, plz
I am hereby patenting this "pufferfish pc" idea. Nobody else can claim to have EVER thought of the "pufferfish pc" idea, I am the FIRST and will PROVE it by getting a PATENT. Don't even THINK of putting pufferfish in your pc without getting my prior CONSENT and approval and a receipt for your MONEY. There are thousands of slimy LAWYERS who will help me make them a few SHECKELS on this one. Remember- *I* ownz MY comments, they belong to ME and I'm only LETTING you read them out of the GOODness of my HEART. and because i'm craving attention right now. seems more like the latter.
hmm.
Now where was I?
Oh yeah- Stay outta my booze!
fred
a modicum of decorum, plz
is there truth in this? if so, i'll scrap my plans to make a small clear cube for my linux tv box.
E.
-
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This Post has been brought to you by the letter "E".
Those images load so damn fast! Very impressive.
How to Download YouTube Videos
The transparent cases look nice, but it seems that the makers forgot about (or didn't care about) electromagnetic shielding. At the least, these cases are unlikely to pass the FCC's "this device does not generate radiation, and is tolerant of received radiation". At the worst, the computer might act up if you put your cellphone/microwave too close to it.
Antec SX830 or SX1030. Side panel swings out and off like a door, front bezel pops off after pushing on two buttons, drive bays come out in seconds, and the 5 1/4" drives use rails (included with case). No sharp edges anywhere, and its huge so you can get at everything really easily.
The motherboard does use screws, but there are plastic quick-release standoffs available if you really need to be able to swap it quickly.
For further information, contact Styx. They have a cute little ditty about the Plexiglass Toilet.
...and then imagine all the dust and crap piling up on the inside of your transparent case.
--
Thanks for your letter and your concerns vis-a-vis the legality of the ClearPC computer case.
The case is intended NOT to be used as an ATX-2.03-FCC Class A or B compliant PC case, but rather as a training aid for schools and a sales tool at the retail level.
To use the case in this fashion does not require the use of a power supply unit.
--
So apparently it's not made for real use. Go figure. Seems like false advertising...
-Ted
You know, cuz they'll have that Power Mac look and feel(tm).
Yikes!
I typed the url in netscape without the jpg and the generation of new navigator windows brought my system down. Don't try this at home. I was looking for other interesting pictures. Should crud have given it away?
> http://www.grub.net/crud/cleardisk.jpg
- James - [IMAGE]
I like it. Why didn't anyone mention this idea before? I'd buy one straight away!
:p ) whilst also keeping the case shut to reduce noise.
I really like the idea of being able to see if my CPU fan is working (I don't trust those monitoring apps quite as much as my own eyes
Wonderful.
...and if you REALLY want to stress test your hard drive after performing this mod on it, just reload the URL containing the instructions.
I/O Error G-17: Aborting Installation
After a half year uptime of such a box, you gonna enjoy watching the swirling of the dust inside the case :-)
yeah, even if this worked, i'm going to get a table fan to take up 4 times the desk space just so i can look at my cpu, and show how l33t i am to my guests.
There are electrically dissapative plastics available, although they may be expensive (dunno). And they look tinted, because there is a thin layer of metallic material sandwiched or bonded on.
"Research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing." -- Wernher von Braun
This isnt the first time someone has done this, I've seen CompUSA in the past put clear sides on their boxes for a display model. That was about two years ago.
Business machines still need to be FCC licensed (or so I'm led to believe). They get a Class "A" license. Any product to be used in the home must have a class "B" license.
IIRC, a class A license must not cause intereference within a mile (or the operator must pay to improve other people's equipment to ignore such interference). I believe a class B license is 100 ft.
But, I very well may be wrong. I haven't read that section of the manual for years.
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
Then you could do one of those watter cooled overclock thingies that feeds to a little aquarium. You could probably find one that matched the case design. Oh, and you could use clear tubing instead of the usual black rubber hoses, and put colored water in the tank. Or better yet, put a black light in the case, and color the watter with a highighter pen! Then the watter for the overclock cooler would glow!
Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go put shinier chrome wheels and a exaust noisemaker on my '94 Honda Civic. Just kidding - these things do look pretty cool.
--
In spite of the suggestions and all the tests that I have made, I have not cavato a spider from the hole.
Yeah, so you can see through the case; but I'd rather see a transparent motherboard and PCI cards. Too bad transparent metals cannot exist in reality, because this PC will radiate so much emission that it'll heat up your dinner, and redirect the flightpath of commercial jets!
For the most part my pc is the same. Execpt that if I sit in a certin spot next to my desk, my 10K scsi drive make my cordless phone tweek hard core, also it seems to affect the lower channels on the tv (not my tuner card at all just the tv set it's self).
A few hours grace before the madness begins again.
I can't be the only programmer so anal retentive that they have to have a perfectly clean work area to think clearly. If I had to permanently see the mess inside my computer I think I would go mad :P
Most of the time, you waste time putting your parts in fancy mounting adaptors to make replacing parts 'quickly' not worth the effort.
What's next, gold plated floppy drives, spoilers and chrome screws?
Mabey I'll "lower" my case, and put a new 15 inch base to it. Add some hydrolics and play Counterstrike in style.
I can see the next Dell commercials now: Hot chicks standing around an extra sleek case.
I'll save myself a couple hundred bucks and spend it on performance rather than looks.
I am currently not obliged to divulge that information as it might compromise the agents in the field
Okay, for those who are willing to spend oodles of cash on their case in exchange for a hotrod body: http://www.colorcase.com I'm not sure if this has been put in the comment list already, but I thought it would be a handy dandy link.
To static electricity, why not coat the plexiglas with an antistatic metallic layer (similar to what's used in antistatic bags)? While it won't be as crystalline in appearance, it will still be nice and shiny, and if the antistatic metallization is thick enough to prevent static buildup, but thin enough to be transparent, then the loss of aethetics will be minimized...
Of course, I could use the Red Green method on mine, make it with chicken wire and duct tape, does wonders for cooling, and is static free! Ghetto boxen, anyone?
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
Don't forget the hamster wheel...;)
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
That nobody manufactures truly transparent mobo's, rig one of those up with neon or electroluminescent paneling, now that would look 1337...;)
While on the subject, it's amazing that everyone loves the clear cases, etc... I mean... Does anyone remember Crystal Pepsi? *shudder*
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
I wouldn't exactly trust a company that uses an ancient motherboard displaying 72 pin Simm slots as apart of its flagship product. What kind of monkies are these where that's the best they can do??
I love to use the cardboard models... It would give me that, "I'm a cheap bastard" look is strive for.
Acrylic cases are old news. In fact, check out this LAN-party friendly case on hardforum.
There are quite a few acrylic cases in the case-mod forum.
Entropy in a given system can increase or decrease, but the entropy of the universe always increases.
The only certainty is entropy.
If you're going to make it out of Lego, you should at least use only translucent pieces.
The only certainty is entropy.
Well, you wouldn't want goldfish in the case because they don't flourish in warm water. Tropical fish or saltwater fish would probably be the way to go. And as long as there was enough circulation and an area for gas/heat exchange the heat would probably not be a problem. In fact, I could imagine the circulating water might actually help keep the computer cooler.
How can it be sheilded if I never leave the cover on my case?
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
My system is cool enough.... The parts tend to stay in flux enough I never get the case closed
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
ClearView (http://clear-viewtech.com/) has been making acrylic cases forever. They even have tinted/smoke colored acrylic. Their stuff is top-notch and very reputable. This is well-known in the hardware/overclocking community. You folks should read the [H]ard|OCP news page more often and the /. news people should never have posted this story.
--------------------------------------- "No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." -Yoda ------------------------
I was just going to comment on the FCC issue, but seems everyone else here got to it. When I saw this case, my first reaction was "No metal shielding?!?!?!?!"
Maybe I'm just a freak, but I don't want my office to look like an electronics warehouse. Of course to each their own, but I like the plain, easy to open sort of case. There's a reason you don't see any clear TVs, stereos, DVD players, etc. It's because it's gaudy & looks stupid.
And as mentioned all over the place here, there's the fact that if an acrylic case isn't made right you can kiss your components goodbye.
The only tool you've got against psychosis is experience.
With a marker-printed sign attached: "Will process bits for food."
No, really! I'm one of the *good* lawyers!
OK, looks cool, but how many bricks and what's in the case?
Now you can Overclock your Athlon and WATCH it melt... Or just blow up in a firey death....
DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SERVER!!!
Ah, the joys of melting Athlons....
"That's not funny That's Oh My God my Computer just melted"
-The Register
--Volrath50
You'd still have to open the damned thing up to get at the bits though...
You've got mail. Pattern baldness. - Crow
I'd like to see my bits working again.
You've got mail. Pattern baldness. - Crow
Why bother? a good custom paint job hides the dust bunnies much better =PI'm working on a Gold/black case...looks tight as hell, plus it keeps the 8LB of dust in the computer away from my sight
The opinions in this post are ficticious. Any similarity to actual opinions, real or imagined, is purely coincidental.
Amen. What utter stupidity to want to see the boards in a PC while it operates. "Look, Cletus! Cheap, consumer-grade PC components! Oooh! A $10 Ethernet card! Looky, looky!
is it just me, or does apple seem to beat everyone else to all the cool-yet-useless features in hardware and software
.
www.clear-viewtech.com They have blue and red tinted ones as well.
But I do have the solution! We just use transparent aluminum. Thank Star Trek for the solutions to today's problems, from the future!
Even Slashdot wants to hide some things
Why would you want to do something fucking stupid like that?
Hard-drives are sealed for a reason, and dust between the head and the platter, floating about 2 microns above the surface, will cause a head crash.
Opening up my hard-drive and taking a dremel and belt sander to it isn't my idea of fun. Go figure data redundancy.
"I'll just chip in a bit for RedHat: I actually have that installed on my university machine." - Linus, '95
Am I the only one that has ever noticed the 30 lbs of dust inside my computer? Build it one day, 4 hours later, you can't even pick the case up there is so much dust. Yea' that's what I want my guests to see. "Come'on over and see my ribbon cables knotted up and my dusty dirty computer case".
-TheStruuus
I have a couple of Addtronics 7896A cases, and I really like them. No sharp edges, pop off front, both sides on hinges, removable MB tray, etc.
- dave f.
Dammit, my case isn't clear. I feel so oldfashioned now. I'll probably get last place at the Computer Fashion Awards Show. My life is over.
I made a case out of cardboard once. It's overrated.
Taping fans to the cardboard causes problems as they tend to vibrate off and fall on other components.
On the plus side it's easy to make more holes in the box and my boss can't sell it when I'm not looking.
Been there, done that. Better have a good sized supply of spare harddisks ready, though :(
On a more serious note:
I would definitely worry about RF emissions from plexiglass cases. According to german computer magazine c't, even most of the conventional ATX cases (with metal shielding and finger-stock seals) exceed the CE regulation RF limits and thus are - at least in theory - not to be sold within the European Union. RF pollution is not really a problem if it's only your CB hobbyist neighbor complaining (well, as long as he's not the violent sociopath type), but if you take down some piece of critical equipment with your kewl transparent-case 1.4 GHz box - maybe in the doctor's office one floor up - you're in trouble.
Now, if only Coolermaster delivered those cool aluminum cases to Switzerland...
Raymond
"There are already a million monkeys on a million typewriters, and Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare." - Blair Houghton
Raymond
"There are already a million monkeys on a million typewriters, and Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare." - Blair Houghton
ummmm..... ever heard of CSA, Canada's version of FCC noise emmision testing?
If they produce this in volume and/or show it at a trade show, they face shutdown and fines if they don't have a valid report/certification.
I didn't do it, and if I did, you can't prove it. Bart Simpson
I wonder what the FCC will have to say about their product. The consumer crapification of computers continues.
What is pirate software? Software for inventory of stolen treasure?
This reminds of a few years back when there seemed to be a craze in having clear cases on smaller electronics. I remember seeing phones, radios, and other stuff with clear cases. The phones seemed to mostly be appealing to teenage girls, though I'm not exactly sure why. Can't think of any reasons why a teenage girl would want to look at a circuit board. In any case, I remeber wondering before why anyone would want a clear case on the phone, and I have that same thought about PCs.
We've all been hacking our cases apart for each LAN party, with holes here, neon lights there, maybe a ThinkGeek sticker on top...but I was always waiting for someone to make a transparent, or at least translucent case.
this has been done for ages, just take a look at virtualhideout.net or any of the other case modding sites.
keep it simple.
Who wants to watch TV? TV is for weaks!
-=-=-=-=
I know life isn't fair, but why can't it ever be un-fair in MY favor!?
What do you get with clear or translucent cases? The same plastic cover, hopefully with the same level of RF shielding. You also get to see the contents of your case.
Does it have LEDs you can observe? (generally) No. Are there moving parts you can watch? (generally) No. Does it mean an object which is visually irregular, with dark green+solder colouring and odd-looking/shaped objects? Yes.
I personally don't like the iMac/iBook (and the multitude of products which they spawned) because I think they look cheap, flimsy and plasticy. Note that's look. What we're talking about is pure looks. Being able to see inside your case, apart from a small minority of cases, is nothing more than a gimmick.
Do I like iMac cases? No. Do I like the stuff you can get on ThinkGeek for transparent, inner lit extras? Yes. But it's all about looks. My PC sits under my desk and I as long as it doesn't fall over or spew interference into my pocket radio I couldn't give a munki's. For something sat on a desk in a tv programme etc it can make a difference.
Is this really something that will pass the test of time or will it be something you look at for a few days, show off to your mates, then becomes simply the housing for the machine you use for the next year or two you own it?
I am simply grateful that style in terms of hardware generally doesn't hamper performance. Style in other areas of software (particularly webpages, after I spent I long time trying to use one that afaict only works on IE...) can.
I think what I've been trying to say (through a lot of rambling) is that style is one thing, and can be useful sometimes but generally we'd be happier with things that just worked well, even if they looked crap. The ability to see the circuitry on a product, to me, implies something that's cheap
"Don't get mad, get a monkey!"
Have you ever opened your computer case? Come on people, those cases may look nifty in a nice picture, but after 6 months of uptime, my boxes have about 2 pounds of dust piled up inside... I don't want to see that!!!
--
Damn it Jim, that's my sphincter, not a jelly donut!!!
Static dissipative plastics don't have enough metal content to shield radio frequency interference. They're designed to conduct electrostatic, which is a completely different issue.
Leaving the cover off a case is usually a bad idea. A well designed case is set up so that the air flow through the fans pulls air across the components that need cooling. If you take the cover off, it results in zero airflow over critical components.
Back when my computer was a Z-80 based Bigboard running CP/M I had the bigboard (single board video, cpu, ram, controller, etc. on it) installed in a surplus 19" rack chassis. It would periodically fail due to overheating.
I went out and bought several expensive air conditioners (lived in the second floor of an ancient house where it got pretty warm).
No change at all. The machine still overheated regularly.
I dug in the junkbox and found a cheap muffin fan, and set it up to push air across the Bigboard. It never failed again.
A few years ago (I think it was) Intel that displayed funky shaped computer cases, they were purple, blue, green, all in strange shapes (not clear), Intel thought it was going to be the next big thing, funny, I haven't seen any lately. I wondered how they were going to get a motherboard to fit in there. Now we have $105.00 clear cases, you can buy a full tower for $60 US. It's always something isn't it? Some new fad manufacturers come out with that is touted the next big thing that disappears without a trace.
That's IT!!
Hydraulics for my PC!
And a winamp plugin, so it bounces to my beats.
Reboot macht Frei.
What's so bad about that? After about a year, I usually upgrade anyway...
Reboot macht Frei.
Um, aren't you only supposed to open your hard drive in a clean room? IIRC (and I might not) the "vent" in most modern hard drives contains a barrier. I wonder how long a "modded" disk will operate with dust and humidity inside the box.
"The dinosaurs died because they didn't have a space program." - Niven
make that "vapor barrier" I shouldn't post with such low blood caffeine levels.
"The dinosaurs died because they didn't have a space program." - Niven
maybe they're not too worried about dust bunnies and dirt because they're expecting people to use Petnium 4s, which would burn stray particles as a side effect of "running".
I still remember as a kid seeing Greased Lightning in the final scenes of Grease; all of a sudden it had a clear hood. Oh man, it was THE COOLEST thing I had seen up to that point in my young life. Now why wouldn't this work with computers? I mean surely, for a concept this obvious, Gateway, Dell, or somebody would've done some market research. I think it comes down to this. The man behind the curtain just ain't that impressive. I mean, it's not a car engine. It's not cool looking. Except for the fan, there's no moving parts. No, it's just kinda there, kinda sterile. You know what would be cool though...you keep some live bugs in the case. Then everytime someone walks by your cubicle...hey, I think I've got a bug in my system. Killer stuff.
...and kings will shut their mouths because of him - Isa 52:15
Here's a couple of companies who have been making these for a while now.
http://www.clear-viewtech.com
http://www.designcomp.com
- A.P.
--
Forget Napster. Why not really break the law?
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
I haven't ever used an O2, but for Corporate PCs, Dell's new Optiplex GX150 machines are pretty nice. They open at the push of a button, and most of the components can be taken out of the box without a screwdriver. They're also the quietest PCs I've ever used, unlike my old Dell Precision 410 workstation, this SCSI drive sounds like someone crushing gravel...
---
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout. --Robert A. Heinlein
...one of these things is going to look like in a few months. Ever notice just how much crap gets sucked into your computer case? Geez, I get out the vacuum cleaner every time I do any work inside the case just to try to keep the accumulated dust down. (a layer of dust inhibits the ability of chips to be cooled by the airflow.) After a while, one of these transparent PC cases is going to look like ``The Visible Shop-Vac''. And that's not going to be very pretty at all.
--
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
Actually that old disk does work and is in use (not for anything important, my basement with 4 cats is not exactly a "clean room" :))
The arm is a blur when it moves but you can indeed see it.
Trolling is a art,
Since I'm in a shitflinging mood, I'll jump in at this point. This is not an electronic device, It's a large hunk of plastic, so they can sell as many of them as they want, and the FCC has nothing to do with it. Now, when you use the case to put a computer in that's another story, however they're shipping these things without a power supply, so none of the FCC regulations apply to them.
Now for the shit flinging:
The FCC is not the US congress. They make regulations not laws.
Cars are sold capable of being driven. You need to equate this to auto parts, not cars. Also, the rules that govern automobiles in the US are laws, and they're made by the states, not the US government. The National government just makes heavy handed suggestions as to what the laws should say and threatens to deny highway funding to states that aren't strict enough.
and finally, to that last guy "You are awfully arrogant for someone who is about to display his ignorance."
Grow up.
The cases are pretty neat, and the fact that they documented their startup efforts is even cooler. However (and I'm no EE) doesn't a regular case provide EM shielding and wouldn't a layer of clear plastic not provide such shielding?
Quoth the author of the drive-modding site:
> All the hard drives I have done this mod to are stuff running fine. I stress test them for about a week of intense disk activity and they pass gracefully.
Fuck me!
I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Fuck, I still don't believe it!
I thought it was gonna be a mod that said "Do this, then hook up the drive, and run a piece of software to make the heads thrash every now and then, 'cuz there ain't no way you're reading any data off this drive".
But it seems he's serious in that he didn't lose data.
I'd still never do this with a drive that had data I cared about. All the posters pointing out the need for a clean room (and the grit/dust from the grinding operations, and the lack of an air filter on the modded drive) are absolutely right - this shouldn't work.
But for an old (obsolete, and out-of-warranty) drive that you're only using for /swap on a non-mission-critical system, maybe it really is doable.
Fsckin' cool hack, though, to say the least.
Absolutely...
What I learn from that, I can use to polish out dents and chips in the paint on my car, rather than paying an auto body shop to do it for me. The techniques are identical - sand at 220 grit to bare metal, lay down primer to fill in the rough spots, sand at 600, lay down color, sand at 600, lay down color, sand at 1200, seal with clearcoat, sand at 2000 and buff/polish to taste.
But it's a helluvalot cheaper to learn the technique (and make your newbie mistakes) on a $75 ATX case than it is on your car.
If the paint adheres nicely to plastic, I'll probably do the same thing with my I-openers. The one that now serves as a digital picture frame will actually look more like a picture frame than a piece of computing equipment.
That'd rock. The biggest concern I'd have would be that there might be interference coming from the discharge through the strobe light.
OTOH, you could "strobe" a high-intensity LED just as easily as you could a real strobe light, and it might be bright enough to be seen.
Now you've got me thinking about breaking off a pin in the middle of my Alpha heatsink. The space thus created would be just big enough to hold an LED, and the light would emerge from *within* the heatsink and "leak" through the fan blades. You could probably ensure it "stopped" the fan blades regardless of fan speed by simply triggering the LED based on the third wire (fan speed sense) from the fan itself!
Disco ball, blue LED. Yum.
Or break off a pin or two from your Alpha-style heatsink, and wedge (after insulating the leads) in a red LED. "Look, ma, my heatsink's red hot!"
The RF wouldn't be a problem if the holes in the sides of the case were small enough. Your "crystal" idea would work great for this, and solve any problems ("dustbunnies") associated with a totally-translucent case.
And what discussion of clear cases would be complete without the clear Ms. PacMan machine?
(Amazing amount of useful information quoted and reposted at Mod-level 2, just to preserve it for those re-reading this thread in the future.
Mad props to the AC who posted it. Wish I could justify the cost of the gun and air compressor setup for this project, but the tip on cleaning plastics probably saves me a lot of time and trouble, as does the tip on avoiding a drill and a buffing wheel.)
Forget the black lights. Get some 16 million color led arrays inside your PC, let it perform light shows and use your pc case as a winamp plug in. It's bound to be cheaper than mood lighting for the whole damn room.
Why get a clear case, I just leave mine off. And don't give me that crap about you might spill something in it. Mine runs better now that I cool my Athlon with Coke. I think that I should switch to diet cause it's starting to get fat.
Transparent Aluminum.
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NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
There's no better way to keep the rat in the next cubicle from stealing your DIMMS.
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NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
I definately like the extra 3 inch length in the case, to make the motherboard be more exposed, but I can't help but wonder about the dangers of static discharge with a plastic case. For the time being though, you'll need to settle for your shitty cardboard cut-outs because it'll take quite a while before any of these will be coming to a store near you.
Everything old is new again!
Famous Last Words: "Oh, hi Laur... err, Sandra!"
http://www.perljam.net/misc/members.home.net/clear cases/
-ted
-ted
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Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
WWJD -- What Would Jimi Do?
WWJD -- What Would Jimi Do?
(Smash amp, burn guitar, take home the groupies)
It makes a clear case for a PC.
Get it? >-)
~~~Please pass the salt, I hate unsalted MD5s
I admit, they look awfully cool (I was expecting a lame semi-translucent imac type thing), but $105 US for a computer case?!? I think I'll stick with what I've got...
The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's all learned.
"The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
I could give a flying f*ck how they look. I need cases that are well made. I want no sharp edges...
Yeah, those cases with the razor blades sticking out are a real drag!
is a PowerMac
Mmmm...Sacrelicious!
Mmmm...Sacrelicious!
-Homer Simpson
Well, i used to do this.
However, i know you can possibly get heating issues w/an open case. Proper airflow usually requires a closed case.
Grounding?
Rate me on picture-rate.com
"and dear god does this website suck now." -- CmdrTaco
pic 1
pic 2
pic 3
Whoops. :^)
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Wooden armaments to battle your imaginary foes!
Sorry, that should be:
lego case pic 1
lego case pic 2
lego case pic 3
rather.
panic("esp: Mr. Potatoe Head is on the loose!"); --linux/drivers/scsi/esp.c
Maybe I'm just old school, but I fail to see the reasoning for this. I really don't like it when people dress up thier cars/trucks whatever with neon lights, hydraulic shocks, etc. and I think this is just that same step in the nerd direction.
Let's face it, computer hardware is no necessarily eye-appealing (at least not so to me) and I don't want people coming over to my in-house office to look at the guts of such and eyesore.
Applications? Maybe if they make a rack-mountable case.
Of couse, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
________
Does anyone actually have a Java program designed to control air traffic, or for the operation of a nuclear facility?
What's next? Invisible cases?
You mean, like behind a drywall?
Ok, my new personal goal in life is to have as much transparency in my computer as possible. Clear case, clear hard drive (clear platters?), clear mobo, etc, etc. You'll have to squint to even see the thing!
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Dyolf Knip
Or, rather, you're not. How does this handle motherboard grounding issues?
I spent a LOT of time hunting down a flaky problem (IDE1 and mouse ports not found) that ended up being an ungrounded support.
When are they gonna make clearcased cdroms, floppy drives, and harddisks too?<Sarcasm> That would be 37337.</Sarcasm>
I can also take a picture of my nose pressed up against glass and stick the picture inside the case
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A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
I wouldn't be surprised if they tried, but I did this over 10 years ago with 3/8" Lexan and parts from an AST 286 for a visible computer in a training lab. It's such an obvious use that I'm sure it was done before me as well. BTW: FCC requirements only apply to assembled units, not parts.
Pull my finger for my public key.
Now everyone will be able to see how much pr0n in on my hard drive.
As x approaches total apathy I couldn't care less.
If I remember correctly, the reason your computer and your harddrive are encased in metal has little to do with grounding and everything to do with one of the fundamental rules of electrostatics: If you put a hollow metal box in an electric field, the electric field inside the box is unchanged.
This is why computers are encased in metal, airplanes are encased in metal, and especially why hard drives are encased in metal. No matter what is going on outside (electrical storms, static discharges, etc), your electric field inside is unaffected.
Sure, I let my machine run with the case open now and again (like right now); Most modern components in a computer are pretty resiliant. But everything is definitely safer in the metal box. And there is no way in hell I would let my harddrive run encased in plastic.
"I like to wear big boy pants."
I don't think you'd see much... disks spinning at 7200RPM look pretty much like disks standing still... and the heads move back and forth fast enough to be mostly a blur anyways, if that.
Sounds cool, but wouldn't be nearly so in actual use.
MadCow.
I used to have a sig, but I set it free and it never came back.
I'd be interested in knowing if anyone tried building a pc in this case. How serious is the static problem?
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
"Them" refers to the last thing mentioned, in this instance, the computer case. So when you say "none of the FCC regulations apply to them", you are referring to the cases, not the company that makes them. Before you criticize my reading, try constructing your sentences properly. --Fred
FCC Rules apply to this case if a computer is assembled in the case. (I assumed that computers would be assembled into every one sold and, thus, the FCC regs would apply.)
If you buy the case and use it for an aquarium, FCC rules do not apply.
The FCC makes regulations and the Congress makes laws -- like the one(s) making it a crime to violate FCC regulations.
If the FCC is flooded with complaints about RFI caused by computers in these (or other "custom" cases), they will issue regulations about shielding for personal computers. Their regulations could impact the entire clone industry by making it a requirement that all assembled computers be FCC certified. Dell, Compaq, and Gateway would love that as it would force out most of the cheap clone manufacturers.
Look at what has happened to hot rodding. Although hot rodders made up only a tiny percentage of auto owners, there are now all kinds of burdensome laws/regulations regarding EPA approval of all aftermarket performance parts.
FCC Rules apply to this case if a computer is assembled in the case. (I assumed that computers would be assembled into every one sold and, thus, the FCC regs would apply.)
If you buy the case and use it for an aquarium, FCC rules do not apply.
The FCC makes regulations and the Congress makes laws -- like the one(s) making it a crime to violate FCC regulations.
If the FCC is flooded with complaints about RFI caused by computers in these (or other "custom" cases), they will issue regulations about shielding for personal computers. Their regulations could impact the entire clone industry by making it a requirement that all assembled computers be FCC certified. Dell, Compaq, and Gateway would love that as it would force out most of the cheap clone manufacturers.
Look at what has happened to hot rodding. Although hot rodders made up only a tiny percentage of auto owners, there are now all kinds of burdensome laws/regulations regarding EPA approval of all aftermarket performance parts.
The FCC is not the US congress. They make regulations not laws.
And the Congress made laws stating that you will obey FCC regulations.
Grow up.
I'm 40 and my emotional maturity is not an issue here. Your lack of understanding of the laws of this country and the FCC's regulations is the issue.
You did not make those arguments. If you really believe that you made those arguments, quote your earlier post and show me where. As to maturity, you are in no position to judge.
I know for a fact there is an ESD (electrostatic disapative) clear perspex available, but it's very expensive (I don't have exact figures). I use it in some test equipment at work. I'll look up a specification for it on Monday if anyone wants.
We ARE the peat bog soldiers.
Lets, see thinkgeek is trying to sell me cases with black lights, now I got clear cases, it'd be interesting to see, but it would be like the clear telephones, it would end up being a fad.
What's next? Invisible cases?
Slashdot Hypocrisy at work?
applied to the inside of the case, so it was still transparent. Tie the screen into the ground plane. Would still require those copper fingers around the access panel. This rig would look pretty sweet with a light kit, or a strobe to "stop" the fans. If they start really ramping up production, the screen could probably be embedded into the lexan.
Mommy. What's a karma whore?
Now just fill up that clear case with a non-conducting, oxygenated liquid, throw in some gold fish and watch them munch the algae off your mainboard!
No gounding and no EMI sheilding. These people obviously have zero engineering background.
Despite what EULAs say, most software is sold, not licensed.
Now here are two cool ideas about case tricking:
Get one of ThinkGeek's black light and one of these cases. get some glass working tools. Cut the holes like crystal. Then put crystals (tranculent and angled) all over the thing. The black light would go everywhere in cool angles. For added fun also put in a disco ball.
Spray paint. nuff said
-------- 42
Hmm... interesting concept but I don't think it would go right right the tan colored cd rom, floppy drive etc. And I always let my PC get too dusty.
Humm... novel idea, but I get about the same see-thru quality by not putting the side panels on my case. Plus, it would probably show too many of my fingerprints from me shaking the heck out of it.
I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said I don't know. ~Mark Twain
Looks like a regular old cardboard box to me.
Anyway, the point of all this is that it's better for smooth running of your computer that the shielding be in place. It's also better for the smooth running of other peoples equipment that the shielding be in place. Please be considerate of the guy next door who may have spent the last few years wondering why some piece of equipment he has won't work between 5 PM and 5 AM.
Not that I particularly care (heh, I'd order one anyway), but I'm curious about how these cases passed FCC Certification. IIRC, ordinary cases don't have much problem in this area, but that's just because they're a big metal box ;).
Alex Bischoff
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Alex Bischoff
HTML/CSS coder for hire
I was actually thinking about getting a couple big Honda "[H]" stickers, some vinyl kanji characters,
a huge fan (closest thing to an exhast tip I can think of...), and,
of course, several "Type R" stickers, so I could then "rice up" my tired old P120...
I figure those "performance mods" should kick the performance up to the level of, say, a PIII 300...
C-X C-S
I wonder if I can make another Macquarium out of these...
We're here to give you an OS, not a religion.
Now they'll ask you why you didn't see that critical hardware failure coming :)
just my blog and pix
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Nicotine free Amish .sig.
Of course you could always build your own: like this previous slashdot story linked to
HardOCP had a link to a guy that was doing at-home jobs like this, but I can't find the URL.
Ignoranus: A person who is both stupid and an asshole.
Well, ok, these haven't shipped, but it looks exactly like it!
;-)
Well, ok, not exactly; but it's close.
And access is MUCH easier...
Well, close, except when I can be bothered to put back the covers. Then it looks kinda boring. But the REST of the time...
-WolfWithoutAClause
"Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"I like the fact that I can hide my mess inside of a box. There are just some things I'd rather not see.
Obviously, these transparent boxes are going to suck if you have your computer and TV on at the same time (or if anyone else in the general area has their TV on).
AFAIK, the transparent qualities could be retained, but shielding added via a grounded crosshatch of wire or metal mesh, making a faraday cage. Question is - how big can the holes be? Are we talking chicken-wire or reinforced-glass kind of mesh, or more like microwave-oven window mesh?
Does anyone have any links to DIY shielding info that would cover this sort of thing?
I've also heard that a transparent metal layer (such as on anti-static bags, one-way mirrors, etc) can be used, but some info on DIY mesh would be good...
If I do recall, after talking in to a mouse, Mongomery Scott gave away the formula for transparent steel in Star Trek IV... Even so, if these cases were perfect I am sure Apple is readying some kind of a lawsuit as we speak. Scott
[sig]darkfus[/sig]
hmmm... acrylic... does this sound like a static nightmare waiting to happen? I can see it now... I finish assembling my clear computer, marveling at it's aestetic beauty, slide it along the carpeted floor back into its position next to my desk turn it on and.... NOTHING - time to go shopping for more parts, and a nice GROUNDED steel case...
Interesting. Applicable. I donno. Why? I have to ask.
ooooh, those dreamy eyes of hers. Grrr--owwwww.
"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas"
Sen. Davy Crocket to US Congress, Nov. 1, 1835
ColorCase has some really neat looking cases.... Even a penguin one that my 5 year old brother thinks is cute.... Perfect for your 3 year old's nice new Linux Server!
--Volrath50
I'd like one of those, except with the ammount of dust gathering in my machines anyway, all I'd see is dust an nice blue sparks.... try sleeping with that hummer beside yah! =)
The 'hot-rodding' of computers is probably one of the few ways this hobby could ever stop being seen as geeky. We'd have to turn it into a manly brag-off hobby: "This transparent beast I got can smoke your Compaq, man. It's got dual 22GHz 'Athlon Avatar's', 5 exhaust fans, AI 5x more efficient than the human brain, and a HeMan GX 975 MB Video Card! RAAAARRRR!!!"
Cool! Glad to see a company that is mass producing clear cases. Up until now, you have to shell out big bucks for a custom clear computer box. I bought my clear arcylic case from Clear-View Tech about a year ago, and they are friggin beautiful. I tweaked and customized the crap outta it since that time. When you have a killer box, you gotta have killer accessories.. =^,^=
Here is the page with the best pictures of my clear computer. The pictures are a bit old though, and were taken when I used to have a Celeron processor in it. Since that time, I've upgraded it with a Thunderbird.
But here is the page that is more recent (with the T-Bird and rounded cables) where my computer is integrated into my drumset/entertainment center. Much cooler! =~,^=
No grounding, no shielding, no isolation, bad heat dissipation, huge propensity for static electricity... no thanks i'll just keep my components in a running microwave, at least I know when everything will burn.
I'd really like to see clear hard disk covers inside those clear cases. You could see the mechanics working. THAT would be leet.
http://www.grub.net/crud/cleardisk.jpg
Not a simple clickey link to save my poor cable modem connection :)
Trolling is a art,
Well, I doubt it would cause that much trouble. Although it would violate FCC regs, it's not going to blow up your neighbor's dog :-D. I run my PC with out either side panel on, because I'm too lazy to take them on and off, and I have no problems with monitors, tvs, phones, and other things that sit right next to my case.
Have you ever opened your case and saw the massive tangles of dust that line the nooks and crannies of your PCI cards, hard drives and mobos? Why would I want to see that stuff wipping around in the case all day? Ewwww...
Speak truth to power.
Just saw this custom clear case over at HardOCP. Very nice, clean work. URL is "http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?threadid= 132652" for the goatse.cx weary...
Karma whoring? Gimmie the KY!
LOAD "SIG",8,1
LOADING...
READY.
RUN
do they have the prototype for sale? i'd love to get my hands on a cardboard pc case, if i was talented in the least w/ tools, i'd make one myself. power tools just scare me...
E.
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This Post has been brought to you by the letter "E".
Now they just need to find a way of protecting the electronics so that all that unused space can be filled with water and you can have fish living in your pc..
How long would your case be clear? My experience with Acryllic is that it collects static electricity. They should call this the "Swiffer" case. If you think dust bunnies are gross, imagine your case as one big one. They could call this the "Chia-PC"... say, that's not a bad idea...
Could the static charge collected be used to supplement the power supply, or just shock and amuse friends and family. "Hey, touch my computer... right here."
I agree with the previous post when it says, "Clear cases are cool and all, but clear components would be cooler."
I hated Apple's translucent cases simply because they were faddish. If the computer's performance was as consistant and stylish as the cases, perhaps I would like them better. For people whose concerns are less geeky than my own; however, the cases are not a problem.
Clear cases are decidedly cool, but what would be cooler and give ultimate upgrade access would be a desk-drawer case.
Talk to you later, - J.D.
Without shielding this thing might radiate like crazy. Your radio, TV, your neighbor's TV, etc. could go beserk. They put computers in metal cases with finger-stock seals for a reason.
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A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
This site looks like they've been doing clear pc's for a while
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Top Most Bizarre/Disturbing Error Messages
The key to doing this hack successfully is to do it in a moderately clean place with little air flow to lift dust particles into the drive while it's open. Humidity doesn't matter; it's allowed to get in anyway so that it can get out when the air expands. Once you re-seal the drive you may have introduced a few particles, may even crash a few tracks. A good IDE drive will reassign these. Eventually the airflow across the platter is designed to flush this dust into the filter -- and you're right back where you started, maybe minus a few dings. Not at all the inevitable Kiss of Death you might expect.
Now if you really want to kill the thing while it's open, light up a cig and blow smoke onto the platter while it's spinning -- death within 10 seconds, guaranteed.
Brackets contain world's first nanosig, highly magnified:[.]
Well, duh, then these aren't for you.
Somehow, this kinda stuff reminds me of the rice boy attitude. You know those Hong-Kong kids who soup up their Civic CXs with Mugen stickers, and racing stripes? :)
'Cuz we all know that clear/glowing cases, and mugen stickers make it go faster!
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#include <malloc.h>
free(your.mind);
Got sued by Apple.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
I could give a flying f*ck how they look. I need cases that are well made. I want no sharp edges, everything easy to get at - toolless is best, durable - like a good magnesium alloy, well built so everything fits properly and lines up without having to force it, and has good air flow.
;)
Something like SGI's O2 would be awesome. Those things are fantastic. You can stip an O2's hard drives, video/sound board, momboard, power supply, etc. in about 15 seconds, and put it back in just as fast.
Nothing I have ever seen in PC's even vaguely compares.
And for those that still care about looks, the O2 had the 'melted tower' thing going for it.
Exactly my thoughts. So much for the occasional openning and giving it a shot of compressed air...Now I'll have to clean my computer as often as I do my bathroom...(don't ask...you won't like the answer)
For a moment i tought they sold fake invisible computer cases ("yes sir, our invisible computer case it's every geeks dream ... now if i could only find a sample to show you ...")
oh well, back to real life ...
These clear cases sure do look nice, but what can look better than a case made solely out of legos? This case is made from legos only, with no glue or adhesives whatsoever!
lego case pic 1
lego case pic 2
lego case pic 3
panic("esp: Mr. Potatoe Head is on the loose!"); --linux/drivers/scsi/esp.c
Hey just use a bit of transparent aluminum. It worked for Scotty.
Several years ago I worked for a local PC shop. One of our customers fried two motherboards before we finally had him bring in his case. He'd build it out of thick plexiglass. We all thought it was great until one of us picked it up... the static electricity made all the hair on your arm stand up. You could stick pieces of paper to the sides of the case. It shocked you half the time you touched it...
And he wondered why nothing worked.
-Tony
Whatever happened to JonKatz?
Taking a PC designed for a shielded metal case and sticking it into an unshielded plastic case seems like a sure way of creating interference for your neighbors: radio, television, amateur radio, portable telephones, medical devices, wireless networking, cell phones, etc. It's kind of like turning up your stereo all the way, and I don't think that's particularly nice. If people track you down, FCC regulations let them demand that you shut down your computer because it creates harmful interference to licensed devices.
So, save yourself some time and money, be nice to your neighbors, and leave that motherboard in the shielded case it was designed for. If you want a clear PC, buy one that was designed that way from the start, like an iMac or a G4 Cube.
Now we can see the gears and pulleys of an NT box.
"Anonymous Coward" is for whistleblowers, not unpopular opinions.