Shazza's Modest Mountain Mods Build

[shazza]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/shazzasmd/computerstuff.jpg


After months and months of collecting parts, letting them collect dust, and a couple of RMAs later - I have a working computer. This is my second MM build ... the first was a journey (some might say a nightmare) into the world of liquid cooling. This will be an abbreviated worklog, but I did want to share my progress, and posting pics of the project motivates me to keep going to to the next step. Also an opportunity to pick up advice from folks here.

EDIT: (2/14/09) This project has turned into a monster ... it's no longer a "modest" build, and obviously no longer an abbreviated work log :p: Many parts have been changed out, and it's still evolving.

Hardware:

Rampage Extreme
Corsair HX 1000W PSU - sleeved using murderMod PSYCHOPAK sleeving kit
E8600 (QX9650 will go in after I'm sure everything is working)
2 x 2 GB G-Skill 1600MHz RAM
WD 750 GB 7200RPM HD
Sapphire 4870X2

EDIT - this is now an i7 920 build, using an EVGA X58 mb, Corsair 3 x 2GB 1600MHz mem, and nVidia GTX 285 video cards with EK water blocks.


LC Components:

changing by the minute ... but here's where we are as of 12/20/08

CPU Loop: XSPC Acrylic Res Top > MCP 355 > Thermochill PA 120.3 > Swiftech GTZ | Red Primoflex Pro Tubing 3/8" ID 5/8" OD | Bitspower Compression and Assorted Fittings

GPU Loop: XSPC Acrylic Res Top > MCP 355 > Thermochill PA 120.3 > Danger Den 4870X2 Water Block | Blue Primoflex Pro Tubing 7/16" ID 5/8" OD | Bitspower Compression and Assorted Fittings

NB Loop: XSPC Acrylic Res Top > MCP 350 > Swiftech MCR 220 > Swiftech NB-Max | Black Primoflex Pro Tubing 3/8" ID 5/8" OD | Bitspower Compression and Assorted Fittings


Case:

Mountain Mods CYO, Horizontal MB tray with Duality Front in Black Anodized Al


Casualties to date (there are sure to be more):

Striker II Extreme Motherboard
2 x 2GB of G-Skill DDR3 RAM (bought it so long ago I couldn't find it when I finally started building :shrug:) edit: Found the original RAM!
Rampage Extreme Motherboard - 1st one had issues, 2nd one seems fine
2 x 8800 GTX video cards - using in other systems, replaced with 4870x2
GTX water block - user error, somehow stripped the threads in the top when trying to install BP compression fittings - second one OKAY
2 x 4870x2 video cards - still working, but replaced with GTX 285s
2ND Rampage Extreme motherboard bit the dust when installing second 4870x2




A few early photos:


I said it worked ... didn't say it was pretty :p:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/417491470_dy5oi-L.jpg



4870X2 with Danger Den Water Block:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/417491295_aLskE-L.jpg



Swiftech GTZ Water Block - a delight to install :up:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/417492352_79LdE-L.jpg



I use 3DMark06 to see if everything seems to run okay...
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/417491112_nMowg-S.jpg



Temps look okay on this temporary loop (CPU and GPU on 1 PA120.3):
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/417491207_8dM4M-S.jpg



And, before you get all excited, let me make a few disclaimers:

1) Yes, the tubing is much too long -- this is my setup for leak testing outside the box, which I just set up to make sure everything worked in the case.

2) The drive bays are sticking out of the case ... kind of a nice look, don't ya think?

3) Wire Management - a tangled mess at the moment.

4) Silver Screws on the front fan grills - will be replaced with black

[2low4u]

Lookin good Shazza! I saw the 8800 GTX's & got all excited lol. I'm using 3 in my build is why heheh. Are the fans for the rad behind cause I don't see them in the front? Hope you find the missing ram to! Pesky little ram gnomes lol.

[Astratuner]

That's some nice equipement you've got there mate!

[N19h7m4r3]

Modest? Modest?! You sir, are a LIAR! :shocked:

Oh can I have all the old parts you are not using?

Pwetty pwease!:stick:

( Looking good so far :D )

[BlueAqua]

Looks good Shazza. Do you plan on cooling the northbridge? Swiftech makes a nice block specifically for that board. Put some love into it and sleeve your cables. ;)

[shazza]

Thanks for the kind words ... this is basically just the start, I know there is lots left to do.


Modest? Modest?! You sir, are a LIAR!
lol ... "Let me clarify," she says; "Modest in the sense that it is not EXTREME. While I'm fortunate to be able to buy good hardware, there's nothing tricky here except putting everything together. No cuts / no painting / no EXTREMELY complicated and creative work many of the folks here do. BUT, for me ... just putting it together and getting it to work is a treat."

And yep, BlueAqua ... sleeving will be done. I will not be sleeving my PSU, as that's beyond me. But I can handle fans, pump leads, and the like. Just the simple stuff for me.

[shazza]

Rube Goldberg came to play today:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/418498684_aEBuo-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/418498985_8Xxw6-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/418499291_XyyQW-L.jpg


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/418510076_iM7Bi-L.gif

[Asgard_thor]

Yah Shazza is a Mam
thats three whips for YOU
there's only a short list of girls in here, YOUR SUPPOSE TO KNOW THEM ALL
jk :P

I haven't seen you around lately!
good to see you back

[Cutless009]

Coffee mug installs to processor block and adds +10 to awesome speed granting the user the ability to overclock an extra 10%.

[twwen2]

Well i think it looks awesome!

Anodised black aluminium FTW :cool:

[skinnee]

glad to see you finally started another worklog shazza...best of luck on the build ahead! :up:

[shazza]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. Worked all day ... got the CPU loop all hooked up and it leaked (during leak testing, fortunately). Tried compression fittings on my Apogee GTZ ... leaky, leaky, leaky. It worked fine yesterday with regular barbs, but I think I borked the threads in one of the holes. Every thing I try to screw in now goes in crooked, so can't get a good seal. I'll have another go this week.

Got a few odds and ends on order, so gotta wait before I can do much more.

[GbrilliantQ]

Lovely as always. Miss your worklogs elsewhere shazza. =(

[shazza]

A little update ... got my replacement GTZ block and everything is working - still not sure I'll use the compression fittings because I'm not sure I can get a good seal.

But ... thought I'd share a little diversion. Some of you may remember my first adventure in water:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/300649351_F4TZ3-L.jpg

This machine stayed at our house in Florida when we unexpectedly moved to Arizona in January. Back in Florida for the Holidays and decided to do an upgrade. Having a liquid cooled machine at a house I only get to every few months is not practical, so decided to stick with air until I move back here permanently.


Some fun stuff arrived:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/423214594_AVUKv-L.jpg



Here she is, my new plain Jane setup. The X58 and i7 920 build was a breeze, especially compared to my early nightmares with my Rampage Extreme X48 board. Definitely have to fill those bays. My MM case looks so empty now!
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/423214926_Jf6MM-L.jpg



And, this will make you all cringe ... some of you may have never seen a stock Intel HSF installed :eek: It will be replaced, but works ok for now.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/423224993_9tgYu-L.jpg


Thanks for looking.

[MomijiTMO]

D=

What is that . . . .. thing?


Oh now I know what hell is like. Stock Intel coolers everywhere. Make it stop, oh make it stop it hurts. :p:



Awesome stuff dude.

[Hulioni]

Looking great as always shaz :up:!

[shazza]

Looking great as always shaz :up:!

You shamed me into it, Hulioni!

[dualbrain]

Shazza - nice blue tone on your tubing! :)

[2low4u]

Heheh nice goin Shazza! Yeah don't feel bad I am going to be using my stock hsf for the first time ever using a stocker to I might add. Oh well it'll hold us over till we get the proper gear what? Looks good though keep up with the nice build. Are you going back to water eventually or staying with air? A nice True Copper would look some sweet sitting on top of that i7 I think if you are staying air.

[atomic ferret]

Great build man!

[InfinityNX]

I really envy these MM builds. The cases are really versatile. Keep up the good work! And btw, MOAR PICS PLX :D

[2low4u]

D=

What is that . . . .. thing?


Oh now I know what hell is like. Stock Intel coolers everywhere. Make it stop, oh make it stop it hurts. :p:



Awesome stuff dude.


Great build man!

Shazza's a Lady fellas! :ROTF:

[MomijiTMO]

I use dude and guy as universal terms :D.

[zlojack]

I like the MM Horizon sooooo much.

[2low4u]

They are nice I agree but a U2-UFO with a Pedestal would be pretty sexy to wouldn't it? lol

[SiuL]

god work nice pc

[Cutless009]

They are nice I agree but a U2-UFO with a Pedestal would be pretty sexy to wouldn't it? lol

wouldnt that just be an ascension :rolleyes:

[sonofander]

Always love Shazza's builds... Good stuff!

Can't wait till I accumulate enough extra hardware to justify a second MM :D

[mpower1001]

Looking good, have fun building this one

[skinnee]

Have you swapped the stock HSF yet...just looking at the pic gives me the willies! ;)

[exe163]

Very clean loop with a lot of colors. Keep it up!

[shazza]

Have you swapped the stock HSF yet...just looking at the pic gives me the willies! ;)


Yesssss ... I got a 1366 mount for a Thermaltake V1 I had on hand ... some improvement at idle settings, but better temps under load. My Noctua 1366 kit came in, but haven't installed it yet.

Am having an issue where the system runs perfectly, but it has stopped "seeing" any RAM that's in slots A1 or A2. Tried many different configs of mem sticks, and no fix. Also ran mem test -- shows fine. Tried BIOS 804, and the beta 905 ... still missing those two slots. Guess it's RMA time :(


And, thanks everyone for the nice comments. My friends and family think I'm crazy with my computer builds, so it's nice to get positive support from the community.

[Cutless009]

You should hear the comments I get about my project, never let em get you down! :up:

[disruptfam]

back i see?


I've always enjoyed your builds shazza and this is no different :)

[shazza]

Hey there, disruptfam ... yep, I couldn't stay away forever.


Actually got a chance to do something today. Redoing my loops, and adding compression fittings. Reading this forum is trouble ... when I did my first build over a year ago, hardly anyone used compression fittings. Now they are all the rage, and I couldn't be left behind. So much for my quick and simple build...

My elegant leak testing setup - this is where I test the fittings, just to make sure I don't have a gushing leak, or a slow leak after a few hours. I then test again once in the case to make sure I haven't knocked anything about.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/429316207_n4XrE-L.jpg



I assume it's okay to set up my fittings like this ... GPU > 45 degree fitting > compression fitting ? Looks a little funky, but gives me some flexibility with tube routing.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/429316246_ei55R-L.jpg

[TedShred]

... GPU > 45 degree fitting > compression fitting ... Looks a little funky

Yeah, but funky good not funky bad!:up:

[twwen2]

Nice pictures, looks good!

The angle fittings are fine like that.:yepp:

[breathemetal]

Nice work man!

[Zw_Roodbaard]

I also want a Pipboy :D

I hope that there will be a Fallout 3 mod, just like the Bioshock one ;)

Yours is looking good as well ;)

[shazza]

Thanks, guys. Glad to know it's okay to hook up the fittings that way.

re Pipboy ... I used him to help me adjust the White Balance in the photo, but left him in cause he's cute. I loved that Bioshock case mod last year ... woulda bought that in a heartbeat!

[valiant]

Nice set-up! Do you have any comments on water cooling that Striker? Would it restrict flow too much to hook it up in 1/2 inch cooling loop? I couldn't tell by your earlier pics but you have 2 seperate loops? Thanks

[CyberDruid]

Modest build lol. That's a very nice looking rig.

[shazza]

Nice set-up! Do you have any comments on water cooling that Striker? Would it restrict flow too much to hook it up in 1/2 inch cooling loop? I couldn't tell by your earlier pics but you have 2 seperate loops? Thanks

Hi valient ... I had a problem with the Striker, so ended up replacing it with the Rampage Extreme for my water cooled rig. I will end up with at least 2 loops on the Rampage.


Modest build lol. That's a very nice looking rig.

Thanks, CyberDruid. I am just starting it ... much left to do. Modest, as I said before, in that there is no creativity here - like in all your builds!

[twwen2]

Nice work ma'am!

Fixed ;)

Keep it coming Shazza!

[shazza]

Quite a bit of progress this weekend, although still lots to do:


1) Redid the GPU loop:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432134106_Uawgo-L.jpg



2) And the CPU loop ... AND the NB loop ...
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432134253_599y2-L.jpg


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432134556_sDtT9-L.jpg


3) Don't worry ... that tubing with no clamp is just temporary ... awaiting arrival of a few more parts.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432134439_GVDQY-L.jpg


4) Some Bitspower sparkle:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432134646_Xe3Je-S.jpg


It's definitely getting colder around here:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/334503378_ccaXG-M.jpg

[zlojack]

Looks really great Shazza.

One comment:

Wouldn't it be better to mount the pump in the "red" loop (CPU?) on the mobo brace and avoid having the 90 degree fitting right on the pump outlet?

[BlueAqua]

That is a really nice setup you have there Shazza. The tube runs look so clean. Very vibrant nicely done photos too.

[twwen2]

Nice pics, loving the polar bear! :)

[shazza]

Looks really great Shazza.

One comment:

Wouldn't it be better to mount the pump in the "red" loop (CPU?) on the mobo brace and avoid having the 90 degree fitting right on the pump outlet?

Thanks, zlojack. I think you are right wrt to avoiding the 90 degree at the outlet. I studiously avoided 90 degree turns in my first build, but I see so many now that I thought I'd give it a try. So far, I've got good flow ... is there anything else I should watch out for?

Here's a close up that shows this also has easy drain access - all I do is loosen the stop fitting on the bottom of the rotary Q, and it drains easily. (of course, NOT a good idea to do when the pump is running :p: )
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432185062_GRDZC-L.jpg



That is a really nice setup you have there Shazza. The tube runs look so clean. Very vibrant nicely done photos too.

Thanks, BlueAqua. I still have to do some sleeving and cable management ... and thanks for alerting me to the Swiftech NB-Max block. I wasn't going to cool the NB, but this made it very easy. And, I'm seeing 10+ degrees drop just with running the water - without even turning the fans on.

Re the photos ... I was too lazy to set up my lights, so these are just quickies with available light in the room.



Here are a few shots looking down on the board ...


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432180052_ZUQMi-L.jpg




I need to take a vaccum cleaner to this thing:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432179937_KMr5H-L.jpg




Love my Danger Den GPU water block:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432179832_qhQkX-L.jpg

[AllContaminated]

http://forum-images.hardware.fr/images/perso/cerveau%20lent.gif

[SaiNRuB]

This looks awesome, i love all the swifty blocks on the Rampage Extreme.

Dual loops of goodness and smart routing, looks real great Shazza, fantastic job! :)


Edit. I didnt even see the 3rd loop you got in there for the northbridge, faaaar out! :D

[zlojack]

Very nice Shazza.

That setup looks like it would definitely be easy to drain!

As long as your temps are good enough for you, that's what's important. That setup sure does look great and it certainly looks like it would be easier to work with for draining and loop maintenance!

I really, really love the Horizon cases!

[shazza]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

My loving husband (of 30+ years) does not approve of water cooling PCs. But, he makes a mean martini:

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432217660_SqFRe-L.jpg


This was in honor of me still having a working system ... and, his hope that this means I'll now clean up his den and the dining room - where all the parts are stored.

[DarthBeavis]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

My loving husband (of 30+ years) does not approve of water cooling PCs. But, he makes a mean martini:

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/432217660_SqFRe-L.jpg


This was in honor of me still having a working system ... and, his hope that this means I'll now clean up his den and the dining room - where all the parts are stored.

so you would born 9 years after you got married? who does that work?

[The[R]eaper]

Lovely build you got going here. Great Pictures.

Makes me wanna get a whole bunch of rotary 45's now. :)

[N19h7m4r3]

Such a beaut!

[dingdong555]

Nice build!!!

I must ask, what camera are you using?

[rootz0r]

So this is what a 3-loop modest build looks like :shocked:

[DarthBeavis]

Shaz you really could build professionally . . .you should think about doing individual builds for pay.

[shazza]

eaper;3482866']Lovely build you got going here. Great Pictures.

Makes me wanna get a whole bunch of rotary 45's now. :)

Those rotary 45's are the best thing since sliced bread :up:


Such a beaut!
Thanks, N19h7m4r3 ... it still looks very unfinished to me, but I'm working on it.


So this is what a 3-loop modest build looks like :shocked:
Wellllll ... it didn't start out to be 3 loops. I just keep getting ideas, the more time I spend here :idea:


Shaz you really could build professionally . . .you should think about doing individual builds for pay.
You're sweet, DB ... but I have a long way to go. I pay attention to tubing loops, but just HATE the rest of cable management. Unfortunately, my job keeps me occupied more than I'd like - it's taken a year to get this build going.



If you've read this far, I'm looking for advice on my 90 degree fittings. Not happy with the one at the pump outlet, and wondering if I should redo things? This was meant to be a temp setup, but I do like the looks and tubing flow ... just not sure if I'm really hurting myself with the res X2 in front of the radiator, and the 90 degree fittings...

[MomijiTMO]

That's one crazy build you have there. I'm glad your enjoying your hard work so have fun. Oh and I wish I had one of those vault-tec figures :( LOL. . . . damn it.

[shazza]

Nice build!!!

I must ask, what camera are you using?

Thanks for the kind words - I used a Canon 40D with the 50mm / f1.4 lens for the recent shots.


Appreciate the comments, Andy and MomijiTMO.

[quattro_]

nice build, BTW we have similar systems :) and im in the processes of rebuilding/liquid cooling it ! LC gear :EK supreme, 2x DD 4870x2 blocks, "hopefully" BP chipset block+MOS, 2x shrouded PA120.3 & PA120.2, 3x mcp355 w/xspc top-res .

[RADCOM]

so you would born 9 years after you got married? who does that work?
"Biography
Elderly Grandmother who enjoys gaming and trying to build a PC"
She may be older than you think young man lol We all enjoy your builds Shazza you are always so meticulous:up:

[shazza]

Thanks for the comments, quattro and RADCOM (and yes ... you're right ... I'm an OLD lady :) )


A few pics to show some of this weekend's work:


Redid my CPU loop to get rid of the abrupt 90 degree bends off of the pump outlet / rad inlet. Used BP dual rotaries. Don't see any difference in my temps.

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436707726_zCeJN-L.jpg



Most of my time was spent sleeving the cables on my PSU ... still have to spend some time arranging the Cables ... just some quick shots after I anxiously hooked everything up to make sure it still worked (note - I fdid test it first in my husband's PC :D ).

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436706770_rbaBK-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436707086_MrUAu-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436707451_pC9CP-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436712346_KbNG5-L.jpg



And, I sleeved and installed my Kaze Master Ace ...

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/436706410_TnMku-L.jpg



Plus ... sleeved pumps, Power / Reset switches, fans, and more. Worn out, that's for sure.

[zlojack]

Very nice work, Shazza!

[j.almonte]

looking good "shazza" love the tubing color selection!!

[Metal]

Wow that sure is a nice build! :up:

[skinnee]

Did you do 2 wires per sleeve on the ATX connector? Looks a little different, thus my question.

[Vargher Warg]

Great work! :up: Hehe! you must be The COOLEST Grandmother EVER! :)

(recently I found out, that my dad (just retired) is apperntly hooked on video games!
No watercooling though! - yet! :D)

[omaryunus]

wow just great... I love the 4870x2 loop just pure business :D great stuff! congrats on a great build :D

[shoopdawoopa]

looks awsome

[shazza]

Thanks for the comments, folks. Makes my sore fingers feel a little better!



Did you do 2 wires per sleeve on the ATX connector? Looks a little different, thus my question.

Yes, skinnee ... I did 2 per sleeve on the ATX connector. I was a little worried about all the spaghetti doing 1 wire per sleeve, and wanted to try something a little different. In retrospect, probably a bit easier to control the "look" by doing 1 per sleeve. I'll see what I can do after playing around with it a bit.

Note ... didn't do 2 per sleeve to save time. The time consuming part is removing the pins. Actual sleeving takes just a couple of minutes.

[shazza]

Great work! :up: Hehe! you must be The COOLEST Grandmother EVER! :)

(recently I found out, that my dad (just retired) is apperntly hooked on video games!
No watercooling though! - yet! :D)


Let's just say, the grandkids love coming for a visit to check out my gaming collection.

Good for your Dad ... there's hope for us old folks yet.

[rootz0r]

I really like your use of rotaries. Makes the build look much cleaner =)

[shazza]

Thanks, rootz0r - the rotaries make it pretty easy to do the loops.


An update ... almost done, but still some cable management and a few little problems:
Just some quick snaps ... my husband is yelling at me to get the Christmas tree decorated, then off to visit the Grandkids for the weekend.



The GPU loop:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/439505961_ReMAw-L.jpg



The CPU loop side (oops ... what's that fan extender doing in the right hand corner - the only one that's not sleeved, of course :p: ) :
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/439506085_88GQS-L.jpg



One of the "problems" -- I've drained and cleaned the CPU loop about 6 times, still can't get rid of the cloudiness and residue. Don't want to take out the PA 120.3 rad to reclean (it was cleaned the same way as the GPU loop). Have a Pentek filter kit on order to see if that will help.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/439506207_agLXS-L.jpg




Here's the NB res ... clear as a bell, as is the GPU loop res (oops, how did those molex cables come out of their hiding place?)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/439506322_Nixak-L.jpg



Hope to finish up next week. Still trying to figure out what to do with the front panel grills (the one thing I don't like about MM cases). Amazing how taking a photo shows so many little things yet to fix :rolleyes:

Thanks for looking ... your comments keep me tweaking.

[PsYcHoNo0b727]

Beautiful work Shazza. After looking at your case, I think im gonna get the same exact one for when I build an i7 rig. Looks awesome :up:

[charles_h]

Looks great Shazza!

You've done a fantastic job. :)

[shazza]

Beautiful work Shazza. After looking at your case, I think im gonna get the same exact one for when I build an i7 rig. Looks awesome :up:

Thanks ... It's a very easy case to work with. I especially like the Horizontal motherboard config.


Looks great Shazza!

You've done a fantastic job. :)

Appreciate the kind words, Charles. Although, I was doing a bit of swearing as I was trying to sleeve my PSU cables with the lovely murderMod PSYCHOPAC (what an apt name!!!). I'd love to have a murderbox ... but I'm looking for a silver version for my next case.

[skinnee]

your commentary on the pics cracked me up!

Overall, excellent build...congrats on another well planned and great looking rig! :up:

[dualbrain]

Shazza: Very nice system and worklog. Very nice athmosphere here!

[N19h7m4r3]

It gets better and better :D

I love the tri-colored tubing :)

[shazza]

your commentary on the pics cracked me up!

Overall, excellent build...congrats on another well planned and great looking rig! :up:

Thanks, skinnee -- I always see stuff that's wrong when I take a pic, but in the end it helps me do better.


Shazza: Very nice system and worklog. Very nice athmosphere here!
Thank you for stopping in and taking the time to comment. I admire your work very much.


It gets better and better :D

I love the tri-colored tubing :)
I'm glad you like the tubing. I was going to do all black, but then figured I'd confuse myself since I ended up doing the triple loops ;) This build was never meant to get this complex, but I always get inspired/shamed into doing more when I read what all the creative folks here are doing.

[N19h7m4r3]

Yeah I'm thinking of cheating and using blue and black tubing on 1 loop.

Just to throw people off, :p:

[SiGfever]

Quite a well thought out and beautifully designed/implemented build. :clap: :clap:

[charles_h]

Appreciate the kind words, Charles. Although, I was doing a bit of swearing as I was trying to sleeve my PSU cables with the lovely murderMod PSYCHOPAC (what an apt name!!!). I'd love to have a murderbox ... but I'm looking for a silver version for my next case.
hehe, sleeving can be frustrating at times. I find getting in a "zone" helps. Put on your favorite music and find a comfy chair. As for the name, well, one has to be a bit crazy to want to sleeve an entire PSU. :yepp:

As for the silver case - have you considered white? We're preparing to offer a "special edition" white version of our TJ07. I'll post pics when it's finished. :)

[dingdong555]

hehe, sleeving can be frustrating at times. I find getting in a "zone" helps. Put on your favorite music and find a comfy chair. As for the name, well, one has to be a bit crazy to want to sleeve an entire PSU. :yepp:

As for the silver case - have you considered white? We're preparing to offer a "special edition" white version of our TJ07. I'll post pics when it's finished. :)

You really think of everything, what next? Seriously....

I REALLY want to sell my PC So I can do another one with MM sleeving, MM everything!!!

Anyway, Shazza, those shots look awesome. Dust is everyone's enemy! :yepp:

[shazza]

hehe, sleeving can be frustrating at times. I find getting in a "zone" helps. Put on your favorite music and find a comfy chair. As for the name, well, one has to be a bit crazy to want to sleeve an entire PSU. :yepp:

As for the silver case - have you considered white? We're preparing to offer a "special edition" white version of our TJ07. I'll post pics when it's finished. :)


Yeah ... I had to get in the zone to do the PSU sleeving ... I found a nice glass of wine helped take the edge off ;)

I'm sure the white case will be beautiful, but I'm really looking for a nice silver case ... I like everything to match :) and I need silver to match my monitor and printer.


@dingdong ... I'm still working on those dust bunnies, and also plan to set up for a "real" photo shoot this week. Wish me luck.

[sonofander]

Damn you Shazza!
I've been coming back and looking at this thread every day for a week now. Every day admiring your build. Every day imagining it sitting on my desk...

Really such a beautiful build I couldn't help myself but to order a bunch of parts I don't need including several hundred dollars worth of the damn BP fittings (why are they so expensive?) and some new MM panels for my case.

Anyway, coming soon - Project: copy Shazza :D

[shazza]

Anyway, coming soon - Project: copy Shazza ... You'll do much better sonofander!


Well it's Christmas Day here - and Best Wishes to all (whether you are celebrating Christmas, or just happy to be alive another day), and what could be more fun than finishing up my little build. It's 95% done, but I'll be away for a couple of weeks, so will have to take my final pics next month. Here's a few for now:


Got that pesky residue out of my CPU loop and reservoir ... had to resort to the old fashioned way. Took out the top PA 120.3 and rinsed it for a couple of hours. You can also see my nifty drain port at the bottom of the Q-fitting The bubbles will fade away in a day or two.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442727700_F5cSR-L.jpg


Can't finish up without a pic of my most important purchase/tool: 99 cents at Walgreens ... best funnel possible for filling the XSPC res's in this case.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442727314_BBNNJ-L.jpg



Just a shot I like, even tho you've seen this same angle 10 times already...
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442727603_SD6G5-L.jpg



And a sneak peak at the front ... for now ... trying to come up with something that is not too ugly. I have a couple of Iandh's Thermochill Rad grills, but the fan filters I have don't look good. If you've got any ideas on how to dress up the front of a MM case, let me know please.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442727501_Khn9c-L.jpg



Again, thanks for looking. I never would have come this far with this build had it not been for the encouragement provided here.

[skinnee]

excellent work shazza!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

walgreens for the funnel eh? I'll stop there tomorrow, thanks for the info! :up:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

I think I may take a cue from you shazza and put a dual light setup in my build, one white & one UV :D

great work :up:

[N3it1]

Have been readin this log but i surely missed the "modest" part.Great work!

[SiGfever]

I think I may take a cue from you shazza and put a dual light setup in my build, one white & one UV :D

great work :up:

The lighting sure does an excellent job of showing off the build. :clap: :clap:

[DarthBeavis]

Shaz we should get that case painted ;)

[CyberDruid]

That's a lovely build. I like all your aesthetic details. I have had the same problems with PA rad clouding up my loops even after hot water rinses...the flux they use is from HELL. Glad you got it all dialed in as you like. Merry Christmas.

[twwen2]

Very nice once again Shazza!

I agree, something needs to be done to the case front to bring it to life. Beats me though, hopefully others have some ideas. LED fans perhaps? :shrug:

[shazza]

Thanks guys. I surely do appreciate the kind words, especially since I admire the work you all do.

@Darthbeavis ... this one has to stay boring black. I'm sharing the den with my husband, so that's why no LED fans, etc. Gotta figure something out for the front, though. Tried just the basic black grills, but looks very unfinished. Dunno... My next water build is gonna be bright and cheerful ... thinking a tropical theme, or maybe Hello Kitty :p:

I should also add that I'm pleased with performance so far ... good temps, very quiet, and so far solid. Can't wait to get some time for some OC.


Here are a few more pics ... just playing around in Lightroom. Finding it very difficult to get decent pics of the case due to the black finish, and the reflections when the windows are on:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442863068_hY9Jh-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442863211_DAcyu-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442862807_cascY-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442862660_jcWma-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442862451_p9zc5-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442862933_niH4e-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442863509_cGCg8-L.jpg

[N19h7m4r3]

Wonderful work!

It looks amazing :D

[exe163]

What kind of camera are you using? All you shots look somewhat filtered.

[shazza]

What kind of camera are you using? All you shots look somewhat filtered.


Canon 40D ... not sure what you mean by "filtered." Some of the shots intentionally have a shallow depth of field which puts part of the pic out of focus. Also getting some reflections when shooting through the acrylic windows, so don't know if that's what you're seeing.

I've actually just been learning photography this past year ... so still a long ways to go.

[JimiP]

Incredible work Shazza! :oscar: Thank you for sharing!

[N19h7m4r3]

I just looked up that camera and WOW!

The price for it is madness.

But it looks to be a beauty, I'd love to have a one :D

[dualbrain]

Shazza, please show more photos - also from the outside :)

[=[PULSAR]=]

Shazza what kind of fittings are those on your gpu waterblock?

[shazza]

Incredible work Shazza! :oscar: Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, JimiP - glad you enjoyed it.



I just looked up that camera and WOW!

The price for it is madness.

But it looks to be a beauty, I'd love to have a one :D
It's actually now one of the "older" Canon models ... there should be some good deals on them, as many people move up to newer models.


Shazza, please show more photos - also from the outside :)
Will do, dualbrain. Plan to show the whole setup, but it's difficult to get good shots of the outside - even with extra lighting using a reflector. Will give it another go in a couple weeks when I return from vacation. Also want to get some showing the view in the top window, as that came out better than expected.


=;3528488']Shazza what kind of fittings are those on your gpu waterblock?
The fittings are Bitspower Rotary 45s, with a compression fitting at end to attach the tubing.

[SiGfever]

In honor of your build:

Here is a bear that my wife made for my daughter when she was very young, it is named "Watch Bear" as that was it's task. :) It is a little dirty from all the years of her sleeping on it. The bear is 26" tall sitting down.

[shazza]

LOL ... good one, SIGfever! I had a bear just like that when I was growing up ... still have it, actually (so it's REALLY OLD :) )

[firebane]

Thanks, JimiP - glad you enjoyed it.
It's actually now one of the "older" Canon models ... there should be some good deals on them, as many people move up to newer models.


40D is hardly old in the Canon line it was released in aug 08 and the 50D was released in Oct 08.

I have a 20D and would much rather have a 5D as the 10/20/30/40/50 are not full frame sensors unlike the 5D and 1D.

You have a great camera and with some good lenses could take some very good pics.

[SiGfever]

LOL ... good one, SIGfever! I had a bear just like that when I was growing up ... still have it, actually (so it's REALLY OLD :) )

:)

Actually this one my wife made would probably be more fitting your build. :up:

[Ashraf]

Nice job, shazza. I like your photographs. :)

[shazza]

40D is hardly old in the Canon line it was released in aug 08 and the 50D was released in Oct 08.

I have a 20D and would much rather have a 5D as the 10/20/30/40/50 are not full frame sensors unlike the 5D and 1D.

You have a great camera and with some good lenses could take some very good pics.


Thanks, firebane. I think you meant the 40D was released in Aug 07 ... that's why I said it was an "older" model in quotes - since the 50D and the 5D II have come out recently.

Rest assured, camera equipment won't be holding me back ... my husband has a IDsIII, and a 5D ... and a great collection of lenses. In this case, it's the photographer who has a lot to learn ;), but I'll get there. I'm at the point where I can recognize a great shot, even if I can't yet create them.


@SIGfever ... now that's a nice bear, but a little too blingy for my taste :rofl:

@Ashraf ... thank you for your nice comment.

[IFMU]

Wow, awesome looking build.
Love the multi colored tubing for the different loops. Might do something similar to that with my next build.
Good luck with the rest of the build!

[trust7]

40D is hardly old in the Canon line it was released in aug 08 and the 50D was released in Oct 08.

I have a 20D and would much rather have a 5D as the 10/20/30/40/50 are not full frame sensors unlike the 5D and 1D.

You have a great camera and with some good lenses could take some very good pics.

incorrect.


Canon EOS 40D released August 2007 in retail channels even earlier to shops/wholesalers etc been available 1.5 now, in high end camera world thats light years away, for us normal folks its still good, I use a Nikon D40 and its the jam imo and very old per se all things considered.

[Aielman]

Outstanding build. I plan on using many elements of it as a guide for my own, if I ever get the parts together for it.

[Angmaar]

Wow, awesome build and awesome pictures!

[shazza]

Outstanding build. I plan on using many elements of it as a guide for my own, if I ever get the parts together for it.


Wow, awesome build and awesome pictures!

Thanks, Aeilman and hotwaxisbad. I'm hoping to get some pictures up of the completed system in the next week or so. Been on vacation for a couple of weeks.

[just a noob]

just curious shazza, how did you mount the pumps, double sided tape or something?(i'm almost going to copy your whole build :P)

[shazza]

just curious shazza, how did you mount the pumps, double sided tape or something?(i'm almost going to copy your whole build :P)

I've got them temporarily mounted using the pads that come with the pumps - peeling only a small piece of the protective paper, since I've moved things often. I was worried about heat, but so far no problem ... being that close to the fans from the radiator may help. Thinking about trying some of (UN) Designs brackets for my permanent mount.

Feel free to copy anything ... I'm sure you can make some improvements.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

looks great as always shazza.

I have used the neoprene pads that come with the DDC and have never had heat problems or failure, actually in my build the pump that used to run in the old build as a hard mount with good cooling runs slower RPM than the one that was on the neoprene pad.... I suppose that's a function of loop restriction though :)

[theseeker]

Shazza,

This is truly a work of art! I love people that are passionate about their work and hobbies and you fit that bill!

Here is my fuzzy guy! A tribute to my favorite Airedale...Mr. Angus.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v421/theseekeroffun/DSC01369.jpg

[armeniandave]

Thinking about trying some of (UN) Designs brackets for my permanent mount.

You should try them after all I need some way to pay for my build! :up:

Build is looking great BTW.

[shazza]

Thanks for the nice comments, Sniipe, theseeker (I love Mr. Angus), and Dave. I'm itching to get back to my water cooled build ... am in Florida for a couple of weeks, and it wouldn't fit in my carry on. Keeping myself occupied working on my Florida rig ... doing some cable management at the moment (arrggghh). I'm dying to watercool the i7, but it doesn't make sense when I'll only be in Florida sporadically for the next year or so. I sense an upgrade on the Mountain Mods build before I even finish it :p: That's the trouble with buying my parts almost a year ago and then not having time to do the build.

[NaeKuh]

:)

Actually this one my wife made would probably be more fitting your build. :up:



OMG why you post a pic of dave? :rofl:

Shazza looks awesome!

[armeniandave]

That outfit is actually quite comfortable! :ROTF:

[just a noob]

naekah, if you are referring to our beloved n00b admin, you're incorrect, or color blind, whichever, because its not pink :P

[NaeKuh]

naekah, if you are referring to our beloved n00b admin, you're incorrect, or color blind, whichever, because its not pink :P

:rofl:

oh shoot we better run now.

when he comes back from CES, you and i are both DEAD.

[shazza]

OKay ... back on track :yepp::rofl:

Well ... not really. As this post has little to do with my current water cooled build other than I consider it penance - and practice at cable management. Finally tore my air cooled i7 build apart and put it back together right - at least 80% there. Gosh, air cooling is boring (no offense, anyone).

I absolutely cannot be considered going for aesthetics over performance in this build. Those Noctua fans are just plain ugly - but, they work. My goal with this build was QUIET (with the ability to get a bit of gaming in):


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452358675_s3FY2-M.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452448648_kquzX-M.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452446728_8pRE4-M.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452446784_EyR5u-M.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452358322_c892a-M.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/452358863_ZWPWw-M.jpg

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Good stuff shazza, that case is really a beauty :up:

[just a noob]

considered some yate loons/sanyo denki san aces? those aren't so ugly in my mind, and they can be fairly quiet

[twwen2]

Nice Shazza!

I was wondering when someone was gonna use the A20 in a build, i have been umm-ing and ahh-ing over it for some months now. Looks great!:)

[omaryunus]

great work there shazza :up: :D

[dingdong555]

WOW Shazza!

I actually have to move my head forward to see the cables! (Not because of the small photo :P because there are only a FEW)

Awesome work with the cable management!!!!!

[phinix_mike]

Beautiful build there Shazza. I love to watch all your pictures.. DSLR rules:)

[shazza]

Back on track to my MM build. Still working on getting some decent photos of the whole case. Here's some examples of work in progress:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456394318_5hNRN-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456395829_uYrWN-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456388337_79ecR-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456394957_ZpKd8-L.jpg

[theseeker]

Great sleeving and very clean as usual!

[SiGfever]

shazza,
Have you considered switching the DVD and the display?

The build looks great. :up:

[shazza]

Great sleeving and very clean as usual!

shazza,
Have you considered switching the DVD and the display?

The build looks great. :up:

Thanks, guys. I'm willing to consider anything at this point ... figure I'll tear it down tomorrow to try some different arrangements. AAAARRRGGGGHHHH, as much as I love working with the inside of Mountain Mods cases, I just have such a hard time making those bays look decent.

I definitely would order powder coat next time ...

[just a noob]

what don't you like about the anodizing? the fact that nothing matches it?

[Nemon]

Very Clean! I like it!! How many fan do you run per channel on the Scythe Kaze master?

[PradaG]

Back on track to my MM build. Still working on getting some decent photos of the whole case. Here's some examples of work in progress:



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456388337_79ecR-L.jpg





this is an outstanding build :up: - alot of hard work went into it & it def shows :clap:

& I LOVE THOSE 45 DEGREE FITTINGS!

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Shazza, when you put in your own background try to put a black one in a new layer them burn it up to raise highlights in certain areas, this creates a more realistic and attractive effect than a gradient :up:

[shazza]

what don't you like about the anodizing? the fact that nothing matches it?
I like the basic anodized finish ... BUT, with the mountain mods case, the bay covers in particular have a slightly different finish - actually more noticeable when trying to photograph. Not too worried about matching things like the DVD drive ... that can always be stealthed.


Very Clean! I like it!! How many fan do you run per channel on the Scythe Kaze master?
It varies from 1 to 3 ... but I do have my rad fans on the controller (3 fans soldered into one lead). It's still controlling, but looks like I blew out the LED ??? Dunno, got another on order though.


this is an outstanding build :up: - alot of hard work went into it & it def shows :clap:
& I LOVE THOSE 45 DEGREE FITTINGS!
Thanks ... yep, those fittings are a delight.

I'm gonna sleep on it, but thinking seriously of ripping this apart and getting it powder coated :eek: I'd like to try a totally different case, but I love the horizontal mb and all the room inside.

[shazza]

Shazza, when you put in your own background try to put a black one in a new layer them burn it up to raise highlights in certain areas, this creates a more realistic and attractive effect than a gradient :up:

Gracias ... good idea. I was just playing around with the background, and learning as I go, so I'll give that a shot. My $500 lights don't measure up to your pro setup, but I'm having fun trying different things. Your photos inspired me to try a little harder :p:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Gracias ... good idea. I was just playing around with the background, and learning as I go, so I'll give that a shot. My $500 lights don't measure up to your pro setup, but I'm having fun trying different things. Your photos inspired me to try a little harder :p:

I'm glad dude, I'm gonna send you a pm in a bit, I have some software I think you will like ;)

[ranker]

Hey Shazza,

I was wondering why you oriented your Duality front in the manner in which you did (with the bay drives on the bottom). I threw away my original UFO Horizon and purchased a CYO Extended Horizon just so I could invert the face to get the bays at the top to make it easier for me to swap DvD's (my case sits on casters on the floor).

Did you run into some difficulties with the bay drives on the top as opposed to the bottom?

[shazza]

@ ranker ... you know, I've had them both ways. I ended up going with the bays on the bottom because I wanted to set my reservoirs on the top of the bay casing. I thought this might lead to vibration, but no issues - so I decided to leave it as is. My case sits on my desk, so the location of the optical drive isn't a problem.

I am the master of trying to figure out how to fit components in without having to use additional screws / holes / etc. (cause I have no skills in that area). I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a much better way to mount everything. I may still try the (UN) Designs brackets, but so far things are sturdy and quiet.

[ranker]

@ ranker ... you know, I've had them both ways. I ended up going with the bays on the bottom because I wanted to set my reservoirs on the top of the bay casing. I thought this might lead to vibration, but no issues - so I decided to leave it as is. My case sits on my desk, so the location of the optical drive isn't a problem.

I am the master of trying to figure out how to fit components in without having to use additional screws / holes / etc. (cause I have no skills in that area). I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a much better way to mount everything. I may still try the (UN) Designs brackets, but so far things are sturdy and quiet.

I see I see.

I'm finishing up my H2GO build I haven't had much time to do a "dry" run for my new CYO extended UFO. I initially wanted to have the bay drives at the top for the sake of access to the dual DvD drives and in order to have room to place my 3 XSPC Res top + pump on the bottom most PA120.3 all mounted to the PA120.3 by use of the UN Designs fan + mount brackets. My goal was to make draining easier by keeping the radiator and pumps at the lowest point in the loop. However, I do realize that by doing so, the bay drives would make things a lot "messier" by keeping them up top with all the power/sata cables cluttering things up. When you tried it with bay drives up top, did it make cabling and tube routing more complicated? easier? no difference?

[shazza]

For me, keeping them on top made wire management more cumbersome, but I'm sure it can be overcome. My drains are very convenient to use, although the use of the 90 degree fittings is controversial and probably not absolutely necessary. I did, however, try the CPU loop with no 90 degrees and found no temp difference - so went with the shorter tubing.

My disclaimer is that I am not an extreme OC'er ... so I define performance as decent temps and ability to run the system very quietly when I want to. How it looks is actually secondary, although I like things neat and tidy.

[ranker]

For me, keeping them on top made wire management more cumbersome, but I'm sure it can be overcome. My drains are very convenient to use, although the use of the 90 degree fittings is controversial and probably not absolutely necessary. I did, however, try the CPU loop with no 90 degrees and found no temp difference - so went with the shorter tubing.

My disclaimer is that I am not an extreme OC'er ... so I define performance as decent temps and ability to run the system very quietly when I want to. How it looks is actually secondary, although I like things neat and tidy.

Haha, no need to worry about a flame or anything. My questions are purely for assisting me with my newest MM build. I've had a Horizon for the past two years: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=150496

I wanted an update to the Horizon so I went with my new CYO Horizon case. Out of all the cases, you've done the best with wire management. As a result I'm seeking your advice on optimal orientation for the sake of routing and cable management disregarding the performance part of the equation.

I appreciate all the insights you provided so far.

One other question, as this is my first build with an anondized paint job, I'm looking for bay covers to cover up the slots I'm not using. Would you suggest the anodized bay cover or the acrylic ones? I've used the acrylic ones in the past with my powder coated ones, but I'm wondering if the anodized ones are better.

[Nemon]

[QUOTE=shazza;3585825
It varies from 1 to 3 ... but I do have my rad fans on the controller (3 fans soldered into one lead). It's still controlling, but looks like I blew out the LED ??? Dunno, got another on order though.[/QUOTE]


My controller works well with two fans per channel.
Having three fans per channel, the led rpm flashes from 1500 RPM's( speed of my fans)
to 0 RPM's every 2 seconds, but keeps the fans at set speeds.

these controllers may not be able to handle more that two fans per channel, tho its rated for 1A per channel and my fans are 0.24A per fan.

Well see how long it lasts.

If you get another one and it does the same thing or not with three fans on one channel, let me know. If not i will RMA this one.

[shazza]

Haha, no need to worry about a flame or anything.
No worries, ranker ... I didn't interpret your questions as flaming. Re the bay cover ... I used acrylic in my first MM build. I think it looks better if you have something interesting to see behind it. My preference is the anodized if you're just covering one or two slots. The cover I have on the bottom right bay is a Lian Li fan holder ... I used it to give myself another exhaust fan. I had it because this originally started out to be a 343B build.

@ Nemon ... I'll let you know what I find with the new Kaze. The rating should take three moderately powered fans, but not sure what I've done to mine. Odd to me that only the LEDs are out on 3 / 4 connections.

[shazza]

I know what you mean. Anyone wanna buy some spare 343b parts......:rofl:

Just went thru your work log again, some really great work you've done on this one, and definitley gaves me some more ideas for wire management.

Superb build:up:

andyc

Thanks so much for the kind words, andy. Yeah ... I've got some nice parts for anybody doing a 343 build :yepp:


Well, I finally figured out how to make those bays look like they belong in my case:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456648052_9A83u-L.jpg


(Apologies to the serious-minded here, I just needed a break from finally cleaning up all my mess from this build)

[charles_h]

Shazza, I have to say that I'm blown away by your work. You are by far the coolest Grandmother! Mine just sits around eating dry biscuits, drinking earl grey tea and watching Coronation Street...


I look forward to your future offerings. :)

[retrogamer1990]

nice build. hows the murdermod sleeving kit? I'm ordering mine today. how much do you get?

oh, and BTW "Elderly Grandmother who enjoys gaming and trying to build a PC"
REALLY?

[BlueAqua]

Shazza, great sleeving job and excellent setup, in every case. I actually really like the Lian Li air cooled build, it's really slick.

Fantastic photos too. It brings me a lot of pleasure to view a work log that someone put some effort into and that has great pictures.

[shazza]

Shazza, I have to say that I'm blown away by your work. You are by far the coolest Grandmother! Mine just sits around eating dry biscuits, drinking earl grey tea and watching Coronation Street...

I look forward to your future offerings. :)
Hey ... I like biscuits too :p: Thanks, Charles ... it's been fun.


nice build. hows the murdermod sleeving kit? I'm ordering mine today. how much do you get?

oh, and BTW "Elderly Grandmother who enjoys gaming and trying to build a PC"
REALLY?

You get lots with the Psychopak ... enough for you PSU and lots of other sleeving as well. Well worth it, in my opinion. And ... yeah, just a lil ol lady here, trying to keep up with you guys. Can't wait to finish Fallout 3.


Shazza, great sleeving job and excellent setup, in every case. I actually really like the Lian Li air cooled build, it's really slick.

Fantastic photos too. It brings me a lot of pleasure to view a work log that someone put some effort into and that has great pictures.
Thanks for the compliments, BlueAqua. Means a lot coming from you.

This build is almost over :( It's been a design/build as I progressed - never meant to get this intense. A couple more hardware updates, and it will be pretty much done. My next one will be better planned, but will be sometime later this year.

[SiGfever]

I love those latest pictures, very creative. :clap:

You definitely have a talent for builds and could easily sell them professionally. :up:

[Aielman]

@ ranker ... you know, I've had them both ways. I ended up going with the bays on the bottom because I wanted to set my reservoirs on the top of the bay casing. I thought this might lead to vibration, but no issues - so I decided to leave it as is. My case sits on my desk, so the location of the optical drive isn't a problem.

I am the master of trying to figure out how to fit components in without having to use additional screws / holes / etc. (cause I have no skills in that area). I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a much better way to mount everything. I may still try the (UN) Designs brackets, but so far things are sturdy and quiet.

I went with a slightly different idea. I wanted the larger amount of 5 1/4 bays because of the reservoir/pump combo I plan to use (if it ever goes on sale). So I did a CYO using a horizontal config and with all 4 sides with patterns having the 3 hole on the bottom.

I was thinking of it has having the same affect as a pedestal, but without the additional size to the case. The idea is that there will be a cooling chamber, if you will, on the bottom, with the 2 rads pulling air in front and back, and then venting right back out the adjacent sides, and then with all the left over heat up top venting through the holes on the top and back.

We'll see how it goes. I'm holding off on my build on the fair chance I may be out of work this summer, but that's giving me plenty of time to learn at the feet of the masters like yourself :)

[ranker]

I went with a slightly different idea. I wanted the larger amount of 5 1/4 bays because of the reservoir/pump combo I plan to use (if it ever goes on sale). So I did a CYO using a horizontal config and with all 4 sides with patterns having the 3 hole on the bottom.

I was thinking of it has having the same affect as a pedestal, but without the additional size to the case. The idea is that there will be a cooling chamber, if you will, on the bottom, with the 2 rads pulling air in front and back, and then venting right back out the adjacent sides, and then with all the left over heat up top venting through the holes on the top and back.

We'll see how it goes. I'm holding off on my build on the fair chance I may be out of work this summer, but that's giving me plenty of time to learn at the feet of the masters like yourself :)

I'm starting my build today and I think I'll try it with the opposite orientation. The only thing I worry about is that it makes cable management much harder.

[PaRn ssR]

awesome hardware

[Aielman]

I'm starting my build today and I think I'll try it with the opposite orientation. The only thing I worry about is that it makes cable management much harder.

Well if it was easy, what would be the point? ;)

peace,
Aielman

[PaRn ssR]

:yepp:

[armeniandave]

I was originally going to put the bays on top however because I am so picky about cable management I had to settle with them on the bottom. The SATA cables would have had to been almost four feet long in my case! I know your cases are a little smaller but the cable would still have to be long. It doesn't matter about the power cable because you can just extend it to where you need it.
In my case the bays on the bottom actually works out better because my case is on my desk. If you mount your motherboard horizontally then I'm not sure cable management would be too difficult. There is always a way too hide cables if you try hard enough.

[shazza]

Welllllll ... all good things must come to an end. Added my second 4870x2 card yesterday, and somehow managed to bork my Rampage Extreme. I had this problem before when I tried to add the second card, but the board was within the 30 day period at Newegg, so I got a new one. This one has been working great, so thought I'd try again. Dunno what I did :shrug:, but will see if my RMA is successful. If so, my brother will have a new setup, cause this is my 4th ASUS RMA, and I'm gonna try something else.

This build is coming down today :( It's been fun, and a great learning process. I really appreciate all the support you folks have given me.

In memory, as I wipe the tears away ...



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/457025574_pUXbN-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/457025750_2NSDd-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/442862807_cascY-L.jpg



http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/457025843_i9MpC-L.jpg


My blingy 90 degree fittings
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/457025690_WfSKJ-L.jpg





:wave: THE END (for now) :toast:

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/456639301_Watcx-L.jpg

[Oli4v]

nice final pics :up:, except the end, the dead of the MB, very strange that it didn't work to put the card in CF ...

[dualbrain]

Shazza - please more pictures. All of them are very beautifully showing your system, so I guess you can even show more. Please do us all the favour. :)

[SiGfever]

Sorry to hear about your motherboard. But this just gives you the opportunity to redo the rig.

As we all know sometimes the journey is more important and fulfilling than the destination. :)

[NaeKuh]

Shazza becareful.

2 HD4870X2 can draw 73amps on there own. Im running that setup.

Also another thing, not giving your HD's enough voltage will lead them to dying. This is very common.

So keep an eye on your voltages if possible.

[shazza]

nice final pics :up:, except the end, the dead of the MB, very strange that it didn't work to put the card in CF ...
Thanks, Oli4v.



Shazza - please more pictures. All of them are very beautifully showing your system, so I guess you can even show more. Please do us all the favour. :)
Thank you, Nils. Unfortunately, the only pics I have now are tear down shots -- just too sad to post :(


Sorry to hear about your motherboard. But this just gives you the opportunity to redo the rig.

As we all know sometimes the journey is more important and fulfilling than the destination. :)
So true, SiGfever. No regrets ... it was a very entertaining journey. I'll pick myself back up and get started all over. Hubby's taking me to dinner to help relieve the pain ;)


Shazza becareful.

2 HD4870X2 can draw 73amps on there own. Im running that setup.

Also another thing, not giving your HD's enough voltage will lead them to dying. This is very common.

So keep an eye on your voltages if possible.
Yep ... that may be the case, although this PSU did handle two cards before when they were on air. The mb acts like one I had before that I killed by getting water on it ... but, I can't find any evidence of a leak. We'll see what Asus finds out.

[NaeKuh]

its friggin anoying.

I have never seen a system with power consumption like this.

Honestly its quite scary if you think about it.

:rofl:

Shazza i asked jonnyguru his thoughts on dual psu's setups and how to set one up properly.
I'll keep you updated with what he tells me.

Seems like our only hope maybe to dual psu our systems. :rofl: :up:

[coolmiester]

Certainly was a nice clean looking set-up shazza and some great photo's too :up:

[dingdong555]

Don't worry about the build ;) it's an awesome build and your skill level is VERY high!

I can't wait for the "next" one :O :clap:

[PaRn ssR]

close project are sure. :D

[PradaG]

it is a shame about the board :(

your build has beautiful flow - very nice job -

my grandmother still golfs, and some knitting but i wish she was into this! she has a good eye (something you 2 have in common) & i'm sure could bring a wealth of handicraft to the table. To bad she is in AZ (warm) & i'm in chicago (super cold)...sadly, little would be acomplished, as a visit there would not be spent inside (i need some sun! golf..golf..golf!)

[CptDreadFlint]

You had me at the color coordinated triple loop! Beautiful build, Shazza!

-Fellow MM fan

[shazza]

...
Shazza i asked jonnyguru his thoughts on dual psu's setups and how to set one up properly.
I'll keep you updated with what he tells me.
Seems like our only hope maybe to dual psu our systems. :rofl: :up:
Thanks, NaeKuh - I'd appreciate any info you gather!


Certainly was a nice clean looking set-up shazza and some great photo's too :up:
Appreciate the comments - your builds are so beautiful, I enjoy all your work logs.


Don't worry about the build ;) it's an awesome build and your skill level is VERY high!

I can't wait for the "next" one :O :clap:
The "next" one may be just around the corner ... at least there will be an interim fixup coming soon ;)


close project are sure. :D
Gracias


it is a shame about the board :(

your build has beautiful flow - very nice job -

my grandmother still golfs, and some knitting but i wish she was into this! she has a good eye (something you 2 have in common) & i'm sure could bring a wealth of handicraft to the table. To bad she is in AZ (warm) & i'm in chicago (super cold)...sadly, little would be acomplished, as a visit there would not be spent inside (i need some sun! golf..golf..golf!)
Thank you. Maybe I'll run into your GM on the golf course, and she can help me with my next build.


You had me at the color coordinated triple loop! Beautiful build, Shazza! -Fellow MM fan
Ahhh, thanks Cpt ... but you did a much better job making the MM case look good.


New parts received ... we'll see what I come up with for the next one.

[armeniandave]

Look forward to seeing the new build. I assume your sticking with the MM case and all the rest of your components.
Whatever you do I'm sure it will rock!!

[N19h7m4r3]

AH no! Shazza!

Between, you Charles, Sniipe and other, Ii'll never get my own build done.

Always reading and watching your's instead :)

[shazza]

Look forward to seeing the new build. I assume your sticking with the MM case and all the rest of your components.
Whatever you do I'm sure it will rock!!

Welllll ... yes, and no. Updates soon.


AH no! Shazza!

Between, you Charles, Sniipe and other, Ii'll never get my own build done.

Always reading and watching your's instead :)
I don't think I'm quite in their class, but thanks for the nice comment. I always get addicted to this place when I'm in the midst of a build.


Expect to have some progress pics tomorrow. New parts are installed, and running. Just trying to decide how many changes I'm going to make. But, for now, I've got other things on my mind:

http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/384544754_fZzo4-L.jpg

[shazza]

A brief update, just so you'll know I haven't been slacking:


The Apocalypse: Tore out the Rampage Extreme. Installed the EVGA X58 + GTX 285. Just checking everything works, before redoing all my loops and wire management (#$&**%#@###&!!!)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465278003_T8u8k-L.jpg



You like my external hard drive setup?
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465278596_MyW5B-L.jpg



Added the second 285, and I didn't blow up anything this time:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465278919_bZ5f8-L.jpg



Gotta lose the chipset fan and mosfet cooler:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465279263_TGwoG-L-1.jpg


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465279586_7uCft-L.jpg



While it looks like I didn't get much done, I've been having fun OC'ing the CPU and the GPUs. AND, got a couple hours of Fallout 3 in.

(I sure hope Charles doesn't see this mess ... )

[theseeker]

Shazza,
Once again, you have been hiding secrets:shocked:

[charles_h]

hehe, I was looking at that 2nd pic and thinking: "man... that's a big 'ol mess a wires..." hehe

You know, I had the same thing with the Fried Chicken build - rat's nest 'o wires. SiGFever touched on it in Rocky's worklog - we need to come up with a solution for managing the cable management. One thing I was thinking was some kind of array concept like with spark plug wires - you know those plastic clip thingies that hold the wires in a row. Something like that could be interesting... maybe a trip to the local auto parts store is in order. :)

[BlueAqua]

Shazza, where is the 3rd GTX 285? :rofl:

How are you liking the Evga x58 so far? I've been thinking of picking up the Evga Confidential board they're working on whenever it arrives.

Great update! It's nice to see you trying out some new toys after your "old" ones just gave out on you from too much use and abuse. :)

More pics please.

[SiGfever]

I am looking forward to the "Next Evolution". I know with your skills this one will be just a beautiful as the last. I still say that you could sell these professionally. :up:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Welllll ... yes, and no. Updates soon.


I don't think I'm quite in their class, but thanks for the nice comment.



hey man don't sell youself short, your build was a beauty and certainly as distracting as some of the other best builds around :) :up:

[shazza]

UH OH ... I got busted pretty quickly on these ***runs and hides***

@Rocky - I was trying to hold out til later in the new year for the i7 build in AZ, but I am weak: EVGA X58, GTX 285 x 2, with Corsair Dominator RAM.


@Charles - Yep, I've seen some setups where they put connector ports in. I'm sure you can come up with something, Charles. Plus, Dave is doing some cool (UN)Designs for hiding cabling in his Ascension.

Just remember ... I had all these cables in there before, with the exception of the extra two GPU connectors. Gotta figure out how to sleeve those - they are a bit funky. The hard drive is outside, because I didn't want to use the one in the case since I'll keep it for the other components.

@ Blue Aqua - I sure did wear that 775 setup out quickly :p: Musta been the whole 10-12 hours of gaming I did with it. And about that third 285 ... hehe, let's just say this started out as one, but I couldn't resist the second. I will be strong! I'll post some info tomorrow on my impressions of the EVGA X58 vs the P6T Deluxe, but so far it's pretty good. I may step-up once the new EVGA board is out.

@ SiGFever - thanks. I would never want the responsibility of building for money, but let's just say my friends and relatives are quite happy with the hand-me-downs.

@SNiiPE - thank you, sir. I am just having fun with this stuff, keeping myself occupied.

[shazza]

No hardware pics today ... just been playing around with everything and enjoying the new i7 and 285s.

So far, pretty happy with performance. I've been running all day with the CPU at 3.8 with no issues. Also played around a bit OCing the 285s, and still got some headroom on them. Here's some data, for anyone who might be interested (Ambient at 23 degrees):


I use Real Temp 2.90 to monitor Temps (duh!), and use the Cool Down test as a quick check for stability and responsiveness of the core sensors. Max temp at 56:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465735205_unwbw-XL.jpg



Haven't played much with Vantage, but here's a shot of one of my runs (GPU at 729/1584/1333, Temps in low-60s on air with fan at 40%, Physix Enabled):
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465890272_VcPPz-XL.jpg



Haven't seriously tried to top 4.0, but it probably won't be too hard:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465256123_4sXqX-XL.jpg



And, just for fun ... here's a shot after running Linpack for an hour at 3.6. Max temp is 58 degrees ... note Vcore for this run was at 1.39, compared to my 3.8 setting of 1.29. I think I can reduce it a bit more:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465256182_yfGwN-XL.jpg



Other comments - Played Fallout 3 for several hours at max settings (2560x1600, Ultra High), and never had an issue. I could not get the 4870X2 / E8600 combo to run this game for more than a few minutes once I escaped the vault. Had to lower the res and other settings. Too many variables to call, but let's say I'm happy to have gone back to the Green Team. I love this game, but it is on the depressing side:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/465919479_wJxHz-XL.jpg



EVGA X58 vs ASUS P6T Deluxe X58 - not too much to say. I actually found the ASUS easier to OC. All I basically had to do was set memory timings, up the BLCK, and it would do it's thing. Seems like you need to be a bit more specific with the EVGA, and I've got some more tweaking to do on voltages. BUT, there is a lot of good advice in the EVGA forums, so not a problem. A minor complaint with the EVGA Bios update process - ASUS has more options and it's a bit easier to flash the BIOS. The Northbridge (if that's what you still call it) fan, and the Mosfet cooling tower on the EVGA look cheesy to me. Easy enough to fix with cooling blocks. I do have a problem with my P6T where it only shows 4 of 6GB of memory, which seems a fairly common problem.

Bottom line - I don't think you can go wrong with either of these boards for the basic stuff. It will be interesting to see how the EVGA Classified performs.

That's it for now. I know looking at other people's performance data is as fun as mud, but I find these work logs make good archives for when I want to look something up months later :p:

[theseeker]

Shazza,
That is looking stellar as usual! You should have no trouble hitting 4 you have plenty of room and your temps are great. Your 285's are looking great on air.
I too am curious about the new eVGA MB. I had their 680 in my previous system and I had no problems at all.
Rocky

Having a scotch yet after all that hard work?

[dualbrain]

OMG Shazza - don't show these pictures of modern games. I avoid all these threads and websites, because my latest game was programmed in 2001 and I don't want to lose interest and excitement about graphics, when I start playing all the games I missed in the last 8 years ... once I can retire :D

... but you could not know that I am so far behind ... I try to forget the Fallout-picture ... I try to ...

:)

[shazza]

OMG Shazza - don't show these pictures of modern games. I avoid all these threads and websites, because my latest game was programmed in 2001 and I don't want to lose interest and excitement about graphics, when I start playing all the games I missed in the last 8 years ... once I can retire :D

... but you could not know that I am so far behind ... I try to forget the Fallout-picture ... I try to ... :)
;) I know it's hard to believe, but sometimes we actually use these computers to PLAY GAMES :up: I don't have as much time as I'd like, but someday...



Got a few new toys, while waiting for the GTX 285 Waterblocks:


Decided to try the Lamptron Fan Controller ... the Kaze is a bit too delicate. Didn't realize the Lamptron also came with extensions ... nice.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192301_RZRK6-L.jpg


Needed a front headphone jack for those noisy late night gaming sessions (sorry, Nils)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192248_dziWt-L.jpg


I have no idea what "Free Cooling Playing" means, just wanted a bay mount for my HD
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192198_TY92S-L.jpg


Never heard of Sytrin. The lil fans may not survive (they are removable)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192267_Vc5oT-L.jpg


And with the front cover on
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192282_FeAgp-L.jpg


Needed LEDs for my XSPC res (accidentally threw out one of the originals)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192226_SNSwj-L.jpg


A comparison of the Bitspower LEDs and the Feser LEDS: The one in the center is the Feser - a bit shorter, sleeved with neoprene or something similar.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469191295_6JMKy-XL.jpg


I know I keep wowing you guys with exciting stuff lately ... :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Now, off to do some more sleeving.

[N19h7m4r3]

I like alot!

The HDD cooler looks interesting.

[trfnj74]

I really love the look of the Lamptron's but from what I hear they dont play nice with my San Aces so Ill have to stick with my Sunbeam Rheobus. My next build which will be for the I7 I might have Gary at Sidewinder make me up some real Rheostats to use which dont have the clicking issue at slow speads with some fans....


;) I know it's hard to believe, but sometimes we actually use these computers to PLAY GAMES :up: I don't have as much time as I'd like, but someday...



Got a few new toys, while waiting for the GTX 285 Waterblocks:


Decided to try the Lamptron Fan Controller ... the Kaze is a bit too delicate. Didn't realize the Lamptron also came with extensions ... nice.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192301_RZRK6-L.jpg


Needed a front headphone jack for those noisy late night gaming sessions (sorry, Nils)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192248_dziWt-L.jpg


I have no idea what "Free Cooling Playing" means, just wanted a bay mount for my HD
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192198_TY92S-L.jpg


Never heard of Sytrin. The lil fans may not survive (they are removable)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192267_Vc5oT-L.jpg


And with the front cover on
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192282_FeAgp-L.jpg


Needed LEDs for my XSPC res (accidentally threw out one of the originals)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192226_SNSwj-L.jpg


A comparison of the Bitspower LEDs and the Feser LEDS: The one in the center is the Feser - a bit shorter, sleeved with neoprene or something similar.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469191295_6JMKy-XL.jpg


I know I keep wowing you guys with exciting stuff lately ... :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Now, off to do some more sleeving.

[shazza]

Thanks, guys ... for the warning on fan controller. I don't need any squealing pigs around here, so I'll keep an ear out for them. I have a spare Sunbeam, if this doesn't do the trick.

(Can you tell I'm procrastinating with my sleeving. Should have ordered the Multi-Media I/O port bay cover with custom sleeving :( )

[SiGfever]

After seeing the Psychopack I keep having this strange urge to redo all my sleeving and even tackle the power supply. :eek:

[shazza]

Get yourself a Psychopack, SiGfever, and go nuts like the rest of us.

Progress ... Sleeved up the I/O ports for USB and HDAudio ... and it works. Love it when a plan comes together.

Now, on to the fan controller.

[just a noob]

shazza, tell me how you like the lamptron controller, oh, and be sure to blow up megaton(if your a woman, you can use ladykiller perk to seduce Mr. Burke) :D

[theseeker]

Thanks, guys ... for the warning on fan controller. I don't need any squealing pigs around here, so I'll keep an ear out for them. I have a spare Sunbeam, if this doesn't do the trick.

(Can you tell I'm procrastinating with my sleeving. Should have ordered the Multi-Media I/O port bay cover with custom sleeving :( )

You should really try an Aquaero!

[theseeker]

Get yourself a Psychopack, SiGfever, and go nuts like the rest of us.

Progress ... Sleeved up the I/O ports for USB and HDAudio ... and it works. Love it when a plan comes together.

Now, on to the fan controller.

+1 on the Psychopack but get two, one is never enough!

[armeniandave]

Looks like we have matching front I/O panels!
I looked at probably 50 of them and I settled on
that same one. It's nice and simple and thank god
it doesn't have a card reader! I never use all the
slots those things come with.

[shazza]

shazza, tell me how you like the lamptron controller, oh, and be sure to blow up megaton(if your a woman, you can use ladykiller perk to seduce Mr. Burke) :D
I should have it hooked up in a little while ... will let you know how it is. I can't blow up Megaton -- I'm too nice :D


You should really try an Aquaero!
I have a black face plate on order ... if I like it, I'll pick up the control unit.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469323668_P2TcD-S.jpg



Looks like we have matching front I/O panels!... I never use all the slots those things come with.
Yep ... I already snipped the firewire. I have a USB card reader, and also one in my monitor, so no need for all that junk.

[theseeker]

I should have it hooked up in a little while ... will let you know how it is. I can't blow up Megaton -- I'm too nice :D


I have a black face plate on order ... if I like it, I'll pick up the control unit.
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469323668_P2TcD-S.jpg



Yep ... I already snipped the firewire. I have a USB card reader, and also one in my monitor, so no need for all that junk.

You should have told me you needed a black face plate, I only have 26 of them!

[shazza]

Nowwww you tell me. (Course, how could you know, if I never asked).

[theseeker]

Nowwww you tell me. (Course, how could you know, if I never asked).

I still have a lot of Aqua accessories in original bags. I sold the big stuff but I have all types of face plates in stainless, silver and black.
BTW, it never hurts to ask!

[just a noob]

hey shazza, if you want to be cruel and sadistic in fallout 3, build a dart gun, leg crippling fun!(sorry for off topic) and if you haven't already used the fan controller, can you tell me if it eventually makes your fans kind of pulse(got san aces, want a decent fan controller :S)?

[SiGfever]

I still have a lot of Aqua accessories in original bags. I sold the big stuff but I have all types of face plates in stainless, silver and black.
BTW, it never hurts to ask!
Do you have a Multiswitch faceplate in black?

Shazza you will love the Aquaero. I wish that I had bought one years ago.

[BlueAqua]

Aquaero FTW! hehe

Shazza, please take some pictures of the Ek 285 blocks when you get them in. New rule: 5 picture minimum per update. ;)

Keep up the good work Shazza.

[SiGfever]

Aquaero FTW! hehe

Shazza, please take some pictures of the Ek 285 blocks when you get them in. New rule: 5 picture minimum per update. ;)

Keep up the good work Shazza.
:ROTF:

Especially with her photography skills. :up:

[shazza]

:ROTF:

Especially with her photography skills. :up:

You guys are sooo funny :rofl: I have been working on photography for just the past year, never really much interested before. BUT ... we had a trip booked to the Arctic, and I couldn't be on a ship with photo nerds for 2 weeks without trying to learn. Still much to learn, especially with indoor lighting and product photography. I've posted a few of the bear shots ... here are a few more from the trip:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/337139389_AJ8tE-M.jpg


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/333765410_RZt8H-M.jpg


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/337062239_QCnWi-M.jpg


and ... my sincere apologies to those who don't appreciate a bit of OT in a work log - I won't do it again!!!

[shazza]

So now - back to the work log.

I can report that my Lamptron FC-2 fan controller .................................................. .................................................. ...... officially SUCKS.

Very disappointing. I like the look of it ... really a nice match to the case. I like the idea of 6 controls with up to 45W loads (maybe that's the problem ... it's built for too much). I like the way the blue LED displays -- not knock your eyes out bright like the Sunbeam.

BUT ... I got the squealing pig syndrome. It's NOT really all that loud, but it makes a whining noise anytime other than when it's at full. So, virtually useless for running fans at mid levels. I will be able to use it, since I run the exhaust and a few other fans at full. But, I am disappointed. Not so much that I paid for it and it doesn't do the job ... but because I like it and wish it didn't make the crazy noise.

[NaeKuh]

my vote goes out to the sunbeam rheobuss extreme. :up:

http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-Rheobus-Extreme-Black-pr-4090.html




BUT ... I got the squealing pig syndrome. It's NOT really all that loud, but it makes a whining noise anytime other than when it's at full. So, virtually useless for running fans at mid levels.

like a high pitch whine?? something comping from a resistor or a cap?

[BlueAqua]

Beautiful photos Shazza. It's too bad good fan controllers are so hard to find. It always seems like some variable just isn't right.

[skinnee]

I am very happy with the Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme, 30W per channel is tough to beat. The CrystalFontz CFA-635 has a max of 1.5 Amp per channel (4 channels), meaning 18W max versus the Sunbeam at 2.5 Amps per channel (6 channels). I use both, the Sunbeam for my main rig and the CrystalFontz for the test bench.

No experience with the Lamptron to draw from. :(

[SiGfever]

You guys are sooo funny :rofl: I have been working on photography for just the past year, never really much interested before. BUT ... we had a trip booked to the Arctic, and I couldn't be on a ship with photo nerds for 2 weeks without trying to learn. Still much to learn, especially with indoor lighting and product photography. I've posted a few of the bear shots ... here are a few more from the trip:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/337062239_QCnWi-M.jpg


and ... my sincere apologies to those who don't appreciate a bit of OT in a work log - I won't do it again!!!

Beautiful pictures as usual, we like OT when we get to see more of your photography skills. :clap:

This could be on the cover of National Geographic. :up:

[trfnj74]

Im glad you were the guinne pig:D. I was gonig to try one out but now I wont, Im sorry it didnt work out for. I going to talk with Gary at sidewinder about the Superflower or the rebranded Akasa lead time. If its going to a long time Im going order the Akasa from a place in the UK that has good rating. I know that Gary said there are not PWM fan controllers which is way the squeal like pigs as he explained.

[ShoNuff]

Beautiful pictures as usual, we like OT when we get to see more of your photography skills. :clap:

This could be on the cover of National Geographic. :up:

I second that Shazza. That pic is AWESOME! I like your work too BTW. :up:

[SiGfever]

O-K young Lady, we need our pic fix. :)

[Angmaar]

Those are some awesome pics. When I went on an Alaskin crusie the only camera was my parents crappy point and shoot, which took could barely take 2 pictures every minute. So i don't have any awesome pictures.

Oh, and nice work so far and awesome pictures! :up:

[trfnj74]

Shazza
Gary@Sidewinder now has the Akasa Four Channel Fan Control Pro AK-FC-03
in stock, It is not a PWM fan controller so it will not make fan squeal or click. The only drawback I can see is the 17watts per channel but its not an issue for me. I will be running 2 San Aces on each channel.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h201/tffz74/AkasaFourChannelFanControlPro-AK-FC.jpg

[ILikeCosmosS]

i would take out the Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme leds and put your own or mix of colors
thats something i would perfer

[charles_h]

I second that Shazza. That pic is AWESOME! I like your work too BTW. :up:
Thirded!

beautiful shots Shazza. :yepp:

[shazza]

Thanks, guys. Glad you liked my OT diversion.

Re the fan controller ... the buzz on the Lamptron was a dull whining noise, but I could hear it over the fans. My husband is going to help me put resistors in line with the LEDs on the Sunbeam rheobus. That should work to help cut down the brightness. I'm fine with the stock color of blue for on, red for off.

Sorry, no pics for a few days, as I'm traveling this week. Good news is, the GTX 285 waterblocks should have arrived by the time I get home, so more work next week.

[NaeKuh]

u ditched the HD4870x2?

[shazza]

u ditched the HD4870x2?

They are taking a temporary vacation ;)

[NaeKuh]

They are taking a temporary vacation ;)

LOL

i wish i could put mine into retirement.

the difference between a GTX295 i dont see the merit.

[theseeker]

LOL

i wish i could put mine into retirement.

the difference between a GTX295 i dont see the merit.

NaeKuh,

I believe Shazza is going with 2x285 cards which basically blow away the ATI solution, at least currently. My friends that own the ATI cards have been very disappointed with them mainly due to poor driver support and poor overclocking results. When I last had my 285's running in max resolution (25x16) on H20 they absolutely smoked everything I threw at them.
Personally, I have never been a fan of a single "dual card solution." Just my two cents. nVIDIA owns the dual or tri card setup for the immediate future.

[shazza]

I can't really say the ATI cards were not good performers. I didn't see much improvement when I added the second one, but the main reason I went with the 285s is I put the 260s in my other rig, and had more fun with OCing -- probably also due to familiarity with nVidia products.

With the 285s, I don't have any complaints at all. Performance in Fallout 3 (my current gaming diversion) is excellent at 2560x1600 with max settings. Better than I had with the 4870X2 - but I'm not ruling out user error or driver issues.

The ATI cards will ultimately find a good home, so no need to feel sorry for them. Also ... I picked the 285s cause I was a little leery of the 295 - but so far people seem to be enjoying them as well.

[theseeker]

I can't really say the ATI cards were not good performers. I didn't see much improvement when I added the second one, but the main reason I went with the 285s is I put the 260s in my other rig, and had more fun with OCing -- probably also due to familiarity with nVidia products.

With the 285s, I don't have any complaints at all. Performance in Fallout 3 (my current gaming diversion) is excellent at 2560x1600 with max settings. Better than I had with the 4870X2 - but I'm not ruling out user error or driver issues.

The ATI cards will ultimately find a good home, so no need to feel sorry for them. Also ... I picked the 285s cause I was a little leery of the 295 - but so far people seem to be enjoying them as well.

Shazza,
I am a rebel, you on the other hand are always politically correct!

[headala]

Wow, Shazza, I just found this and you're already on the second iteration! I can't believe I didn't know this was here...well, don't worry, I'm Subscribed now. Keep up the good work.

Regarding your pics: They are beautiful! My wife and I went on our honeymoon to Alaska, and I rented an L series 400mm 2.8 IS (my wife called it "our new ball and chain" because it came in it's own little suitcase). Got some great otter, walrus, and glacier pics with it; maybe they're almost as good as yours! We'll have to have a show-n-tell sometime!

[NaeKuh]

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-295-preview/7

Shows the X2 is just tad bit off a 295GTX @ 1920X1200 resoltion.

Since i am running 2 in xfire, the only solution comparable would be GTX295 in sli.

However i am getting a 975 and rebuilding to haruhi b4 i change gpu sectors. :X

[theseeker]

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-295-preview/7

Shows the X2 is just tad bit off a 295GTX @ 1920X1200 resoltion.

Since i am running 2 in xfire, the only solution comparable would be GTX295 in sli.

However i am getting a 975 and rebuilding to haruhi b4 i change gpu sectors. :X

Shazza uses 2500x1600 as I do with max settings. In that case 2x285's beat the single card solution. In 1920x1200 you do not notice as much of a difference.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3498&p=3

[NaeKuh]

Shazza uses 2500x1600 as I do with max settings. In that case 2x285's beat the single card solution. In 1920x1200 you do not notice as much of a difference.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3498&p=3

Yeah, im not at 30 inch yet. Also seeker, im running 2 HD4870X2's. So my only solution for an upgrade is 2 GTX295 :rofl:

I wanted to wait for the new 120hz monitors to become a bit more mainstream b4 i went 30's.

Im running dual 24's and you know the price when it comes with duals. So SLI is not an option for me yet, because i do use the second monitor for gaming.

[shazza]

Yep, as I said, the 285s are going great guns on the 30" (Dell 3008).

As an aside, my favorite monitor is the 27" Dell - running at 1920x1200. The size of the monitor does not overwhelm me, and I actually like the slightly larger pixel size - I went with the GTX 260s in SLI for the 27" system, which is plenty (see, I am budget conscious, contrary to what this worklog might leave you to believe :p: ). I have to run the 30" at 1920x1200 for text, cause my eyes are very old. No problem with scaling that I've noticed.

I've got a wide variety of Widescreens that I use for console gaming - and will eventually hook up my computer to the 71" Samsung DLP as well, just for kicks.

One of my next projects will be a HTPC build for my 60" Kuro (non-elite - still thinking about that budget) setup in Florida:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/433683338_3qg36-S.jpg


The thin cabinet on the wall is for DVDs and games:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/433684371_N7MfK-S.jpg

The backyard:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/433698920_TYHHa-S.jpg


A regular vistitor:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/413332662_hGmsJ-S.jpg


I know ... too much information, but I'm bored :)

[NaeKuh]

I know ... too much information, but I'm bored :)

i love your pictures tho.

if only i could take pictures like that, snipe skinnee and xilikon would be much happier people.

:rofl:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

wow shaz, what kind of bird is that?

[shazza]

wow shaz, what kind of bird is that?


That's a Blue Heron. The backyard is a swamp, so lots of birds and a few alligators too. Obviously, this is Florida, not Arizona :rofl:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

That's a Blue Heron. The backyard is a swamp, so lots of birds and a few alligators too. Obviously, this is Florida, not Arizona :rofl:

cool, its very colorful for a blue heron, the ones we have in Maine where I sail my catamaran in the summer are very pale in coloration so I was a bit confused.

[SiGfever]

shazza,
Love the wood in your ceiling. Very beautiful place you have there.

[dualbrain]

Shazza: Congrats for a stunning home setup :D

[charles_h]

What a stunning room Shazza - right out of the pages of Architectural Digest!

The only thing missing is the custom built, in-wall 8 foot South American biotope aquarium! :yepp:

Ok, now I'm projecting. :)

[dingdong555]

Amazing room Shazza! But you're missing the PC room!

I bet there is lots of midges there too!

[anubis_is_evil]

Needed a front headphone jack for those noisy late night gaming sessions (sorry, Nils)
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/469192248_dziWt-L.jpg


Shazza, where do you get that ? i've been looking something like it, just unlucky to find one :shrug:, it really fit with my taste, simple and black anodized especially the way it can be close :up:..is it for 3.5 or 5.25 bay shazza ?

thx...

[shazza]

Thanks for the compliments on the house, folks. I don't usually post pics like that, but I have a couple of computer-related projects in the works involving the TV area.

@ SiGfever - the wood in the ceiling is pecky cedar. We recently redid the upstairs into a family room/home theater combo, and the wood was my husband's idea. I wasn't sure, but it came out nice.

@ Nils - thank you, but I think your "dining room" murderMod showcase arena has us all beat.

@ Charles - funny you mentioned the aquarium, as it was something my husband wanted, just not feasible since we aren't here full time.

@ dingdong - My den is behind the glass doors in the second pic ... it's setup with surround speakers for the PC. I've got a project underway in Arizona that will give me a dedicated PC / Gaming room. My husband is tired of me taking over the den we share there. You're right - lots of nasty little bugs here, which is why the outside is screened in:
http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/433683600_Z96HK-S.jpg



@ anubis_is_evil - Here (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=25005) is a link to the I/O port bay accessory. Got it from Performance PCs. Mine is 5.25", I believe it may also come in a 3.5" version.

[shazza]

Shazza, where do you get that ? i've been looking something like it, just unlucky to find one :shrug:, it really fit with my taste, simple and black anodized especially the way it can be close :up:..is it for 3.5 or 5.25 bay shazza ?

thx...


I found a place where it is quite a bit cheaper than the link I posted above (although I've never used PCTOYS before):

http://www.pctoys.com/840556088516.html

[theseeker]

Shazza,
I love your backyard!

[shazza]

Okay ... back on track here. A quick look at the nickel EK GTX 285 block ... I like :up: Took these shots as the sun was setting, I'll try to get some better ones on the weekend:


http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/475195726_BukJa-L.jpg




http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/475195948_PHSHq-L.jpg




http://shazza53.smugmug.com/photos/475196024_MjxHm-L.jpg


I have my work cut out for me this weekend. Guess my busy social schedule will have to be put on hold once again :p:

[Hockeydude]

That's one great looking block.

[capreppy]

Nice. I'm getting the exact same blocks!! Those look way nicer than expected.

[N19h7m4r3]

Very nice blocks there :)

You seem to be enjoying yourself non-stop here :D

[The[R]eaper]

Wow! Great pics and one beautiful looking block you got there.

i was looking at ordering a 285 when i ordered my i7 rig, and this is making me regret it :rofl: