CaseMod
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Jeffrey Stephenson impresses with another wood grained, retro casemod
Last time we heard from Jeffrey Stephenson he had crafted an art deco-styled casemod that, spiritually at least, brought us back to the watery confines of Bioshock. He's back with another classic-looking device, dedicating this one to Ingraham Cabinet Co., creator of many a fine walnut-ensconced radio case in the WWII era. His Ingraham case mod is similarly walnut-clad (though veneered) with a hand-built basswood frame layered atop an otherwise mid-grade mini-ITX SilverStone case. The focal point is a finely polished chrome knob on the front that Harley riders might recognize from an Arlen Ness catalog, perched atop a final retro flourish: a Firewire 400 port. Inside (pictured below) things are rather more modern: a VIA VB8001 mobo, a (rarely seen in the wild) 1.6GHz Nano processor, 4GB of DDR2 memory, a 64GB SSD, and not a single vacuum tube.
Dreamcast PC features Blu-ray, nostalgia for the late 1990s
Following hot on the heals of the Sega Saturn case mod we saw last month, the gang from Akiba PC in Japan are back with the Dreamcast PC. This machine sports a Sony NEC Blu-ray drive, an AMD mini-ITX mainboard with 780G Chipset and ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics, HDMI output, 4GB RAM and 160GB storage. We thought that the four USB ports (previously the console's controller ports) were a particularly nice touch. Manufactured for ¥100,000 (roughly $1,045), the machine is unlikely to go on sale any time in the near future, but if you're so inclined feel free to take the long weekend and jet over for a look yourself. Be sure to tell 'em Engadget sent you. And mourn for Shenmue.
Battlestar Galactica case mod adds a touch of class and excitement to your work day
Though there are few things as potentially cringe-worthy as a Battlestar Galactica-themed case mod (or toaster, or pumpkin), we must admit that this project is pretty impressive. Going beyond the realm of the expected (landing bay, running lights, engine pods and a suitable sci-fi paint job), this custom build rocks an array of ambitious features, including three 2.5-inch LCD screens, a 10-inch LCD on the left side panel and an automatic right side panel door (aka: "airlock"). The front of the case sports a laser-cut acrylic Battlestar Galactica logo that has been mounted to a slot-loading DVD drive (the disc appears to spin inside the logo) and the whole case is complimented by a suitably modified keyboard and monitor. If your curiosity has been whetted, hit the read link for a ton of images and blow-by-blow description of the build process ... and be sure to check out the videos after the break.
CinematographHD case mod conceals monster video editing rig
Oh sure, Stealth could've just phoned up NextComputing or ACME in order to acquire a beastly (albeit portable) LCD-infused desktop, but seriously, where's the joviality in that? Instead, this clearly skilled individual decided to concoct a custom rig of his own, complete with two 22-inch LCDs, lots (and lots) of diamond plate and "zero compromises." Dubbed the CinematographHD after a Lumière Brothers device from the 1980s, this massively potent video editing system also packs a Blu-ray drive, inbuilt speakers and a storage compartment for mice, keyboards and copious amounts of BAWLS. Check out the construction video just after the break. [Thanks, Justin]
Antec's open air Skeleton PC case is so breezy
While the Acrylic Cowboy family of cases still has our hearts (okay, so maybe it's just the mascot that does it for us), Antec's latest offering is certainly worthy of praise. The aptly-dubbed Skeleton is wrongfully hailed as the "world's first open air case," but in reality, it is one of only a handful. Even with all that openness, there's still a 250mm fan up top along with a 92mm one up front, but we suppose there's no harm in being too careful. It also provides four drive bays, a layered tray design, seven expansion slots and a meager assortment of ports. You will have to provide your own power supply when the time comes, however, and you'll also have to wait a tick to find out a price and release date.[Via BoingBoing, thanks Matt]
Toaster Computer is fine for email, useless for Pop Tarts
After discovering the Scan Toaster a few days ago (and who can forget the Nintoaster?) we had really high hopes for Gordon Johnson's Toaster Computer Project. Unfortunately, though it sounds exotic (like some sort of WiFi, dual-core, programmable toaster oven), the Toaster Computer turns out to be little more than a PC housed in the classic Black & Decker Toast-It-All 4-Slice Toaster enclosure. There are a plethora of photos -- and a YouTube video -- to take you through the process (complete with a stomach churning trance techno version of "The Final Countdown" on the soundtrack). According to Johnson, the next step will be to replace the machine's "regular cooling method" (also known as a "fan") with a thermoelectric cooling process he calls the "Passive Laxative Copper Cooler Concept." We look forward to seeing how that turns out. Video after the break.[Via Hack A Day]
DayWalker case mod is amazing, can't solve Wesley Snipes' tax evasion problems
There was no shortage of case mods at NVIDIA's NVISION conference, but this one in particular managed to snag the majority of the spotlight. Created by Richard "DarthBeavis" Surroz, the Blade-themed DayWalker actually houses three separate computer systems; two are for playing games, while the other acts as a server. Conceptually, at least, the rig is designed to enable two users to play against one another, and given the "50+ fans" and triple SLI GTX 280 GPU setups (among other things), it's no shock to hear that it'd cost around $18,000 to $20,000 to build again. 'Course, that's chump change when you're stuffing away millions of dollars owed to the government -- just ask Snipes... oh, wait.
Lian Li XB01 Xbox 360 case unboxed and put to the test
Correct us if we're wrong, but the Lian Li XB01 chassis for the Xbox 360 marks a notable departure for the case mod industry. Far from making the 360 "more badass" or "more laptopy," the Lian Li XB01 merely aspires to make the 360 what it should've been out of the gate: cool and quiet(er). The folks at bit-tech.net put one through its paces, and have discerned that it "looks pretty pimp." They do note that the $150 case isn't built with quite as high of standards as Lian Li is known for, and there were a few minor quibbles, but once they tossed the Xbox 360 innards inside and booted her up, it became clear what the XB01 is all about: the 360 run silently without a disc, and only makes a bit of noise with a DVD in. Unfortunately, as soon as you toss a game in the drive noise is once again deafening. Oh well, maybe next year we'll get a 360 that doesn't require earplugs to play... and at least hard drive-based games are right around the corner.
Mini ColecoVision hits eBay, finds a special place in our hearts
Call us biased, but we still prefer Ben Heckendorn's portable ColecoVision over this one, but that's not to say we don't deeply respect the immense amount of work that went into the mini ColecoVision. The seller of the unit stripped a ColecoVision PCB from an original casing and got to modding; when all was said and done, the miniaturized version still operated fine and required a lot less floor space. 'Tis a shame the bidding just ended -- now you're stuck with Atarimax's oh-so-similar (but not nearly as satisfying) MulitCart as you embarrassingly attempt to relive the past. [Via technabob]
Video: Wall-E's DVD duplicator mod directive
Had enough Wall-E mods yet? Really, you have? What, you some kind of whiskey-drunk, bunny stuffer? This is Wall-E, the Disney robot sent to save us from ourselves and apparently, beige computers. This latest mod by Frenkie Janse drops a a trio (hey, why not) of DVD drives into Wall-E's trash compacting belly. Add cardboard, aluminum, toy bulldozer parts, and some fancy Dremeling and this is the result. See him in action after the break.[Via Fusion Mods, thanks John]
Monolith-esque Lego computer makes us want to pick up a Brick Separator and build a civilization
Lego computers are about as old as the case mod scene itself, but while many have qualified as interesting, we've never seen a truly sexy Lego box before Luke Anderson's all-black "Lego Computer," which seems to distill all we've ever loved about high-end workstation boxen into lovable Lego form. Bonus points for full documentation of the project released under the Creative Commons license. Time-lapse vid is after the break.[Via SlashGear]
Destroyed beauty: Gears of War case mod
Remember the creepy Xbox 360 alligator case mod? Creator dfw monkie is back again with a brand new mod and this time it's actually related to an Xbox 360 game. The game in question is Gears of War and dfw monkie has put together a very impressive mod. The mod features raised textures and a glowing Gears of War logo. The only feature we think we would have trouble adjusting to is the glowing red ring of light. How will you know when the Xbox 360 is broken? Will you get the Green Rings of Death? Check out a video of the console in action after the break.
Case modder crams PC into homegrown Team Fortress 2 sentry
We find it impossible to think that anyone in attendance of a local LAN party wouldn't be awestruck when this rig waltzed in, and truthfully, we'd be a little distracted by its boyish good looks all the while. TiTON -- the same mastermind that brought us the Team Fortress 2 Dispenser -- has recreated a TF2 sentry that (unfortunately) fires no real shells at enemies. On the upside, it does pack enough hardware to enable gamers to light up rebel forces within a digital realm, but just like your 16th birthday cake, this one may be too pretty to indulge in. Tap the read link for lots more images and a breakdown of the build.
Team Fortress 2 Dispenser case mod completes Orange Box trifecta
Well, we suppose the first two Orange Box mods we saw were Portal-related, but a love for Half-Life 2 is really implied in anything Valve-related, and this here Team Fortress 2 case mod feels like the end to a beautiful, Orange story -- or perhaps the beginning of another. We'll confess, we got our ass handed to us enough times in TF2 to make it a rare incident when we'd even make it to a Dispenser, but there's love for this glorious blue box all the same, and TiTON has certainly done his homework in building the thing. Props all around. Now can someone swap to medic and give us a little backup over here?
Linux cluster stuffed in an Ikea filing cabinet
People have been stuffing PCs in all kinds of things they don't belong in for a while now, but this Linux cluster creatively packed into an Ikea Helmer filing cabinet might be the first time we've seen furniture actually modded into a useful case. Sure, it looks like an ordinary filing cabinet, but it's packing six machines with Intel Core 2 Quad processors on Gigabyte S-series mobos with 8GB of RAM each, allowing it pump out 186 Gflops -- enough to complete a render job that takes a 2.66Ghz quad-core Mac Pro nine hours in just 64 minutes. Yeah, that's quite a filing cabinet. Hit the read links for tech specs, instructions, and updates on Helmer II.[Via Make]
Commodore Gaming offers EVE Online themed desktop PCs
Commodore Gaming and CCP have teamed up to produce EVE Online themed, gaming-focused desktop computers. There's not much to them; you get a case with some EVE artwork, and you choose between a pre-built system (which features an Intel Core 2 Quad processor and an NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX video card) and a custom system with components you determine.Official case-mod deals make up a chunk of Commodore's strategy to compete with the big boys of enthusiast gaming PC sales -- like Alienware (now owned by Dell) and VoodooPC (now owned by Hewlett-Packard). Given the prestige of the old Commodore brand, this new iteration has a long way to go.If you're a really hardcore EVE player in the market for a new computer, going this route couldn't hurt; you can even configure the case to match your faction of choice. Then again, do you really need a 9800 GTX to play EVE Online? Not so much, but it's up to you!
Glow in the dark Xbox 360 enclosure takes you back to 1992
Truth be told, we still can't believe this is the first commercially available glow in the dark Xbox 360 chassis, but then again, glow in the dark hasn't been remotely fashionable since Bill Clinton left office. Still, if history is beginning to repeat itself, you know you want to be first on the bandwagon, and there's no better way to throw it back than with the XCM Glow Pearl case. As it stands, the shell isn't quite ready to be ordered, but we're sure it'll be worth every penny when your BFF sees just how gnarly this thing is in the dark.[Via technabob]
Feed your discs to the alligator-skinned Xbox 360
We're usually not ones to post about console case mods of any sort, but we decided to buck that trend today -- namely because no case mod we've ever seen has inspired such fear into our hearts. A forum-dweller by the name of dfw monkie recently posted pictures of his latest monstrosity to The Llamma's Game Console Forums (instilling a greater fear in us that a Llama-themed 360 is in the works) -- an Xbox 360, covered in the pitch-black skin of a gargantuan alligator that dfw monkie killed with his bare hands.Okay, the crocodilian pattern was created with common crafting supplies, but we much prefer our own "Man vs. Wild" interpretation of the console's backstory. Martha Stewart-esque origins or no, the final product is still downright unsettling.
Alligator skin Xbox 360 case is a bit too realistic
Oh yeah, we've seen some undeniably bizarre Xbox 360 case mods, but this freakish homegrown covering exemplifies the art of destroying resale value. We don't quite know what else there is to say about an incredibly detailed alligator skinned console, but if pictures really are worth a thousand or so words, there's an epic waiting for you down in the read link. Please kids, don't try this at home.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
iPhone case mod with LED logo
Back in February, we posted a link to a beautiful iPhone case mod that used a matte black TiAIN finish. iPhoneclub community member Jo Croiman has gone in the opposite direction, creating a polished metal beauty complete with LED logo.The Psycho iPhone Mod, as he calls it, is the result of manufacturing his own rear case pieces, polishing them for hours with a Dremel and affixing LEDs -- taken from another dead iPhone -- underneath a plexiglass logo (the LEDs only pull an additional 50mAh from the battery).Finally, he sandblasted his own logo into the back of the case. We think it looks fantastic! Great work, Jo.
