[Completed] Project N64 PC: A Kaveri HTPC inside a Nintendo 64

[Kiukaz]

Wow. I really love the ghetto feel of this mod i approve  :lol:

[simson0606]

Wow. I really love the ghetto feel of this mod i approve  :lol:

it's  a bir ghetto but it works out well

[purplepenguin202]

subbed.  You might consider adding more vents maybe.  Or just dump it in a fish tank with some mineral oil like slick did

[SageC]

Update #2 - 6/30/2014:

 

Short little update here. 

 

So in between all the rain that's been happening here I finally managed to find a window to paint. The primer I used is SEM black self etching primer and the paint is PlastiKote Old Ford Blue engine enamel and Universal Black engine enamel. The primer worked out fine and the paint worked great for the first coat but started to peal when I applied the second, so I had to sand it down and apply more paint. The final product looks okay you can still see the peeling if you look hard enough but I'm still happy with how it turned out.

 

Before I apply the primer.

 

 

After the first coat of primer.

 

 

After the paint's been applied, the imperfections don't really come out on camera but they definitely are visible in person but I still think it turned well and the colour really looks great.

 

 

 

I also tried to make a new back plate when the paint was drying but unfortunately I applied the pressure in the wrong place while lining up the drill press.. and it cracked in half, so there's that. I'll probably still end up making a new one but maybe a bit later.

 

 

Alright so that's it for this quick update, I should have another one sometime this week, so look forward to that!

 

Thanks for reading!

[Darkstar101]

Cool build.

[flibberdipper]

Sweet. What is the cooler, though (sorry if I missed it)?

[SageC]

Sweet. What is the cooler, though (sorry if I missed it)?

 

It's the Scythe Kozuti Low Profile CPU Cooler. I can't vouch for it's effectiveness as I've not been able to test it yet but it's the only cooler of this size that could cool a 95w TDP processor.

[SageC]

Well fuck me, just a friendly reminder that epoxy and any sort of paint don't mix well.

 

[Brazsty]

DAMN.

[flibberdipper]

Crap. That stinks.

[SageC]

Crap. That stinks.

 

Yeah, like literally, I almost threw up when I cracked open the tube of epoxy. That stuff reeks like no other glue I've smelt before,

 

And yeah it also sucks that the logo got screwed up. My only idea now is to scrape off the old logo, so I'm left just with the clear piece of plastic and get a decal printed off to put on the back of it.

[Si3Rra_7]

Dayum , i should get a job to get the money to make stuff like this.

[Kiukaz]

Well shit ;/ try super glue ? ;D When in doubt, Duct Tape ;D

[Stadiz]

Dayum , i should get a job to get the money to make stuff like this.

Aaarrrrrrrr!

[Kittke]

No WC

[Si3Rra_7]

No WC

No quad sli

[HellaflushMcSwaggins]

No WC

Someone made a watercooled PC inside an NES

http://www.overclock.net/t/977745/robertwhamms-project-the-watercooled-nes

[SageC]

Someone made a watercooled PC inside an NES

http://www.overclock.net/t/977745/robertwhamms-project-the-watercooled-nes

That is the most adorable little radiator I've ever seen. Its a shame he never finished it.

[HellaflushMcSwaggins]

That is the most adorable little radiator I've ever seen. Its a shame he never finished it.

And it's cheap too $21 http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11761/ex-rad-185/MagiCool_Mini_II_Dual_40mm_Radiator.html

[SageC]

Update #3 - 7/6/2014:

 

 

Alright guys, new update here.

 

I finally got the hardware to get this thing up and running! And got the switches mounted permanently in the top of the case!

 

 

So I took a trip to Memory Express to pick up the hardware I needed to get this thing to run. A AMD 7850k, Curcial M500 120GB mSata SSD, and A Kingston Fury 8GB 1866Mhz stick of memory.

 

 

The SSD, this thing is pretty damn tiny. The diagram under it is 1:1 picture of a 2.5" hard drive believe it or not.

 

 

Installed!

 

 

The RAM. I really wanted to go with a high clocked, like 2400Mhz, daul channel 8GB kit to really get every last bit of performance out of the APU but unfortunately I wasn't able to fit a stick in the first slot due to the CPU cooler being to large. So I had to go with this, luckily it's 1866Mhz which isn't awful but it's still not great. Also thanks Memory Express for the big ass in store warranty sticker for a product that already has lifetime warranty, real useful...

 

 

Dem pins! This is my first from scratch AMD build and I've got to say their method of putting the pins on the processor makes a bit more sense to me.

 

 

Installed! I also have to say their socket system works a bit better too, there's very little risk of bending any pins. The processor just drops right into the socket, no worry of whether or not you have it lined up wrong.

 

 

I also got the buttons glued in. I just used some epoxy for the plastic bits and hot glue for the switches and around the edges.

 

 

The reset button.

 

 

And the start button.

 

 

From the top.

 

 

No with the essentials assembled I can plug it into a spare power supply and see if it boots.

 

 

And everything worked as planned it booted and I got an OS installed on it. All I have to do is redo the back plate, get the actual power supply, and put modders mesh in the cartridge slot and vent hole. 

 

Here's a pic of how I had to set this thing up to manage to get an Ethernet cable to it, yeah it's a bit ghetto. 

 

 

And that's all for now! The project is almost done, I don't expect any more than two more updates or so.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

[flibberdipper]

Wow. This is pretty damn good. I approve of your modding skills.

[aricleather]

I challenge you to find some way to get a 2.5" HDD in there, ghetto or not.

 

Oh, and there's a Memory Express in Alberta? I didn't know that. My Dad lives there and I visit every second week. I'll see if I can visit it.

[SageC]

Wow. This is pretty damn good. I approve of your modding skills.

 

Why, thank you!

 

 

I challenge you to find some way to get a 2.5" HDD in there, ghetto or not.

 

Oh, and there's a Memory Express in Alberta? I didn't know that. My Dad lives there and I visit every second week. I'll see if I can visit it.

 

Yeah, that's why chose this motherboard so I could use a mSata SSD instead of 2.5" device. I plan on using steam in home streaming for modern games on this thing and just basically filling it up with ROMs. So I don't really need the space but it be a nice challenge. 

 

And I think there's five in Alberta if I remember correctly, two in Edmonton and three in Calgary. I've only been to the ones and Edmonton and the prices aren't great, the Customer service is a hit or miss, and they keep any hardware more expenses than a case fan in the back of the store. It's definitely no Micro Center, but eh, it's nice to have a local place to get hardware in a pinch.

[aricleather]

Why, thank you!

 

 

 

Yeah, that's why chose this motherboard so I could use a mSata SSD instead of 2.5" device. I plan on using steam in home streaming for modern games on this thing and just basically filling it up with ROMs. So I don't really need the space but it be a nice challenge. 

 

And I think there's five in Alberta if I remember correctly, two in Edmonton and three in Calgary. I've only been to the ones and Edmonton and the prices aren't great, the Customer service is a hit or miss, and they keep any hardware more expenses than a case fan in the back of the store. It's definitely no Micro Center, but eh, it's nice to have a local place to get hardware in a pinch.

 

Yeah. Here in Saskatchewan we have OTV. It's really big and has a lot of selection, but their prices aren't too great. Their sales are really good, though. When I bought my 4690k they went for $270 online at E-tailers, then there's shipping. I got it for $250 taxes included.

[SageC]

Update #4 - 8/2/2014:

 

Alright, so I'm back. It's almost been a month, sorry about that, the past two weeks I've been visiting Linus in Vancouver (Not actually visiting Linus unfortunately). But I did manage to finish the thing before I left so I got a lot of stuff to show, but before that here's a pretty picture of the Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park.

 

 

The first thing I did was remake the back plate out of aluminium, I just did this with a Dremel and a drill press. It was a lot easier to do than the acrylic one and looks so much better.

 

 

 

Painted up and installed.

 

 

I also got the picoPSU Installed and did some cable management.

 

 

So I guess that's it for this one, I don't want to post the final glamour shot post until I can make proper word string thingys 'cause apparently that's really difficult for me tonight. So expect the final update sometime tomorrow or Monday, but to make up for the short post I guess I'll show off the Rainmeter skin I made to make this thing have a more fluid HTPC experience.

 

 

It's based off of various elements from Super Smash Bros menus as you can see below...

 

 

 

...And features a functioning clock, volume control, power switch, storage used read out, and shortcuts for Chrome, Hyperspin (the emulator front end), Steam (big picture), Youtube (Windows 8 app), Music (Google Play Music), and Netflix (also the Windows 8 app). I'm pretty happy with it considering it's my first completely from scratch skin.