Digital gate to the fantasy world - Arduino LED and PC control!

[WildCAt]

Digital gate to the fantasy world - casual, but ambitious.

 

Hi all! ^^
 
Finally, there is my build log. 
I have been saving money and choosing components for a very long time and, finally, here it is! ^^
 

Feel free to comment, suggest or ask anything! ^^

See latest comments for more actual info!
Build purposes:
 
I am interested literally in everything: playing games, making music, video and audio montage and mixing, photo editing, drawing and animating things, making games, programming and something else, that will come to my mind. Until this build my main system was a laptop with i5-3210m, 6GB RAM, 640m. Soo it was really uncomfortable or even impossible to do some things. Because of all listed interests I need pretty fast and universal PC which I will be able to upgrade later, because I will stick to this PC for a very long time.
There were no size or silence restrictions for me. I am focused on maximum performance and quality. And also I do care about aesthetics, so I think I will be into modding, but not now, later.
 
Specs:

 

MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER Z170

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 
GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390 (@1200 MHz)

CS: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO 

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 2x4GB 2666MHz CL16
HDD: Seagate ST1000VX000 1TB

PSU: SilverStone Strider Series ST60F-PB 

Monitor: BenQ GW2270 

Case: NZXT Phantom 240 Black

 

BTW, temps on GPU: 43C on idle with 30% fans (completely silent). 70C on full load. CPU: 28-35C idle, 55C under stress test. 

 

Old, but more detailed description in spoiler.

Spoiler

Now, there are the specs and they might seem unbalanced a little, but I'll explain my choices below.
 

 

MOBO: ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER Z170 [received]

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 [received]
GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390 [received]

CS: Cooler Master cooler Hyper T4  [out of stock & became expensive] Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO  [received]

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 2x4 GB [will buy] Crucial DDR4 2 x 4GB 2133 MHz  received]
HDD: WD Blue 1TB [out of stock]  Seagate ST1000VX000 1TB  [received]

PSU: Seasonic S12II-620 [out of stock] SilverStone Strider Series ST60F-PB [received]

Monitor: BenQ GW2270 [received] (it became more expensive, but still OK)

Case: Still unsure...  NZXT Phantom 240 Black [received]

 
I'm not ordering all parts yet, only the most "unstable", because I want to pass all my exams in university first. Otherwise, if I have all components right now, I'll fail everything
Seriously, It's a problem to buy a MSI R9 390 and i5-6500 because they're always being sold out in several days
So actual build will start January 18.
 
Now I'll explain some things. Ranger - because of quality, z170, future-proof and aesthetics. I know, it's better i7 for montage and editing, but I'll have 6500 because of budget and because I can OC it anyway.Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO because of lack of choice and budget.  BenQ GW2270 - bacause it's cheap, FHD and VA. I am still unsure about the case because the cases I like are out of stock or are waaay too expensive. + I want windowed case. And maybe I'll paint it later) Finally decided. A bit too expensive for my budget but it is the case that I liked. Seagate, not WD Blue, because I heard that it is like shop has imported defective HDDs and they're very loud and don't live long ._. Silverstone, because Seasonic out of stock. Cheap RAM, because of budget.

Why it is "Digital gate to the fantasy world"? Because I really like fantasy thematic (Witcher, LOTR) and because I can do pretty much everything using this PC. I can create anything that will came up to my mind. 

Future plans:

 

- Paint/mod the case (decals or sth).

- MAKE usb controllable LED lights and put them on backside of monitor(maybe), in PC case, make them pulse to music, sth like Philips ambilight. (Based on Arduino. Waiting for parts. First project.)

- Some upgrades (SSD, more HDD, fan controller, peripherals, 2nd monitor. (no big upgrades yet.))

- More hardware/peripheral modding.

- 5.25 Front bay fan controller + PC control + screen. (Based on Arduino. Waiting for parts. Second project.)

See latest comments for more info.

 

Photos (lots of heavy photos(!)):

Spoiler

During build:

 

 

 

 

 

Completed:

 

 

 

 

 

[Venomz1337]

The yellow hurrtss my eyeesss

[refinedskillz]

You might want an SSD.

Also, how would you make the lights pulse to music?

[Venomz1337]

You might want an SSD.

Also, how would you make the lights pulse to music?

 

Use software that reads sound waves and transmits that to different voltages which would adjust the LED's? Crazy shit I know but possible.

[refinedskillz]

Use software that reads sound waves and transmits that to different voltages which would adjust the LED's? Crazy shit I know but possible.

I WANT

[WildCAt]

The yellow hurrtss my eyeesss

Sorry, now it's orange ^^""

[WildCAt]

You might want an SSD.

Also, how would you make the lights pulse to music?

I'll have an SSD, but later)

Use software that reads sound waves and transmits that to different voltages which would adjust the LED's? Crazy shit I know but possible.

Yep. It's not a problem at all to control colors for RGB LED strips via USB. But I also want pulse it to music. Some kind of challenge for me

[ManWithBeard1990]

I'll have an SSD, but later)

Yep. It's not a problem at all to control colors for RGB LED strips via USB. But I also want pulse it to music. Some kind of challenge for me

I think the NZXT Hue can do that.

[stconquest]

Does ASUS support overclocking on the 6500 yet?  I know Asrock and MSI do... checking.

 

..seems they might:  Maximus Ranger VIII - http://forum.hwbot.org/showthread.php?t=150764&page=2

[WildCAt]

Does ASUS support overclocking on the 6500 yet?  I know Asrock and MSI do... checking.

 

..seems they might:  Maximus Ranger VIII - http://forum.hwbot.org/showthread.php?t=150764&page=2

http://overclocking.guide/intel-skylake-non-k-overclocking-bios-list/

BIOS list for all MOBOs that support non k overclock. Ranger is included too, so it should work ;D 

[WildCAt]

I think the NZXT Hue can do that.

Mhmm.. Thanks for suggesting it! ^^

If I'll be too lazy, I'll buy it. But I want more functions like software control.

I know there is Hue+, but it is too overpriced imo. 

[ManWithBeard1990]

Mhmm.. Thanks for suggesting it! ^^

If I'll be too lazy, I'll buy it. But I want more functions like software control.

I know there is Hue+, but it is too overpriced imo. 

It's possible I meant the Hue+. I didn't know there were multiple models.

[WildCAt]

Little upd ^^

I'll do some photos of hardware later, when I'll get everything.

[matjojo]

followed.

[WildCAt]

UPD

Crazy stuff is going on with the prices and availability ._.

I need to wait until the processor will be in stock, and then I'll buy everything else.. If there will be sth else out of stock I'll just buy an alternative.

But seriously, WHY item that is WORSE than another started to cost MORE?  :huh: :mellow:

[WildCAt]

UPD

Everything went wrong ._.

Idk why, but all parts became more expensive AND out of stock. And it is not even written, when they will be available again, so I decided to order similar parts.

I'm over budget now, but at least I've finally ordered everything ^^""

But prices are crazy. They're changing every day, so I had no other choice than think quickly and buy what I see, because if i wait any longer prices could go up more ._.

[WildCAt]

Everything has arrived and the PC is built! ;D

I'll upload photos later. My cameras battery was completely discharged, so not much photos from building stage :\ 

But I'll make some high quality photos later and upload them there

BTW, haven't seen black NZXT phantom 240 anywhere on the Internet, so I'll post some "unique" content

[WildCAt]

UPD:

Pictures!

[WildCAt]

Geeky gift from my girlfriend on Valentine's day ^^

Spoiler

 

[WildCAt]

Here goes an update!

I've ordered and installed some LEDs (actually several months ago)

For now it's just regular LED strip, controlled via RC remote, nothing special

Photos in spoiler below

 

Spoiler

Also, I've sold my Crucial DDR4 2 x 4GB 2133 MHz (OC to 2400 on stock voltage and timings, 2600+ on 1.35 and -1 (or -2, can't remember now...) on all timings - impressive!!!)

And bought myself Crucial Ballistix Tactical 2x4GB 2666MHz CL16.

It's not an upgrade, more like a swap  it just was a good deal for me)

[WildCAt]

I've recently ordered 2 Arduino nano clones on ebay for sth like 2$ each or less.

And this is the beginning of a new project

I will code one to control LEDs from PC, will do something like Philips ambilight and make it react to music.

Second one is in case I will burn the first one

But if it will survive, I am planning to use another Arduino for making 5.25 PC controller. With touchscreen maybe. Like Fan control, temperature sensor, sending commands to PC, key combinations, viewing PC info and stats on that screen, maybe some dumb stuff like turn on the PC with my voice and so on

Currently i'm thinking on PCB design. I'm not that smart in circuits, so I need to do some google'ing)

 

I will start a new topic when I will receive all stuff and make progress. With pictures, source code and detailed instructions.

 

 

[aom]

15 hours ago, WildCAt said:

I've recently ordered 2 Arduino nano clones on ebay for sth like 2$ each or less.

And this is the beginning of a new project

I will code one to control LEDs from PC, will do something like Philips ambilight and make it react to music.

Second one is in case I will burn the first one

But if it will survive, I am planning to use another Arduino for making 5.25 PC controller. With touchscreen maybe. Like Fan control, temperature sensor, sending commands to PC, key combinations, viewing PC info and stats on that screen, maybe some dumb stuff like turn on the PC with my voice and so on

Currently i'm thinking on PCB design. I'm not that smart in circuits, so I need to do some google'ing)

 

I will start a new topic when I will receive all stuff and make progress. With pictures, source code and detailed instructions.

 

 

Just be warned, you are going to have to make a custom program to send and receive the serial info to be able to "sense" music, temps, key combinations, etc. I recommend something like Visual Basic or something easy to make a GUI to do so.

 

Also I recommend getting temps from the existing sensors in the components rather than an external one connected to the arduino. Make sure to use a mosfet for the led control, the arduino is only 5v, and most case leds are 12V.

 

I am currently doing something similar to your project with fan control, led control, etc via a touchscreen mounted to the front of the case. PWM fan control is so easy with an arduino, so you shouldn't have any problems with that.

 

Good Luck

[WildCAt]

9 hours ago, Brinith said:

Just be warned, you are going to have to make a custom program to send and receive the serial info to be able to "sense" music, temps, key combinations, etc. I recommend something like Visual Basic or something easy to make a GUI to do so.

 

Also I recommend getting temps from the existing sensors in the components rather than an external one connected to the arduino. Make sure to use a mosfet for the led control, the arduino is only 5v, and most case leds are 12V.

 

I am currently doing something similar to your project with fan control, led control, etc via a touchscreen mounted to the front of the case. PWM fan control is so easy with an arduino, so you shouldn't have any problems with that.

 

Good Luck

Thanks a lot for suggestions and info!! ^^

[srmarkovic]

Well I made custom PCB with Atmega 328 (my design for RGB but compatible with Arduino). I made Arduino sketch and Delphi program so I have full control of RGB. I used 328 eeprom so I can define lightning during post and boot.

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/615589-dual-xeons-worth-or-not/

I posted code and pcb at

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/613811-project-evolv-rgb/?page=2