2x 5.25" Bays - Any fun ideas to slot into there?

[ZoxinTV]

I have two unused 5.25" bays (disc drive slots) in my case, and though I could just leave them as they are, I feel like it'd be really cool to find something fun to do with the case.

 

I've seen some fan controllers, drawer units, PC status displays for temps, SSD mounting bays, and just some basic USB 3.1 hubs, but the selection is pretty slim despite what I listed.

 

Anyone else have some cool things they've bought or modded in? I feel like a small LCD screen that could be given some looping gifs/videos could be a fun thing, but I'm not too sure about how feasible that'd be. Would be something akin to some AIO coolers having a screen built in for gifs.

[IAmNik]

Touchscreen fan controller! Lol

[Middcore]

Most of the cool 5.25" bay accessories still date back to the era when it was commonplace for cases to have multiple 5.25" drive bays, and that means that most of them are pretty much obsolete now. The drawers are honestly the most practically useful.

 

The screen is a cool idea, but I don't know of anybody who makes one you can buy "off the shelf." Would probably have to get something like a BeadaPanel and then maybe 3D print a housing for it that goes in the drive bays. 

[WhitetailAni]

If you make a bracket designed to fit in the two bays then get a tiny HDMI screen and hook it up it could work. The specifications for a 5.25" front bay are easily accessible online.

[ZoxinTV]

24 minutes ago, Middcore said:

Most of the cool 5.25" bay accessories still date back to the era when it was commonplace for cases to have multiple 5.25" drive bays, and that means that most of them are pretty much obsolete now. The drawers are honestly the most practically useful.

 

The screen is a cool idea, but I don't know of anybody who makes one you can buy "off the shelf." Would probably have to get something like a BeadaPanel and then maybe 3D print a housing for it that goes in the drive bays. 

Yeah, the screen idea is definitely one that'd take a bit more time and effort, but if done right it could maybe be a great little addition...  Oh boy, now I'm getting ideas akin to those TV fridges. Just straight-up make the sole display for the case be a 6-7 inch display in the front bays. lol

[ZoxinTV]

27 minutes ago, FakeKGB said:

If you make a bracket designed to fit in the two bays then get a tiny HDMI screen and hook it up it could work. The specifications for a 5.25" front bay are easily accessible online.

I suppose something that just acts as a small external display (external and internal at the same time, I guess) could work pretty well, yeah. Could just extend wallpaper engine to that display, or even just hook up a raspberry pi or equivalent small system to loop things on it.