SENTRY: Console-sized gaming PC case project

[Octagoncow]

That card should work no problem in this case. If the case is vertical, the cpu temp shouldn't really be effected at all. The main reason to use a blower style cooler would be if you plan on having the case be horizontal. 

 

Edit: I screwed up some words. 

Edited October 9, 2016 by Octagoncow
I'm an idiot

[Jotunn]

2 hours ago, Octagoncow said:

That card should work no problem in this case. If the case is horizontal, the cpu temp shouldn't really be effected at all. The main reason to use a blower style cooler would be if you plan on having the case be horizontal. 

Perfect. This will make for one hell of a Christmas gift. I may even buy a few more. I have several builds that could make great use of this case.

[YourWaifuIsShit]

On 10/8/2016 at 9:40 PM, Jotunn said:

Perfect. This will make for one hell of a Christmas gift. I may even buy a few more. I have several builds that could make great use of this case.

Don't get your hopes up, expecting too much might result in no Christmas present. Although I really hope that we can get it before Christmas as well.

 

It is too soon to ask for a small update?

[Beeeyeee]

1 hour ago, YourWaifuIsShit said:

Don't get your hopes up, expecting too much might result in no Christmas present. Although I really hope that we can get it before Christmas as well.

 

It is too soon to ask for a small update?

we expected it before Christmas last year:P but things got delayed. with the revisions that are being made and the manufacturing quantities etc. I wouldn't expect it until around march next year. as much as I want it to be before christmas

[Jotunn]

9 hours ago, Beeeyeee said:

we expected it before Christmas last year:P but things got delayed. with the revisions that are being made and the manufacturing quantities etc. I wouldn't expect it until around march next year. as much as I want it to be before christmas

A gaming rig fit to be taken to college in another state will be a fine gift at any time of the year I think.

[ZombiPL]

On 7.10.2016 at 2:23 PM, YourWaifuIsShit said:

A weird question: How much did shipping cost when you guys sent the prototype to Linus?

 

Of course. It is no secret  

 

We ordered express courier delivery (4 days from Poland do Canada + customs check) for a 9 kg package with 2 Sentrys (60 cm x 40 cm x 25 cm ). We paid 404,00 PLN, which according to our current exchange rate is $102,84 USD. It was ultra-expensive and probably we won't be using this type of shipment during indiegogo campaign (we will pick something a lot cheaper). We are checking different offers from transport companies in our country. Maybe we will have to sign separate contract with one of them, to get better prices. We will see.

 

On 11.10.2016 at 4:41 PM, YourWaifuIsShit said:

Don't get your hopes up, expecting too much might result in no Christmas present. Although I really hope that we can get it before Christmas as well.

 

It is too soon to ask for a small update?

 

OUR NEXT MOVES

1. Final improvements of SENTRY (according to our external reviewers suggestions)

 

We improved design of stand (new mounting), we changed tolerances in some places, we shortened a main hdd holder and also we decided we will go with screws with more magnetic content (We will use galvanized or blackened screws instead those made with stainless steel).

2. Waiting for our two more external benchmarks, to get better view if we made everything right

 

We sent both SENTRYs to our external reviewers, and we still didn't get information about the results of benchmarks. We're waiting.

3. Finishing design of rubber-pads serial cutter for SENTRY vertical stand

 

I've designed a special cutting machine for rubber-pads for the stand, but its efficiency was too low for us. Now we redesigned the main idea of the cutter to make it more effective for serial production. I sent an order for the parts for our new serial-cutter, and i am waiting for the parts. Many of you don't know that, but cutting the rubber straight is a very complex process, and it takes time to design the proper machine for the different shapes and types of rubber-line. In our situation, we have a very flexible rubber, so now we will be testing our new faster cutting process including such operations like pre-cutting or freezing the rubber. If someone will ask, why we are doing such crazy things, then the answer is simple: to keep the final price of sentry at a level we showed before. If there are places where we can make something cheaper, then we are doing it. No-one said it will be simple... right?

4. Signing a contract for a bigger batch with our metal-parts manufacturer

 

We still didn't get the information about the time which our metal-parts manufacturer will need to make 100,200,500 or 1000 pcs. At this moment we can't estimate how many people will order Sentry, so we have to assume many different scenarios. I'm calling to the factory almost everyday, to get some news, but i still couldn't get the answer which will satisfy me. Maybe this week i will know something more.

 

5. Getting better prices of SENTRY components from our suppliers

 

When we made our calculations and we were asking about the prices, almost every from our suppliers gave us +100pcs offers. Now after some conversations, we know, we will have to get the 500-1000+ order to get better prices per pcs, but (as i wrote before in the price calculation) this won't change the Sentry price, because this is the place where we will try to get that 5% personal profit. So from customer's point of view, this only takes some time in the whole process, but nothing more. We will have to talk with some more of our suppliers, but we are doing it simultaneously with other moves, so it isn't slowing us down so much in this point.

6. Preparing a promotional intro-video for indiegogo campaign

 

Last weekend we've made first initial video-shooting of sentry, but we weren't happy with the result. Now we ordered some additional lamps, stands, video-backgrounds, diffuser, softboxes and other stuff, to make the good-quality promotional video which will satisfy us. Next weekend we will make another video-shooting for the campaign purposes. 

7. Preparing an indiegogo campaign

 

Like you can read in point 6, we are fighting.

8. Start of indiegogo campaign

 

When we will have our promotional video and we will get the information from our metal-parts manufacturer about estimated time of production of different sizes batches, then we will start our campaign. At this moment we ordered 5 more prototypes of Sentry, to check the repeatability of improvements we've made. It also is a factor which can change the time of start of the indiegogo campaign. Keep fingers crossed

 

The answers about the progress of other "points" can be given during or at the end of crowdfunding campaign.

9. Finish of indiegogo campaign
10. Renting facilities and hiring staff for assembling purposes
11. Ordering metal parts and SENTRY components
12. Production/assembling
13. Sending SENTRY to the indiegogo backers

 

 

I hope those answers satisfied you (at least for now). We're doing our best so you could get your Sentrys before Xmas. 

[Mi26]

Seems like hardware canucks manage to get a sentry case 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157493474400251&substory_index=0&id=309223735250

[knfa.28]

@ZombiPL just curious, will there be an option to choose the LED color of the power buttons? If not, what type of switches are they just in case someone would like to replace it

[comicsansms]

https://www.vessel.com/videos/Sfct1eVhC

 

[SaperPL]

1 hour ago, knfa.28 said:

@ZombiPL just curious, will there be an option to choose the LED color of the power buttons? If not, what type of switches are they just in case someone would like to replace it

We most likely won't be able to go with different LED colours, however you can get this kind of switches pretty easily, they are 16mm anti-vandal momentary non-blocking switches and we won't be fastening them with glue since fastening its nut with rubber pad does it's job well.

You can pretty much get them everywhere, however the ones with black body are less common since those are plastic ones supposedly to be water resistant.

[ej24]

16 hours ago, SaperPL said:

We most likely won't be able to go with different LED colours, however you can get this kind of switches pretty easily, they are 16mm anti-vandal momentary non-blocking switches and we won't be fastening them with glue since fastening its nut with rubber pad does it's job well.

You can pretty much get them everywhere, however the ones with black body are less common since those are plastic ones supposedly to be water resistant.

Glad to know they're easily replaced with switches of our own choosing. Does anyone know if it's easy to find vandal switches that have both power and hdd LED's like in Lian Li cases? I love their blue/red, pink flickering. 

[darksable]

14 hours ago, ej24 said:

Glad to know they're easily replaced with switches of our own choosing. Does anyone know if it's easy to find vandal switches that have both power and hdd LED's like in Lian Li cases? I love their blue/red, pink flickering. 

 

Of course it is!

 

All you need is a friend with a nice shiny Lian Li case...

[SaperPL]

 

[forScience]

I feel that most people will not be using the 3 antenna holes in the back where the i/o is. I think that if not used, it looks out of place with 3 wide holes. Also is this available to buy in the USA?

[SaperPL]

4 minutes ago, forScience said:

I feel that most people will not be using the 3 antenna holes in the back where the i/o is. I think that if not used, it looks out of place with 3 wide holes. Also is this available to buy in the USA?

Good point, however there's simply no better place for it except the spot where is our unit id plate and even if we moved it there you would still need to route the wires there somehow in a way they won't melt a bit at the back of the gpu or won't go into gpu's fan.

 

The thing is, if you've got a motherboard with wifi slot then your backplate will most likely have holes for the antennas. The point of using our holes is if your antenna is a long angled one, then both of your antennas can go straight up (using one hole in motherboard io and one in our case) not obstructing each other while bent/angled.

 

There are also some boards that have slot for wlan but don't have the holes for antennas.

 

Finally you can have a board with two holes and want to install a newer adapter with 3 antennas.

 

As for the availability it's definitely going to be USA, Canada and EU - those are probably going to be our biggest markets, others may depend on legal requirements and shipping availability.

[forScience]

27 minutes ago, SaperPL said:

Good point, however there's simply no better place for it except the spot where is our unit id plate and even if we moved it there you would still need to route the wires there somehow in a way they won't melt a bit at the back of the gpu or won't go into gpu's fan.

 

The thing is, if you've got a motherboard with wifi slot then your backplate will most likely have holes for the antennas. The point of using our holes is if your antenna is a long angled one, then both of your antennas can go straight up (using one hole in motherboard io and one in our case) not obstructing each other while bent/angled.

 

There are also some boards that have slot for wlan but don't have the holes for antennas.

 

Finally you can have a board with two holes and want to install a newer adapter with 3 antennas.

 

As for the availability it's definitely going to be USA, Canada and EU - those are probably going to be our biggest markets, others may depend on legal requirements and shipping availability.

Would removing the antenna holes ever be an option?

[SaperPL]

There were people asking for those early on in the development, and I don't think there's a reason to remove them unless there's a really good reason for that - do you have one? Because aesthetics of the back aren't going to be a priority over improved functionality.

[SaperPL]

Just for the record - we've just shipped the laptop bag that we've stumbled upon recently and it's a perfect fit for the Sentry, but that doesn't mean we're going to add this as an option.

 

It looks like this when packed:

 

This bag costs around $10 including shipment in Poland...

 

Additionally here's how the tool-less vertical stand locking system works:

[darksable]

I'll just throw out there...

 

With modern I/O shields, the ones backed with plastic-covered foam, the nuts on wifi antennas tend to loosen rather rapidly. I have to open up my case and work a pair of pliers in there every few weeks in order to re-tighten wifi antennas that are drooping.

 

Now, I do have aftermarket antennas that are heavier than normal, but I still think that clamping onto the steel case is going to give a much firmer connection than a loose plastic pad. (And if not, it's a less-destructive surface to hot glue the bolt to.) 

[Mi26]

 

 

[forScience]

are the mothboard standoff mount screws that are attached to the frame removable/replaceable? I'm asking because I have stripped the holes before on those mounts and it would be nice to be able to replace them just in case.

[Beeeyeee]

@SaperPL  @ZombiPL is there a possibility we will see "special edition" paint jobs? that would be sick. maybe even some kind of a signed limited edition? just because its cool that this isn't made by a big company. you know?

[ZombiPL]

6 hours ago, Beeeyeee said:

@SaperPL  @ZombiPL is there a possibility we will see "special edition" paint jobs? that would be sick. maybe even some kind of a signed limited edition? just because its cool that this isn't made by a big company. you know?

We will think about it. At this moment this case is quite expensive in production, so making it in limited edition would also make it more expensive, and we don't want that. It would probably increase the whole price, so even with our small profit which we set at the level of only 10%, most people couldn't afford that and also couldn't understand how it can be so expensive. Probably if we could get bigger order than several thousands units, then it would be cheaper and less problematic. If we find a paint shop with automatic powder spraying machines, which could paint our case in the similar price to which we've got already, then we might make something like that. 

[ej24]

On 11/4/2016 at 1:44 AM, ZombiPL said:

We will think about it. At this moment this case is quite expensive in production, so making it in limited edition would also make it more expensive, and we don't want that. It would probably increase the whole price, so even with our small profit which we set at the level of only 10%, most people couldn't afford that and also couldn't understand how it can be so expensive. Probably if we could get bigger order than several thousands units, then it would be cheaper and less problematic. If we find a paint shop with automatic powder spraying machines, which could paint our case in the similar price to which we've got already, then we might make something like that. 

Even the guy from NFC s4 mini had to stop doing custom powder coats. He said it ate away all of his profits. I'd like to see other finishes myself, but I'm happy with black for now. You two should be rewarded with a proper share of the profit after all this work. 

[Midnightblaze]

Hardware Canucks said that the case wont be available for another 6 months at least. 

 

is this accurate?