EVOLV ITX "HAL 9000" Mod

[Steve N. Mavronis]

"EVOLV ITX 9000" PC Mod - I'm planning a coming build this Summer using the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ITX chassis. I'm a big 2001 fan so thought this might be a cool cosmetic mod to dress up the front panel. The case in black looks rather "Monolithic." For now I'm planning on scratch-building this with a magnetic backing since the front plastic panel is covered in steel. That way it doesn't involve any cutting and is removable. But if I did cut out the front panel then the HAL 9000 computer eye effect could be lit red while the PC is powered on. This is a quick graphic mash-up. What do you think?

[Unlikelyjoker]

Followed

Hope it goes well

[Costa]

Cool idea dude ! Double bonus points if you get the eye to follow you around the room and say something creepy when you try to turn off your PC.

 

HAL + 111 = IBM  0.o

[KronosOne]

This is going to be sweet.  I just build in the Evolv ITX and have nothing bad to say about it.

 

As a PSA, if you are thinking about going the AIO route, the H110I GT from Corsair requires some modding to the rails that hold the removable rad mount to the top of the system.  I had to cut them down by ~3/4 of an inche on either side.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Thanks glad you guys like the concept. I need to develop the idea more to do some cool stuff.

 

There is a Jerry Neutron YouTube EVOLVE ITX review comment answer hints only a reference cooler would be best for this case? I was planning on an aftermarket cooler design like the ASUS GTX 980 Ti Strix DirectCU III or EVGA GTX 980 TI Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ cards with triple and dual fans. I'd use an overclocked reference GPU but they don't have 980 Ti backplates for those. There is only space for 2 card slots in the EVOLV ITX. If I was a metal chop shop fool I'd 'stretch' the case vertically one or two more slot positions for more breating room and/or to accept a 3-slot GPU..

 

 

As far as cooling no liquid is for me.

[X_Rated_Box]

"As far as cooling no liquid is for me. :P"

R u sure ...no custom loop that is mostly located outside?

[Steve N. Mavronis]

[KronosOne]

I have a Asus 980 Strix in mine with plenty of room to spare.  The bracket does fit a bit tight with the cables, but there is ample room.

[neebuilda]

looks great. i always love to have something about a case which makes it stand out from the crowd and makes it yours rather than just another r5/h440

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Thanks. I think I'll take a magnetic stick on "scale model" of the HAL 9000 faceplate at first so see how it looks for real, as a prototype of sorts. Then if it really stands out and doesn't look gaudy I'll try a version with a real lens that can serve as the computer's disk activity(?) or power light. I wonder of Phanteks would sell a replacement front panel if I screw it up?

 

I don't know if I should go mod crazy and add more 2001 themed elements - like maybe inside the case mounted to the back wall (to the right of the motherboard between the grommets) a small working LCD screen playing some of the random system displays like in the movie (animated GIF example below) or even real-time PC analytics? 

 

[spwath]

Thanks. I think I'll take a magnetic stick on "scale model" of the HAL 9000 faceplate at first so see how it looks for real, as a prototype of sorts. Then if it really stands out and doesn't look gaudy I'll try a version with a real lens that can serve as the computer's disk activity(?) or power light. I don't know if I should go mod crazy and add more 2001 themed elements - like maybe inside the case mounted to the back wall (to the right of the motherboard between the grommets) a small working LCD screen playing random system displays like in the movie, or even real-time PC analytics?

Yeah do a real lens

[KronosOne]

Maybe find a way to incorporate the "data modules" into the build?

 

 

Looking at my case, something like this could fit on either the GPU bracket or the cutout for showing of the PSU.

 

Also having the dull red glow could give it that "HAL" feel.

 

EDIT:  ...Now I totally want to steal your idea, would be such a sweet look...

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Go for it. HAL 9000 lives!

 

Those data modules could be SSD's.

 

Where can you get mini LCD displays like would be in a pimped out car or something?

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Here's a good modeling reference at the Replica Props Forum for making a 1:1 scale HAL 9000 panel. For this EVOLV ITX project it will have to be scaled down since actual size is around 13.75" tall. But at least there are good scale plans and build techniques here to use as a guide.The tricky part will be finding a smaller fisheye lens the appropriate diameter.

 

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=119324

[GoldSrc]

That looks sweet, but you should be careful, it may refuse to launch your software .

[KronosOne]

There is also a pretty good guide from Adafruit with information how to mod in an Arduino board for sound effects.  It's no where near perfectly accurate, but using a button instead of the fisheye lens would make for a pretty sweet power button if you can't find something that would be in scale with the size you want.

 

https://learn.adafruit.com/downloads/pdf/hal-9000-replica.pdf

 

I wonder if getting the right sized panel might be a job for a 3D printer?  Would make life pretty easy, just scale up or down the model to fit the right size.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Yeah I saw that 100mm massive arcade game button project. There is also a 'smaller' 60mm large arcade game button just about the right size for a usable scale I'd need.

 

Large Arcade Button with LED - 60mm Red - $5.95

 

• 12mm / .5" height when pressed
• 15.2mm / .6" height when not pressed
• 52.5mm / 2.1" long stem with switch installed

One problem with that is the switch sticks out behind pretty far. (Also a real camera fisheye lens does the same thing behind.) That's bad because the intake fan and dust filter is right behind the removable front panel do not allow much space to work with.

 

But - maybe I could use the 'lens' and frame with the neck cut off and lit from behind (if it still looks the same) as a simple fixed power indicator light with no switch function.

 

Then there's this $8 dome style 60mm arcade LED button that would look similar in shape to the original fisheye lens profile:

 

http://www.arcadespareparts.com/arcade_parts/push_buttons/arcade_button_dome_illuminated_push_button_red/12127.html

 

I'll figure out something to use that looks the most accurate.

[elfensky]

Why not put an arduino or software behind the HAL-eye and put Google Now or something like VoiceAttack on it?

[Steve N. Mavronis]

Just hope I stick with this case (or the bigger micro-ATX aluminum Evolv) by the time I purchase something to start my build or all these ideas will be lost!

[KronosOne]

I would not worry about all being lost, I've been tinkering around with ideas on how to implement some of them into my case.  I need to tear it down and redo the cable management at some point (it's not up to my personal standards and bugs me).

[Steve N. Mavronis]

So you have the Evolv ITX? How is that PCI slot clearance for the GPU fan intakes next to the perforated shroud underneath?

[KronosOne]

I do yes, I have had no issues so far with the perforated PSU shroud + GTX 980 Strix.  The 200mm intake fan blows it's lower ~40% into the lower chamber to cool the HDDs and provide enough air for the GPU.  It stays steady at ~70* celcius when under load / gaming W3 maxed out.  I have not tried OCing with it, as I don't see much of a need.

 

I was required to do some cutting of the rad bracket to be able to fit a H110I GT, but temps are awesome with my 4790K OCed to 4.53ghz stable and temps in low 50's under load..

[Costa]

You could save some space behind the front panel by making the HAL eye a capacitive touch button. Or a pressure sensor might work too: http://www.adafruit.com/products/166

[FIDEL]

Yep! I brought back this old thread just to say: Hey Steve! Where's the final product? You got me all excited with the HAL 9000 mod.
I planned on doing one some years ago but didn't come around it. 

Hope HAL didn't leave you out of the pod.

[Steve N. Mavronis]

12 hours ago, FIDEL said:

Yep! I brought back this old thread just to say: Hey Steve! Where's the final product? You got me all excited with the HAL 9000 mod.
I planned on doing one some years ago but didn't come around it. 

Hope HAL didn't leave you out of the pod.

I finally built my system in March 2016. You can see more pictures and description in my PCPartPicker link, see my sig below. Please give me an 'up arrow' and comment there.

 

I didn't build a HAL 9000 mockup for the front yet, but I did get a cool fridge magnet that gives a similar impression just as a placeholder for now, LOL.

 

 

This photo has not been uploaded to my PCPartPicker page. I thought it looked kind of corny without a real 3D model of HAL 9000 instead so I took it off.