Motherboard Cutting: Cutting off I/O connectors and the board corner

[Nifty255]

Hello all!

 

I'm looking to make a custom HTPC using a console case, but an infection in the case requires me to cut off (looking from the back) the left-most I/O connectors (typically the PS/2 and 2 USB) at a minimum and, if possible, that corner piece of the actual board. I'll be using an mITX board. Does anyone know how safe it is to do either of these things? Do mobo manufacturers tend to place extra circuitry in this small corner of the board, or no?

 

Thanks,

 

Nifty255

[Skiiwee29]

1 minute ago, Nifty255 said:

Hello all!

 

I'm looking to make a custom HTPC using a console case, but an infection in the case requires me to cut off (looking from the back) the left-most I/O connectors (typically the PS/2 and 2 USB) at a minimum and, if possible, that corner piece of the actual board. I'll be using an mITX board. Does anyone know how safe it is to do either of these things? Do mobo manufacturers tend to place extra circuitry in this small corner of the board, or no?

 

Thanks,

 

Nifty255

Short answer, NO... get yourself a small ff case if you want a small, console sized HTPC.

[Nifty255]

I appreciate your reply, but seeing as I'm dead set on this particular case, I cannot settle for the short answer or any alternatives. I need to know if I can cut into the board or if I'll have to cut into the case.

[SnipeYa]

I would suggest cutting the case before even thinking of cutting the board. But as long as there isn't any logic on that part of the board only various headers, You could cut it. Though don't be surprised if you kill a board or two trying to do that.

[You_are_a_cunt]

Considering all motherboards are multi-layered, the final answer is HELL NO

[liquidmagma]

44 minutes ago, Nifty255 said:

Hello all!

 

I'm looking to make a custom HTPC using a console case, but an infection in the case requires me to cut off (looking from the back) the left-most I/O connectors (typically the PS/2 and 2 USB) at a minimum and, if possible, that corner piece of the actual board. I'll be using an mITX board. Does anyone know how safe it is to do either of these things? Do mobo manufacturers tend to place extra circuitry in this small corner of the board, or no?

 

Thanks,

 

Nifty255

desolder the io ports that you dont need. it doesnt break it. but dont cut the pcb itself!

[liquidmagma]

1 minute ago, liquidmagma said:

desolder the io ports that you dont need. it doesnt break it. but dont cut the pcb itself!

or if you can then cut the case. then do it. but you can safely get rid of ps2 ports because almost nothing uses these.

[liquidmagma]

Just now, liquidmagma said:

or if you can then cut the case. then do it. but you can safely get rid of ps2 ports because almost nothing uses these.

and if you have more usb ports then you can get rid of some usb ports as well

[TheRandomness]

Look for the traces on the mobo. If there are any that go to a surface mount component or anything but those two PS/2 ports do not cut the motherboard itself. 

[Nifty255]

I can indeed cut the case, but I'd very much like not to because to do so would cause the pcb to jut out of its little, causing tacky aesthetics. I'm sure I could get away with desoldering the ports, but I believe I'll try an email to the different manufacturers and ask them.

[TheRandomness]

1 minute ago, Nifty255 said:

I can indeed cut the case, but I'd very much like not to because to do so would cause the pcb to jut out of its little, causing tacky aesthetics. I'm sure I could get away with desoldering the ports, but I believe I'll try an email to the different manufacturers and ask them.

What case is it? Also:

 

3 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Look for the traces on the mobo. If there are any that go to a surface mount component or anything but those two PS/2 ports do not cut the motherboard itself. 

 

[Jonathan Lemmens]

1 hour ago, Nifty255 said:

Hello all!

 

I'm looking to make a custom HTPC using a console case, but an infection in the case requires me to cut off (looking from the back) the left-most I/O connectors (typically the PS/2 and 2 USB) at a minimum and, if possible, that corner piece of the actual board. I'll be using an mITX board. Does anyone know how safe it is to do either of these things? Do mobo manufacturers tend to place extra circuitry in this small corner of the board, or no?

 

Thanks,

 

Nifty255

Cutting off just the PS/2 and USB connectors will be fine. I ripped the audio ports off an old ITX mobo and it still runs happily in my NAS. Desoldering is a better option though. 

 

Cutting off a piece of the PCB is a very bad idea. You MIGHT get away with filing a few mm off the edges if you really need it, but this is risky business. 

[Nifty255]

1 hour ago, TheRandomness said:

What case is it? Also:

 

 

It's an original NES case. If you recall, the NES had an indented area on the back side towards the right for the power and video. mITX just barely hits this area by ~14mm x 4mm, which is why I wanted to cut.

[NumLock21]

Why don't u cut it and tell us how it goes. My car can't fit into my garage cause the trunk is always sticking out. So I ask my buddies how I should go about this? They say park out outside or extend your garage. I decided to do it my way by sawing off my trunk. Now I can park into my garage. Yay!!!

 

[Jonathan Lemmens]

3 hours ago, Nifty255 said:

It's an original NES case. If you recall, the NES had an indented area on the back side towards the right for the power and video. mITX just barely hits this area by ~14mm x 4mm, which is why I wanted to cut.

If the "problem area" is on the back side of the case, is it really that much of an issue to remove it? Or maybe you can mod a new backpanel to cover the hole.

 

Have you tried every possible orientation? Perhaps the mobo will fit upside-down or maybe there is another part of the case (on the inside) that you could remove that would give you more space. 

 

Anything is better than cutting a piece off of you mobo.

Maybe you can post some photo's...

[SLAYR]

5 hours ago, Nifty255 said:

I appreciate your reply, but seeing as I'm dead set on this particular case, I cannot settle for the short answer or any alternatives. I need to know if I can cut into the board or if I'll have to cut into the case.

You will ruin the board, as there are multiple layers of traces, not just for the io that you would be messing with, I would look at pico itx, or nano itx assuming you are using mini itx.

[Nifty255]

5 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

Why don't u cut it and tell us how it goes. My car can't fit into my garage cause the trunk is always sticking out. So I ask my buddies how I should go about this? They say park out outside or extend your garage. I decided to do it my way by sawing off my trunk. Now I can park into my garage. Yay!!!

 

That is like comparing apples to oranges in that a car is taken out of the garage whereas a motherboard is not taken out of its case except for repair. Additionally, trunks are vary often used and thus useful, whereas I currently have no use for one PS/2 and 2 USB 2.0 connectors and its associated circuitry. If it is indeed possible to cut the board as I described, even you would agree that doing so would provide a much cleaner look with zero negative effect.

 

5 hours ago, Jonathan Lemmens said:

If the "problem area" is on the back side of the case, is it really that much of an issue to remove it? Or maybe you can mod a new backpanel to cover the hole.

 

Have you tried every possible orientation? Perhaps the mobo will fit upside-down or maybe there is another part of the case (on the inside) that you could remove that would give you more space. 

 

Anything is better than cutting a piece off of you mobo.

Maybe you can post some photo's...

I want to maintain as much of the original NES case as possible, minus the insides. I could cut it and make a new back panel, but I don't have the required experience to make it look clean. BUT... You may have given me an idea... I just checked things out and, although I can't run the mobo upside down due to the board then intersecting the forward cartridge slot, I MIGHT be able to elevate it enough to clear the indention, depending on how tall the CPU waterblock is...

 

5 hours ago, SLAYR said:

I would look at pico itx, or nano itx assuming you are using mini itx.

I would, but I lied earlier. I'm not designing an HTPC. I'm designing a full-blown watercooled gaming PC complete with a GTX 970. mITX is the smallest board to support PCIe x16 3.0.

[mikat]

3 minutes ago, Nifty255 said:

I would, but I lied earlier. I'm not designing an HTPC. I'm designing a full-blown watercooled gaming PC complete with a GTX 970. mITX is the smallest board to support PCIe x16 3.0.

the real question here is: why did you lie about something that doesn't matter at all? if you just told us that in the first place it would've been easier

[Nifty255]

3 minutes ago, mikat said:

the real question here is: why did you lie about something that doesn't matter at all? if you just told us that in the first place it would've been easier

I made a generalization under the impression that a suggestion such as changing form factors wouldn't be offered, but we're digressing here. I believe I'll simply take what little I've gathered here and work on my solution from there.

[NumLock21]

18 minutes ago, Nifty255 said:

That is like comparing apples to oranges in that a car is taken out of the garage whereas a motherboard is not taken out of its case except for repair. Additionally, trunks are vary often used and thus useful, whereas I currently have no use for one PS/2 and 2 USB 2.0 connectors and its associated circuitry. If it is indeed possible to cut the board as I described, even you would agree that doing so would provide a much cleaner look with zero negative effect.

I don't agree on cutting the i/o ports that's useless, but hey if you insist on sawing them off, go ahead it's your choice. Thus the reason why I mentioned earlier "Why don't you cut it and tell us how it goes". 2 things can happen

1. Your board works fine and from now on you're going to apply this new found knowledge for every future mods.

2. Your board fails and you won't dare to do something this stupid ever again. And would take the safest and proper method to complete your mod.