What to replace DVD slot with on G5?

[Wolfie81]

Still toying with setups prior to beginning the mod but I want to get rid of the CD/DVD in the G5. I find CD's outdated technology and cant remember the last time i needed one. So, I would like to out that slot to good use.

Ive got 4 options.

1. Fill in the unused slot with mesh from the back (when cut) and powdercoat/spray the case. Hopefully it might look nice and universal.

2. Replace the Slot with something like this
http://blog.superuser.com/2011/05/04/best-of-both-worlds-putting-an-ssd-in-your-optical-bay/

using this website to find a appropriate part
http://www.newmodeus.com/shop/index.php

This is where I might need your help because i am a beginner with all this computer stuff.
I am thinking of using a slim ssd caddy to replace the OD but STILL somehow use the automatic flap on the front of the G5 and then have the SSD caddy slide out. I dont know which computer brand on the newmodeus website is best suited to this G5 OD and flap system. It requires measurement of the G5 CD flap to work out which ssd tray works out best. I hope you guys might be able to help me here.

3. Cut out and remove OD flap to make hole bigger in case and attach this
http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=142
or
http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=151

(again, I cant work out which is better. They both take the same space?)

* But using this method, I would, if possible try find a way to make my own flap to cover these. The flap can be a manual sliding one as I doubt i can figure out how to do a electronic one.

4. Leave it to you guys to see if theres any options ive missed.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Dschijn]

The IcyDock solutions are very nice, but you shouldn't cut the front of the G5 for that. It should be possible to turn that case by 90° so that the slots will face you when you open the G5 side door and by that you can easy access the drives.

That's an idea I had in mind some month ago, but just in case you should combine it with a slim DVD drive:
http://www.icydock.de/goods.php?id=122
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=326&area=de
http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_343_5-25_47200/merkmale.html
http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog...25-Rack-fuer-Slim-25-35-all-black::14480.html

 

[minihack]

Wolfie, your post got me thinking.

Pic shows some rough and ready modding to see if it is do-able to turn the G5 DVD player into a fancy slot loading hot swap caddy. I think with a little bit of work it can be done......and also with storage room for another 2.5" drive in the body of the player beneath the "pop out" drive.

 

[Wolfie81]

Did you just cut that mini hack? Are you suggesting cut out the size in the cd case and reload it back into the rest of the OD and connect it up both sata for SSD and for the OD to work?

 

[minihack]

Did you just cut that mini hack? Are you suggesting cut out the size in the cd case and reload it back into the rest of the OD and connect it up both sata for SSD and for the OD to work?

Hi,

I did just cut one up, yes.

But the idea was to see if it is possible to use the optical drive case and eject mechanism to turn it into a small hard disk caddy.

I removed the top case, and then removing all of the components that are concerned with reading the disk so that all is left is the circuit board on the bottom and at the front and the mechanism for ejecting the tray. I cut the tray and then put in a metal plate under the tray to hold a 2.5" disk. The idea is that you can fix a SATA connector to the metal plate and then have a normal flexible SATA lead coming out of the back of the DVD player chassis. It is just a cool way to do a swap of disk - i.e. eject button for the DVD player causes the tray to come out of the usual slot. The disk can be pulled from the connector and a new one inserted......

There is also room underneath the tray to make a little storage space for another 2.5" drive.

You would of course only use the molex power connector for the DVD player to power the eject mechanism.You would not connect the IDE lead (as it would have no function).

This is probably just a piece of sillyness.

The cool thing is that you do not cut the front of the G5, you re-purpose the player to store two more hard disks. You have a nice eye catching feature of a hard disk coming out of the DVD hatch.

The less useful thing is that because the eject mechanism is only powered on when the G5 is powered on the tray mounted disk cannot really be a operating system disk. So it is only useful if the disk there is a data disk.

Other things you could use this principle for though that might be also useful is as a card reader attachment. Here I mean using a USB type card reader that is attached to the tray. The tray comes out......you insert your SD card into the reader and the tray goes back in again. You could then still use the under space inside the DVD chassis for the extra 2.5" drive.

It is just an idea to make use of that space if you have no real need for having a DVD player.

 

[Wolfie81]

That sounds like a brilliant plan. Just gotta see if I have the know how to pull it off!
Thanks for that!

Out of curiosity, if i use the icy dock with the two ssd cages attached to their optical drive, do you think the OD is in line with the G5 metal slot for it to come out?

 

[miv79]

@minihack - Haha, I was thinking about this exact same idea for when I eventually get around to starting my G5 mod! Had been keeping it secret because I hadn't seen anyone do this yet but sounds like you'll beat me to it!

With regards to the lack of an 'eject button' on the G5 I was thinking about something like an IR sensor fixed behind one of the little mesh holes above the drive bay (facing up towards the 'handle' on the top of the G5 to avoid accidental triggering of the circuit). Wave your hand in the space above the drive (underneath the handle) and the drive would eject for you. At least that's the theory!

I've also been looking for a touch sensitive switch (resistance based) that could be mounted inside the case near the optical bay and which would be triggered just by touching the case around the drive bay. Not sure how feasible this last one is though... by the time the case is painted, it might effect the conductivity too much and the switch/sensor wouldn't work.

Anyway, I'm very interested to hear how you get on with hacking that DVD drive.

EDIT - good point about powering the drive and thus its lack of suitability as a system drive - hadn't thought of that!

 

[minihack]

@minihack - Haha, I was thinking about this exact same idea for when I eventually get around to starting my G5 mod! Had been keeping it secret because I hadn't seen anyone do this yet but sounds like you'll beat me to it!

With regards to the lack of an 'eject button' on the G5 I was thinking about something like an IR sensor fixed behind one of the little mesh holes above the drive bay (facing up towards the 'handle' on the top of the G5 to avoid accidental triggering of the circuit). Wave your hand in the space above the drive (underneath the handle) and the drive would eject for you. At least that's the theory!

I've also been looking for a touch sensitive switch (resistance based) that could be mounted inside the case near the optical bay and which would be triggered just by touching the case around the drive bay. Not sure how feasible this last one is though... by the time the case is painted, it might effect the conductivity too much and the switch/sensor wouldn't work.

Anyway, I'm very interested to hear how you get on with hacking that DVD drive.

EDIT - good point about powering the drive and thus its lack of suitability as a system drive - hadn't thought of that!

Great minds....

Seriously though it'll definitely work. There is an eject button on the drives which works, so just hotwiring it would probably be the route I'd take. Maybe stick it down on the front panel and replace the audio connector there. For sure though a touch switch would be a nice...touch...maybe that Edisen switch people are using for the Cube mod.s would be a good choice.

I am surprised about how easy these Pioneer DVD drives are to take apart. I'll possibly play around with it some more at the weekend. Looks like the easiest way is to simply get rid of the front and top of the case. A 2.5" drive is thicker that the actual tray of the DVD player, but by cutting the tray and fixing a 1mm ali plate underneath it (making sure to leave all the needed bits and pieces for the mechanism intact) allows the drive to sit low enough so that you can rig the tray to smoothly open the DVD hatch and close it with the drive in the tray and not get caught by the casing.

Most of the work needed would go into making it look nice.

 

[minihack]

That sounds like a brilliant plan. Just gotta see if I have the know how to pull it off!
Thanks for that!

Out of curiosity, if i use the icy dock with the two ssd cages attached to their optical drive, do you think the OD is in line with the G5 metal slot for it to come out?

I think that a slot loader drive won't have enough force to open the G5 DVD door and, if it does, how are you going to put in a new DVD into the slot? You'd need to add a manual mechanism for opening the little hatch. Either that or actually remove the hatch mechanism altogether (and replace with a slot?).

 

[Abzkebabs]

I plan on putting one of these in there
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_511&products_id=21764

to get temps from multiple areas and control case fans. Plus it looks pretty awesome I think !