2013 Mac Pro - My variation

[bamboreta]

I wanted to try out the Amfeltec Half-Mini PCIe to PCIe adapter to see what could be connected to a mini-itx board. I've thought about other projects that need the ITX board, but it would be nice to have the option of an additional PCIe slot.

I plugged a Blackmagic Inensity PCIe video capture board into Amfeltec adapter which is then plugged into the half-mini PCIe slot. I had to remove the wifi card of course. They also sell splitters so you could hook up 2 cards, but they require a mini-PCIe slot instead of a half-mini. Their boards/slots are mix and match... so you could, for example, get a mini-PCIe splitter board that went to both a 1x PCIe slot and another mini PCIe slot. You can also get 16x slots (like I did) but they only run at 1x speed.

Its my Macbook with the iSight turned on, plugged in via HDMI to the Intensity card, that is getting recorded by the hackintosh...

A Mac recording a Mac recording a Mac.

Wow! Very interesting... This offers many posibilities. What things can you think! I would not have thought of that posibility because I didn't know the existence of this Amfeltec part. Incredible amazing loop...

 

[bamboreta]

Well I've been away a few days, but I finally finished painting the bin and had trouble getting a second can of Tamiya PS-16 because there was no stock until June. First I gave a couple of coats of gray primer for plastics also Tamiya brand.
The invention of making putty with ABS chips has been successful. I did several tests as said Neil and finally prepared a mix diluted in acetone that dried completely after three days, then I sanded with 600 and 800 sandpaper to water and was phenomenal and ready to paint.
I have also put the grid at the top and have stick it with a permanent double sided tape Scotch.
I drilled the 3D copy with a 7 mm drill and then I filed the edges to make the connections for external antennas that I have received and are different and wrong from the ones I bought. I have not tested yet.
Also I wrapped the inner case (I never did it before on the inside and less on a cylindrical part) with aluminum tape. Well I've been working very busy with all these DIY. Step by step the path becomes...

 

[JuanLobo]

The fix looks good. The paint looks good too.

What was wrong with the antenna cables? Were they too short, or something else?

Besides the antennas, is there anything left to do?

 

[bamboreta]

The fix looks good. The paint looks good too.

What was wrong with the antenna cables? Were they too short, or something else?

Besides the antennas, is there anything left to do?

John, thanks for the feedback and supporting.

No, the cables to spare to reach base, what is wrong are the antennas that I have received since I bought some on ebay like yours (same brand and model) and mistakenly sent me these can be seen in the images. I just tested them in the same room and they give poor reception (in the 5 GHz network almost nothing) compared to those that came with the motherboard. Do not know if it will affect the cable length or height placement, as these are on the base and the other is placed on top of the fan. I don't know ...
I'll try to return them to the seller and that he send me the others that I bought and show on ebay.

Things still to be done, for example the issue of HDMI (still no response from Mr. Sabatine/midi-classics.com) that at last will be a scam and I will stay without cable and without the money.
Besides that I can't progress because I don't know whether or not I make the hole in the I / O plate for the HDMI connector, and I can't put the case-bin and to check the temperature and sound in the inner. All I can do is put the Reset switch and the LED for hard disk activity. Besides I can't plug the power supply with the appropriate power cord because I haven't yet received the power cord left angle.

I will search something like yours front audio jacks to working forward and doing something while I'm still waiting and I despair.

 

[JuanLobo]

Did you carve away some of the material on the back side of the antenna holes on the 3d base? I had to do this for the jack to protrude enough for the pin inside the jack to make contact with the antenna.

I had to remove almost half the thickness behind the hole.

A good test is, if you attach the antenna, and you tighten the antenna all the way, it should not come into contact with the nut that holds the antenna jack in place.

I will have to take a picture, because I am sure that won't translate well.

 

[Bouly]

Good job "bamboreta'', I love the chosen paint
What is fonction of aluminum paper used inside the case??

Another small question: Considering the space reduced into interior of the case, the temperature don't go up too much during a thorough use without use a speed regulator for fans?? I get asked a lot of questions about the interior temperature, your feedback experience allow me to finally start creating my own model.
And I do not have enough knowledge to carry out a module identical to JuanLobo.

Sorry for my English..

 

[JuanLobo]

Has anyone found a small fan speed controller that takes temperature into account?

I first thought the Zalman fan mate 2 did, but on second look, I don't see any mention of a temperature sensor.

The only other one I found was something like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Fan-Speed-Controller-II-With-Temperature-Sensor-/140466633098
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...ust-for-CPU-IC-FAN-ST069/11777_573968110.html

And I bet they will still need to be rewired so they alway get 12v and not whatever the motherbord is putting out on the fan connector.

 

[bamboreta]

Did you carve away some of the material on the back side of the antenna holes on the 3d base? I had to do this for the jack to protrude enough for the pin inside the jack to make contact with the antenna.

I had to remove almost half the thickness behind the hole.

A good test is, if you attach the antenna, and you tighten the antenna all the way, it should not come into contact with the nut that holds the antenna jack in place.

I will have to take a picture, because I am sure that won't translate well.

What a problem!
That can not be done by filing. Drilling can't do it from within the base. Neither files or bits ... So what tool to use? How to partially reduce the hole's diameter?

 

[bamboreta]

Has anyone found a small fan speed controller that takes temperature into account?

I first thought the Zalman fan mate 2 did, but on second look, I don't see any mention of a temperature sensor.

The only other one I found was something like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Fan-Speed-Controller-II-With-Temperature-Sensor-/140466633098
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...ust-for-CPU-IC-FAN-ST069/11777_573968110.html

And I bet they will still need to be rewired so they alway get 12v and not whatever the motherbord is putting out on the fan connector.

Would that be a possible replacement for picaxe you design and build?

 

[JuanLobo]

Would that be a possible replacement for picaxe you design and build?

It could be, but I can't tell for sure. I'm thinking it would need to be wired to 12v instead of plugged into the motherboard to work right. I think the second one with the remote temp sensor would be the one to try.