G4 MDD build, WIP

[AndroidArts]

This is my second computer build ever, so I don't quite know what I'm doing, but here we go!

Components are from one of the guides.

+ MoBo: Gigabyte H97N-WIFI
+ CPU: Intel i3 4370
+ RAM: 8+8, DDR3 Corsair Vengeance 1600Mhz
+ PSU: Silversone 300W small form factor
+ SSD: Samsung 880 EVO

Also, a bunch of low profile bracket stuff because I didn't want to touch the exterior, but it made things a bit... cabley inside.

Power switch panel - I'm using greenstuff (and some blue soft clay to temporarily hold pieces in place).

I programmed an ATiny85 to do some fancy RGB Power LED idle stuff, wanted to drive it off +5VSB, but when I found a rainbow LED I decided to use that instead, along with a 2K trimpot. Regular tac switch for Power-on should work, right? (Edit: Does work.)

Also wiring up HD light, green LED with a 10K resistor to dim it quite a bit (annoying if strong). It's peeking out through the headphone jack, which I glued a matte piece of transparent plastic into.

The front panel has 2*USB and the HDaudio thing connected to MoBo. Had to put it upside down or it would be too low. Will make a black sticker to relabel.

Unsure where to fit 12cm sys fan. Maybe under the PSU, angled, so it uses the front intake (Edit: Done). Planned to put it in the back, but can't work out cabling.

I had to extend the PSU-MoBo connectors. Soldered the +12V extension myself, but messed up and did the
UU
UU
one instead of the
U[]
[]U
one, but since the "house" contacts fits inside the squares, I think it doesn't matter because it's easy for anyone to plug the wrong one in, and I don't think the designer would allow that if it wasn't ok. Correct? (Edit: Works fine.)


Haven't powered on yet... anything to think about? I'm nervous. I'm thinking I should make a test boot into BIOS first. (Edit: It powered up fine, but threw me off by not accepting DELETE key on my cheapo keyboard, so I couldn't get into BIOS. Worked with Mac keyboard. Phew.)


I have a large Yosemite install file (1.6.5) that I plan to use later. I got it via the SnowLeopard route that I had to take with my 2008 iMac (RIP). Also downloading ElCapitan now. Any suggestions for least painful install method?

Edit: Install went fine, following the most recent guide to the letter. Ethernet and Audio worked, so I must have ticked the right ones. Using Realtek port.

Edit: Maybe PSU can be moved to sit on the side door along with MoBo (with velcro), so I can skip the extension bits? Didn't think about that until now. (Edit: Just cleaned up cabling.)

Edit:
Partial SUCCESS. Problems:

- Crash when HDMI monitor sleeps. Common on this MoBo?
- Speaker Audio goes to front headphone jack. Rear jack dead?
- 70012 error on DVD player, though I can see the files on discs.
- Slight, temporary graphical glitch on boot progress bar screen.

 

[AndroidArts]

Edited the above post as I sorted out the various issues. Here are some pics of the product. I put a piece of tape on the mirror drive door so it can be pulled open. Internal speaker is NC, unsure what to make of it.

Cable management is a bit weird, but it folds together quite nicely. Only metal work I did was drilling Mobo standoff holes, and holes for the front USB/Audio panel, which came in a large bay that I had to cut. Sticky note with BIOS keys and some specs. Velcroed the USB boot (now rescue?) drive on the wall behind. Unused PSU cables (& SATA power) go down on the fan grill to the floor. I didn't use/make the HDMI and Ethernet brackets I got parts for. I guess I could've peeled the cables so they bent more nicely, then shrinktubed them, but I don't know much about shielding issues.

 

[AndroidArts]

I've decided to build my power light circuit after all, as it's fun practice. Maybe I can power it off USB standby power? I have some ports I'm not using.

This thing takes two +5V inputs. The top left header is for the ATtiny85, which drives two analog (Red & Blue) pins, and the Green pin which is always high but goes through a Sharp PC817 optocoupler, which isolates the right side > Top right header is the power light indicator input that was separated because I didn't want to mix gnd. The LED here is a backup, and it lowers voltage for the optocoupler. The RGB LED has been sanded to be diffuse.

So when the computer is off, but has AC power, the LED will pulse between red and blue, and the power light turns on the green indirectly, with the red and blue still pulsing to produce some brighter teal-yellow tones.