My Mod Idea's
by ZapWizard
This is a list of Modification ideas I have come up with but will probably never build.
Nearly all are original, some are difficult, the rest are nearly impossible
If you have seen any of these idea's anywhere please let me know.
Otherwise I invite you to try and build them.
(This was taken from my thread on bit-tech.net)
-Motorized PC door, either open to side, up, or split in the
middle.
Maybe even move flush with the side's of the case.
Also motorized lock when shut.
Built in keypad using touch sensors to provide combination lock.
Auto lock and close after PC enters screensaver.
(With delay to stop annoying mis-fires)
Auto open (if closed) when CD is ejected from PC software.
-Steathed drives with Plexi on front that entirely lights when drive is active. (Mabye
with DVD or CDRW etched into it)
You would open the drive using a proximity sensor, no touch, just wave your
hand. (IR or Proximity)
-Steathed drives that open in split, (Like old CD-Rom doors)
Maybe springs, or maybe motorized
-Active sound dampening, using a transducer mounted to the case to absorb
vibrations in the case.
-Hardrive with window mounted vertical in the front of the PC, so you can see it
from front bezel instead of top window.
-Or the same as above with a slot DVD window (They can be vertical mounted) Load
the disk via the top/side or the PC
-Rotating fan (on motor base), move fresh air to parts of the computer that
rarley get air. (CDRW, DVD, between cards)
-PDA docking station made into LCD on front Bezel
When you dock you PDA into your PC it becomes the LCD on the front of your PC
showing stat's news and pic's. When you dock your PDA it automatically starts
showing stat's
(I want to do this with my IPAQ)
(I have a older busted IPAQ i may just make into a Stat's LCD)
-Auto temp leveling Peltier controller,
Keeps Peltier exactly at room temp, so no condensation, while it will increase
in power just when the processor starts heating up.
No switching circuits, true linear control.
-Use logic probe to find connections on video cards/sound cards/etc that strobe
when in use to make LED indicators that flash when active. Always on LED's are
useless.
-Oscilloscope readout on front of PC, showing anything you want.
(Power noise, CPU speed, Audio)
Hardware based instead of an parallel port LCD
-Combination lock on PC (Bezel), won't power on, or activate
mouse/keyboard unless unlocked. Must be styled
-Robotic mouse! Make it run around your desktop when your not at your PC, hack
the optical eye to allow for edge/direction detection. Add some simple motors
for movement.
(Make sure it can't click-and-delete anything on your PC)
Hehe, Bad Mouse!
-Stealthed keyboard!
Make a motorized keyboard stand that makes the keyboard come out from under the
desk at the touch of a button
(Make the mouse run to a specific spot on the desk too)
-Character changing keyboard (Product not a mod)
Key's can change via LCD/Light/superthin display
Customize the keyboard for language or games.
-Stealthed Monitor!
Make and LCD come up from/behind the desk.
Or Use an hidden projector to make it look as if no monitor is on your desk.
Project the image on a wall/motorized screen.
-Move DVD/CDRW's closer under your monitor.
Hack USB 2.0 or Firewire drives and mount them under your monitor, like the old
IBM black PC's
-One massive efficient power supply for everything connected
to your PC!
Custom made to provide lots or power to your PC, External Devices and such. No
more power blocks, multiple power strips.
Use a plug-and-play system such as radioshack universal power supplies.
(Multiple tips, one cord)
Provide UPS, filtered ATX, 12v, 5v, Adjustable outputs.
-Self rotating LCD motorized at the touch of a button it would change to vertical
mode (Radeon cards even support this built in, no custom monitor
needed, get Rage3D Tweaker)
-Auto rotating monitor, make the monitor track you as you move around. Slump in
the chair, sit up, or stand to read quick news, it will always face you just
right.
-Make a strobing 120mm LED fan with multiple LED's/fiber per
blade. Then when it spins you use a micro-controller to display stats on the
fan's LEDs. (Similar to the stupid clocks you see at the store) You could even
still use a variable speed fan and just make the micro-controller read the
tachometer sensor and adjust accordingly. Add text to the front of your PC
showing stats.
Maybe a fan in the rear with stuff to **** off the guy across the table at the
LAN.
-Motorized flat panel speakers attached to the side/back of your monitor. They
would fold out as soon as you turn your PC on
-8.5"x11"Scanner in the side of the case
(motherboard side)
Easily scan all your school papers, and bills.
Maybe with switch-able shredder for papers you don't need hard copies of. (Currently
am looking for a cheap scanner to get rid of my huge pile of archived bills)
-UPDATE: This project is being built by Joris Van den broeck
-Suspended magnetic mouse.
Use large magnets imbedded in a mouse pad to levitate your mouse.
Zero friction! Make sure an include magnetic shielding kit for PC and monitor.
Or you could use the spinning disk induced magnetic levitation effect. Large
thick spinning metal disk in a mouse pad, and a magnet in the mouse, when the
disk is spinning it will levitate the mouse above the mouse pad. This way you
would not have to worry about magnetic fields effecting your monitor, and shielding
could be built into the top of the mouse.
-Or simply use lower power magnets to provide lift on the mouse and lower
friction (but not levitate)
-Spy cam inside your PC with LCD on front of PC.
(I think I saw this somewhere, or is was a dream)
I think someone had a remote control camera inside his PC.
-Laser keyboard, similar to "virtual keyboard" product,
but use a laser grid to replace the keys on a keyboard, you type by breaking the
laser connection. Feedback would be through sound, pulsed light
The perfect add on to all those Plexi cases
-A plexi keyboard, with key's names etched into Plexiglas.
Would have to remain stylish. Maybe embedded copper wires with old style
switches. (Or laser mod above in a all plexi box)
-Automatic CD-RW loader.
Make a device that can load a cd off those huge cd spindles, and place it on
your CD-RW. Not a cd-duplicator machine, but a add on to a PC. Maybe with a 50
pack inside/top of the PC.
-Credit card scanner built into the PC
Make it easy to spend money on eBay, why type the numbers on your card, just
swipe it!
-Thumb print activated power switch (or keyboard/mouse lock)
I think project Sunfire may be doing this
-Lighted front vacuum tubes
Put a couple tubes in the front of your PC (Say in a window) that are also the
inverter/amp/something for your PC
Make it very old school
-Optical illusions via HD/DVD window, make a hologram or image mirror off your
Harddrive or DVD when it is on.
-Hologram in your window, not a sticker but etched into the plexi/glass
-Atomizer cooled PC, use a sprayer to spray a (Nonconductive) liquid directly
onto parts of your PC too cool them.
Let is run down to the bottom where it is filtered/cooled/recycled
(Jet plane PC's are supposed to use this system)
-Bit-Charg controlled by PC, maybe even a super tiny wireless camera. or a
Robotic bitcharge car, who needs a remote!
-Stealthed keyboard buttons, say have all the function buttons hidden in the
keyboard and have the pop out when you need them. Makes keyboard less cluttered
when you just need to chat.
-LED Backlit keyboard, who's buttons light when you press them, then fade off.
Leaving a trailing effect as you type Maybe run at 50% brightness at night for
backlighting.
-Circuit to allow a folding palm keyboard for use as a normal PC keyboard.
Perfect is you have a micro pc, and want to take it to the LAN in your backpack.
-Mini PC air conditioner, cool the air as it enters your case.
-Build a UPS directly into a power supply, or PC case.
It would be difficult to find some light batteries to use instead of lead acid. Maybe
some hacked laptop batteries? Or you could just have a theft resistant 100lb
case!
(I need to weigh mine i swear it's up to 45lb's)
-Electronics PC, built in voltmeter, power supply, oscilloscope.
Maybe even part's storage.
(Our oscilloscope's at AMD run windows, are a whole PC, and have two huge 120mm
fans)
-Kazaa server, (I think I am going to make this)
Just a normal PC connected to the net downloading Kazaa 24/7
But it would have remote control software or a KBM switch.
Would also double as a file server.
(Currently my pc is too powerful to leave on 24/7 it just heats the whole house,
not to mention increasing the electricity bill)
-Smoke PC, figure out a way to have constant smoke/mist in your PC, see airflow
via cold cathode, maybe lasers bouncing around inside. Maybe if the whole PC is
sealed, filled with smoke, and the air circulated through a heat exchanger.