Case Lighting Ideas

[wr6133]

About to buy an Antec 900 (though if anyone in the UK has a better case with a larger window and good airflow for under £100 please point me that way). I want to light up the insides but am wondering best ways to achieve best effect here.

2 ideas I have had so far are

1 - Flexi LED strip run around the edges of the sidepanel (so hidden from general view) and shining down on the the workings.

2- This is the slightly crazier option and not sure how good it will look. Run a flexi LED strip around the edge of the Mobo Shining outward at the sidepanel/window. Then on the inside of the side panel (the metal area so not visible from the window) attatching mirrors to reflect the light back around the case (I have about 40 creadit card sized mirrors from cam cream packs left over from my Army time).

Any comment on these is welcome or any other ideas. I've never really tried any major case modding or lighting but this time i want to go nuts and have the Blackpool Illuminations on my desk next to me.

My Budget on Case and Mods is £120-130. I'm currently rocking a 700W OCZ PSU and all its running is a unlocked and OC'd 960T, 1 7200RPM HDD, 1 Optical, 550ti, 6 fans. I want to avoid getting a new PSU and any lighting needs to bear in mind that in the not to distant future i will be putting in whatever the Keppler equivalent of the 570 is.

 

[amuffin]

Cold Cathodes!

 

[wr6133]

Looking at pictures cold cathodes do appear to give a better "glow" effect. I looked at LED as i had been told they suck less power though. Also the versatility of them being in flexi strips appealed but I'm open to all suggestion.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Another thing to consider with cathodes is the inverter burning out, without some cooling over them it can be a frequent occurence,
Casewise I would say check out In win's Dragon rider,
I'll link mine when I get to my Pc,
Its a bit modded though
Moto

 

[wr6133]

LED it will be then. I have been experimenting with an old LED fan and my little mirrors and they do cast the light back quite well. I'm thinking if fitted and angled nicely they could create a nice effect. Possible not using the large LED flexi Strips but some small clusters aimed at certain points (I dont mind doing a bit of wiring/tinkering)

Googled the Dragon Rider. Nice case but over here its over £120 after delivery. The total I'm allowing myself on case and mods is £130. The Antec 900 while I'm not entirely happy with seemed a reasonable balance point on what i wanted and price. I would prefer a larger window though.

Makes me wish I lived in the US I had a glance at Newegg and the choice is huge.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Over here is my land as well, Nottingham based,
What site are you using? I am certain I saw the rider lately for £94, and there are a few sites we can use, I'll post links in a short while
Just got up
Moto

 

[wr6133]

Scan.co.uk. Just spotted it on e-buyer at 95 though. It is nice but really I'm after a window not mesh on the side preferably out the box rather than cut one myself. Im up for some modding to a cases structure but slicing out and installing an acrylic window is a bit more than I fancy doing.

kustompcs.co.uk seems to have a fair range on their site but all seem out of stock.... and I'm wary about using a site that seems more interested in keeping energy drinks and caffinated mints in stock than the PC related stuff.

 

[duxducis]

I have used LED's from cars (spoilers, center break light, ) puled few 1 foot long 1/4 thick 12 led's in row, bright red from rear spoiler and put in case when i had window.

now just have them installed under table and behind pc, to create cool red glow, while gaming without light its perfect, and connects to 12v molex easy, also dashboard dimer from car works to control brightness as well

it's not for everyone but i like to tinker hehe

 

[wr6133]

The wife may complain if if i set about her car with a leatherman she is rather protective of it

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Acrylic window mod on this case is a piece of erm, 'pie' as we say hehe
window mod is about halfway down first page
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareuk.inc&cat=13&post=311860&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

Acrylic from these guys, they will cut it down if you ask nicely in the Email,
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Trent-Plastics/Black-Acrylic-3mm-/_i.html?_fsub=20037418&_sid=85211862&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
36Cmx44Cm is roughly the size I used, I glued mine in but you could use double sided 3M tape as well if you prefer


you can always grab a pack of leds off ebay, some wires and wire up individual leds like spotlighters, I had one in my old rig to glow between hard drives plus a lightbar I made up/modded

some sites I use, but not all
Scan,
Dabs.co.uk
Specialtech.co.uk
Box.co.uk
ukwatercooling.co.uk
overclockers.co.uk
Ebay, I always search terms like 'watercooling' or 'modding' just to see whats out there I can adapt to a purpose, don't just think outside the box, go make your own box to be in hehe
I approve of the leatherman ownership and the willingness to mod/ wire as needed,
are you anywhere near Nottingham?
Moto

 

[wr6133]

I'm down South near a little armpit of nowhere called Tidworth.

What you've done is nice now I'm filled with ideas. Thinking extend my budget by taking some time to do it. Maybe get a cheaper full tower case and basically chop and slice till its entirely my creation

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Good man! I like that attitude hehe
I'd take a scout about for cases on ebay, second hand or under £50, that way you aren't under pressure of hacking up a £100 case hehe, find your feet as it were
this may be worth watching,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/antec-case-/170793622773?pt=UK_Computing_DesktopComponents_RL&hash=item27c417dcf5

/Drags self away from ebay hehe
doing things over time is kind of how its going to be for you, you'll 'finish' the project but then two days later, 'this' isn't quite right, stripdown to fix, redesign, its almost never ending unless you can turn round and say this is good enough,
I'm on my second phase for the Dragon rider, yet still look under my desk at the old one and think, 'must x,y,z, this that or other cable' lol
I'm here and willing to help as and if needed man, welcome to toms, and welcome to Modding
Moto

 

[Rockdpm]

You can translate and pick one of these products and find them in your country, but....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100016543&IsNodeId=1&Description=Case%20Lighting&name=Case%20Accessories&Order=BESTMATCH

Im not sure about your choices of cases so ill just lay some on the table:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146058

I have used this one with a logis led strip and the lighting is pretty decent

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119240&Tpk=Cooler%20Master%20Storm%20Enforcer

 

[wr6133]

Love the LED case feet Rock. I think I have made my original question redundant though. Moto's case has got me decided to not just do some lighting but completely do my own thing.

I'm thinking this case

http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/Xigmatek-Pantheon-Full-Tower-Case-pid-13266.html#tabs
Its cheapish so if i screw it up its no massive loss and my plans involve well carving out most of it. I was going to fiddle about with some plans this weeknd and will post my ideas on monday for criticism.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Looks like a nice base to start from, and leaves you £80ish for mats etc
plenty of modding potential there and I look forward to helping you with your plans if needed
remember gfx card max length (before any modding) is 30Cm
Moto

 

[Uther39]

This may give you some ideas.

What i did was fit 5mm blue LEDs in all the spare screw holes of my bottom 3 fans so 12 altogether.

Then at the top in the roof so to speak i fitted 2 x 6inch blue cold cathode tubes.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Hey Hey! nice to see you again bro
Moto