# NES sleeper...



## GZ

I have been working on a new project the last few weeks and I'd like to share what I have done so far. Could always use some constructive criticism and some fresh ideas.

Don't have any pics of the initial part of the project... Took my non working NES console and removed it's innards then started hacking and slashing...

Here she is all cut up... before the hours of sanding and smoothing trying to get all those pesky plastic posts ground down to nothing... I, originally was going to cut the entire back half of the consoles bottom off and fabricate a steel enclosure in it's place... Later I decided to keep all but one of the cases original fasten points and the feet as well...










Here is a quick shot of the innards through the opening. You can see my trick custom PC switches all mounted up... :grin: Tried to keep the original switches, even modified the POWER switch to momentary... alas they were too bulky and I had to downsize. I was able to modify two run-of-the-mill PC momentary switches to work with the original switch mounting bracket and buttons.










Here we go... mocking up the board and making sure everything fits... decided to mount the motherboard to the right (from the front of the case). You can see some of those pesky mounting posts that I cut down...










Once again... skipping the countles hours of sanding an filing until everything was nice and smooth... and the measuring, templating, cutting, deburring and bending of the nice piece of aluminum that will complete the case... Here she is, rivet holes drilled ready to be cleaned up for epoxy...










Here are a few shots after I epoxied the aluminum to the plastic. Wifey wanted to go to dinner so I rushed a bit and got some globby epoxy in places I didn't want it. The rivets are acting to line the aluminum up properly and as clamps to hold everything together while the epoxy cures.


























And last, but not least for now... Gave the epoxy enough time to set, so I mocked up the motherboard to make sure everything fit... first time and fit like a glove!!! Good thing too, epoxy makes things a little permanent! 


















Next step... let the epoxy cure for 24 to 48 hours!!!

Seriously, I have to figure out how I am going to power this bad boy... 2 of my goals are quiet and cool... so an internal PSU is out of the question, even though I may be able to squeeze one of those useless Flex ATX supplies in there it would just turn the box into an oven. So external PSU it is...

I have two options ATM and neither are the greatest...

Option one... 192W external power supply (picoPSU-160-XT + 192W Adapter Power Kit).
A little light on juice and heavy on the wallet, but it is my easiest to implement out of the two. 

Option two... Build a power distribution board and use a 203W XBOX 360 PSU. I have two spares, so it is light on the wallet.

I would really like a 300W supply, minimum... but short of modifying an ATX box to power the unit from the outside, I can't find a good solution.

As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.


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## reventon

Case is looking good so far!

I only see the one vent on the top for cooling though? You may need more if you want to keep it silent.


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## GZ

reventon said:


> Case is looking good so far!
> 
> I only see the one vent on the top for cooling though? You may need more if you want to keep it silent.


The cooling schema is in limbo pending selection of a power supply setup... I waited to cut vents until the aluminum was epoxied in place to maintain as much strength as possible with the plastic all cut up. I have planned vents to be cut in as soon as everything is all set up.


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## GZ

The risers are installed (and epoxied into place) and I am ready to start working on the next phase.

I have decided to go with the 192W external power supply linked in my original post.

I have two ideas and would like to know what you think would be "better"...

1 - Mount a slimline optical drive in the cartridge bay opening and mount front USB and Audio jacks in a custom faceplate.

2 - Modify an original NES cartridge to accept a SATA HDD/SSD and devise a mechanism to create a "retro" SATA hot-swap bay. This would requre the use of an external optical drive for watching DVD movies...

I am probably going to go with choice one... but I think the second idea is pretty darned cool. I may just do a second one (learn from any mistakes I make on this one) with the other option!!!!


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## GZ

Quick update...

Installed the offsets to mount the motherboard and got her mounted up.
Finished the switch modification and reinstalled the controller ports to check clearances. (going to wire the controller ports into a USB joystick/controller board so I can use the old NES controllers!)
Fabricated the mounting bracket for the cooling fan out of sheet aluminum, installed the fan and got her mocked up.

Next step is to solder leads onto the LED for PWR_LED... I am thinking about going with a 2 color (red/green) LED and wiring green to PWR_LED and red to HDD_LED... The red LED is good enough for now.

I am working on a mounting system for the slimline DVD and HDD/SSD and also a front USB solution...


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## GZ

Quick update... My son is over for the week and wanted to help me with the project a little bit, so I had him help me put the top fan vent in the case...

I was perusing walmart the other day and picked up a metal desk organizer and had an idea... for $8 I have 3 8 x 14 sheets of pre-finished, expanded steel.

Not as pretty as the hex perforated "modders mesh" but a whole lot less work, and cheaper too!

Decided to use an iron to melt the metal into the plastic to attach it and it worked quite well!!! I am going to use a few spots of epoxy and some metal tape to help keep it in place but it is good to go for now. 

Next step is disassembling the bottom assembly to cut the needed vent holes.


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## reventon

That grill looks pretty clean to me. Nice work by your son :grin:


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## GZ

Mostly by me... he helped hold the top while I cut it!!! :grin:

I wish I had more time with him, I would let him help me with the whole project!!!


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## WereBo

I must admit, I was a bit confused as to what you were doing, until I started again from the top and caught the 'Took my *non working* NES console and removed it's innards then started hacking and slashing...' :grin:

What are the pc specs you're fitting? Although it appears a bit tight for space, you've done a really neat job of squeezing it in and fitting 1st time


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## Acuta73

That motherboard should be fine on 192w, I guess it depends more on if you're putting in a dedicated GPU. I'm assuming that is a *E35M1-I*?

Looks pretty awesome, great use for an old NES. Going to use an SSD or a laptop HDD, and...umm where? :grin:


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## GZ

I am using this board...

Newegg.com - ASUS E35M1-I Fusion AMD E-350 APU (1.6GHz, Dual-Core) AMD Hudson M1 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo

I opted against the "Deluxe" version of the board and am kicking myself in the (place where you store weapons)... It has two key features that I wanted an am lacking with this board... MiniPCIe slot and HDMI/SPDIF. 

It has the AMD Fusion APU (1.6GHz dual-core/Radeon HD 6310) integrated.

4GB DDR3 PC10666



Acuta73 said:


> That motherboard should be fine on 192w, I guess it depends more on if you're putting in a dedicated GPU. I'm assuming that is a *E35M1-I*?
> 
> Looks pretty awesome, great use for an old NES. Going to use an SSD or a laptop HDD, and...umm where? :grin:


Hey! Long time no see... How's the HTPC project???

You know the flip lid where you put the cartridge... Yeah... that's where...

As for the rest of the components... I am getting them as needed.

OCZ Agility 2 60GB SSD
Slimline BR/DVD RW combo, or just your run of the mill DVD RW (depends on how much $$ I feel like spending)
USB controller board (so I can connect those early NES and SNES controllers)

The rest is all arbitrary... I have pretty much settled on a bluetooth solution for control.

Amazon.com: Ultra eXo Bluetooth Mini Keyboard with Touchpad: Electronics


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## GZ

Got a little further today with help from my boy...

Finished up the fan ventilation area and mounted the fan.

Couldn't find my drill bit extender so I drilled from the underside to attach the first rivet... It ended up right in front of the fan's screw! :upset:

Oh well, I will just grind it down and re drill when I need to replace the fan.


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## Acuta73

:wave:

HTPC is on hold for a while, has been on hold...truck had to come first.

Sending you a PM with a link to look at, I'm a greedy jerk and I don't want it commonly known in case they sell out. lol


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## GZ

Acuta73 said:


> :wave:
> 
> HTPC is on hold for a while, has been on hold...truck had to come first.
> 
> Sending you a PM with a link to look at, I'm a greedy jerk and I don't want it commonly known in case they sell out. lol


Haha! Don't worry... I am partial to the slot load style! :grin:

Got the ventilation finished today with the help of both my son and daughter!

I also fired it up for the first time... The kids were more excited than I was!


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## Acuta73

Post!

I always hate doing that the first time. Never ceases to be some level of anxiety wondering if something might be DOA and if so, what.

I should do that with an Atari. As cool as the NES is, the Atari would be more so. lol


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## GZ

Acuta73 said:


> Post!
> 
> I always hate doing that the first time. Never ceases to be some level of anxiety wondering if something might be DOA and if so, what.
> 
> I should do that with an Atari. As cool as the NES is, the Atari would be more so. lol


Ah... yes, the Atari... Problem is with that one would be fitting the equipment into the case and cooling it.

I really wanted to do a conversion from a stereo head unit, but I haven't found one that will work with my ideas... yet. One day.

As for POST... I swear my little girl was going to jump through the ceiling when it came on for the first time. She keeps telling everyone "My daddy's building a Nintendo computer, it's awesome!" lol.


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## GZ

Quick update.

Got the mounting mechanism for the optical drive done. I modified the optical drive/HDD bracket from an Acer L100 SFF desktop. 

Here are some photos... I have to wait 24 hours for the epoxy to cure before I can install the drive.


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## GZ

Well... despite the 24 hour cure period, I decide a test fit was in order anyhow... It would be far easier to split the pieces now rather than after the epoxy has fully cured.










I also added a little something to make it more like a real computer... easily accessible ESATA...


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## Acuta73

You've done an awesome job on it. Looks close enough to stock to not notice without a second look. Love the optical under the hood!

Fun mod!

Can only imagine people wondering why in the HELL you still have one of those hooked up! :laugh:


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## WereBo

Mmmmmm... now that DOES look good ray:

Nice one GZ, it's definitely different and totally unique :laugh:


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## GZ

Acuta73 said:


> You've done an awesome job on it. Looks close enough to stock to not notice without a second look. Love the optical under the hood!
> 
> Fun mod!
> 
> Can only imagine people wondering why in the HELL you still have one of those hooked up! :laugh:


Ah, yes... That is my master plan... Once set in it's spot in the entertainment center, it should look like an unassuming NES waiting for a little Mario action... (Right next to the XBOX 360)... That is until I hit the power button and up pops Windows 7 or Linux (haven't decided which route I am going to take yet). Maybe I will paint the black grilles that unassuming grey to make them blend in a bit more!



WereBo said:


> Mmmmmm... now that DOES look good ray:
> 
> Nice one GZ, it's definitely different and totally unique :laugh:


Thanks WereBo! :grin:

Well... Still got some kinks to work out, so there will be a few more updates until she is complete... Hopefully she will be as awesome as my little girl thinks it will be!


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## oscer1

i'm sure it will be. looks real nice so far.


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## GZ

Thanks oscer1! I have high hopes...


Update... After two nights, half a bottle of glue and countless hours cutting, sanding, gluing, breaking, re-cutting, sanding, gluing... you get the point... The optical drive trim panel is fabricated. I was just about ready to quit! :upset:

Still needs a little work but, as you can see, fits nicely.

In case you are wondering... It is made from a 5.25" external drive bay knockout panel.


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## GZ

Got the HDD mounted up! :grin:


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## WereBo

Can't wait to see the finalised unit, wired, plugged and booted :grin:

What's your next project, A Sinclair 'Spectrum'? :laugh:


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## GZ

Nah... I was thinking more like a Blickensderfer #7. :grin:


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## WereBo

Oh, I'd a' thought you'd opt for the '*Blickensderfer Electric*', as it's already got the power-cable and switches etc. :laugh:


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## GZ

What's the fun in that?!?!?! It would be like putting a 6.4L HEMI into a go-cart when I can attach one to a Radio-Flyer!


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## WereBo

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## GZ

Quick update...

The optical drive panel is done now... I am deciding if and where I am going to mount front USB ports... otherwise project is awaiting a power source.


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## Ooudestomp

Now that is looking good! Great idea for a project!


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## GZ

Thanks, Ooudie!

Power supply is on it's way... Hopefully be here by Friday, which means I can get some preliminary testing done (OS install and cooling/stability testing) over the weekend. Hopefully my internet will be up so I can post some updates!


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## GZ

I have made a few adjustments to the final specs of this system.

I am not putting an SSD in there like originally planned. The 120GB hdd that is in the photo is staying put.
I think I am going to mount front USB ports in controller port 2 to keep the system looking as stock NES as possible.

The reasons for these changes are I have decided to build a second unit based on the deluxe version of this board. I had purchased a second NES for parts (in case of a screw up) and am going to use that for the base enclosure.

I got to thinking... what am I going to use the optical drive for??? For all intents and purposes, the optical drive is there for show!!! I have an external that I can use for loading software if necessary and I have 3 DVD players and an XBOX 360 if I want to watch movies... Getting rid of the optical drive will free up quite a bit of space that I can use for cooling... So... It is in the works now :grin:

I'll keep you updated!!!!


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## GZ

Well, I wasn't lucky enough to recieve the power supply today as I had hoped. It arrived in Parsippany at 9pm last evening. It is on schedule to get here tomorrow whilst I am at work. So, update on NES 1.0 will be coming this weekend.

But, in the meantime I have been working on NES 1.1 in which I am spending more effort on cooling than on packing goodies inside. Got a lot done in a few short days... learned a few lessons from working on the first one. 

Ordered the Deluxe version of the board in NES 1.0... It comes power packed with features, including a Mini PCIe slot for Wi-Fi :grin:. Plus it has a much meaner looking heatsink!!!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131698

I also ordered the SSD that will be going in 1.1 and the slim optical drive for 1.0.

As stated before, I am concentrating on cooling this time around... here are a few photos of NES 1.1...

A clean shot of the case halves together... You can see the massive 140mm fan perched atop. Tried something new with the mesh...

























And for an idea I had last week when my XBOX360 decided to take a dive...
Donated from the XBOX the double, high speed fan that will blow air directly into the massive heatsink on the deluxe board...

















As you can see from the photos, this doesn't leave any room for an optical drive... It just so happens that I am lucky enough to own and external optical drive if I have the need for it. (I don't see why I would).

Either way... I am in the works of designing an accessory that will contain an eSATA HDD hot swap bay, optical drive and USB hub... But that is for another day... Primary goal is to test NES 1.0 for cooling efficiency and get 1.1 squared away.


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## WereBo

WOW! That's some heatsink on the mobo! :grin:


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## GZ

Now I am cranky... UPS just updated my delivery time...



> Scheduled Delivery Updated To:
> Tuesday, 09/06/2011, By End of Day


I have already been waiting well over a week for this!!! Somehow the package routed from Parsippany to Secaucus (which is where my NewEgg order is shipping from) rather than to Bound Brook where it goes out for delivery.

Now, the packages are going to be routed through Parsippany, again, before being delivered to Bound Brook then to me.

I don't know why everyone complains about the USPS and swears by UPS, but I have nothing but problems with the big brown trucks! :upset:


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## GZ

Just checked up on UPS again... Both packages are in transit to Bound Brook... The NewEgg package is already there.

Decided to go ahead and purchase my control device... 

Newegg.com - VisionTek Candyboard Black 69 Normal Keys Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard

I trust NewEgg more than I trust Amazon.com, so...

Hopefully with a little luck I will get my packages tomorrow, even if I have to drive 40 minutes to Bound Brook to pick them up.

I am itching to get these bad boys up and running! :grin:


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## WereBo

Hehehehehe.... You seem almost as impatient with post/couriers as I am :grin:


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## GZ

My ire is growing exponentially and my patience is wearing extremely thin...

My power supply was delivered today and I was a very happy camper until I opened the box and found out that the output plug of the power brick is not compatible with the input jack for the PSU!!!!! :upset:

Unless I can find a sufficiently powerful brick to power the unit, I will have to wait another week+ to get the proper part to actually assemble and run my box!

My frustration had gotten the better of me... When I got home from the Gym (and calmed down a bit) I pulled the packing peanuts out of the box to put with the rest of my recycled shipping supplies... Lo and behold, the missing piece was in the bottom of the box. It merely came out of it's packing.

Please forgive my temporary lack of restraint! :grin:

All is well in the land of GZ.


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## WereBo

Hehehehehe.... been there, done that, still got the complaint-letter, ready to send off.... (Luckily, I didn't actually post it :grin

Gotta admit, it's a great feeling when it turns up (miner was an 16Gb SD-card that had slid into my camera box in the parcel, last Christmas :laugh


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## GZ

Yep... I have to admit that it probably would have been better off had I not had the piece... My excitement turned to haste (it was too late to start working) and I made two mistakes... I used a pilot bit on sheet aluminum, which tore it up... and I selected the wrong size screw and broke the DC jack! :doh:

I really need to purchase step bits... 

I have it rigged for now. Getting ready to lock and load... should have some fresh pics by Friday along with some test results. 

Tomorrow is dedicated to finding a new car.


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## GZ

I am posting from the NES now... Unfortunately, HW Monitor is having issues detecting the voltages and temperatures, so I am going to have to monitor them from Setup...

Will get some pics and updates to you all soon.


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## Amd_Man

Nice you got it going. :smile:


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## GZ

Amd_Man said:


> Nice you got it going. :smile:


Almost! I made a useless trip to Philadelphia earlier to look at a car with a (unkown @ the time) blown motor... :upset:

So I swung by MicroCenter... Picked up an adapter to hook up the DVD rom... no luck... It wasn't right. The PicoPSU that I am using only has one SATA power connector and one Molex. So I need a Molex to MicroSATA power adapter to get everything hooked up.

First impressions...

Computer stayed cool and extremely quiet. I only heard the fan ramp up when I rebooted then it slowed down again... barely audible.

The UEFI setup program is nice... mouse control and a pretty interface! :smile:

Monitored the temps... The CPU was a cool 43C after futzing with the system for a while... and although HWMonitor failed to report the voltages and temps correctly, the Setup program showed everything spot on... well within ATX specs. 

I also noticed that the motherboard has built in OVP and UVP. 

The little 1.6GHz x2 CPU didn't score too well in the Windows Experience Index, but it seemed to run Windows just fine. 

So far I am extremely happy with the performance of the setup. It has exceeded my expectations. You would expect the tight confines of the NES housing and a single 80MM fan to be a bit higher, even at idle. I think the HDD and the optical drive channel the air over the heatsink and help quite a bit.

I had to put it away for the night. I have an early day tomorrow. Hopefully I will get the chance to run a few benchmarks and get a feel for the acutal performance of the system... and of course, snap some snazzy pics!


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## Timer5

It looks good so far. I can't wait to see it finished.


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## Amd_Man

I can't wait to build my FX platform and use the new style BIOS. Guranteed for a bit I'll be reaching for that keyboard though. Did wei give it a low rating? I thought at least a 5.4 with that. Sounds like just some minor tweaking and you'll be set.


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## GZ

Got that from the Graphics... CPU was a 4.something.


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## WereBo

Great going GZ, it seems to be a 1st-class job, considering the tight space you crammed it in to


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## GZ

DSCN0943.AVI - YouTube


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## Timer5

Wow from the front it looks just like a NES you have done a great job. Hey can you tell us what the Windows Experience score is of it.


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## GZ

Thanks Timer5! That was a major part of my goals with this project.

I will post a screenshot of the WEI when I get the chance. I have been busy and haven't had the time or energy to run any benchmarks yet.


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## reventon

Looking good! Seems to run nice and quiet too?


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## GZ

Barely audible unless you are right up on it. Then you can hear the fan and the HDD.


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## WereBo

Very nicely done GZ, I think you've now invented 'Retro-Modding :grin:


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## Acuta73

Great job! Good to see it approaching the "DONE" stamp so quickly.

Good to see it sitting on TOP of the XBox. = )


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## GZ

The nice thing about this project is that I can do everything at home. My other two major projects require space, tools and equipment that I do not possess so I rely on the use of my buddies garage. It's a bit of a drive and I only go up there once every two weeks and half the time we end up working on one of his projects! 

I have to start over on the server project. The MoBo tray that I made ended up covered in surface rust... And the other project may be completely scrapped if I can't get moving on it.


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## GZ

Status update...

It's been a little while since I updated, but all is going well in NES land, for the most part. I have been extremely busy with work and side-work, as well as cleaning and preparing for winter that I haven't had much time to work on my multitude of projects. 

I tested the original configuration for the past couple months and, besides some initial glitches (Win 7 BSOD's and random crashes in Win 8 Developer Preview) the computer is fairing quite well.

The 80mm fan is proving wholly adequate to cool the APU on the board. I haven't seen temperatures over 45°C even when playing Project Blackout for over an hour. 

A BIOS update took care of all of the system stability problems. Windows 7 was running like a charm. You noticed I said "was".

I was so happy by the way things were running that I decided to install the Deluxe board in the NES case today. Got everything installed and in the case (CD-Rom is now connected and working) and powered her up... POST was success, entered the UEFI setup program and it started glitching. Powered the computer down, checked for any issues (pinched wires, etc.) and powered back up again and it wasn't glitching in UEFI so I ran Memtest86+. Didn't even get to 10% and memtest froze. Tried it again and the same thing occurred. Re-entered the UEFI and checked voltages and temps and all was well (according to sensor output). 

Finally, I removed the second DIMM and re-ran memtest... no glitching and it ran through 10 passes without error.

I am installing Windows 7 right now, won't get a chance to play with it tonight, it is past my bed time, but at least I will get to see if it is working correctly. Looks like I am going to update the UEFI tomorrow after work and see if that takes care of the memory issue.

As for case completion... I am still working on a way of hollowing out the one controller port to mount front USB ports. My idea is to mold the USB ports into the plastic, somehow. Haven't decided whether I am going to use an epoxy or some type of cold-set plastic. 

Other than that (and wiring the other port to a controller board to accept the NES controller) and the case is pretty much complete.

Will update again with some pic's soon.


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## GZ

In a bout of utter and total idiocy (or lunacy) I stayed up (6am EDT) and finished the Windows install, updated the UEFI BIOS and reinstalled the second DIMM... epic fail.

I don't quite understand how both DIMMs (both tested good) worked fine on the E35M1-I but not on the E35M1-I Deluxe... Going to do a little research (after I wake up) and try and figure this out. Even though I installed the 32bit version of Windows 7, I would like the full 3.5GB usable RAM...

Good news is that the computer seems to be running fine on one 2GB DIMM. Letting it update whilst I sleep.

Good night all, until later today!


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## WereBo

I hope you're not suffering from the recent power-outages, following the snow - It looks bad down the Eastern side


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## GZ

The snow is off the ground and I didn't suffer any power outage. Most of the power outages were from downed trees and branches that took out power lines. A good portion of the Lehigh Valley is out of Power, including Lehigh Valley Health Network (my wife's place of employment). No one told me if the power was out at the prison or not. Hopefully it is still up!


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## deleted6052011

That
Is
Amazing......

I want one :grin:


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## GZ

Here is a video of the NES... Please don't mind the guy behind the camera... he is a horrible narrarator...

DSCN0982-1.m4v - YouTube

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of the graphics in gameplay! 

This is pretty much at the top of the game spectrum that I am going to play on the NES.. The following videos demonstrate the wonderful 8bit graphics capabilities of the NES and the fact that I am awesome (at crashing) :grin:

Please forgive me... It has been a while since I played and I am using a horrible, cheap, controller.

NFS Underground 800x600 medium quality.

DSCN0983-1.m4v - YouTube

NFS Underground 1024x768 High quality

DSCN0984 1 - YouTube


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## Amd_Man

That's not bad at all. The game play is pretty smooth. What are the temps like? I'm surprised WEI only gives the cpu a 3.8.


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## GZ

I need a more modern game to really check... NFS Underground is from 2003... I need a DX10 or DX11 game to really dig into it.

I didn't check the temps before or after. The videos you see are the first times that I attempted to play a game (other than Project Blackout) on the system.

When I get time I will be running a good hard gaming run, around 1 to 1.5 hours with HW Monitor running in the background to get a good idea of the highs and lows.

I did put my hand by the exhaust fan after the game run, the fan speed (connected to the CPU header) was still low and it was blowing cool air... that is a good sign.

It is only a 1.3GHz dual core... :grin:

My new x6 1100T BE has a score of 7.6 (I believe) in WEI.


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## Amd_Man

Okay then, that's a pretty good cpu score for a 1.3 dual core. I seen your temps previous, but was wondering gaming temps. I play all old school games and the most modern being COD Black Ops which can be demanding when things get busy so maybe try that.


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## GZ

Amd_Man said:


> Okay then, that's a pretty good cpu score for a 1.3 dual core. I seen your temps previous, but was wondering gaming temps. I play all old school games and the most modern being COD Black Ops which can be demanding when things get busy so maybe try that.


I hate to admit this... but the newest, most graphic demanding PC game I own is NFS Underground! lol. I haven't played PC games for nearly 10 years! My current PC library contains titles like...

Beetle Buggin'
NFS Hot Persuit
NFS High Stakes
NFS Porche Unleashed
NFS Underground
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
King's Quest
Myst

... amongst older DOS and Wind 9x games... 

Too bad no one rents PC games!


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## GZ

Well... Since I don't have any modern games, or ways to get a modern game for testing (except purchasing one), I have decided to run 3DMark Vantage with HW Monitor running in the background to keep check on the temperatures. 

Right about now I wish I had bought that IR thermometer I was looking at a couple weeks ago... :doh:

3DMark is downloading right now. Soon as it is complete I will get the setups going then run the Benchmark and HW monitor. I will post the results as soon as I get them.


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## GZ

Here are the results of 3dMark... Prettry horrible if you ask me!!!! But the temps all looked good.

I had to run the defaults, which gave me an unnaturally low score. If I was able to tweak the settings, it would have been a bit better.


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## GZ

Quick update... The last week of testing has gone well. I purchased new RAM (from the HW QVL) which took care of an occasional no POST.

The micro keyboard I bought works well... within a few feet of the system. I can't even use it sitting on the couch. 

Everything seems to be functioning properly. Now I am going to clear the SSD and install Windows 7 64 for further testing, and to make use of the extra GB of RAM.


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## Amd_Man

How much ram did you install?


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## GZ

4GB (adding this because message is to short otherwise)


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## GZ

It's been a bit since my last update, but I have been very busy at work and home which hasn't given me much time to work on my two active projects. Unfortunately, I will be picking up Skyrim tomorrow, so that is probably going to throw a wrench in the gears as well, at least until February!

Progress report. 

I finally finished hollowing out controller port two. I have to female USB ports on order. Once they come in I need to fit them. 

I will be ordering the chip for CP1 (controller board) so I can use the original NES controller in CP1. Once that arrives all I need to do is solder the leads and mount it.

I was experiencing some system stability issues with the board and the SSD. Updated the SSD firmware and the MB UEFI Bios and those issues seem to be taken care of.

I have a fresh install of Windows 7 x64 which has been running flawlessly for a few days now, so hopefully the instability issues are over.

Looks like I am going to be starting on REV 2.2 of the NES project. My father has expressed interest in me building one for him so it is time to start sourcing parts...

Does anyone here have any experience with plastic-welding?


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## WereBo

RATS!!! It's a pity my Dad isn't still around, he did that for a living, making customised plastic drain-pipes and guttering etc. :laugh:

I do know it involves a hot-air gun and what he called a 'fillet', similar to a welding-rod, but made from plastic. The air-gun was hot enough to melt through plastic if kept too long on 1 spot, so it had to be kept moving The technique itself was similar to standard welding, but without the dark-glass visor so you can actually see what you're doing :grin:


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## GZ

I can pick up plastic welding equipment relatively inexpensively... The problem is, I have little experience with it and I want to attempt to replace the plastic that I remove with plastic instead of aluminum or steel... Keep the overall look of the unit more original. It would require me to be able to seam weld the plastic together.


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## Amd_Man

I worked in plastics years ago and just a reminder if you plan on heating plastic(s), wear a good breathing apparatus. That smoke can be very bad for you.


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## GZ

I will just have to work in a well ventilated area... My respirator broke years ago.


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## Amd_Man

I worked with it long before all the health issues that later came out. :SHOCKED:


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## WereBo

About all I can suggest is to practice with some scrap plastic that's of similar thickness first, then once you've got the feel for it, go for the project


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## GZ

It has been a while since my last update... It's because there has been little progress since my last post.

I have finally settled on an O.S. to use with it.... XBMCbuntu...

I love how the XBMC interface is set up... I had a little issue with the sound but I think I have that squared away now.

Dscn1102 1 - YouTube

Also... I spent a lot of time modifying one of the controller ports to house two front USB ports and an HDD LED... My idea was to install the USB ports (glued into the controller port housing) and use the open area at the top to house the HDD led in epoxy resin. All went well until I applied the epoxy resin and installed the LED... I forgot to tape off two openings in the USB port and the epoxy filled it!!! DOH! 

Oh well, I have spare parts, including another set of USB ports... Time to try again!


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## GZ

So... We are all installed and set up downstairs now... Still have a few things to work out...

I am stuck with the RAM that is in it... Unfortunately, none of my High performance RAM plays nicely with this board... It runs fine with the KVR that is installed, so be it!

I will post my final update with new pics once my last few changes are made. 

All I can say is... FINALLY a completed project!!!! :lol:


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## WereBo

Yayyy!!!







Finally finished.... - What's your next project going to be? :grin:


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## GZ

You'll just have to wait and find out, eh!!!

Made a few changes... I loved XBMCbuntu, but there were a few things I couldn't do (netflix) or wouldn't quite work right(XBOX controllers)... So I went back to Windows...

Still have XBMC (Windows Port)... Still functions well, but I still see Windows start up... I am going to attempt to set up a second account where (when logged in) the computer starts XBMC instead of explorer! But that is for another day.

At first I was having odd video lag issues when playing Video from Netflix... I traced it to a lack of frame-buffer memory set for the computer's video... So I increased it to 1GB (from 256MB)... The only problem now is I only have 2GB usable RAM, 1GB dedicated to video and 1GB in Windows 32bit limbo! Oh well.

Took a little video of me futzing around with it on my new TV. Yes... I got so ticked off at the odd issues with the TV that I had in the living room and went and bought a new one... I just wish the wife would let me throw away that crappy old entertainment center and make room for a TV that is a bit bigger.

Well, here is the video... I kinda forgot I was recording when I had some issues with the JTK mapping (I'm controlling it with one of my wireless XBOX controllers) so it is a little tedious... But I think it shows how well my little beast is getting along.

Dscn1109 1 - YouTube

BTW... The XBOX wireless controller adapter was one of the best things I have ever bought!!! I currently have two controllers connected to it!


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## GZ

gavinzach said:


> I am going to attempt to set up a second account where (when logged in) the computer starts XBMC instead of explorer! But that is for another day.


Okay... Strike one for "another day" and "another all-nighter" for the win!

I am a glutton for punishment... Headed to bed, but first...

Dscn1110-1.mp4 - YouTube

Se you all on the flip-side.


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## wkw427

This is... awesome. How much does the nes system weigh?


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## GZ

wkw427 said:


> This is... awesome. How much does the nes system weigh?


Don't know for sure (never bothered to weigh it) but I think it is right around 5 lbs.


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## GZ

WereBo said:


> Yayyy!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally finished.... - What's your next project going to be? :grin:


Believe it or not... Two more NES-PC's... Which I have now dubbed Wintendos!

Been doing a little tweaking and such... I decided to go back to Windows, although I loved XBMCbuntu... The driver support for my board just isn't there and I was having odd issues... It was a great experience though!

Dscn1112 1 - YouTube

As for my two new NES projects... I have decided to try again... Build on my knowledge of the first time through and make design improvements and such.

I am taking two different routes... Reviving the NES 2 project I started earlier with a few changes and a bit more oomph... (discrete video for one). And one that stays truer to the NES form with less overt modifications.

I will keep the one I am happiest with and sell the other two later on...

Well... Here is where I am with NES (Wintendo) 2.

Decided to try GigaByte's E-350 offering (E350N-USB3). I passed it over for the ASUS boards because of the inadequate looking heatsink/fan... Boy was I right! OOB on first fire up, the CPU was idling at 60°C... I dismantled the HS/F and redid thermal paste and it dropped to 58°, still way too high (this is running on a bench in the open in a 30° room)... Unfortunately there aren't many options for aftermarket cooling so I decided to do a little hack-n-slash modification on a Logisys DeepCool VGA cooler. 

This is to scale the tiny size of the HS/F combo.









Here is the VGA cooler after I stripped it of it's fan and mounting bracket.
I don't have a photo, but I hacked off the "ears" on each side to clear the capacitors on the board.









I ended up having to use the OEM HS/F mounting plate/CPU contact surface to attach the HS to the board. 









Idle temps had dropped to 42°-46°, which is a vast improvement. (I was hoping for better). Right now I have it running without the fan and it has stabilized at 62° I am going to let it "burn in" overnight like that to set the paste and try to take some load temps. (a little test OC @ 1.76GHZ ran @ 49°-53° idle) I am hoping the heatsink does a better job under load!

Note to self... Do not attempt to solder aluminum... It is not worth the headache...

As for Wintendo 3... I am taking my time with the case modifications and waiting for a mini-ITX "Trinity" offering.


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## GZ

I made a few adjustments to the heatsink to get it behind the I/O shield and installed a slightly smaller (80mm x 15mm) fan on the heatsink to be sure it fits inside the case. I, also, installed some slightly stiffer springs behind the MB and a couple of pads to be sure the heatsink is held firmly in place and making even contact with the CPU die. 

A fresh application of thermal paste and the temps dropped a couple more degrees. Now it is reading idle @ 39° to 40° idle temps with system temps at 34° to 35°... This is a decent improvement, 5° to 6° difference rather than a 8° to 10° difference between system and CPU temps. That is satisfactory, hopefully it's enough when stuffed inside the tiny little NES with a discrete video card. I have yet to figure out how I am going to cool the system... The video card will be blocking a bit of airflow... That is for another day though.


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## WereBo

From the look of that fan, you might need a bit of ballast in the bottom of the case to stop it taking off.... :grin:


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## GZ

Well... I am selling the "Wintendo" :sad:

I don't want to but we need the $$$$

Keep tuned though... I will be doing another revision sometime and it is bound to be better!!!!!

My latest revision (the one with the fan) is dead as well... The motherboard has been stuffed in the innards of one of those little black box Dell Dimension cases and given to my little girl for school. I still have the NES shell, but I am working on some streamlined modifications for mounting the components... 

I will start a new thread when I start working on it again.

Thanks everyone for your ideas, support and interest. I also hope that this may have inspired someone too!


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## WereBo

Well, at least you've got the problems overcome so the next build should be easier, unless you decide to put a PC in a 'Sinclair-Spectrum' case or something :grin:

Good luck with the new one


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