Cuzza's Sega SC-3000H Nano-ITX Mod

[Cuzza]

Not much happening here because I'm busy ordering parts at the moment, trying to do this without spending a fortune is difficult. Times like these I wish I was American! I have a friend in Oregon who I am trying to get some orders sent to then he'll forward them to me for cheap, but he is not going to be there long so I might need another friend.

Also debating whether to put an optical drive in this thing. Does anyone know the power draw from a laptop style optical drive? Maybe I'll just google it. Typing as I think BTW. While watching Win98 install on an old PC. I miss 98.

 

[MKmods]

the draw from Laptop Hdds and DVDs is practically nothing (they also run off 5V too)

As an example, right now I am using my Intel Atom 330 (1.6Ghz X 2) with 2 gigs of memory, a 10K raptor Hdd and a full size DVD and my comp draws 30 watts of power.

One other thing is the small PSs like I linked to before are much more efficient than standard ATX PSs (I think they are in the 95% range). I notice my comp draws about 10 more watts when I use an ATX PS.

 

[Cuzza]

OK so that's not an issue. I'll worry about putting a drive in it later. I think a slot load one at the front would be pretty swish.

Planning on this for the power supply:
http://www.idotpc.com/TheStore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=629

It has the wide input range so I'll pick up an old laptop charger I've seen a few 16V ones selling for about $10 that can feed this thing.


Minor update today, had to install the adaptor board in the case, so needed some sort of standoffs. Took some old car-tyre valve caps cut them in half, drilled them and glued them in place.

And the board just screws onto that. easy.

 

[Cuzza]

While I'm waiting for bits to arrive from America this is all that has happened recently on this mod: The AC adaptor showed up! (wow I know)

Thanks to the good people at IBM for this baby.

And it should fit nicely inside the Sega (that's mostly luck rather than good planning), so no silly adaptor on the floor to trip over.

 

[Meecrob]

I would/would have gone with the mitx setup, mound it upside down and add some taller rubber feet, you could also make ur own cooler for the board depending on what you have access to.

if u really wanted to go all out, you could try and find a picoitx board, uber small

 

[p_o_s_pc]

Subscribed. I want to see how this goes

 

[m4gicfour]

*drool* this kind of stuff gives me so many ideas! Since I don't have any old Sega machines anymore, I'll share my idea; maybe you'll want to try it out.

Does the board you are planning on using have a parallel port header?

If it does you may want to look at this: ppJoy software. Run joystick adapters from parallel ports... such as the original Sega controllers (all plug into a standard serial port style plug, you just need a circut... such as the NTPADXP interface from that site.

Sorry, that site wouldn't navigate to the page from the link... so here's the gif; its under:
Supported interfaces > Sega Genesis > NTPADXP. (I've built that one. works good - in fact if I can find the convertor I built you could have it for free)

Then you could wire up the existing ports from your SC-3000H or just buy some D-sub connectors from radioshack (DB9). and then EMULATOR GLORY with original Sega pads, kekeke You may be able to find some on ebay...

How 'bout an authentic SG-1000 game? Elevator Action!

Meka's a good emulator for early Sega machines (such as yours)
http://img.techpowerup.org/090729/Elevator Action (SG-1000) [!]-01.png

 

[Cuzza]

I would/would have gone with the mitx setup

I'm not sure what you mean, I've worked through the possibilities and there is really no way to make it fit, even upside-down. Are you suggesting feet under the case and cut holes in the bottom to let the board components stick out a bit?

Does the board you are planning on using have a parallel port header?

Nope, though I bet I can buy a small USB - parallel port adaptor.

Thanks for those links, you know I hadn't even considered what I was going to actually use this thing for... Sega emulator would be pretty cool. I think I will worry about that after I have the rest of it working. And I'm not ordering the (expensive!) n-ITX board, picoPSU and memory until I know that the keyboard works (the X-keys is on a boat from America as I speak.. hopefully...)

Damn, i should have kept the gamepad connectors off the SEGA motherboard! .....

 

[Maban]

I have a few Genesis controllers I guess i could sell(not free, plan to use it again) to you. And also some some kind of 2 to 4 port thing from EA.

 

[m4gicfour]

grr. had to edit my post. That ppJoy site seems to go to the homepage no matter where you link to (that or my firefox is buggered.)

I'm going to look for that converter i made. It's nothing special, but its yours if you want it.

Nope, though I bet I can buy a small USB - parallel port adaptor.

Thanks for those links, you know I hadn't even considered what I was going to actually use this thing for... Sega emulator would be pretty cool. I think I will worry about that after I have the rest of it working. And I'm not ordering the (expensive!) n-ITX board, picoPSU and memory until I know that the keyboard works (the X-keys is on a boat from America as I speak.. hopefully...)

Damn, i should have kept the gamepad connectors off the SEGA motherboard! .....

If you do go for a parallel-to-usb adapter, be careful. I've heard that most only support printers (perhaps only emulate a specific PP mode or protocol?) If that's the case, it'd be useless anyway. That said, I haven't actually used any USB-PP adaptors so I don;t know YMMV

 

[Cuzza]

I have a few Genesis controllers I guess i could sell(not free, plan to use it again) to you. And also some some kind of 2 to 4 port thing from EA.

Thanks for the offer, if I can't get hold of one here in NZ I'll ask you next

I'm going to look for that converter i made. It's nothing special, but its yours if you want it.

That would be great.

 

[Meecrob]

I'm not sure what you mean, I've worked through the possibilities and there is really no way to make it fit, even upside-down. Are you suggesting feet under the case and cut holes in the bottom to let the board components stick out a bit?




Nope, though I bet I can buy a small USB - parallel port adaptor.

Thanks for those links, you know I hadn't even considered what I was going to actually use this thing for... Sega emulator would be pretty cool. I think I will worry about that after I have the rest of it working. And I'm not ordering the (expensive!) n-ITX board, picoPSU and memory until I know that the keyboard works (the X-keys is on a boat from America as I speak.. hopefully...)

Damn, i should have kept the gamepad connectors off the SEGA motherboard! .....

yeah, mostly the cpu/chipset coolers and if needed the ram, it would lead to better temps (fresh air on the coolers) and if u gota dremel it shouldnt be that hard to keep it pretty covert looking, saw a guy do that with an old dead amega computer that was just a bit larger then what you got there, but he was even able to mount a laptop optical drive sticking out the back!!!

 

[Cuzza]

interesting idea, might keep it in mind for future upgrades. but for now I want to keep the case stock, which means nano-ITX. i have also obtained a slot-load optical drive out of a iBook which I am already struggling to find space for,there would definitely be no room to fit that in if i go m-ITX. thanks for the input though!

 

[Cuzza]

ZOMG Actual Progress!!!


OK team, here's the latest:

I picked up this slim optical combo drive for $20. It's a slot-load job out of an iBook G4

So to mount this I had to cut a slot in the side of the case. It will go through the two joystick port holes.

This is the result, I'm very pleased considering I used an angle grinder and an old soldering iron to cut the plastic. You can see through the gap the sticky foam strips I'm using to raise the drive and also dampen vibrations.

So the drive mounts in there like so

And this is what it looks like from the outside

Now I need some input: Do you think I should paint the bezel on the drive black? Would be more stealth, make things look more stock I guess. But I kinda like the white. Opinions welcome.

 

[Mark_Hardware]

very nice work, man! some of this stuff is way over my head lol

 

[a111087]

paint it

 

[Cuzza]

paint it

OK

It does look good painted. This photo really shows up my scuff marks and dodgy paintwork, you hardly notice that with the eye.

 

[djshadow]

Can't wait to see some testing pictures . I believe in all 100% that it will be success . Subd

 

[Meecrob]

OK

http://img.techpowerup.org/090803/SV402778.jpg

It does look good painted. This photo really shows up my scuff marks and dodgy paintwork, you hardly notice that with the eye.

if you want some advice on how to clean the scuff marks off, grab some brasso and give it a good scrubing

 

[h3llb3nd4]

wow you're mking progress Cuzza!

 

[Cuzza]

if you want some advice on how to clean the scuff marks off, grab some brasso and give it a good scrubing

seriously? brasso on plastic?

 

[Meecrob]

yeah, i have used it to buff out all sorts of scuffs and scratches, google stuff like "ipod brasso" or "zune brasso" for example, its a wonder to see how many uses brasso has!!!

I also found the silver polish made by the same company to be quite good, but its not as abrasive so you have to scrub ALOT longer, if you wanting to get ultimate shine, use brasso then silver polish to get a nice mirror effect(mostly for metal or pmp screens)

 

[Cuzza]

OK i'll try it

EDIT

Dug around in the shed found an old can of Brasso, this must be 20 years old lol

But still works, check it out, shiny.........

 

[Cuzza]

The most important day of this project so far...

Well guys, the X-keys board finally showed up! check it out:

I went to hook it up and realised that my diagram was wrong, AGAIN, DUH!
Here's the updated version, I know this one is right:

Now, here it is installed next to my adaptor board in the Sega case:

Connect them with the floppy cable:

And this is the final product:

And guess what? It works! Have a look at the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2UKTwX8dUo

So pleased right now, if this didn't work the whole project was fucked. But now it's game on.
And just for fun here's a pic of the hard drive which showed up today as well:

 

[Yukikaze]

Awesome !