bonestonne Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 It is possible to modify an mSATA SSD to work in the mPCI-e slot. It is likely not possible, or very difficult to use a mPCI-e card in an mSATA port. Physically, the connectors look and are pinned out identically. The electrical and data connections are different between the two. What you're looking to do is the opposite of what people will typically try to modify, and I'm not sure if you would be able to successfully reverse the connections and have everything work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 That was true at the time written. But that was 2010. It wasn't until Sandy Bridge that *some* motherboards had mPCIE slots that worked with mSATA From the PCIE wiki article, Despite sharing the mini-PCI Express form factor, an mSATA slot is not necessarily electrically compatible with Mini PCI Express. . .Most compatible systems are based on Intel's Sandy Bridge processor architecture, using the Huron River platform. But for a mSATA/mini-PCI-E connector, the only prerequisite is that there is a switch which makes it either a mSATA or a mini-PCI-E slot and can be implemented on any platform. Notebooks like Lenovo's T-Series, W-Series, and X-Series ThinkPads released in March–April 2011 have support for an mSATA SSD card in their WWAN card slot. The ThinkPad Edge E220s/E420s, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460/Y560 also support mSATA.[11] So you and that article are right to a degree. It was not possible until 2011. I'll probably just buy one of those, test it, and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Today I manage to get together a proof of concept for the top section "holders". Photos attached. So basically this little doohickey uses the screws that hold the inner shell to the outer shell for support. You can then use this little doohickey to support DVD drives, PSUs, etc. The PSU will need one that covers more of the screws for better support. But I'm happy to test and find out this will probably work. The final holders would be made of metal, I used the artboard for concepting but it bends too much for actual use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Tonight I got a chance to inspect how the upper case is assembled. I noticed that the seam where two parts of the case meet has a metal bracket with a few small screws and nuts. That's when I knew I had stumbled upon a better way to make the PSU holder. I took measurements and created a guide for cutting out the new piece. This is just a paper mockup of the actual bracket. I'm attaching the .DXF file (zipped) for this piece to this post. So, what we have here is a bracket that keeps the case together but also serves as a PSU holder. I'll need to make something to support the front end of the PSU but this takes care of a major hurdle in the long and slow road to my G5 mod's completion. Photos attached along with schematic in case you want to print it / cut it out. I'm 95% certain this schematic will work, it definitely works with the PSU I have. Lastly, a shot of the mug that is keeping my caffeinated. PSU holder.zip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 (edited) 60+ hour work weeks have put a damper on my G5 modding mojo. But I have managed to make version 2.0 of the new backplate. Immediately after test fitting it I realized version 3.0 would be necessary, the back IO port area is not lined up with the PCI slot area. Silly me. Anyways, photo attached as is the .dxf of version 3.0 (now with proper alignment). ps - the random holes in the paper template are just me making sure the holes line up. backplate.zip Edited March 9, 2013 by Ira Aduro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Started asking around for quotes on the backplate, let's hope it won't be TOO pricey. Also looking for broken motherboards (since they are cheap) to act as stand in for real motherboard, if you have a Gigabyte z68x (layout the same as the Gigabyte z77x I have) lying around you don't want for a few months let me know, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjf20 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Thank you, I am just modifying sheriff's original template so most of the credit goes to him, especially nailing down the hole spacing. Still waiting to hear back from water jet place on how much it will cost to get this cut out. I'll probably cut another prototype out first just ot make sure my measurements are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 So according to the water jet place - to cut out that design would be around $600 because of all the starting and stopping of the water jet. :( So, anyone have a cnc router or something and want to help me and the community out with this by doing a prototype? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baudouin Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I am trying to open your two files but I have not Autocad, which other program can I use ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 I make these in illustrator so I can save as that, EPS, SVG or even as a JPG or TIFF file. Talking to a friend and he had the great suggestion that I take the plans down to a local tech college as they often have a shop and will cut stuff out. The company I called about get this cut out with a water jet also have a CNC router but they flat out refused to cut it with that since they said all the up and down of the holes would destroy their motor. EDIT: I updated that post with a .zip file that contains EPS, SVG, AI, DXF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baudouin Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 Funny excuse, destroy their motor !! I could open the three other files. Thanks, but there are too big except the ai file I could reduce it to the real size . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 When you open the files you may have to tell it what the scale is. In this case, 1 unit = 1 mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 So I tweaked the back cover to have less holes and cover less area. I need some advice from those that have cut backplates. The expansion slot area - it seems the facade is glued or welded to the back of the case? If that is so, my current plan is to cut right below where the expansion slot begins and remove the perforated aluminum there. How well do you think that would work? In case that is not clear I've attached the template with red areas showing where the expansion slot and latch would go, you can see how close it runs to it. Oh and the three larger holes in the area above the rear IO area is a place where I'm thinking about attaching two wifi and one bluetooth antenna. Company move is on final week. I promise this mod is going somewhere! Just very slowly and very cautiously. There probably will never be another G5 mod by me so I want to get this one perfect so I can use the case for many years to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baudouin Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 So I tweaked the back cover to have less holes and cover less area. I need some advice from those that have cut backplates. The expansion slot area - it seems the facade is glued or welded to the back of the case? If that is so, my current plan is to cut right below where the expansion slot begins and remove the perforated aluminum there. How well do you think that would work? In case that is not clear I've attached the template with red areas showing where the expansion slot and latch would go, you can see how close it runs to it. Oh and the three larger holes in the area above the rear IO area is a place where I'm thinking about attaching two wifi and one bluetooth antenna. Company move is on final week. I promise this mod is going somewhere! Just very slowly and very cautiously. There probably will never be another G5 mod by me so I want to get this one perfect so I can use the case for many years to come. Not exactly, from the outside, the plastique with numbers is glue to the alu plate and from the inside the "divider" connectors piece is soldered onto the case. It easy to take it out with a flat screwdriver by gently lifting the piece alongside . I will make an How-to with pix because I have dismantled several cases and kept the different parts. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 !!! awesome !!! thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baudouin Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 In the meantime, the pics : You can see the glue on the plastique parts and the shadows on the mesh part is the track of the solder . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 So, another dead end but I am learning. According to the local tech college - cnc cutting the backplate would not be a good idea because the thin metal would vibrate too much and programming time would be too long for a one-off piece. They did recommend me to a laser cutting place as that is supposedly the best way to cut a piece like this. Also, holes smaller than 1/8" are not really round with a laser cutter and you have flash burrs when cutting aluminum since it is so reflective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjf20 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Minihack would be the man to ask -- (thelaserhive) He's got a laser cutter himself (although I think he uses it mainly for perspex and out sources the aluminium cutting) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheTech Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 We seriously all just need to put our money together and buy a workshop with a laser cutter, plasma cutter, mill, and all those other awesome machines. We could automate everything with arduino so that you could upload your design, it would cut it, inspect it and mail it right back 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Don't get my hopes up. I thought the hard part would be making a template for the backplate that matches up perfectly. I didn't think the hard part would be finding a way to cut said template out. I've been talking to David from the LaserHive and laser cutting the aluminum would cause warping due to heat build up from cutting so many holes so close together. I've started looking into drill presses so I can do this by hand but that is not ideal. There's got to be something I'm missing. I'm going to contact more CNC places, maybe someone around my town can stably cut thin aluminum. I've also contact a guy from the Hard Forums who has a plasma cutter and offered to cut stuff for me. The really frustrating aspect is my goal of a backpanel that anyone can download the template for and then have it cut out is looking less likely to happen simply because the cutting out would be $$ or hard to find someone who could do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheTech Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 The really frustrating aspect is my goal of a backpanel that anyone can download the template for and then have it cut out is looking less likely to happen simply because the cutting out would be $$ or hard to find someone who could do it. Well keep up the hard work - all it takes is for one person like yourself to make contact with someone who has the capacity, and it opens the door for everyone else! Looking forward to see if Plasma is the answer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Good thing I'm too stubborn for my own good. I emailed around ten CNC / Laser cutting local places last night with the template, asking for quotes and if they couldn't do it who would they recommend. Sheriff, who originally made the template, cut his out on a CNC machine so I'm not totally buying the "CNC would be too much vibration" line. The first shop I talked to just didn't want to drill that many holes with their CNC machine. Vibrations weren't the issue. Another option, I think instead of recreating the backplate it might be possible to cut out bits of the back and graft them into place, then graft in a few custom made pieces. So for instance instead of making the fan section, cut it out and move it left. Take the part you cut out to make room for the fans moving left and graft that in to the right of the fans, filling in the gap between the fans and where the rear IO port section would go. You could cut out a custom piece for the rear IO port section. You might need a small 3"x3" section of perforated aluminum made. I'll play around with it more over the week. Here's a rough idea of what it would look like (attached). Also, been thinking about taking the front CPU fans, cutting out the fan part, leaving just the facade, and turning it into a cover to mask a HD bay. That mean the HDs would have cool air pulling by them thanks to the two 92mms in the back, and I don't think they would make enough heat to negatively effect the CPU if they sat somewhere in front of it. btw - if you want a dirt cheap but nice camera kit - get a Lumix G3 and a Hexanon 50mm 1.4 lens. All in all should cost you around $380 if you buy the camera without the stock lens and with the Hexanon and needed adapter or $480 with the kit lens, Hexanon and Hexanon adapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Aduro Posted March 14, 2013 Author Share Posted March 14, 2013 Got my first quote back! $115 for backplate_rev2. Got my second quote back! $215! Well I am waiting to hear back from a few others including the guy over at [H]ardforums. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniHack Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Got my first quote back! $115 for backplate_rev2. Got my second quote back! $215! Well I am waiting to hear back from a few others including the guy over at [H]ardforums. We'll see. Ira Aduro. I know we talked about this and the practicalities of all the holes, but the major question in my head is why you would place the board IO so far away from the PCI slot area? Did I miss something or is the back you want to cut NOT meant to conform to the PC (ATX/mATX) standard? Naturally to meet the PC standard the rectangular IO area must be immediately next to the PCI slot area. So if the backplate you want doesn't fit with ATX or mATX motherboards why do you want it? Anyway, that question to one side and assuming I have misread something in that. There is another option open to you that you could follow - which is to cut from perforated aluminium with a pattern "close" to the original pattern. That is one option my aluminium cutting guy gave me when I started down this route myself a year or more ago. I rejected that one at the time as it would need too much finishing by hand around the cut out areas to make a smooth look and so is not a saleable "off the shelf" kit, BUT it occurs to me that a custom design could be made that'd look quite good and would be a heck of a lot cheaper to produce and an enthusiastic modder might enjoy the extra hours smoothing out areas around the latch/ fan cut outs etc. Just a thought and feel free to email too - but an open discussion here is also fine for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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