must...have...more...mods!

[skool h8r]

hi all,
I've been thinking, i know i need some more mods for my 'puter but i just can't think what. I'm going to get a UV cathode, cable tidy kit and UV red (or blue) PCI system exhaust. I'm getting them from connection-computers.co.uk . I'm just wondering if there is anything that could bring my mod up to date with the major modders out there, just something that can make it look the part like all the good mods out there. (if there is a good cheap watercooling kit out there, that would be nice).

[Staz]

Replace the LEDs on your case with ultra bright blue ones

[~* InSoM *~]

UV Reactive IDE and Floppy leads look good, and also, you can get PSU's where t he leads are wrapped in UV sheaths.

Also, alot of the CPU coolers can be cosmetic apart from functional aswell, Zalman does a nice cooler, and it is supposed to be brilliant at cooling aswell...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...741534862&rd=1

Also Akasa do quite a few accessories, have a look at http://www.akasa.co.uk for what they do, but they only do trade directly, so you will have to look to see who stocks their bits.

Another nice mod, if you go into BOOTS (the highstreet store) and buy some UV reactive nail varnish, you could paint up part of your case inside, just be carefull where you splash it tho, dont know wot damage it could do if you get it on any parts (is it conductive???)...

Also Fan Grills, plenty of these on Ebay, in all sorts of designs for just a couple of quid, and loads of fans aswell...

[GrahamGarside]

Don't buy a zalman off ebay though whatever you do, £32 inc. p&p is over the odds, there just over £27 at oc.co.uk

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatal...alman_121.html

[GrahamGarside]

check out ebuyer for modding gear, their stuf is much the same as the specialist shops sell but far far cheaper

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ..._uid=23&stid=2

[~* InSoM *~]

sry, best pic i could find for the Zalman, they have alot of Zalman fakes on ebay aswell.

Also, if you have a Maplins near you, they stock Zalman, Akasa, (well stevenage shop does) and several other bits and bobs, dont know how their prices compare, but could be worth a browse

[~* InSoM *~]

If you buy PCextreme magazine, they have quite alot of reviews on modding bits...

You can also get RAM Heatsinks with LED's attached, dont know where to get em from, but might be worth looking at?!?

[skool h8r]

hi all,
thanks for the quick reply. Just found a true modders case for £12.75 on ebuyer with free delivery! you can look (but not touch ; ) at http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=72996 I'll have enough to get it in a few days and i reckon it will be delivered by next tuesday (15th, not 8th). I'm going to order it tomorrow and as it has so many slots for drives (which i probably won't need) that's an added bonus. It doesn't have a PSU with it but i will probably get one later so i don't have to go messing with this computer. I'm only moving the board, wires, drives, fans, basically all the stuff that i can. The new cases dimensions are slightly wider but about the same size the other ways. Finally, i might be able to catch up with everyone (even though i'm not that far behind. I am really on a shoestring budget which is why i am looking for the oarst that can give good performance (like the £8.50 voodoo 3 i got off of ebay the other day) and the case mods that look good and are still bargains. I will order the UV cathodes and stuff like that another time.

[Rondog]

If your going to put LED fans in it, get some matte black custom grills. www.pccasegear.com-> fan grills-> custom grills (or something like that, they have very nice matte black CS ones) The only catch you is, theyre in Australia.

[~* InSoM *~]

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk

[GrahamGarside]

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=61302

I wouldn't recomend this for a modern high powered system, but it would suit your needs

[skool h8r]

hmm, i've been having a look at them all and i'm looking for a really cheap cable tidying kit but can't seem to find any. I'm looking for something around £5 (no more). It's not desperate but would be nice.

[GrahamGarside]

get these, they do the job for cable tidying, they're really cheap and they're uv reactive

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=65289
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=65288
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=65287

[~* InSoM *~]

Cable sleaving - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...161657547&rd=1

molex connectors - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...166422404&rd=1

Full kit - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...162275913&rd=1

Cable ties - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...163091693&rd=1

[skool h8r]

hmm, i do like the one on ebay but i don't think i'll be able to afford it after the case (like i said in a few posts, i'm on a shoestring budget) and i'm going to get that PSU Graham posted. Thanks though. Right, a question about PSU's, i'm currently using a 350W PSU, does it matter if i use a higher wattage PSU on the same computer? will my computer short circuit or 'blow up' on me?

[~* InSoM *~]

when you choose your powersupply, you actually fry anything if you get a higher PSU, but what you do need to do is work out the totally wattage your machine uses and get a PSU accordingly.

If you donot get a big enough PSU, and it does go for that reason, usually when you try to RMA a PSU, they will ask exactly, or inspect (depends on where you go), to make sure you are not exceeding the wattage of the PSU, if you do, most places wont replace.

[~* InSoM *~]

a rough idea on what to go on for wattage:

Motherboard - 20-30W
Pentium 4 - 70W
AThlon XP - 70W
Athlon 64 - 90W
RAM - 8W p/128mb
PCI - 5W
AGP - 30-50W
HD - 10 - 20W
Floppy - 5W
Optical Drive - 10-25W
Case Fans - 3W each

if you add what you have from the list above, x by 1.8 that is your recommended PSU.

Yhe table is NOT necessarilly correct and is only a rough guide, all parts will have the wattage, either on the device, or on the packaging somewhere

[GrahamGarside]

your ok using high wattage psu's with low requirement hardware, they just won't draw as much.
Basically apart from SLI or dual processor systems you only need 350W as long as it's a good brand of psu, I run a newcastle core, 1gb ram, 2 hdd's, 2 optical drives and a 6800 off a 380W psu without any problems.
The psu I've recomended will definately suffice for your system, your looking at an average power usage of around 200W full load and 100 in normal use

[skool h8r]

hmmm, interesting that. At the moment, the setup i'm planning to use is:

AMD Athlon 1.4Ghz
1 standard floppy drive
1 standard DVD-ROM drive
1 JustLink CD-Writer
3 case fans (1 x 120mm and 2 x 80mm)
2 HD's (1 20Gb, other is 40Gb)
1 Conexant PCI 56k modem
AGP 3DFX Voodoo 3 3000
256Mb DDR-RAM
1 standard UV cold cathode (or dual cathodes)

So what you are saying Insom, is that i'm gonna fry my system if i use the 600W PSU. But what you are saying Graham, is that the wattage is regulated. I'll have a check with a few people i know as i've never tried to fit a PSU before (well i tried once but it was an old one and because it didn't work, i blew it up by changing the voltage switch, it was fun to watch!). I really don't want to blow this computer up as most of my family use it. I use it the most, almost every night and that's why i'm modding it. I'll check with a few people 'in the know' (you lot are but just to be sure) and then decide what's best.Thanks for the help.

[danrok]

Originally Posted by skool h8r

So what you are saying Insom, is that i'm gonna fry my system if i use the 600W PSU.

I don't think that's what he meant.

You won't fry anything using a 600w PSU.

If the system only needs 200w, the PSU will only put out 200w.