First Cab Project 45% complete. PROBLEMS! In need of some help!

[ArcticCowboy]

Alright! Update time! I haven't done anything huge in these past few weeks. Visually at least. Just tweaking things her and there. The computer is mounted inside the cabinet, started putting the panelling on. Extended the power wires on the television and the computer and wired them to buttons that will be mounted on the top panel.

I've added hinges and a lock to the back panel, a lock and some magnets to keep it from flopping around. The upper back panel doesn't open, but I need to take it off and shave down the sides a bit so it doesn't stick out like it does.

I have 4 120mm fans. Planning on putting two intake fans on the bottom and two.... "outtake?".... fans on the top. I cut the hole for the first fan, and then decided that I should wait till the fan covers arrive before I do any more work

Got a palm sander for $10 at a salvage store, so I'm going to be alot of smoothing going on.

[ArcticCowboy]

Here. Have more pics

[skjerk]

So did you ever get the TV working? If so - what was the solution?

I would call the "outtake" for "exhaust" 

[ArcticCowboy]

Yeah, haven't fixed it, but I think I know whats wrong with it. The lowest screen refresh rate is 60hz, and my TV is probably 30 or 50. I can't bring the computer's refresh rate down unless I have a video card in it. I had a video card with composite out that I bought for $20, but it only works in Dell computers with windows xp (I have vista). Then I got that converter box which didn't do anything for me seeing as the box can't change the refresh rate. So I need a new video card.

[skjerk]

bummer  - probably 50Hz then..... TV's are usually 50Hz or 60Hz.......

[ArcticCowboy]

Yeah , its getting frustrating. I'm working on some other stuff until I find the patience to figure it out

[ArcticCowboy]

So the speakers are (kindof) done... almost. I used some thin black fabric, 2 large rubber rings (used for something in plumbing... pipes probably), some metal ribbon and a few screws.

Sawed a hole to match the size of the rubber ring, and laid the fabric under the rings, and strapped the speakers down over all that. (The rings push the fabric out enough so they lay flush with the outside of the panel).

Still need to get some covers for the speakers, but this will work for now.

[ArcticCowboy]

Also, on another note,  how do you edit the title of a thread?

[Slippyblade]

Go back to the first post you made and click the "modify" button.  That will let you make changes to the post AND the title.

[ArcticCowboy]

Oh ballin! Thanks!

[ArcticCowboy]

Alright, so I've been doing a little work on the cab this past week, finally splurged and got the bezel. Got here today, and I cut it down to size and I think it looks amazing!



But.... There's a major problem!



The bezel is too big... Or tall. I've got the screen mounted just right, any movement up or down is going to throw the whole project off. I can't move the screen back because there's about a 1/4" of space from the back panel and the rear of the television. So from what I can see my options are:
-cut out some small extensions and glue them to the sides of the cabinet so the bezel will fit. This will be cheaper, but it will also not be as solid as a single piece of wood.
-OR I can tear the whole thing apart and resign myself to the fact that I need to g buy more wood and recut the sides. I'm thinking I'd add 2 inches onto the back end of the side panels, and slide the TV back 2 inches, so I can fit the bezel and the eventual piece of plexiglass over the screen.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for the help!

[Slippyblade]

That kind of plastic is very malleable at reasonably low temperatures.  If you use a hair dryer and heat it s-l-o-w-l-y it will soften up enough to bend and match the shape of the cab.  Practice with some of the bits you trimmed off when sizing the bezel so you don't ruin it.

[kixfan]

You could cut a small hole in the back for the very back of the TV to stick out.   Make or by a small plastic box to cover it like they did on old console TVs.   I like the bezel, where did you get it?

[ArcticCowboy]

Got the bezel from Twisted Quarter. Took me weeks to find one the right size. Had to cut it down to size, but the inside dimensions are perfect

http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=200_203&products_id=374

[CraftyMech]

99% sure your CRT TV is 60hz, which is the NTSC standard used in US, Canada, Mexico, and Japan.

50hz is the PAL standard used in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

[a1pharm]

The bezel is too big... Or tall. I've got the screen mounted just right, any movement up or down is going to throw the whole project off. I can't move the screen back because there's about a 1/4" of space from the back panel and the rear of the television. So from what I can see my options are:
-cut out some small extensions and glue them to the sides of the cabinet so the bezel will fit. This will be cheaper, but it will also not be as solid as a single piece of wood.
-OR I can tear the whole thing apart and resign myself to the fact that I need to g buy more wood and recut the sides. I'm thinking I'd add 2 inches onto the back end of the side panels, and slide the TV back 2 inches, so I can fit the bezel and the eventual piece of plexiglass over the screen.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for the help!

You could tilt the monitor forward (keep the bottom stationary and tilt it forward), this might fix your bezel problem, but it will result in a less than desirable viewing angle.  It seems you are kind of stuck: redo some work, or rig it in a non-ideal fashion.  If I were you, and the only way to make it work was to recut the side panels: I would recut the side panels.

[ArcticCowboy]

Before I destroyed my computer by accidentally lighting it on fire while trying to fix it in a radio shack (long story there....) I messed around with the refresh rate settings and the lowest I could set the computer to was 60hz, so either the TV is less than 60 hz, or theres another problem.

My television is mounted pretty close to vertical anyways, so rotating the screen forward would probably be too much. I think I'm going to go with the suggestion to move the screen back an inch and put a dome on the back panel for the bit that sticks out. That way I won't have to mess with melting the bezel.

Not sure when I'll have time to get that done though, but I'll definitely let you guys know what chaos envelops when I do attempt it. Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

[skjerk]

Your TV is 15KHz, so it won't work without either a graphics-card with TV-out, or by using the Soft15K software.
You should be careful! - feeding a signal different from 15KHz to the TV, might destroy it!

[CraftyMech]

Before I destroyed my computer by accidentally lighting it on fire while trying to fix it in a radio shack (long story there....) I messed around with the refresh rate settings and the lowest I could set the computer to was 60hz, so either the TV is less than 60 hz, or theres another problem.

Your TV is almost certainly 60hz (vertical refresh) so there is another problem. But you can verify 100% by hooking it up to whatever television signal source you have available: cable box, digital receiver, etc. If you get a picture from your receiver equipment then it is definitely 60hz. Also not a bad idea to test the picture anyway, if you have not already seen the TV working.