The OC Dictionary

Despite popular belief, I don’t know everything. So this dictionary may have a few holes here and there that I need other members to fill (mostly about water-cooling). So PM me your written or quoted entries and I’ll add them the the Dictionary. And PLEASE PM me a correction if anything here is wrong.

This dictionary was inspired by the somewhat complete mod dictionary at Directron. But I wanted to let everyone (and me) add their 2 cents to the whole thing as a resource for new members. Some entries were gathered from various sources here and there (mainly to save my fingers from falling off).
Those sources being
- How stuff works
- Many different dictionaries
- Several different technical sites or product brochures

It's painfully simple to back-track to find where each definition originally came from.

I will be including pictures and thread links as I find them…

Entry ratings
Under each Mod description there is a difficulty rating ranging from 1, to 10.
DIY difficulty is how hard it would be to accomplish the above listed mod by "Doing It Yourself"
CAP difficulty is how hard it would be to accomplish the above listed mod by finding, pruchasing, and installing a "Commercially Available Product"

USAGE TIP: You can save yourself alot of time if you use the SEARCH function of your browser (CTRL + F in Internet Explorer). If you want to find a specific term, search it and the browser will find and highlight the nearest entry. Press F3 to move to the second instance.
It saves alot of time!

Terms currently covered… - | 7v Trick / Voltage Mod | Air Brushing | Acrylic Windows | Aluminum Cases | Anodize | Appliqué | Backlighting | Badge Backlighting | BandSaw | Barbs | BayBus | Bench Grinder | Bezel Painting | Bios Logo | Blow Holes | Briefcase Mod | Cable Sleeving | Case Badge | Case Mod Gallery | Case Painting | Case Windows | CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) | Cold Cathode | Common Screw Sizes | Common Wire Sizes | Dba (Decibels) | Digital Baybus | Dremels | Drill-Press | Dynamat | Electro-luminescent (EL) Cable | Etch / To Etch | Fan Control | Fan Tails | Fan Size Adapter | Fanbus | Fan Grills | FSB (Front Side Bus) | FSB Divider | F@H (Folding \ Fold) | Game Mods | Glowire | GPU |Grommets | Hard Drive Mod | Heatercore | Heatsink Fan Units (HSF) | HeatSpreader | Holesaws | Hyper LEDs | Jig Saw | Keyboard Mods | Lapping | LCD | LEDs | Luggables | Case Mods / Modders | Neon Tubes | NIC Mod | NorthBridge | SouthBridge | OBO | OEM | Ohm's Law | OS Mod | Oribital Sander | Overclocking | Passive Cooling | Peltier (TEC) | Potentiometers | PSU (Power Supply Unit) | Quiet PC | Radiator | RAMsinks | Reservoir | RheoBus | Rheostats | Rounded Cables | Rubber Gasket | RMA | Sand Blasting | SawZall | SETI (SETI@home) | Shrink Wrap | SLURP | Spiral Wrap | Split Loom | Soldering Iron | Stealth Mod | Table Router | Temperature Sensing | Temperature Shutdown | Thermal Adhesive | Thermal Paste | Thermal Tape | Toggle Switch | Tools | UV Additive | Water Block| Water Cooling | Window Mod | YGPM | Zip Ties |

7v Trick / Voltage Mod --- These days noise is a big concern for many new system builders. One major source of noise in a system is the fans. The 7v trick allows you to quiet down a noisy fan (while reducing airflow a bit).

Your normal computer fan operates on a standard 12v power source from your power supply. Three voltages are supplied by the power supply: 12v, 3.3v and 5v. The two voltages that are easy to get at are the 12v and 5v. These are supplied on a standard 4-pin power lead. Two wires supply the power to a fan. The voltage supplied to the fan depends on which of the 4 wires is used from your 4-pin power lead is used. The normal arrangement is for the yellow wire and the adjacent (ground) wire to be attached. With this you get 12V power to the fan, which is the difference of the wires. The 7V mod is accomplished by using the Yellow 12V wire and Red 5V wire instead of the standard 12V and GND. With 7V, the voltage is dropped 41.7%. This reduction of voltage corresponds to a significant drop in noise. (Note: Noise is not 100% proportional to voltage.)

Easy to use adapters are now commercially available to perform this voltage trick without doing any wiring yourself.
(DIY: 3/10. CAP: 1/10).

Air Brushing --- Once the domain of T-Shirt vendors, Air Brushing brings case painting to a new level.
Using airbrushing techniques a skilled Artist can permanently add a unique image to your case. The result could be astonishing. It brings the concept of "custom casing" to its highest level. What could be better? Custom painting is now available commercially in additional to the pre-determined paintings. (DIY: 8/10. CAP: n/a)

Acrylic Windows --- Acrylic (mistakenly referred to as plexiglass) windows are the most common windows installed into a case. But Polycarbonate (Lexan, mistakenly referred to as plexiglass) is much easier to tool material and is more suited for the abuse that a case window may endure during installation. Lexan isn’t as scratch resistant as Acrylic, but I don’t know anyone who frequently keys their case window or has birds running into it…
Pre-made window kits typically come in reverse L, oval, rectangle, round, or U shapes. These are now available either in do-it-yourself kits or as factory-made side panels. Cases with factory-made side windows are now also commercially available.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 4/10)

Aluminum Cases --- Aluminum cases are a new trend in case design. Aluminum cases are lighter then traditional steel cases and have slightly better cooling abilities. Many aluminum cases feature the bright silver "brushed aluminum" look. The popularity of these types of cases is continually rising as more people wish to make their case more transportable and cool looking. It is worth noting that a few very determined modders have also taken to fabricating their own cases out of aluminum. Generally this is very expensive and very time consuming vs just buying a case. Some people claim that Aluminum cases improve cooling efficiency because they conduct heat better. But if examined logically, Aluminum cases are generally laid out more professionally and have better airflow.
As always, you get what you pay for.
(DIY: 10/10 CAP: 1/10).

Anodize --- The process of Anodizing turns the top, thin layer of a aluminum into aluminum oxide. This is used to protect an aluminum surface from oxidation. While that is all good and well, the interesting application of anodization is that it allows a long lasting, metallic color to being evenly applied to the case. Most case manufacturers currently only apply a color to the outside of the case. An increasingly common mod is to anodize the inside of the case in either the same color as the outside of the case, or a different contrasting color. This is especially effective when used with case backlighting and a window. An example is the Directron SF-201B. Many anodized aluminum cases are now commercially available. Anodization is difficult and dangerous to do personally because of the chemicals and equipment required for the task.
A number of online retailers sell pre-anodized products (so-trickcomputers.com is the only one I can recall)
(DIY: 10/10. CAP: 1/10)

Appliqué --- An appliqué is a sticker like image that can be applied to a case window or dark colored case size (case tattoo). When used, an appliqué makes it look like you have an image etched or sand blasted into the window.
Appliqué are particularly effective when used with case backlighting. You can do this yourself if you can find the proper material for it. (DIY: 8/10. CAP: 2/10)

Backlighting --- Lighting is an excellent addition to a case that has a window, or one that has a translucent or semi-translucent component.
Backlighting in a computer case is typically accomplished via the use of a Neon / or Cold Cathode lights. (DIY: 6/10. CAP: 3/10)

Badge Backlighting --- Badge Backlighting is a specialized form of lighting for case badges. There are two methods of accomplishing badge backlighting. The first method involves putting ultra-bright LED (HyperLED) behind the badge in such a manner that the light will shine through the badge. The problem with this is that most case badges are metal backed, and light will not shine through them. A variation on this method is the use of an electro-luminescent square that can be placed behind the badge. The square provides slightly more even lighting.

BandSaw --- A toothed metal hoop that is tightly driven over two spring loaded wheels. Band saws are perfect for making straight or semi-curved cuts in metal. This is the preferred tool for trimming heatsinks because it allows for finely cut control and give much smoother edges than a Dremel can.

Barbs --- Barbs are the metal hose fittings attached to Water Blocks. Their design prevents leakage and slipping. Properly fitting barbs onto a water block proves to be one of the more difficult feats of building a water block.
See also: Water Cooling, Water Block

BayBus --- The BayBus, which was popularized and coined by Cliff Anderson, is a relatively simple device with a simple purpose. A BayBus is a 5.25 bay mounted device that provides: 1) A method to attach and power fans (usually bare wire fans), 2) dual or triple position switches (1 per fan), 3) 1 LED per switch to help indicate on or off. A BayBus allows you to easily control several fans in order to control noise level. They are especially effective in the 3-position switch variety as you can have the switch perform the 7v trick for you. (With three positions you would typically use 12v, off, 7v).

Bench Grinder --- A bench grinder is a heavy-duty tool that allows you to precisely grind down or polish a metal object.

Bezel Painting --- Bezel painting is the act of painting a drive bezel to change its color. Bezel painting is one of the most common mods as it allows you to use beige or other colored drives with a silver, black or other colored case.

Bios Mod --- Perhaps the trickiest mod, the bios mod allows you to change the bios logo / text that you see when you start the computer. The danger of this mod should be very apparent, if you mess up the bios you may end up rendering a good motherboard useless. This mod is becoming much easier over time as motherboard manufacturers see the demand for it. Some well known motherboard makers such as Asus and FIC now have bios logo programs available for their products that make the mod relatively safe and easy. Usually such programs are free and sometimes they are even included on your motherboard driver cd. (DIY: 10/10 CAP: 2/10).

Blow Hole / Blowhole --- A blow hole is a additional fan slot added to a case to increase the case's cooling capabilities over stock. There are typically three places blow holes are added to a case: 1) Top of the case. (Chimney fan). Since heat tends to rise an exhaust fan at the top of the case makes sense, however the top of the case is also the hardest place to add a blow hole since not all case tops are flat, and most are not removable. 2) Side panel, near CPU. A blow hole placed near the cpu's HSF can have the great effect of either supplying the HSF with cool outside air, or exhausting the hot air off the CPU. (It's best to match the direction of the CPU fan. If it blows onto the heatsink then intake, if not then exhaust.) 3) Side panel, card area. A blow hole in the card area can aid the cooling of hot devices like Video Cards.
(DIY: 4/10 CAP: n/a)

Brief Case Mod (PC) --- The brief case mod is really more of a custom case, however it is fairly common. Basically a brief case mod is turning a standard briefcase (usually aluminum style) into a computer. See also: Luggable. (DIY: 8/10. CAP: n/a)

Cable Sleeving --- Cable sleeving is a category of items that aim at clearing up the typical wire mess you might find in a computer case. Reducing cable clutter ultimately improves airflow in the case, and improves internal case temperature. The most common types of sleeving are Split Loom, Spiral Wrap and Heat Shrink. Premium powersupplies now of often have the power wiring coming off the powersupply pre-sleeved for your convenience. (DIY: 2/10. CAP: n/a).

Case badge --- A case badge or case sticker is simple logo (typically 1"x1") that is placed on a computer case or computer component.
Many cases these days have a special recess for a case badge. Case badges are available in a wide range of styles, designs, and colors. Good case badges are typically metal backed with a small Lexan dome to prevent scratching. DIY kits are available from several different online retailers. (DIY: 2/10. CAP: 1/10).

Case gallery (mod gallery) --- Case mod galleries provide you with your rightful glory for producing your work of case mod art. This forum has it’s own (mixed in with loads of relevant/non-relevant comments) and several other sites have growing collections (Virtual-Hideout and GruntVillE to name a few).

Case painting --- Case painting is the process of completely changing the color and/or look of a case. The options with case painting are endless, and are only limited by your imagination. For the best results when painting a case you should use methods similar to those which one would use on a car. The best paints for a case also tend to be auto related.
(DIY: 6/10. CAP: n/a)

Case Windows --- A window adds a distinctive look to a PC, and offers many sub types of case mods such as backlighting, appliqués, etching, and much more. Windows are typically either Acrylic or Lexan. To add a window you'll want to cut a shape in your case side (or other location) and in a slightly larger size then your intended window. The window is then attached to the case via a double locking rubber striping. This stripping also hides imperfections in your cutting job. Pre-made window kits typically come in reverse L, oval, rectangle, round, or U shapes. (Note: Lexan scratches more easily then Acrylic). (DIY: 6/10. CAP: 4/10).

CFM (cubic feet per minute) --- The amount of air displaced by a fan per minute of optimal performance. This is a measurement of the air movement efficiency of any size fan. The larger the number, the more air moved, and the more heat is exchanged by circulation. CFM directly relates to the surface area of the moving blades, the RPM at which they are propelled, and the resulting pressure.

Cold Cathode --- A cold cathode is a neon light that is commonly used for case mods. The benefit of a cold cathode light over a normal neon is that the cold cathode runs cooler and is generally thinner w/more diffused light. Cold cathodes are generally MUCH brighter as well. These types of lights are easiest to find in pre-made kits for PC usage.
(DIY: 5. CAP: 2/10)

Common Screw Sizes --- The common sizes for various case screws are as follows: Self-threading fan screw: 3/8"diam. (1/8th bolts + nuts may work) Floppy, CD-ROM (smaller screw): #4-40 Case Screw (hex head): #6-32

Common Wire Sizes --- If you're going to tail a fan, or construct something like a bay bus then you'll need to do some wiring. Here are some rough guidelines. LEDs, Single lower speed fans: 22 gauge wire Larger / high speed fans: 20 gauge wire Baybus / Rheobus / Peltier: 18 gauge wire (also good for drives) Multiple Peltiers, high load buses: 16 gauge wire 20 gauge wire or 18 gauge wire will get you through almost anything. Note: Solid or Stranded wire can be used. Solid is less flexible and is well suited to bus work and circuits. Stranded is good where you need flexibility.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: n/a)

Dba (Decibels) --- A unit for expressing the relative intensity of sounds on a scale from zero for the average least perceptible sound to about 130 for the average pain level.
Anything below 20 Dba is close to inaudible, anything above 40Dbz is relatively noisy.

Digital BayBus --- The Digital Baybus is a very specialized device for monitoring multiple temperatures and fans inside of your PC. Digital Baybuses are available from a variety of manufacturers and each one comes with it’s own unique features. Digital Baybuses give you all the control of a rheobus in a much more appealing and sleak package. Most models include presets which allow you to quickly change cooling configurations on-the-fly. They generally take up one 5.25” bay and are easy to install and setup.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 2/10).

Dremel --- A Dremel is the most versatile tool in the case modder's tool belt. A Dremel is a type of tool called a Rotary tool. Rotary tools can take a large number of different types of bits to that allow you to do such things as cut through sheet metal, sand, deburr, or polishing. If you don't get any other tool for case modding other then a Dremel you can usually get by ok. The best Dremels to use are the multispeed or digital ones. Note: Reinforced cutoff wheels are the most common ones used for cutting sheet metal.

Drill-Press --- A Drill-press is a vital tool for any serious case modder. Drill-presses alow for extremely precise and controlled drilling. Whether you’re making a custom Rheobus, a blowhole, or a DIY waterblock, a Drill-press can make any mod look much more professional.

Dynamat --- Dynamat is a specialized product that you can use to line the inside of your computer case (or other enclosure). Dynamat prevents vibration from being turned into noise and reduces overall system noise in a similar manner to grommets.
(DYI: n/a. CAP: 3/10)

Electro-luminescent cable (EL cable) --- EL cable is one of the newer and more interesting additions to the case mod world. EL cable glows like a neon light when you supply power to it. EL cables are thin (.1"), fairly flexible and do to their makeup it can be easily cut to any length with minimal hassle. The cable is also fairly inexpensive. This makes EL cable a great tool to make interesting lighting effects, especially in tight spaces.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 3/10)

Etch / To Etch --- Etching is the process of engraving a single color image into a window.
(DIY: 4/10. CAP: n/a)

Fan Control --- Fan control(s) are dials, switches or other devices attached to a fan to control its speed. Some newer fans are even coming with mini-rheostats to control fan speed hard wired in. Fan control is also closely related to Thermal fan control. Thermal fan control is when a fan has a built in chip and thermal probe. The chip varies the fan speed based on a pre-defined temperature table.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 1/10)

Fan Tail / To Tail --- If you tail a fan, then you either add a standard 4-pin or 3-pin power connector to it. This is most often done if your fan has bare leads, or you specifically need a different connector and do not have an adapter. Neon lights also often need tailed if you buy one with a car adapter. Pre-wired fan tails make the job much easier as you only have to splice wires. The alternative to pre-wired tails is to locate the proper housings, crimper and appropriate wire and then put everything together.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 5/10)

Fan Size Adapter --- Fan size adapters allow you to install a larger fan where a smaller fan was origionally intended. They work in many situations, but not all. One major use for these is to replace a small noisy fan with a quieter larger fan with the same airflow. Common sizes: 60mm->80mm 60mm->92mm. Rare sizes: 80mm->120mm, 80mm->92mm, 80mm->80mm (spacer). (DIY: 7/10. CAP: 1/10)

Fanbus --- A fanbus provides a wiring panel where you can attach several fans to a single connector without the need for y-cables. Use of a fanbus requires that the fans be bare wire or custom connectors. RCA connectors are much sleeker than a bare wire speaker bus, but using them would require more parts and soldering. The main attraction of a fanbus is that it is much less cluttered then a large number of y adapters. (better for airflow).
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 3/10)

Fan Ducting --- Fan Ducting is used for centralized air-cooling. If executed correctly it will provide a much more effective cooling setup without dramatically increasing noise levels.
Indirect or bent ducts will also help significantly muffle fan noise.

Fan Grills --- Fan Grills or Fan Guards are protective devices used to prevent one from accidentally placing a unwary finger or paw into a fan (which can be especially painful with high RPM fans).
Fan Grills also come in an alternative decorative type. Laser or Water cut fan grills place a decorative sheet metal design over the fan, which often makes it look much more stylish. Custom cut grills also add to the effect of backlighting. (DIY: 1/10. CAP: 1/10)

F@H (Folding / Fold) --- A distributed computing project program that uses your unused CPU cycles to aid in the simulation of the folding and unfolding of proteins. The information gathered from the assistance of millions of FOLD members will eventually help cure diseases that currently have unknown cures. See: F@H Team32, FoldAtHome.org

FSB (Front Side Bus)--- The Front Side Bus is the speed at which devices communicate data to each other through the motherboard. The higher the FSB, the faster information can be relayed, and thusly the better it performs.

FSB Divider--- Since the PCI bus is still communicating through a 33mhz pathway it has to be divided down from the native FSB of the NorthBridge. With Native FSBs over 100mhz, the AGP bus also has to be divided down, so it’s given it’s own division number.
The more FSB divider settings are available in the BIOS, the more you will have of how far you want to overclock your system via upping the FSB settings.

Game Modding -- Game modding can refer to a number of things. One type of game mod would be to give your case a theme of a game such as a Quake III case w/ airbrushed quake III logo. Another meaning of game modding is to alter how a game works such as to add new levels, weapons, or other things to a game you like to play. Many games (especially first person shooter games) allow you to do this, and often the tools are easy to use and free.

Glowire --- See Electro-luminescent cable (EL cable)

GPU --- The Graphics Processing Unit is a processor dedicated to performing all graphic drawing related tasks. The more powerful the GPU is, the more real-time calculations it can perform. This increase the performance of games and frees the main processor from having to calculate 3D geometry.
Modern GPUs are compact enough to require heatsink fan units, which tend to be noisy because of their tiny high RPM fans. Replacing the stock unti with a far more efficient heatsink fan unit will increase overclocking potential. However, overclocking the GPU does not increase performance as much as a memory overclock does.

Grommets (Rubber Washers) --- Grommets are small rubber washers that are used to lessen noise caused by vibration. When you attach a device like a fan or hard drive to a steel or aluminum case you can transmit vibration to it. In this vibration can greatly increase overall system noise. Grommets can be installed at the points of contact to stop the transmission of vibration.
(DYI: 1/10 CAP: 1/10)

Hard Drive Mod --- This mod is probably the most dangerous one out there. The hard drive mod involves taking the top off your hard drive and replacing it with either a clear replacement or adding a clear window to the hard drive casing. The idea here is to see the hard drive in operatation. The problem is that hard drives should only be opened in controlled clean room conditions. A single speck of dust (or even a finger print!) can result in a head crash that will greatly damage the hard drive and your data.
(DIY: 10/10. CAP: n/a)

Heater Core--- A heater core is the same thing as a radiator effectively. It is used to remove the heat from the water. Most will use a heater core (from an '86 Chevy Chevette) due to its good capabilities of cooling water.

Heatsink Fan Unit (HSF) --- Simply put, a Heatsink conducts heat away from where you DON’T want it to be. Fans simply increase the efficiency of that process. Some materials transfer heat more efficiently than others. Aluminum is the current standard because it’s easy to machine and light. Copper is more efficient at transferring heat when compared to aluminum, but it’s much heavier and often requires more rigid mounting hardware. Silver/Copper alloys are even more efficient but are far to expensive for most manufacturers to consider using.
To compare the efficiency of current rated heatsinks check the performance chart.
(DIY: 10/10. CAP: 2/10)

HeatSpreader --- HeatSpreaders are exclusively used for increasing the cooling efficiency (and therefore overclocking potential) or RAM. Whether it’s DDR system RAM or RAM on a video card, any heatspreader/heatsink is better than none. Even though they aren’t standard equipment (yet) they do add to the stability of a system. Not to mention the fact that they look cool. J
(DIY: 9/10. CAP: 2/10)

RAMsinks --- RAMsinks are tiny little heatsinks exclusively used for increasing the cooling efficiency (and therefore overclocking potential) of RAM on video cards. When it comes to overclocking, any RAMsink is better than none. Even though they aren’t standard equipment (yet) they do add to the stability of a system. They also look really cool on the right video card.
(DIY: 9/10. CAP: 2/10)


Holesaw --- A holesaw is specialized bit for a drill designed for making a perfectly round hole in a material. When selecting a hole saw make sure that you have a appropriate powered drill, and a holesaw designed for the material you wish to cut. Using a drill-press will make this a much easier mod since providing consistant pressure with a hand drill can prove difficult. The obvious use for hole saw is blow hole. And 80mm hole will require a 3-1/4 inch holesaw, a 120mm hole will require a 4-3/4 inch holesaw

Note: Be careful to avoid skipping of the blade when using a hole saw, this can ruin the finish of your case. Masking off the area remotely close to the intended hole is a good idea.

HyperLED --- HyperLEDs are identical to normal LEDs exept they are exceptionally bright. They have a number of uses in case mods such as backlighting, detail lighting, and case LED replacement. One common use for one is to replace the stock Power or HDD LED with a Blue HyperLED.
(DIY: 3/10. CAP: 2/10)

Jigsaw --- A Jigsaw is the most common tool used for large-scale cutting when doing case mods such as windows. Jigsaws are relatively inexpensive and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Be sure to use the correct blade type for the material you are cutting, otherwise your results will be less than stellar.
To prevent scratches (from filings and vibration) you need to mask off the entire outer surface of the piece you are cutting. To prevent warping it’s best to firmly clamp your workpiece down to a slightly larger piece of MDF or particleboard. Then attach the MDF or particleboard to a pair of sawhorses.

Keyboard Mod --- The Keyboard Mod is a fairly common, and particularly effective mod. To perform the keyboard mod: Remove the top of your keyboard, and then remove all the keys Next take some EL cable and wind it around inside the keyboard so that it snakes between the keys, or makes an outline around selected ones. Put the keys and top back. When you turn on the EL cable the cracks between the keys will glow eerily. This mod is particularly effective with a black keyboard and red EL cable.
(DIY: 6/10. CAP: 4/10)

Lapping --- Lapping is the process of sanding down the base of a heatsink so that it makes better contact with the heat source. It is not uncommon for overclockers to lap their HSF. Note: Thermal compound is still needed after lapping, although it may require less overall.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: n/a)

LCD --- LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. LCDs come in a large variety of shapes and sizes ranging from monitors to wrist watch displays. A growing trend in modding is to add a small LCD to either a 3.5 or 5.25 bay and hook it up to the system to display any number of different pieces of information such as the current CPU temperature, CPU utilization, or even the current track playing in WinAMP. Most LCDs used in modding are driven via a serial port from the back of the case. For those wanting to roll their own surplus LCDs are out there and fairly easy to find, however the task of wiring the LCD and finding or creating the right software is daunting to many. Commercial kits exist that make the mod a little easier. One common brand is CrystalFontz.

DIY VGA LCD displays (bare screen from laptops) however are extremely hard to get setup unless you opt for a manufactured kit. Another option would be the low quality output (320 x 240) of an RCA connection Video LCD driven through a secondary PCI Video card with TV-out. Video LCDs range in size from 4” (diagonal) to 11” (diagonal).
(DIY: 10/10. CAP: 4/10)

LED --- LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes are common to all PC cases and many drives. They are small lights that have a very long lifespan, are cheap, and use little power.

Luggable --- A luggable is about as close to a home made laptop as you can get. A luggable is basically a full PC that has been crammed into a small space. These are often referred to as SFFs (or Small Form Factor) systems. A brief case PC w/ a LCD built into the brief case would be considered a luggable. Luggable tend to be much heavier then a standard laptop. Luggable comes in many forms, from DIY cases, to briefcase and modified flex atx systems. These are the ultimate LAN machines for either gaming or mobile entertainment purposes. Only a handful of products are commercial available from MSI, HP, Shuttle, and Utron.
(DIY: 10/10. CAP: 2/10).

Mod / Modder --- Mod is the short name for computer modifications and can be used as a verb or noun such as in case modding and PC mods, respectively. People who mod their cases or sytems are called modders. Mods are undertaken to improve the performance or aesthetic appeal of the users case and come in a variety of personal tastes.
The effort beyond modding is a complete DIY modders who build everything they want, to the specifications they want. Whether they’re milling a new waterblock or building a complete custom case, these modders have exceptional skill in a variety of areas.

Neon Tubes --- Neon tubes are standard Neon lights used for case backlighting. They can easily be ordered through online retailers or auto part stores

NIC Mod --- If you want to see your current network activity, but your NIC doesn't have a LED header on it, then you could perform the NIC Mod. The NIC mod requires you to desolder the back LED on the card and splice into it with two wires. These two wires are then spliced either to an existing case LED, or a new one you install via an LED header cable.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: n/a)

NorthBridge --- This is the main function chipset on a motherboard that controls CPU-to-Memory instruction, AGP to CPU instruction, Memory timing, PCI-to-memory instruction and other functions which are different on each chipset. If the motherboard doesn’t have a Southbridge, all functions are designed into the Northbridge architecture (some Sis chipset for example).

OBO--- Short for "Or Best Offer", this is usually used to indicate that the person is willing to negotiate the price a little.

OEM --- Short for Original Equipment Manufacturer.
OEM parts are originally meant for direct sale to manufacturers. This means that the product you receive will be devoid of retail packaging and frill additions. Most of the time it comes with the bare essentials (The product, Driver CDs, cables, etc.). This is also referred to as BULK sales.
In the case of OEM Processors, OEM indicates that the Processor is shipped without a stock heatsink. This marginally reducces the cost of the processor and allows you to choose a heatsink best suited for your needs.

Ohm's Law --- Ohm's law is a very commonly used equation that can be used to compute voltage when you have a known current (amps) and resistance value. The equation is: Voltage = Current x Resistance (V=I*R).

Orbital Palm Sander --- An orbital palm sander is a tool that helps you quickly sand a given area. An orbital sander is a smaller sander typically used for such tasks as finishing a surface or removing paint. An orbital sander sands in a circular pattern vibratory pattern. Using one will really save a lot of time and effort. But it is recommended that you get one with a dust bag AND use a filter mask while sanding.

OS Logo Mod --- One often-overlooked mod is the Operating System Logo Mod. When you turn on your computer you are forced to look at the logo for your operating system. For most people this means they get to look at the now familiar windows logo. For common operating systems like Windows 98 or ME it is quiet simple to change the logo to something else.. like a picture of your significant other or your favorite sports team. Here's the trick: Create a BMP image with the size of 320x400, and with colors set to 256. If you want to make a simple drawing for the logo you can just run mspaint to create it. When you have the picture, name the file LOGO.SYS and place it in your C:\ directory. What to change the shut down? You can do it in the same way! For changing the shutdown screens just change LOGOW.SYS and LOGOS.SYS in the C:\WINDOWS directory. LOGOW.SYS is the screen that says windows is shutting down and LOGOS.SYS is the one that says it is now safe to shut down your computer. note: The previous information is only good for Windows 9x/ME. For Windows 2000/XP or Linux the process will be different.

Overclocking --- Overclocking is running a device faster then the manufacturer recommended speed by increasing the multiplier, FSB or. See: FSB (Front Side Bus), FSB Divider, Unlocking, Lapping, and Heatsink Fan.

Passive Cooling --- Passive cooling is cooling without noisy fans. Typically this involves the use of large heatsinks. For most modern CPUs it is difficult to impossible to achieve passive cooling entirely. Currently the only processors capable of complete passive cooling are Via Cyrix III processors, which are good for any computer tasks OTHER than gaming or 3D applications such as CAD. Via Cyrix III CPUs are currently the CPU of choice for SFF PCs.

Peltier (TEC)--- Peltier devices, also known as thermoelectric (TE) modules, are small solid-state devices that function as heat pumps. A "typical" unit is a few millimeters thick by a few millimeters to a few centimeters square. It is a sandwich formed by two ceramic plates with an array of small Bismuth Telluride cubes ("couples") in between. When a DC current is applied heat is moved from one side of the device to the other - where it must be removed with a heatsink. The "cold" side is commonly used to cool an electronic device such as a microprocessor or a photodetector. Peltiers can be used to assist the cooling efficiency of a waterblock, chill a resevoir, or directly cool a video card GPU. They are however difficult to install and require alot of wattage.

Potentiometer --- A Potentiometer is a Rheostat with an additional wiring terminal. For case mod usage this third terminal is generally not used, so potentiometers usually don't have too much use to the case modder, however sometimes it is easier to find a potentiometer in the resistance and watt value that you want then a Rheostat. If you do not use the third terminal on a Potentiometer then you essentially turn it into a Rheostat.

PSU (Power Supply Unit) --- The most important part of any computer (and a main determiner of system stability). I PSU can make or break any computer. A PSU needs to provide a stable source of power through each line.

Quiet PC --- A typical PC may generate 36-45dB(A) noise level. 33-36dB(A) is considered low noise level. Below 33dB(A) is considered quiet. Below 28dB(A) is considered silent. Someone wishing to build a Quiet PC is attempting to create a PC with under 33 dB(A) overall noise. There are many ways to make a PC quieter. Some of them include: using quieter fans, lowering/controlling fan speed, using quieter hard drives or quiet hard drive enclosures, the 7v trick, Dynamat, Grommets, and many others.
(DIY: 4/10. CAP: 3/10)

Radiator --- A heating device consisting of a series of connected pipes, typically inside an upright metal structure, through which steam or hot water is circulated so as to radiate heat into the surrounding space. As stated, it is used to remove the heat from the water within a water-cooling system. The efficiency will largely depend on the amount of surface area used and the flow rate through the radiator.
A full Water cooling system has* to consist of: Water Pump, Water-Block, Tubing, zip-ties (or something to hold the tubing to the barbs), barbs and Radiator.
(DIY: N/A. CAP: 2/10)

Reservoir --- A receptacle or chamber for storing a fluid. Used in water-cooling for holding a larger amount of water then the tubing and water pump will hold on their own.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 2/10)

Rheobus --- A Rheobus is a device very similar to a Bay Bus, however in the place of 2 or 3 position switched you have Rheostat. Because of the use of multiple rheostats a Rheobus allows you to fine tune the noise level of your fans, while still allowing you to increase the air volume if you find temperature to be a problem.
(DIY: 7/10. CAP: 3/10)

Rheostat --- A Rheostat is a variable resistor. Rheostats can be used in a fan or light circuit to change the voltage of a fan, and thus also the noise or brightness. Rheostats change voltage due to Ohm's Law.

Rounded cables --- Rounded cables are typical ribbon cables that have been changed into a rounded bundle. The benefit of rounded cables is that they take up less room and do not block airflow as badly. Better airflow within your case often decreases overall temperature.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 1/10)

Rubber Molding / Gasket --- Rubber molding is typically used in order to mount a window into a computer case. One edge of the molding holds onto the case metal and the other side locks onto the window.

RMA --- Short for Return Mail Authorization. RMAs should only be undergone if a component fails under warranty (I.E. you haven't volt modded, tinkered, or overclocked them). RMA can be done through a vendor or through the manufacturer itself. These can take weeks or months to complete. Few companies will refund your money, most will instead ship you a new or pull model of the board you're returning. RMA Policies vary from store to store, company to company.
If you get a non-functioning inexspensive part it may not be worth the hassle to RMA it.

Sand Blasting --- Sand Blasting has two main uses for case mods:
1) to remove the initial coatings (galvanized layer, powder-coating, or paint) on a case so that you can paint or anodize it
2) To etch a design into a window (sand blasted window). Sand blasting done by using an air compressor to force small pieces of silicate or sand against an object at high velocity.
(DIY: 7/10 - 9/10. CAP: n/a)

SawZall --- Portable hacksaw made up of a reciprocating mechanism with only three moving parts, designed to withstand daily abuse and still provide a 3/4" stroke ideal for sawing and roughing out. Good for cutting pipe and thicker grades of steel and aluminum. And invaluable tool for Water-cooling projects.

SETI (SETI@home) --- SETI (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life) started their own distributed computing program a while ago to advance the filtering speed of incoming signals. By donating your unused CPU cycles you help humanity find an answer to an eternal question. Are we alone? See: OCSETIteam, SETI@home

Shrink Wrap / heat shrink--- Heat shrink is a plastic tubing that is used in wiring to add insulation over custom wire splices. It is also occasionally used in a similar manner to spiral wrap or split loom. To use it you place the wire through the split loom tubing and then you apply a heat source like a soldering iron, heat gun (on low), or lighter under or near the heat shrink. The heat shrink then forms a seal around the wiring.
(DIY: 2/10. CAP: n/a)

SLURP --- A SLURP or Sensor/LED User Readout Panel is a homemade device that offers some of the functionality of the Digital Doc5 with a slightly lower cost. Slurp information

Spiral Wrap --- Spiral wrap is a cable management device that functions similar to split loom. It can be used for rounding IDE cables, wire organization, audio cables, or power supply wires. Spiral wrap basically tubing that has been cut at an angle.
The tubing has a tendency to want to come together and this tendency makes it good at holding wires together. Just place the wires in the middle of the tube. Spiral wrap is easy to install and remove, no zip ties required.
(DIY: 2/10. CAP: n/a)

Split Loom --- Split loom is a flexible, ribbed, and corrugated plastic tubing that has been split down the middle. Split loom comes in a wide variety of colors and is an easy -to -use tool for cable management.
Simply put the wires you wish to keep together inside the tube. For extended lengths it is recommended that zip ties be used in conjunction with the split loom to keep the loom from falling off. (DIY: 2/10. CAP: n/a)

Soldering Iron --- A soldering iron is a metal heat probe that is used to melt a low melting point conductive allow (solder) in order to join two points. One might use a soldering iron to create something like a baybus, fanbus, or to simply join two wires to tail a fan. After soldering it is recommended to shield the wires with heatshrink.

SouthBridge --- The Southbridge is the secondary chipset on a motherboard which is usually used for controlling the IDE or RAID bus. But some motherboards also have Audio and USB functions added to the SouthBridge.
A number of chipsets have all control features crammed into one compact northbridge and therefore fore-go having a southbridge altogether.

Stealth Mod --- A mod attempting to completely hide a media drive rather than painting it or re-facing it to match your computer case. The most popular method for "Stealthing" a drive is by loosly attaching a drive bay cover to the tray of your drive. Then adding an extension arm onto the eject button (this allows you to press on the corner of the cover to trigger the eject).
(DIY: 4/10. CAP: N/A)

Table Router --- This definitely isn’t a required piece of equipment, but it will make a difference in the finished edges of whatever cuts you are making. This is a very useful tool for the limited few who build their own cases from scratch.

Temperature Sensing --- Temperature sensing is just like it sounds, it is sensing a temperature. Often this term is used in regard to a temperature controlled or sensing fan. These fans control their speed based on an internal temperature probe on the fan.

Temperature Shutdown --- Temperature shutdown is a often sought after goal. There are several methods to implement shutdown if your system exceeds a given temperature. Some newer motherboards like the Epox 8kha+ provide this ability on-board. For those that do not have it you can easily implement it by using a software program like MBM5 and your motherboard's onboard temp sensors.
(DIY: 5/10. CAP: 4/10)

Thermal Adhesive --- A compound (preferably electrically non-conductive) used to permanently cement two flat surfaces together in applications where heat is a factor. Commonly used to place heatsinks on video and system ram chips.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 4/10)

Thermal Paste --- A compound used to ensure complete coverage of the CPU by the heatsink. This allows for better transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink. A good thermal paste should be electrically non-conductive.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 1/10)

Thermal Tape --- A double sided tape that is electrically non-conductive. Commonly used to hold heatsinks on video and system ram chips. A slightly inferior solution to thermal adhesive because coverage and heat transfer are not as good. Also referred to as "Frag Tape"
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 1/10)

Toggle Switch --- A toggle switch is a simple on off switch operated manually. These switches are often used to turn on or off neon/cold cathode lights, case fans or other devices. There are two types of toggle switches: SPST and SPDT. SPDT switches have 3-positions. Pre-wired switches are available inorder to take some of the fuss out of this mod.
(DIY: 4/10. CAP: 3/10)

Tools --- Common tools for case mods include the following: Dremels, Jigsaws, Drills, Nibblers, Hot Glue Guns, Soldering Irons and Hole Saws.

Unlocking (CPU Unlocking) --- The majority of modern CPUs have locked multipliers. Unlocking the multiplier often involves the removing or linking of pins, the connecting of micro-scopic L1 bridges, or other devious task that require steady hands and some form of conductive liquid or tape.
Some vendors sell pre-Unlocked tested CPUs or Chips with steppings that were unlocked by the manufacturer. They can be hard to come by at times though…
(DIY: 6/10. CAP: 3/10)

UV Additive --- UV additive is a relatively new product for water cooledwater-cooled systems. When UV additive is added to your water- cooling loop then your water will glow a predetermined color under a black light. Clear tubing is needed to see the water.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 1/10)

UV (black) light --- UV light agitates phosphorescent particles, causing them to chemically emit strong wave-length colors (See: UV Paint, UV Additive). UV (black) lights are a completely different wave-length from harmful UV rays found in sunlight. But, staring into a blacklight can lead to permanent eye damage. Polycarbonate and Acrylic case windows filter out most of the UV band light, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that being a problem unless you leave the side of your case off and have your head in there for 4 hours a day.
UV cold cathodes and LEDs are very easy to purchase and install.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 2/10)

UV Paint --- This comes in a couple application types. UV spray (hair or decorative spray) is applied as a transparent spray paint and can only be seen under a blacklight (UV). UV Nail polish is painted onto various surfaces and is sometimes colored. Flourescent Spray is a phosphorescent tinted paint that comes in a variety of obnoxious colors and is applied just like spray paint. It is far more permanent than other application types and shouldn’t be used on devices that need cooling.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 2/10)

Water Block --- A Water-cooling heatsink built to maximize flow efficiency while creating a moderate amount of stream turbulance and output pressure. Water Block design are currently undergoing a spur in design and development.
Many models and brands are currently available in aluminum and a few in copper.
See Also: Water Cooling, HeatSink Fan Unit

Water Cooling --- Water cooling is the process of using water to cool a PC's various heat producing elements such as the CPU, Motherboard (chipset), GPU, and Hard Drives. Generally this involves the use of such things as Waterblocks, silicon tubing, clamps, pumps, radiators, and other devices. Water cooled systems in general are quieter than their air-cooled counter-parts, but are also heavier. Water cooling produces FAR superior cooling without giving you a headache.
See Also: Water Block, Barbs
(DIY: 9/10. CAP: 4/10)

Window Mod --- The Window mod is simply putting a window into a case or other device. Typically the window is added to the side panel of a case over looking the motherboard, although recently some people have started adding windows to many other devices such as routers, hard drives and monitors.
Acrylic windows are the most common windows installed into a case. But Polycarbonate (Lexan, mistakenly referred to as plexiglass) is much easier to tool material and is more suited for the abuse that a case window may endure during installation. Lexan isn’t as scratch resistant as Acrylic, but I don’t know anyone who frequently keys their case window or have birds running into it. Side panels with premodded windows are available for a some models of cases.
(DIY: 7/10. CAP: 2/10)

YGPM--- Short for "You've Got a Private Message" (from the person who posted YGPM). Since "You've" is an improperly used conjuction in this instance, some members prefer using YHPM (You Have PM).

Zip Ties / Cable Ties --- Zip ties are a very commonly used method of cable management. To use a zip tie simply put the cable you want to bundle on top of the tie then wrap the tie around and place it through the locking hole. These are also used to mount cold cathodes and are included in a number of kits.
(DIY: n/a. CAP: 1/10)

Can't Let You Have All The Fun!

Electricity explained


Fanbus/BayBus Schematics, courtesy of Fanbus.com

WOW

This is amazing and needs to be a sticky.

ARRRRRGH IM TO TIRED TO UNDERSTAND THIS POINTLESS INFO!!!

well pointless to me for now!!!

(DONT ME THE HIGH GUY)

It was only pointless because you already know most of it. It will help alot of the noobs.

perhaps you should say what you mean by the DIY and CAP bits... for the newbs?

cjreis said:

It will help alot of the noobs.

Click to expand...

That's the ONLY reason I'm doing it...

This thread is meant as a boot-camp for new members and a reference from which members can link to when a "standard" question is answered.

Best tool -

aww yes, best tool being some sort of machine gun with bayonet attatchment.


great job! you must be bored

Hey, don't ever steal someone elses avatar, bub.

Penguin4x4 said:

Hey, don't ever steal someone elses avatar, bub.

Click to expand...

how stole ur Avatar now???

Not me, GS stole Starfox's. Why? I have no fing clue!

Penguin4x4 said:

Not me, GS stole Starfox's. Why? I have no fing clue!

Click to expand...

That IS StarFox, he changed his name (twice in the past few days)

Demont said:

perhaps you should say what you mean by the DIY and CAP bits... for the newbs?

Click to expand...

done

That's possible? OK, I haven't been around the forums for like a week, vacation with my relatives,

LOL

thanks for looking out for my avatar bro.

i was bored with my name and stuff, so i changed it

YGPM

:edit: ARGHH i just pmed my self, boy am i smart!

Captain Slug said:

done

Click to expand...

ah the frosting on the cake. good job btw