Oscilloscope case.

[tjdude]

So I am an electrical engineering grad student and dont have the $100 to spend on a case for my new build.

I was thinking about ripping the guts out of an old oscope that I can get for free. maybe something that looks like.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/EICO-460-DC-Wid...68313?pt=BI_Oscilloscopes&hash=item3a67c07139

I was thinking about using the controls on the front to control fan speed. maybe have a hardware OC switch.

Ideas to make it awesome?

 

[Martel]

Awesome idea, it would be cool if you could have the screen maintain a static sine wave or something.

 

[tjdude]

Have you seen the size of a crt tube. It streches all the way to the back of the case. I was going to put a green led fan in that hole.

 

[burningcpu]

It becomes substantially less cool with the screen removed, but if you must remove it at least you'll get some airflow going in the thing.

Should be pretty easy to wire up those knobs into a voltage controller for the fans.

You could get a MB that outputs the CPU temp and other details to a small LCD screen. That could be cool to mount in the front as well. But man, if you could get some sort of analog readout, that would be the coolest.

 

[tjdude]

How about a 10w tube amplifier behind plexi there? Maybe some old 12au7 tubes with a strange tetrode power tube. That would be cool. Yeah?

 

[Oftakofta]

I say go for it! I would also recommend saving as much of the look, feel and functionality of the original as possible (you will still need to fit a computer in there of course) I have some experience with this type of build and I'll gladly offer any help I can give you (unlikely, reflecting on your occupation). How much time are you willing to pour into this thing? If time is no problem maybe you can keep the oscilloscope function intact by using a sound card oscilloscope and wiring it through the mobo's front panel audio I/O connector. That way you still have a functional oscilloscope AND a computer (if this is practically possible). I would love to see some pics of the internal layout and space.

 

[Oftakofta]

How about a 10w tube amplifier behind plexi there? Maybe some old 12au7 tubes with a strange tetrode power tube. That would be cool. Yeah?

Tubeamp is also good!

 

[tjdude]

Nice projeect man. Are those old mullard el 34's? If so I will gladly buy them from you. Also remember I am only building this case because I want to spend less than $20 on a metal box with fans... :/ seems dumb to me.

 

[johan851]

The functional scope with a computer inside would be awesome, but I'm sure there's no room in the case for that. Do you know if you can keep the glass screen from the CRT while removing the guts?

FYI, if you're just trying to save money and not make a cool mod, it's going to be a pretty difficult project. You're going to have to do a lot of cutting, drilling, etc. to get everything to fit properly. If all you want to do is build a computer on the cheap, try to find a cheap case instead of making one.

 

[Martel]

What about leaving the hole and adding a small LCD down the road when you can afford it. Then make the screen saver show a sine wave, or use LEDs to make the wave.