Semi-OT: Mounting FX in PC Case?

[ryanscissorhands]

This could either be a really good idea, or like most of my others.

I've been thinking that it would be nice to have a bunch of effects together in a portable rack setup, but with a remote bypass system. Most of the things i want to build, though, are small and not very complicated.

And I've been trying lately to put effects into computer components, since they're sturdy are plentiful. SO I thought, why not mount a bunch of effects in a computer case?

I'm thinking a setup using the drive bays. If you have a computer with 5 slots for CD/Disk/whatever drives, you could get that many effects mounted in, with the knobs on the outside. You could power them with an internal wallwart setup, kept right inside the casea t the back. Then, using the geofex 6-effect remove bypass circuit, have a single pedal controlling all of the effects in the "rack."

But as always, my ideas sound good to me, but there's usually a catch. Actually, that's a lie. There are usually a number of catches.

But it seems like a good idea so far. . . up to six effects in a portable box that only requires a single AC power cable. Still foot switchable, but you don't have to bend down as much to access the knobs. Less floor space, because it's tall and not wide.

What am I missing here?

[aaronkessman]

a PC power supply is just the right size for a spyder, dont forget.

Also, there's probably enough room in a normal size PC case to build a small tube amp and have several effects. Provided you shield things well, you could have almost everything in one compact case.

But the same could be said for a rack mount enclosure. Probably a 4-6 space is all you need. Less if just for FX.

if you can do the s2witching controller well and make it noiseless, go for it.

[ryanscissorhands]

Ya, the switching system is the hard part. The best thing to do would be to store more obscure effects in there, ones that don't necessitate "stomping." By that I mean effects like Tim's uglyface, jawari, Dean Hazelwanter Pitchshifter, etc. Things that you would likely use on their own, because they change the sound so much anyway. Then just run a single, bypass-all footswitch for the unit, and have toggle switches onboard for each effect. Make it a modulation/sonic mayhem effects box.

The best part is that those three pedals (UF, Jaw., DHPS) are coincidentally probably going to be my next three builds.

[Ardric]

I'm thinking a setup using the drive bays.

I was thinking along the same lines myself.  I've been looking for a project box that would fit into a 5.25" PC drive bay, basically the same size as a CDROM drive.  The ideal box would have a removable top and/or bottom, be fully shielded, and have aluminum  faceplates front and rear.  Black anodized aluminum goes with my PC's, is easy to work on, and offers good cooling.

Haven't found one yet, but I'm still looking.  I'd welcome any suggestions.

Modern PC power supplies aren't clean enough for audio as they stand, but I'm guessing that further filtering, a shielded box and careful attention to grounding could take care of all that.  There's usually at least 500ma of -12 available from the PS, along with many amps of +12.  Surely that could be turned into a clean +/-9 bipolar supply without too much effort.

My first project was gonna be an opamp instrument input buffer that outputs line level signals, with a CDROM-style stereo output connector to the motherboard's CD audio input.  That way I could fire up some PC fx software, plug in and go.

What other fx would be best suited to this application?  Noise gate?  Compressor?  Condor cabsim?

[Narcosynthesis]

for the bypass, create a remotely controlled relay system for bypass, then have all the effects setup with some sort of connector so you can switch out different boards (something like what they use to connect everything in a crybaby to the board, or something)

then on the floor you would have a 6 switch board (or 5 or whatever) to take in/out the effects

David

[ryanscissorhands]

I was hoping to do some sort of remote bypassing for all FX. However, that would make the project twice as large, and I'm just a newb.

I saw this at geofex: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/remoteftsw.pdf

That's what got my idea going. However, I figure that it's easier to go with on-board toggle switches for bypassing, and have a whole unit bypass system for the case. By putting stand-alone FX in it (ones that are good by themselves, less so in combination), then I'd only need a single remote bypass switch. Then it can still be compatible with any other gear I wanted to use with it--a 6-switch floorboard + other stompboxes is a little much.