If you happen to’re sufficiently old to recollect CRT displays and TVs, then chances are you’ll properly be part of us in our love for this water-cooled gaming PC with a classic twist. PC modder János Kerekes took his Dremel to an previous gray Sony CRT monitor with a view to create this distinctive water-cooled PC, which is known as Oazis ROG.
Due to our quickly rising PC constructing Fb web page, we’ve seen many customized gaming PCs, from mods based mostly on present case designs to scratch PC builds. You may even submit yours for consideration proper right here. Now let’s discuss to János about how he created this retro all-in-one gaming PC.
: What impressed you to construct a PC inside a CRT monitor shell, and the place did the title come from?
János: Considered one of my greatest pals requested for it. His firm sells displays and he needed a particular pc. The title was the corporate’s concept.
Why did you decide that exact Sony Trinitron monitor for this mission, and why has it been rebranded Asus?
The CRT monitor was offered by the client, similar to the {hardware} that was constructed into it. All of the {hardware} was made by Asus, in order that’s the rationale why it has been rebranded.
How exhausting was it to intestine the insides out of the monitor, and the way did you go about dismantling it?
At first it gave me an enormous headache, as this monitor weighs roughly 50kg. As well as, Sony has taken care to assemble this monitor as exactly as potential, utilizing all of the obtainable house. Lots of care and a bit little bit of brute drive have been required.
We love the neat and tidy entrance I/O panel with the USB ports, energy button and so forth. How did you go about doing this?
The monitor already had USB ports, however as a result of I used to be constructing a PC contained in the monitor, I needed to assemble a totally new I/O panel. For this, I used a 5.25″-wide I/O panel from a earlier PC. It was virtually the identical measurement because the hole, so I simply needed to make a couple of small adjustments.
How did you make the rotating bit on the stand glow like that?
My concept was to make the construction of the monitor look higher, so I minimize a plexiglass sheet to the identical measurement and form as the underside of the monitor. Then I positioned LEDs in it and related it to the unique energy button. As a result of the monitor stand can rotate, it was notably difficult to handle the routing of all of the cables by means of the case.
Take us by means of the method of modifying the Sony Trinitron monitor shell with a view to mount a PC inside it.
It took days to seek out the suitable structure, as I needed to take into account the options of the monitor shell and the fixing factors that I had obtainable. I didn’t need to create seen fixings, so I needed to make customized mounts for all of the {hardware} and water-cooling parts. On the monitor, there was a component coated with plastic sheet, which I’ve used to cover the required screw connections.
How did you make the customized metallic body components, such because the radiator and PSU mounts?
For the motherboard, radiators, and PSU I used aluminum sheets, which I minimize and filed to the appropriate form, then I mounted them to the case. I needed to suppose rather a lot in regards to the design of the unique CRT monitor and its weight distribution.
The glass of the ray tube makes it heavy on the entrance, and when the tube is eliminated, it vastly alters the steadiness of the display’s chassis. I couldn’t simply set up all of the parts in direction of the again of the monitor shell, as this may find yourself tipping the display.
These are some actually tidy blowholes – how did you make them so neat?
To make the blowholes, I marked the openings for the 120mm fan on the highest of the monitor shell, after which I minimize them with a rotary multitool. The followers have been then minimize from their surrounds and glued in place with silicon glue.
Why did you paint the monitor white, and the way did you go about portray it?
I painted it white on the buyer’s request – he needed to make the PC white as a substitute of the manufacturing facility gray of the unique Sony Trinitron monitor. To attain a easy end, I needed to sand the entire shell and I then painted it with a number of layers of particular plastic paint, utilizing an airbrush.
How did you create the home windows and the pink/black accents?
The unique case didn’t have any clear sections or openings that allowed you to see the insides, so I made a couple of openings that I full of clear plexiglass, so you could possibly get a greater view.
The 2 facet home windows weren’t that arduous to make as a result of they have been easy, flat shapes. Nevertheless, the highest half was curved from the entrance to the again, and from left to proper, so I had to make use of a warmth gun to softly bend it into form. It took three hours to get it proper. To complete off the look and introduce the Asus ROG shade scheme, I minimize some black and pink foam PVC sheeting into strips and used them to line the sides of the home windows.
Mounting a brand new LCD panel contained in the monitor should have been exhausting work – what monitor did you employ and the way did you go about becoming it into the CRT shell?
All of the {hardware} got here from Asus, together with the monitor, so we selected to make use of the PB248Q, which is a 24″ show with an IPS LCD panel. The unique body for the LCD monitor needed to be eliminated in order that the panel would sit flush with the CRT monitor’s body. The outlet within the CRT body additionally needed to be enlarged.
The panel was then secured in place by tapping a few of the plastic components of the unique body and utilizing bolts with massive flat heads to carry the again of the panel. I additionally minimize away the on-screen menu controls and mounted them on the little cylindrical part on the Sony monitor that held its on-screen controls.
What parts did you select for this construct, and why? Did you make the lettering on the water-cooled Radeon Nano waterblock your self?
Due to the small quantity of house contained in the monitor, I had to make use of solely mini-ITX components, in order that what was a part of the rationale I selected the Nano card.
One other consideration right here was that the suitable water-cooling blocks for the motherboard and graphics card have been obtainable from EKWB. I made the backplate and lettering for the graphics card, with the letters being comprised of the identical foam PVC materials because the window surrounds.
There are a variety of tight bends within the exhausting tubing – what’s your course of for measuring, reducing and bending your tubing?
I care rather a lot about design, which is why I selected to make use of exhausting tubing. My plan was to create a harmonious association between the tubes and the {hardware}, slightly than simply including the tubing as an afterthought. This added work however I had a variety of expertise from my earlier builds and the appropriate instruments for the job, together with a home made bending template.
How is the monitor wired up in order that it powers on with the show, and the place does it get its show enter?
It was necessary to incorporate two totally different energy provides contained in the case, neither of which is seen from the surface. I needed to construct an exterior disconnect swap into the PC to introduce the mains energy, then cut up that to the PC and monitor.
I utilized the unique rotary swap on the Sony monitor’s management panel to activate energy to each the PC and the Asus monitor. The monitor connects to the video card by means of the DisplayPort enter, which is reachable through a gap at the back of the CRT monitor.
Did you come throughout any difficulties?
Perhaps the most important problem was integrating the Asus monitor’s management panel throughout the Sony monitor’s cylindrical management panel. It was a really tight match and I needed to retain the unique energy swap operate of the Sony monitor, so it was very fiddly.
How lengthy did it take you to finish this construct?
I used to be engaged on this mission for a month with no days off.
Are you fully proud of the tip end result, or do you want you’d executed a few of it in a different way on reflection?
I can by no means say I’m fully happy with any work that I’ve executed. I all the time discover there’s a element that I may have made otherwise, and that’s true of some components of this construct. Nevertheless, it’s all a part of the enjoyable of modding, and errors lead us to enhance our information and expertise for the subsequent time.
Oazis ROG CRT monitor PC specs
- CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K
- Case: Sony GDM-FW900
- Graphics card: Asus R9 Nano
- Storage: 240GB Samsung SSD
- Reminiscence: Kingston 16GB (2 x 8GB) HyperX Predator DDR4 2666MHz
- Motherboard: Asus Maximus VIII Impression
- PSU: BitFenix Fury Gold 750W
- Cooling: EK-FB Asus M8i monoblock, EK-FC R9 Nano, EK-XRES 100 DDC 3.2 pump res combo, EK-CoolStream PE 240, EK exhausting tubing, EK exhausting tubing fittings
As getting old PC veterans who keep in mind the CRT period properly, we love this mod – it’s like a first-gen iMac however really good. You’ve executed wonderful work right here, János – gutting a CRT isn’t any imply feat, and we’re amazed that you just’ve not solely squeezed a full PC system into it, but additionally water-cooled it.
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