PS3 Laptop Mod

Includes PS2, Xbox 1, GameCube (but not the Phantom Game Console)

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shameless
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PS3 Laptop Mod

Post by shameless » Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Ok, I know there was supposed to be a PS3 laptop mod from Ben, but seeing as he either hasn't finished it or has dropped the project, and I had the sudden idea of doing one after seeing his 360 mod (before I heard he had started on the PS3), I'm going to brave my PS3 up to a mod this summer. Hopefully I don't kill it. I won't be able to start until May at the earliest tho, just because I don't have the money right now, and I'll be getting a job at the beginning of May.

(Pre-note: if anyone has numbers on the dimensions of the innards, I'd be glad to hear of them so I can start designing the exact case soon. I won't be taking mine apart until I am about to start on it, so everything will be done in proportions, so that they can be upped from a 17" to a 19" form factor if needed)

That being said, from what I can tell the most of the volume inside is take up by a massive heat sink and 250 mm (about) fan.

I'll probably double my HDD size to a 120, and may use a 17" screen like used for the X360 leet mod, cause 720p and 1080i are basically the same res, and almost no games so far actually use anything past 720p anyways. I actually found a different monitor with D SUB in for 160 on newegg, I'll probably use that. One thing that I do want to do is leave the HDMI port on one side so that I can change my setup from the computer monitor to any other output, so it's more of a redesigned case made for travelling, as opposed to a case made solely on travelling.

The case will probably be something similar to the 360, simply out of concern for having something to go off of, and partially just cause I wouldn't know what I would do otherwise. I'm still split between the standard black-and-chrome finish of the ps3, or if I should go with something like a RFOM design.

Since I'm limited to a minimum thickness (for the main body) by the thinnest component, which I think is the PSU, it'll end up being pretty thick.

From the looks of things, the motherboard is going to be about a standard size motherboard if not bigger. It encompasses basically all of the inner space of the console itself, so I am going to assume dimensions of about 11 by 9.5. This is actually smaller than the lateral dimensions of the monitor I'll probably be using, so that gives me a little extra space to work with inside (though not much!) My total volume is 13.9x16.6xH, and the current dimensions are a little less than 10.75x12.75x4 cubic inches. I'll start with a case that is the same as the monitor, only 3.5" thick, of which I give the half an inch to the monitor. That means I'm going to try to knock off an inch of thickness from the case, which could take some hxc doing.
Packaging wise, the PS3 is incredibly dense. All of the space in the current case is used, and watching it being taken apart makes me understand why it costs so much, just from a manufacturing standpoint. This is going to be a crazy thick laptop, so I can see why Ben may have dropped this project.

I've cut out a 14" by 16.625" piece of cardboard, and I'm going to start working on layouts.

I'll end up doing audio like the one for the 360top more likely than not. USB could be tricky if it's hardwired, but hopefully it'll be on the front. ports are going to be off the side, power in the back left, tentatively. Mobo on the right, turned 90 degrees, so all the ports are out the right. May change that up to be in the back, but this looks most space conservative.

Well, until I figure out the design, this is what I've got. Feedback would be nice, tell me I'm insane, encourage me, I don't particularly care. My idea is out here, I'll take what I can get

EDIT:
I've decided on a RFOM theme, because it will let me give it a harder shape without worrying about messing up the look. Probably use angle iron on the corners for extra support/attatching the sides less permanently.
More details have come about, I'll clean up my notes and try to post them.
Last edited by shameless on Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dragonball345
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Post by dragonball345 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:24 am

I would suggest getting a broken ps3 and just lining that all up first and everything maybe one that cant read disks or something just so you could try it before potenially wasting 400$.

shameless
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Post by shameless » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:18 pm

I hadn't thought of that, but it's a really good idea. Besides being able to lay things out, it'll give me extra parts if I need them.
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dragonball345
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Post by dragonball345 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:07 pm

happy to help :). and gl with the project.

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Life of Brian
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Post by Life of Brian » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:15 pm

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into it so far. Looking forward to seeing what you accomplish.
dragonhead wrote:sweet. ive spent a third of my life on benheck!
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Meleeboy0
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Post by Meleeboy0 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:33 pm

I'm currently building an Xbox laptop, so I've been researching LCD Screens. I can't really afford this one myself right now, but if you wanna save some money, CompUSA has this 17" LCD for $139.99 after Rebates:

http://www.compusa.com/applications/Sea ... &CatId=167

Good luck with this, I hope to see pictures after you get started.

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Post by Negative_Creep » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:27 am

Good luck with this

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Post by Trstn18 » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:47 pm

just a friendly suggestion :) what I like to do for monitors is hit up craigslist. I've gotten most of my monitors for projects like this on craigslist, they all work fine and I saved loads of cash on them. good luck :) I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

shameless
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Post by shameless » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:03 am

Ugh, well eBay's been obnoxious in the way that it usually is over the last week. I've been trying to get a busted ps3 to crack open, just to lay out the insides, but for some reason, other people want to pay real money for the components ( it couldn't be the hard drives or heatsinks or blue lasers, could it?)

So now I'm going to craigs list to see if they have any. Oh, and if anyone does happen to have a broken ps3 they'd be willing to let go for pretty cheap, admittedly, I'm trying to get it without paying more than 50 bucks, console and shipping, and since the thing is pretty heavy...

Oh well, to Craigslist I go

EDIT: Craigslist doesn't look like it's going to be too terrible helpful, so I'm afraid this whole process is going to be slowed down into nothing but the adaptable design phase until I get the balls to crack open my own, functioning PS3. I still haven't figured out how to get my notes up on the forum to show, I think i may just do screen shots and edit them as needed. I've been drawing scratch notes on my tablet, so I'll see if I can't put those up until i can get the gimp images of what I want to do finished. That's right, pixel by pixel construction in GIMP of my design. I have a lot of time to burn.
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dragonball345
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Post by dragonball345 » Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:45 pm

has 99 cents sound.... of ourse you have a day to go 120 looked like the cheapest or so

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Post by shameless » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:55 pm

Ok, I'm going to post some very VERY preliminary/rough sketch ideas. My handwriting may or may not be legible, depending on what you are used to reading, but the basic idea is presented graphically, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Image

Image

Image

Image[/img]

Sorry for the big pictures, they are screen shots from my tablet sent thru some rough paint editing. I've already decided to reposition the ps2 mem card slot to be above the bluray drive, and the usb slots are going to be in a line above the memory card reader. After I looked at the dimensions I realized my original idea wouldn't work. The colored lines on the first image are traces of where the connectors are going to have to go from approximately where they originally are on the ps3. For the USB either i'm going to hack apart a cheap hub or use extension cables and splitters, because the PS2 card reader will need a usb slot on it's own, and the thing is put together so tightly I'm not sure I'll be able to take it apart short of using a dremel.

I'm working on the more finalized design in GIMP, using the best dimensions I can tell before disassembly.
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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:39 pm

shameless wrote:Ok, I'm going to post some very VERY preliminary/rough sketch ideas. My handwriting may or may not be legible, depending on what you are used to reading, but the basic idea is presented graphically, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Image

Image

Image

Image[/img]

Sorry for the big pictures, they are screen shots from my tablet sent thru some rough paint editing. I've already decided to reposition the ps2 mem card slot to be above the bluray drive, and the usb slots are going to be in a line above the memory card reader. After I looked at the dimensions I realized my original idea wouldn't work. The colored lines on the first image are traces of where the connectors are going to have to go from approximately where they originally are on the ps3. For the USB either i'm going to hack apart a cheap hub or use extension cables and splitters, because the PS2 card reader will need a usb slot on it's own, and the thing is put together so tightly I'm not sure I'll be able to take it apart short of using a dremel.

I'm working on the more finalized design in GIMP, using the best dimensions I can tell before disassembly.
My eyes just went crazy trying to read your vent holes....

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Post by vskid » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:46 pm

WhatULive4 wrote:My eyes just went crazy trying to read your vent holes....
lol, I just figured out what they said, I couldn't see it the first time.

Cool project, looks like you're thinking everything out.
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shameless
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Post by shameless » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:32 pm

WhatULive4 wrote:
My eyes just went crazy trying to read your vent holes....
Ha, yeah, I'm trying to keep it legible so it doesn't just look like a random pattern. I've asked a few people and they've been able to figure it out, so I think I did them well enough to keep the idea.
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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:06 pm

shameless wrote:
WhatULive4 wrote:
My eyes just went crazy trying to read your vent holes....
Ha, yeah, I'm trying to keep it legible so it doesn't just look like a random pattern. I've asked a few people and they've been able to figure it out, so I think I did them well enough to keep the idea.
I definitely do like them, it just really tripped me up when I first tried to read them.

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