What's inside the external AudigyDrive?

[kjmcdonald]

Has anyone got one? Anyone opened one up?

I'm wondering if you remove the case, and maybe detach some cable that lead to the ports on
the back of the case, maybe, just maybe what you'd be left with would be the same as the internal
version??

If someone could verify this for me, I think I'll spend the extra on the external model just to
get the face plate in black. I know it's only cosmetic, but've gotten everything else in black,
the AudigyDrive is the only thing left white.

-Kyle

 

[kjmcdonald]

Anyone?

Does nobody have one of these or something? Or is it just that nobody's taken one apart?

-Kyle

 

[Paulson]

I have the internal audigy drive...

Basically there's a whole bunch of stuff in there...

if you want to get a look at some of it in detail, go to newegg.com and look up the drives then view the product and it shows them pretty well..

 

[kjmcdonald]

Thanks.

I've looked at the internal pictures at Newegg. They're great. But they don't take the external (black) version apart to take
pictures of it'guts.

I want to mount the think in my PC case - so I want it internal, but I'd rather have the Black face plate.

So, what I'm trying to determine, is wether I can order the External version, and take it out of the case, and be left with
the same (electronically) stuff as the internal. If yes, then I can just mount the guts of it in the case and hook it up
like the internal one hooks up.

Oh, and do you know how many pins are on the ribbon cable that rundy from the card to the drive on your
internal one? I'm hooping it's the same as either a HD or a Floppy so I can get a Round replacement cable for it

-Kyle

 

[Mota331]

The external and internal are identicial. I believe

 

[kjmcdonald]

Yeah I know, That's what I'm guessing also, What I'm wondering is 'Has anyone actually looked inside and verified that??"

-Kyle

 

[thomsbrain]

I know that the internal "drive" needs power (from a floppy-style power connector, if I remember). How is the external version powered? And would you be able to power it inside the case?

 

[kjmcdonald]

Yeah the power and stuff. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

From the pictures I've seen, it looks like the Box is powered from the PC.
There seems to be only one fat cable that runs from the computer to the box.
I'm theorizing that the power is carried through that also. That cable
plugs into the back of the box. What I'm hoping (and hoping someone can
verify) is that the socket on the casing just breaks out into 1 or more cables
that plug into the same sockets on the circuit board that the internal version
has. This would make sense - then Creative doesn't have to desgin and
manufacture 2 PCBs. If this is the case, then Hopefully I could remove the
case, disconect the short cables that run to the socket on the case, and be
left with a black internal audigy Drive.

I'd just like to talk to someone who's opened one up before I go and spend the
extra $45.

Anyone?

 

[kjmcdonald]

I can't believe that out of all the users here noone that owns one of these has been curious
enough to open it up? Maybe noone owns one of these??

OK, I'll try a different question... Has anyone seen any reviews of these on the web where
they opened it up and took pictures?

 

[kjmcdonald]

Ok. I guess I get to go play test pilot. Damn.

-Kyle

 

[Paulson]

You can take the faceplate off the internal drives... and I'm sure you can buy a black faceplate for them (probably the black remote too)

 

[kjmcdonald]

Yeah.

Maybe I could buy both, swap the face plate, and Ebay the now White External one? Hmmm That would
even leave me with the right cables....

Maybe I'll do that.

-Kyle

 

[Paulson]

Well, there isn't a faceplate on the external drive. That's the problem... it's an enclosed box.

However, they must have had plans on releasing a black faceplate for the internal one, because you can remove the faceplate on it.

You could just buy the internal, take the faceplate off, take the volume knobs off, and spraypaint it black

lol... it'd work!

 

[kjmcdonald]

I bet if you open the external one up, you can probably get the faceplate off it also.

-Kyle

 

[Studdyman]

I own the Audigy Plat Internal. Great card......don't spend the extra money you could spend on other computer parts just because you want a black face plate.

Do like I did, I make custom cases. Buy the internal, take the faceplate off and paint it whatever color you want, then put all the lettering back on with stickers. I used photodraw and made one big sticker (clear) that fits over the whole front plate, adding all the emblems and text, from jpg's on creatives site, then I painted mine True Blue, and a clear coat, then placed the sticker over the front. Cost 3.00 for paint, and a little bit of time.

hope that helps a littlebit.

 

[kjmcdonald]

Yeah. I'm actually hoping to find someone would like have a white external one now.

I'm curious about your solution though. Do you have any pictures? How about the
files you used to make the sticker? could you post those?

-Kyle

 

[Studdyman]

I'ts really easy, the only time I use seperate stickers is when I am painting a CDROM and just adding the 50x or whatever to the front, but because there were so many and so small on the Audigy, rather than make alot of tiny stickers that may come off I opted to just make one large one that goes on the front, because it is clear, whatever color you paint it will show through.
My E-mail is bugkris1@hotmail.com, shoot me a e-mail with your e-mail and I'll send you the completed template and all the jpg's I used to add to the template. I don't have a picture yet of the front of the case, only four up to that point, I'll take one of just the drive and send it to you.

 

[kjmcdonald]

I'd still like to know if anyone has taken one of these apart. Or if anyone has seen pictures on the web of the
insides of one of these please post a link.

Thanks,

-Kyle

 

[IgoByte]

I have one, I took it apart and mounted it internally, just like you'd do with the white one. It's the same thing as the Platinum LiveDrive...

Does anyone know of a good server to upload temporary pics to so I can show you folks what it looks like?

 

[kjmcdonald]

That's cool. That's what I wanted to hear. What did you use for cables inside your box?
I didn't think the ones that go from the card to the external port would be long enough?

Anyway. Thanks for the info. Check your PM

-Kyle