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YACT: shock protecting a harddrive

W

WinkOsmosis

Banned
I'm building a car mp3 player.. how can I isolate my harddrive from shock? My suspension is pretty stiff so this may be important. Rubber bands? Bungees?
 
Perhaps use a 2.5" laptop hard drive. I believe they're better designed to handle shock.
 
foam. should be good enough. i drove like a bat outta hell and my hd was fine... it wasn't even cushioned..just screwed into the case
 
Originally posted by: flood
mount the hard drive 90 degrees so going over bumps wont send the head into the platter.
egggrate foam also works well.
my car mp3 player
Click to expand...

Nice site. Where can I get such foam?

Edit: Do you think carpet insulating foam would work well?

Edit again: Nice Gamma 28. I have one, but I'm using a Delta blower at 5v.
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: OS
Why don't you just buy an mp3/cd headunit?
Click to expand...
Because that's no fun.
Click to expand...

It's up to you, but from a practical standpoint, it's much easier and more cost effective to buy a mp3 hu.

The usability of a computer built into a car is really poor unless you build a lot of custom hardware like inputs and display, which takes even more time and expense. Plus if you are ever in a car accident, that computer becomes a potential projectile.

 
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: OS
Why don't you just buy an mp3/cd headunit?
Click to expand...
Because that's no fun.
Click to expand...

It's up to you, but from a practical standpoint, it's much easier and more cost effective to buy a mp3 hu.

The usability of a computer built into a car is really poor unless you build a lot of custom hardware like inputs and display, which takes even more time and expense. Plus if you are ever in a car accident, that computer becomes a potential projectile.
Click to expand...

For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
Click to expand...


That duct tape won't hold after baking in your car for a couple months.
 
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
Click to expand...


That duct tape won't hold after baking in your car for a couple months.
Click to expand...

Damn! What tape should I use then?
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


Damn! What tape should I use then?
Click to expand...

Don't use tape, fabricate a mount of some sort with brackets and metal screws or something. If you're super lazy, at least use zip ties.

Also I'd mount the hard drive flat so the weight of the drive is spread across more cushion.

 
Just wondering, why didn't you just leave the computer in its case, put it on its side, hold it down to the trunk of your car with a giant piece of velcro, and use a removable hard drive rack (by passing the whole issue with duct tapes and foam)?
 
Originally posted by: sniperbob
Just wondering, why didn't you just leave the computer in its case, put it on its side, hold it down to the trunk of your car with a giant piece of velcro, and use a removable hard drive rack (by passing the whole issue with duct tapes and foam)?
Click to expand...

This is the computer's case. It's been in it for a year. I sold it to someone then traded him a cpu and mobo for it.



It doesn't matter. It doesn't work. After all that damn work, I press the switch and nothing. It just doesn't work. I'm going to cry now.
 
Arghhhh! It doesn't work because I plugged in the power connector backwards! This damn BX440 motherboard has the connector mounted upside down relative to modern boards, and it isn't keyed. Doesn't work with it plugged in correctly. I don't know how anything would fry though, since there is no way the power could have turned on with it backwards.

Edit: Now it works.. dunno why....
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Arghhhh! It doesn't work because I plugged in the power connector backwards! This damn BX440 motherboard has the connector mounted upside down relative to modern boards, and it isn't keyed. Doesn't work with it plugged in correctly. I don't know how anything would fry though, since there is no way the power could have turned on with it backwards.

Edit: Now it works.. dunno why....
Click to expand...

Wow, you're pretty lucky, the first pentium computer I had I switch the power plug on the mobo, turn it on, and bam, there goes my BIOS chip.
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
Click to expand...


That duct tape won't hold after baking in your car for a couple months.
Click to expand...

Damn! What tape should I use then?
Click to expand...
Big rubber bands. It'll have some give and still hold it tight.
Also, turn the hard drive so the circuit board faces away from the metal case of the psu
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
Click to expand...


That duct tape won't hold after baking in your car for a couple months.
Click to expand...

Damn! What tape should I use then?
Click to expand...

Neither will your HD. A friend built one a couple years back. The issue is a HD baking in the trunk in the hot texas sun. It doesn't matter how big the fan is on it - it's not going to be running while the car is off. (Or is it?) The HD won't last very long in that weather. Unless you come up with some sort of ultra long IDE cable so u can plug/unplug the hd from the drivers seat and take it with you
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis


For control I'm using my Cassiopeia running iRemote, a program that controls Winamp through USB, network, or serial. The audio link is an FM transmitter, "iRock".
I'm using hardware I had before, so it's really cheaper than a $300 mp3 head unit. The 200W/400W burst(?) invertor was $30 and so was the iRock.


Tell me how this hard drive mounting looks please!
Click to expand...


That duct tape won't hold after baking in your car for a couple months.
Click to expand...

Damn! What tape should I use then?
Click to expand...

3M double-sided automotive tape. But beware - once you put that stuff on, it's not going anywhere without some serious encouragement.

- M4H
 
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