my video briefcase. DO YOU NEED ONE?

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:39 pm

***looking to post this in the FS next week roughly. I am moving to bigger and even more powerful things.

Wanted to mention in here directly due to the amount of power on board..
THis guy has treated me so well for my first year of video and gigging.

6u x 68hp with (2) 1.2 amp TTA boards on TTA z-rails. Fully capable of patching, closing, and transporting.

power outlet on back, and make noise skiff power out on the side. fully powers skiff and case no problem
*****

if all goes to plan this is my future video synth.

6u 80HP briefcase with a 12 lcd in the lid. *edit Down to 68HP per row

*will replace the 2 uzues with 2 powered bus boards once in stock

more pics at http://brownshoesonly.com

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:45 pm

awesome!!
i don't know if you have an LCD picked out yet, but there's all sorts of very affordable ones at dealextreme.com. what are you going to do for power? be sure you check out the notes power/casing on the LZX site if you're considering those modules. if you're not going with tiptop powered distro boards, that case may get a little hot with the LZX modules and a linear supply in there (assuming one would fit)... so I'd consider putting an external PSU in a box and do a DIN connector.
anyway, exciting!

zapp550 · Post by **zapp550** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:45 pm

That's going to be nice! Really like the idea of sticking the lcd in the lid.

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:48 pm

Most of those small mini-LCDs that you can get for $30-$40 are very shallow and could fit behind a EuroRack panel easily -- they also run off 12V. I'd love to offer a preview monitor module at some point if people want them, but for the meantime, a monitor module may be a fun DIY project!

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:52 pm

i started leaning toward a uzeus or 2. the monitor will just get flushed behind a panel. I stuff computers in small spaces at work all the time

ocd synthnerd · Post by **ocd synthnerd** » Sat May 07, 2011 10:19 pm

Even with just one tip top zeus powered bus board that case will get too hot.

I have 7 lzx modules mounted on the bottom row of a 6u goike boat.
One powered zeus on the top row completely open and exposed but after 2 or 3 hours the modules get pretty warm. I usually turn them off around that point, I'm not sure how much heat they can take.

Goike built me a 9 u curved case with venting for my lzx system which will provide a lot of more area for heat to dissipate. Just waiting for it.

They'd get pretty damn hot in a shallow enclosed case. These modules draw so much current, even the zues busboard gets damn hot, those two silver things the size of 9 volt batteries especially.

I would go with what Lars suggested or find a different case.

Multiple uzeus might work, might not.
I haven't tried uzeus, but heat is an issue to take into consideration with these awesome modules.

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Sat May 07, 2011 10:50 pm

Yep, a shallow case with no ventilation and PSU drawing close to its supply will definitely start to get warm. That boat is wooden, too? Which will naturally retain the heat more than an aluminum case would.

I would imagine the PSU would shut off if it started to get dangerously hot, or before any modules would get harmed. If it is "hot" rather than "warm" to the touch, I'd definitely consider figuring out better ventilation.

johnnywoods · Post by **johnnywoods** » Sun May 08, 2011 8:35 am

ocd synthnerd wrote: I have 7 lzx modules mounted on the bottom row of a 6u goike boat.
One powered zeus on the top row completely open and exposed but after 2 or 3 hours the modules get pretty warm. I usually turn them off around that point, I'm not sure how much heat they can take.

Just for the record, mine get realllllllly warm as well (and my case is well ventilated). I've left them on for the better part of a day, and have noticed no problems there.

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Sun May 08, 2011 8:53 am

I am curious, those of you with Metasonix or Harvestman modules, do you notice those getting warm under normal circumstances? Of course I realize they usually exist in a case with modules that draw much less current so it may not be as much of an issue as a full case of LZX modules. LZX modules draw about the same as Harvestman and Metasonix on average -- so it should be about the same as having a full Metasonix or Harvestman system.

ocd synthnerd · Post by **ocd synthnerd** » Sun May 08, 2011 12:53 pm

I didn't mean to imply it's an LZX exclusive thing, and Lars is right my boat is super shallow (69mm) and wooden.

My main point was that LZX modules are slim and I figured perfect for a shallow skiff cause they fit well but they just need extra room to breathe, so to speak.(just like an all Harvestman system would too)

I had heat issues from any non LZX module combo that drew more than 700 to 800 ma from one of the boards.

I originally had 2 powered zues boards and planned to fill this big boat with lzx modules, but couldn't fill it with too many power hungry audio modules, because of heat.

It was the first time Goike put that much power in that small of an enclosure.

My point was that these modules need more power than most and skiffs and shallow enclosures are real popular and appealing, but are designed more for low current drawing modules or at least a normal balance usually, and filling them up with all high current drawing modules isn't as good of an idea as I originally thought that it was, but ymmv.

There seems to be a limit to how much power you can stick in a small space, but since you do such things professionally maybe you will figure something out that I didn't. (please share if you do)

I was actually more surprised about the heat zeus generated than the LZX modules so maybe uzeus won't get as warm.

daverj · Post by **daverj** » Sun May 08, 2011 1:16 pm

Your best bet might be an external high power supply, such as a Power-One, with a short cable to the case.

Any power supply pushed near it's limits is going to get fairly hot. To minimize heat you have to over spec the power supply by quite a bit. Which in turn means it'll be large and heavy. Alternately you need to add a fan or two to force air across the power supply and get the heat out of the case.

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Mon May 09, 2011 12:08 pm

i have no problem implementing fans. but i will take this all into consideration.

venting was already in the works. and a 12v fan or two is no issue..

still in the design phase

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Mon May 09, 2011 12:15 pm

still in the design phase

Sorry for the bombardment of advice! This is a big issue in general though, that many of us have been working out the best solutions for (definitely worth a new thread at some point.)

Can't wait to see how this turns out!!!! I'm sure you can make it work in this case. I don't think you need a lot of fan ventilation going on to make a big difference.

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Mon May 09, 2011 12:24 pm

the way i see it.

if the case ends up only good for audio then i still have an awesome case.

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Mon May 09, 2011 12:31 pm

I think worst case scenario, you'll need a couple fans and enough standoff from the case bottom to allow airflow.

daverj · Post by **daverj** » Mon May 09, 2011 12:47 pm

You can get some ultra quiet PC fans these days that don't move a huge amount of air, but would move plenty to make a difference.

Just remember that hot air rises, so vent holes above and below the power supply make the most difference.

ocd synthnerd · Post by **ocd synthnerd** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:07 pm

I bet you'll have people wanting you to make them cases for their video modules. (me) You sound like you know what you are doing. I'm excited to see what you come up with. I didn't mean to come off all negative.
I think it would be so rad to have a monitor built in to a portable case with video modules. I have a thing for compact and portable also.
Will you keep this thread updated with your progress?
Good luck, I hope this thing turns out really cool.
Couch compatible gear is the best, you get comfortable and go to town.

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:15 pm

It's gonna be a total analog laptop!

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:15 am

update with pics

lizlarsen · Post by **lizlarsen** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:16 am

Awesome!!! Seems like some great companion module choices too.

zapp550 · Post by **zapp550** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:20 pm

The case looks fantastic

nickciontea · Post by **nickciontea** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:21 pm

***looking to post this in the FS next week roughly. I am moving to bigger and even more powerful things.

Wanted to mention in here directly due to the amount of power on board..
THis guy has treated me so well for my first year of video and gigging.

6u x 68hp with (2) 1.2 amp TTA boards on TTA z-rails. Fully capable of patching, closing, and transporting.

power outlet on back, and make noise skiff power out on the side. fully powers skiff and case no problem

$425. Open to offers

my costs
$350 for power
$98 for rails
make noise power extension outlet
labor

*****

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

my video briefcase. DO YOU NEED ONE?

my video briefcase. DO YOU NEED ONE?