Revisit of Visible Contrast the Case Mod that inspired Project Snowblind PC by iBuyPower

It's been over 3 years since I completed this mod, but I thought I 'd take a little look back at my Visible Contrast mod, after a lot of questions coming up when a copy of this mod was shown off by a gaming pc company. I discuss how I did it in more detail, and things I would do differently.
This is the original case mod that inspired the iBuyPower Project Snowblind PC. Pretty cool that my mod made it to production, one way or another :-)
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[@bradsoken3635]

Hey Chris, I'm the PM at iBUYPOWER for the Snowblind. Just wanted to say that we love your mod, I always try to namedrop Visible Contrast in conversation about the project as being the first (that we know of) but the marketing guys tend to have their own way of portraying stuff. Our original inspiration actually came from a transparent LCD display with a pair of headphones inside it that we saw at (I think) CES in 2015, someone asked if we could do that with a PC. We built a proof of concept and later showed it to some Intel guys who asked if we had it patented, and then the resulting research uncovered your mod. Being totally original in the PC space is quite difficult, even the name Snowblind is taken by a mod project from a couple years ago.

[@MosquitoMade]

Hey Brad, Thanks for the note! Cool to get a response from you guys about it, and hear the back story. Now I'll have more info when people tag me in posts about it. I've not tried to lay claim to the idea, as I'm sure many people have thought of it before me, but I was the first to execute on it that I could find as well. I first thought of it after going to a Dave & Buster's where they had a game with a transparent touch screen that had something to do with tapping things or something, I don't remember what the game was as I was figuring out how it worked so I could use it for this lol I would have LOVED to have a [much] larger budget to work on the mod, there are some things (like I mentioned) that I'd loved to have done differently, but time and money constraints always suck. It would be cool to get hands on with a Snowblind case sometime, like I said; regardless of whether or not my mod had anything to do with it, I think it's cool that a mod I did will be available for retail. Also, marketing people are, well... marketing people lol

[@TheModZoo]

Chris was the 1st to create this awesome case mod!

[@ImmodderNation]

Mine's not looking as great as yours. I think i'm having issues with the backlighting. I'm using double row LEDS instead of double density, but i'm going to try adding that third side of LED lights. Thanks for all your help, Chris!

[@NUY0RIQUEN0]

Thank you soo much for the information. I agree 100% with all you said. Cheers!

[@EELAmbiense]

Mosquito is the man! Such an awesome mod. And what Barry said, it's cool seeing some 'interesting white genitalia'!

[@benjoe999]

Thank's mate!Really inspirational stuff for building my case!

[@robertrijkers5163]

an extra mod of a pullup rollerblind whitescreen behind it to turn it into a normal visible monitor would be great ;p

[@MosquitoMade]

haha, yeah that was on the list of things for "if I do another one" :D

[@GTX162]

Chi qui grazie a basementech?

[@Bungwirez]

HIgh Five Mos. and thanks for reminding the rest of the world how modders are the real innovators!

[@dan7847]

Hey Chris! Really like your video, I've been searching for a video exactly like this, I'm really trying for find an affordable' justifiable monitor to try this with in my NZXT H440. Now I've seen this I'm defiantly going to try and get a USB powered case and follow your design. Thanks!

[@MosquitoMade]

Awesome! If you do go for it, I encourage you to share it on TheModZoo.com forums as a project log :-)

[@RealMrQuintis]

i got same case. what monitor did you use?

[@iVudooo]

Your a great guy, great video thanks for this advice

[@Ashnno]

Hi Chris, love this mod. I'm attempting it myself. I'm still stuck on how to power the monitor though. I've got a 17" Sony 5:4 monitor and I'm pretty sure I found the lead wires for power. The monitor still turns on with just the two wires connected. However, this is my second monitor I'm attempting this on. The first one I got just as far and I soldered the 5v and ground wire to an old molex connector and tested it out. I turned it on and there was a very faint popping sound. Windows still recognized the monitor, but the monitor seemed to be in some weird power loop. Being a novice to electrical things, I'm not entirely sure what went wrong. Overcurrent/undercurrent from my computer's PSU? Do you think it would work if I just soldered the 5v and ground wire to an old USB adapter? I'm not sure if that'd really work considering USB ports only output so much power. I couldn't really find how much just the LCD alone uses.. So I'm kind of lost here. Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks man. Again this is a fantastic mod!

[@MosquitoMade]

Thanks! :-) These are the reason I decided to just use a monitor that was always driven by USB to begin with lol It's possible that it's not actually supposed to be 5v, maybe it should be on 3.3v? Depending how daring you are (and careful) could you try plugging in the old board, and measuring the voltage where the 2 leads you identified were? I wouldn't think it would be too much, because you're not powering the back light (which is the current I would not want to mess with myself). Just throwing ideas out there, because I don't know the answer, I'd be in the same experiment and see what happens mode. Another option might be to look up the LCD panel on eBay and see if you can find a 3rd party controller for it. Most I've used so far (I've got 3 I think), use just a standard 12v wall adapter for power

[@Ashnno]

Chris Albee Okay, thanks for the input man. I'll see what I can do!

[@h82sk8]

This idea is cool but, use of a camera would have opened more opportunities like an invisible case, fan cam and 3D stereoscopic vision.

[@AgamyaSamuel]

Truellllllllllyy llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllloved it.

[@MosquitoMade]

Thanks!

[@marcel82792]

Hey Chris, I'm thinking of doing something like this with my PC desk. I am currently building a liquid cooling system inside a Lian-Li DK-03 and after seeing your Visible Contrast mod, am definitely thinking of adding a transparent screen to the glass cover of the desk. Just a few questions: Do you think this will work if the PC inside is dark coloured theme? The inside of the DK-03 is pitch black so unless I spray the whole thing white, the inside of the PC will probs be quite dark. Also do you think this will look nice if it only takes up part of the glass. Doing this will mean I can't really put backlight around the screen. Will that still work?

[@MosquitoMade]

It will work with a dark interior, but not as well. It's tough to see the effect over the dark areas of my build, so I would think it would be even tougher if the whole thing was dark. Black will be the toughest, but colors like red or blue can ok. May be able to just add more light, and see if that works though. Colored light might be enough of a difference on the black interior too, though. May have to experiment with that. As for the lighting, lighting it from anywhere shouldn't be a problem. The reason I mounted the lights around mine was because it was the easiest place to mount the LEDs to get the whole interior of the case lit up well. If you end up doing the build, you should share it over at TheModZoo.com, I'd love to follow it!

[@kumbarito]

Hey Chris, I'm trying to reuse my 19" Dell monitor E193FPc to make the mod that you done. So I dissasembled everything but I don't know how to power the control board. This is the model of the control board: 715L1280-E. I would like to use like you done a 12V usb connector.

[@MosquitoMade]

If you have the panel number off the back of the LCD panel, you could look on eBay to see if you can find a controller board for it. I've gotten a couple of them that way before, and they've all been 12v control boards. The one I used for this mod was a USB monitor to start with, so that made it a lot easier for me

[@edumarquez5994]

Is it bosible to mak a clear ( no trasperant panel) build?

[@MosquitoMade]

Do you mean with just a clear acrylic window?

[@edumarquez5994]

i mean like second monitor inside case panel. because i play lying in bed,(healthy problems) but will be nice to have a second monitor inside side panel. i saw a lot of videos with a 5 inch lcd panel, but i need minimum 14 inch.

[@MosquitoMade]

@@edumarquez5994 Ah, so you mean just a screen that isn't transparent/not a window in to the case. Absolutely, it would just be mounted a little differently. I had thought about doing that one a long time ago too

[@BlueeBubble]

Hi, does it have to be white? Can it not work with grey or black with bright blue lights? Also, what if the monitor LCD is smaller than the acrylic ? Thanks, literally the most futuristic mod to date!!

[@MosquitoMade]

Thanks! And it was even 3 years ago now lol You can pick whatever colors you want, and it will work, but it just works the best with white. The way an LCD typically works is with a bunch of white reflectors and refractors behind the screen, so it's designed to have that white backdrop, which is why it works. You can technically make it work with any other colors, it's just not as easy to see. If the LCD is smaller than the acrylic, I would consider making a frame that it mounts in. You'd be able to see the edges of the LCD otherwise, and although it'd be fine functionally, it just may not look the best.

[@DoctorPepper4]

what's up Chris? where do I start( thinking) okay first love you're videos, so please keep them coming. Second I'm still kinda new to the pc world switched over from console cause the graphics and this right here the modding. I just built what to me is the perfect pc I really love this idea would love to try it but I never modded anything in my life, scary. I have an NZXT S340 case in white would love to try this like I said and I need help with parts like what size monitor and how to make it clear. I don't know if it makes sense but would love you're help with parts list, if you can. thank you very much and please keep them coming

[@MosquitoMade]

Thanks! I used a 15.4" USB powered monitor, but that was mainly because it was USB powered so it would be easier to connect with out having to run a cable outside the case to make it work. A fellow Mod Zoo Member ImModderNation did a video of how he did something similar, that goes into pretty good detail here: themodzoo.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2926-case-mod-a-tribute-to-visual-contrast-v10/ As for computer hardware, as much of it as you can that's light colored is best. I painted my GPU shroud, and the thermal armor for my motherboard (which is specifically why I bought a Gryphon, to have the thermal armor I could paint)

[@10ee]

Chris = First

[@MosquitoMade]

:-)

[@javiergomez6001]

like !!!! by deka modder!!!!

[@Chicoelwahsh]

Hi Chris Albee, awesome work, i would like to know how to get the animations, i could not find the ones you are using on Rainmeeter, please if you have the time i would like your input, thank you.

[@MosquitoMade]

None of the ones I showed in this video were related to rainmeter. These were all just video files that I played in VLC on the transparent LCD. Some of them I found and some of them I made, depending on which ones. Many of them I just found on youtube. Things in black and white have the best effect

[@gcKukie]

I just tried attempt #1, i was close, i had it all apart and then when mocking it up in the case i tore the ribbon coming off the lcd. on my next attempt im going to use some clear packing tape to reinforce it.

[@MosquitoMade]

My first "proof of concept" I cracked the LCD, the first of the two monitors I went through doing the actual mod, I think I may have shorted out the control board, as it burned itself out (literally, smoke and the whole 9 yards). #3 got it though lol. Good luck! If you take pictures of it, I'd encourage you to share it on the forums at TheModZoo.com

[@satharkunju1521]

you are the best

[@gcKukie]

hmmmm, a use for the pile of old monitors laying around?

[@MosquitoMade]

if they're not doing anything else, why not?!

[@adamtheman17]

at any chance i can get a step by step on this i have the In Win Infinity Case that i want to add this

[@MosquitoMade]

check out the project log at The Mod Zoo: themodzoo.com/forum/index.php?/topic/938-mod-visible-contrast-updated-18th-nov-2013-completed-photos-with-transparent-lcd/ I shared a full project log there. Otherwise ImmodderNation did a good video about how to do it, after we chatted a bit about it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpvIdWyVa5lqjtk

[@edwardodavinci55]

where did you get the Monitore from?

[@MosquitoMade]

eBay, it was an AOC USB powered monitor