Titan ITX status. (placeholder)

[Lazzer408]

Some of you know I've been working on an ITX based mini gaming/HTPC system for some time. I thank you for all the input on it. Here's the update.

3d drawings almost complete. As soon as I approve them, they go to the water-jet then CNC-folded into the base and cover of the chassis. Faceplate drawings were dropped at the machine shop this afternoon and should have the production prototype by Monday. Once approved, the design heads to CNC for production. Web domain TitanITX.com reserved for e-store and support forum. Host servers are online but the site isn't up yet. Stay tuned.

As far as the system itself, here's some of the details.

-Anodized (black) brushed aluminum front faceplate. (Power LED recessed so LED is not directly visable from the front. Flush mounted power button)
-Aluminum chassis (base, cover, faceplate, brackets)
-HDD LED removed from front of chassis. (Anoying in low-light HTPC setting)
-Change was made to allow for one 2.5" SATA -and- one 3.5" SATA drive. I may make the 3.5" HDD accessable from outside the chassis if desired. (aka. built-in trayless mobile rack)
-Optical drive is SATA slot load. (only option at this time)
-450w 80+ PSU using single 80mm fan. (quieter then 2x 60mm fans) (load testing pased)
-Mounting option for two 70mm case fans. (required for some graphics cards)
-Changes to internal bracketing to allow for easier disassembly.
-Support for one full-height PCIe x16 graphics card up to 12" in length. (two slot width)
-Custom solid copper CPU cooler. (Will not support stock or aftermarket coolers)
-ROHS compliant.
- ~.27cu-ft internal volume.

The design has been a long haul working a little here and there to develop the product. My goal was to create a very powerful ITX gaming system in as little space as possible and also have good thermal management. It hasn't been easy. The final product is actually very simple but this wasn't by accident. I think some of you will be impressed by both it's simplicity and function. Those involved have been quite impressed by it.

Some things I need to address are; Front USB ports, card reader, and LCD display on the front faceplate. I will sell the chassis as designed and later offer a replacement faceplate with the added features. It is a fairly easy process to swap them.

Cost? I'm working on that. I didn't want to cut corners just to save a quarter here and a nickel there but throughout the process I've kept production costs in site. This is American designed and American built. There are some foreign components used but I didn't outsource the production. If I do, I hope it is to keep up with demand.

Now all I need is a trusted review site to send a sample for testing. Any recomendations?

That's all for now.

[AthlonX2]

Tweaktown!!!!

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by AthlonX2

Tweaktown!!!!

I hope that was scarcastic.

[stupido]

why just one site?

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by stupido

why just one site?

What do you mean?

[stupido]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

What do you mean?

I mean why only one site/reviewer?
For example why not in this web site? Maybe just send your example to Darksaber for a review?

also as far as I understood, you want to produce that case, so for a good marketing you'll need to send your sample(s) to more than one web site for a review...

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by stupido

I mean why only one site/reviewer?
For example why not in this web site? Maybe just send your example to Darksaber for a review?

also as far as I understood, you want to produce that case, so for a good marketing you'll need to send your sample(s) to more than one web site for a review...

I was kinda kidding around. Of course I'd like to have it reviewed here.

[stupido]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

I was kinda kidding around. Of course I'd like to have it reviewed here.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

I hope that was scarcastic.

No, he's just making his loyalties known, for those that weren't aware.

Originally Posted by stupido

Maybe just send your example to Darksaber for a review?

This is good advice. Send W1zzard or DarkSaber a PM to explore the option of having your stuff reviewed here..

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

No, he's just making his loyalties known, for those that weren't aware.




This is good advice. Send W1zzard or DarkSaber a PM to explore the option of having your stuff reviewed here..

Already dropped w1z a message.

I just got off the phone with the water jet people to set up an appointment and go over some of the drawings. A few of the pieces will be jetted out monday. I wanted a sample of their fabricating abilities.

[Lazzer408]

Quick update.

I've been working with my cad guy to optimize the assembly to reduce manufacturing costs and ease serviceability. It's a bit trickier for some to work with an ITX chassis vs. a full size chasis so I've spent a little more time revising parts to make it easier to assemble. One example. The 2.5" drive has to be removed in order to access the graphics card. So, I made it's bracket removable with a single screw. Another example. To avoid having to increase the depth of the chassis, in order to allow room for the motherboard to slide clear the IO shield for service, I made the internal bracketry easy to remove without having to remove the components from the brackets. The devil is in the details.

I'm happy with how the chassis has progressed from a concept into a product worthy of TPU reviews. Hang in there. It's coming.

www.TitanITX.com is leased but who wants to design the website?

[DrunkenMafia]

I want one!! there are some kick ass itx boards out there these days!! can't wait to see the design. I may even order one.

[Lazzer408]

The first test faceplate was completed today. Here's a pic of the power button and LED before brush finishing and anodizing.

[erocker]

Looking good!

Also, I'm going to warn the two people who's posts I just deleted to keep your personal transgressions off of the forum.

[MoonPig]

Originally Posted by erocker

Looking good!

Also, I'm going to warn the two people who's posts I just deleted to keep your personal transgressions off of the forum.

Anyways...

Are there and models of this? Curious about design.

[garyinhere]

Originally Posted by MoonPig

Are there and models of this? Curious about design.

I personally wouldn't put a "pre-production" model up for others to copy/steal the design of... Especially if you don't have legal backing to stop whoever steals your design. Especially if you don't have the capabilities to go into mass production right away, or a Tax Id to sell it.

I don't understand why a site would preview a product that has no manufacturer to sell it? Seems to go against what a review is for.

[MoonPig]

Originally Posted by garyinhere

I personally wouldn't put a "pre-production" model up for others to copy/steal the design of... Especially if you don't have legal backing to stop whoever steals your design. Especially if you don't have the capabilities to go into mass production right away, or a Tax Id to sell it.

I don't understand why a site would preview a product that has no manufacturer to sell it? Seems to go against what a review is for.

Email me it then. I swear i won't sell the info to the Chinese.

Edit: I hear Tweaktown has a good case reviewer. That's the only place i go for my case reviews.

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by garyinhere

I personally wouldn't put a "pre-production" model up for others to copy/steal the design of... Especially if you don't have legal backing to stop whoever steals your design. Especially if you don't have the capabilities to go into mass production right away, or a Tax Id to sell it.

I don't understand why a site would preview a product that has no manufacturer to sell it? Seems to go against what a review is for.

Have you seen Intel's "confidential" CPU test samples? Like Intel, my "pre-production" model/sample (production prototype) is based on what the production unit will be. When it gets to market, you will recieve the same unit as the reviewer's sample (unless the reviewer points out something that should be revised). The design is great but I do like to hear others opinions. That's my main reason for seeking a review. As far as manufacturing, I've already sourced various suppliers and manufacturers to produce the parts in quantity. I have a sample of one of the parts sitting next to me for inspection. I'm confidant they can do the job. Initial assembly will be done by yours truly until demand calls for larger quantities. I have enough financial support to kick start production. After the first few pieces, the product will pay for itself. The business end of things (tax ID, estore, legal maters) is also in the works.

Want to know one of the hold-ups? The power switch. I have a dozen samples sitting here but there's something about each one I don't like. The feel, the look, the sound, the price, and the availability. The taste? Awful! I was chewing on one earlier. I had a great switch picked out only to find out later the manufacturer discontinued it. I'm not ordering 4000pcs just to have it put back into production. Not unless you guys want a $100 chassis with a $300 power switch.

Oh, MoonPig, I tried selling the design to MANY chassis manufacturers. Their typical response? "We already have our own designers, thank you." Well, their designers fail in the ITX department and drop the ball again and again and again. L.L Look at all those balls!

[MoonPig]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

Oh, MoonPig, I tried selling the design to MANY chassis manufacturers. Their typical response? "We already have our own designers, thank you." Well, their designers fail in the ITX department and drop the ball again and again and again. L.L Look at all those balls!

I'll be honest, there's is literally only one case in the mITX Market that i like. It's the only one that ticks the mITX box for me. It's the Wesena Mini ITX2.

[(FIH) The Don]

i KNOW for a fact that the "guy" at tweaktown wont do review/previews like this.

already asked him about it regarding my own case im designing.

you would have to have the case in production, or similar to get it reviewed there. and i think that goes to MANY other "big" sites aswell

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by MoonPig

I'll be honest, there's is literally only one case in the mITX Market that i like. It's the only one that ticks the mITX box for me. It's the Wesena Mini ITX2.

That suits the low power market with basic computing needs. It'll never game.

[MoonPig]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

That suits the low power market with basic computing needs. It'll never game.

No, no. I mean, to my mITX is to be as small as possible. That case does just that.

Most other mITX cases are nearly as big as an mATX case. What's the point in that?

[Lazzer408]

Originally Posted by MoonPig

No, no. I mean, to my mITX is to be as small as possible. That case does just that.

Most other mITX cases are nearly as big as an mATX case. What's the point in that?

I hear you. My chassis is 12.5" x 12.5" x 3" which is 4.74" larger and a hair taller then the one you've mentioned, which is 7.76" x 7.76" x 2.95". I'm far from a micro-ATX size chassis though. If I could make it smaller I would but that would require too many custom components resulting in a significant increase in cost. You have to consider, this isn't -just- an ITX case. It's an ITX gaming case that will hold a 12" long full size graphics card and anough power to run it. Most, if not all, of the current ITX cases significantly increase in size to accommodate a large graphics card and the ones in between use half-height cards.

It's impossible to design a one-size-fits-all case and I feel there's a market for a small ITX gaming chassis. The demand may be small, but there is a demand. That's why the project was started in the first place. Necessity is the mother of invention.

[Lazzer408]

Bad news leads to good news. It just keeps getting better.

I've been going over the tooling/machining steps one by one to reduce the production costs. After speaking with the fabricator, there seems to be a complication with asthetics at the rear corner of the chassis. In other words, they can't make one of my seams look good.

I'm very picky about these things. I will not cut corners (pun intended) and ruin my design just to make something fit. If I have to, I'll find another solution, or even redesign the whole chassis. Luckily, it didn't come to that. The solution was to incorporate the rear panel into a removable motherboard tray. We went over the idea, and a few variations of it, and found that we can eliminate multiple bends, screws, inserts, and time. This adds up to a significant reduction in cost while making the unit even easier to assemble and work on. The entire internal assembly is now removable with just 4 screws.

I thought I'd let you know what's been going on. I expect to have my production sample by January.

[Lazzer408]

Changes:

-Aluminum extruded sides. This design change required the height to be increased from 3" to 3.5". The change was made for cost saving and asthetic reasons but you will get the added benefit of the chassis being easier to work on. It has everything mounted to a single tray which is removable with only 4 screws.

-Fans. Some felt that the chassis should come with fans as long as they are quiet. Although not required, I've added the option of two 70mm fans in the side of the chassis. They will be powered off a 3-pin motherboard header.

I had designed the chassis to work with graphics cards that vent their heat out the rear panel. Many cards do this but some, mainly Nvidia, dump a significant amount of heat into the enclosure they're installed in. The two 70mm fans will help deal with this problem. They may also allow the user to choose a graphics card with an "orb-style" GPU cooler, or even a passive cooler, but this has not been tested.

Current hang-ups:

-Waiting on production quotes.
-Power switch.

You would not believe how hard it is to find a cost effective power switch (that I like).

That's all for now.