Are you a little bored with the hard drive activity lights on your computer? Fancy something a little more original? Well, you could try this modification over the weekend.
MetkuMods have created a cool mod that shows your hard drive activity as glowing eyes in a skull. Check out the video after the jump.
How the Mod Works
“We receive pulses from the motherboard’s HDD LED header. We get the pulses by removing the wire that goes to the original HDD LED and replace it with our own wire that leads to our circuit. The optoisolator will charge the capacitor that is connected to the base of the in-built transistor. When the HDD activity gets faster, the ‘ACT’-LED will start to shine more brightly because the charge inside the capacitor is getting higher.
After this, when the activity disappears, the capacitor will start to discharge via the base “leg” of the transistor and keep the LED lit. When the charge of the capacitor goes slowly down, the LED will get dimmer and dimmer and finally stop shining completely.”
Why This Mod is Unique
This mod is not just a simple LED replacement; it adds a unique aesthetic to your computer setup. The glowing eyes in the skull provide a visual representation of your hard drive’s activity, making it both functional and decorative. This can be particularly appealing for those who enjoy customizing their PC cases and want to add a personal touch to their hardware.
Moreover, the mod is a great way to learn more about electronics and how your computer hardware works. By following the steps to create this mod, you can gain a better understanding of how signals are transmitted from the motherboard to the LED indicators and how capacitors and transistors function in a circuit.
For those who are new to modding, this project can serve as an excellent introduction. It requires basic soldering skills and a fundamental understanding of electronic components, making it accessible for beginners while still being interesting for more experienced modders.
Additionally, the mod can be customized further. For example, you could use different colors for the LEDs or even different shapes for the eyes. The possibilities are endless, and the only limit is your imagination.
Via MetkuMods
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