# UPDATED: Ultimate Geek Cave. Major Update 2-28-2011



## GoHigh

Intro:

Thanks for visiting my build log for the ULTIMATE GEEK CAVE.

This has been an ongoing progress for about a year now, and the initial project took about 4 weeks to complete. Please check update log for details on progression of how it got here.

First, here are the pictured of current product.

























































































































































































































Hardware List:

1. i7-920 @ 4.1Ghz, Corsair H70, CM HAF-X, Asus P6T Deluxe V2, OCZ Reaper HPC 6GB, Asus GTX460 1GB TOP in SLI, Seagate ES 500GBx2 in RAID0, Asus Xonar DX, Antec 1000w Quattro PSU, LG 32" 1080p LCD TV, Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

2. i7-950 @ 4.0Ghz, Corsair 600T Case, Gigabyte X58A-UD3R, 12GB Corsair XMS, Sapphire 5770 1GBx2 CF, Noctua D14, Seagate ES 500GBx3 in RAID0, Musiland Monitor 02 USB, Silverstone 1000w Strider PSU, 2x Acer 23" 1080p LCD, BlackWidow Ultimate Mech KB, Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

3. i7-875K @ 4.0Ghz, Antec 902, Gigabyte P55-UD6, 8GB Corsair XMS, MSI GTX260 1768MB Lightning Edition, Noctua D14, Seagate ES 1TB, Seagate LP 1.5TB, Seagate 640GB, Apple BT KB+Mouse+MagicPad, SoundBlaster X-Fi HD USB, Corsair 850w 850HX PSU, Dell 3008WFP 30" LCD, Snow Leopard 10.6.6, Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Ubuntu 10.10

4. i7-920 @ 4.0Ghz, Antec 1200, Asus P6T Deluxe V2, 6GB OCZ Reaper HPC, MSI TwinFrozer GTX460 1GBx2 SLI, Megahalem Lapped, Seagate ES 500GBx2 RAID0, SoundBlaster X-Fi HD Titanium, iOne Scorpius Mech KB, Bose Companion, Antec 1000w Quattro PSU, LG 32" 1080p LED HDTV, Windows 7 Ultimate x64

5. (NETTOP) Apple Mac Mini, 8GB RAM, 2.4Ghz Core2Duo, 500GB HDD, Apple BT KB+Mouse, Stock, Stock, Stock, Same TV as above.

6. (HTPC) AMD 1055T @ 4.0Ghz, Antec 902, Asus ROG Crosshair IV Formula, 8GB GSkill Ripjaw, XFX 5770 1GB x2 CF, Corsair H50, Antec 850W Quattro PSU, Seagate 7200.12 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Ultimate x64

7. (SERVER) i5-760 @ Stock, Asus TUF Sabertooth 55i, Lian Li PC-V2010, 4GB Kingston HyperX, Corsair H50, Intel 4Port PCIe Raid Card, 6x WD Green 1TB HDD in RAID5, 4x Samsung F3 1TB HDD in RAID10, 2x 500GB Seagate ES HDD in RAID1, No GPU, Antec 850w Quattro PSU, Windows Server 2008 R2.

8. 47" LG SL80 1080p HDTV

9. Sony PS3

10. Xbox 360

11. Mirage OM9 Tower Speakers

12. Yamaha RX659 7.1 Receiver

13. Polk 10" Sub

14. Sharp CV-10NH 10K BTU Portable Air Conditioner

15. (HEADPHONES) Senn 555, Senn Pro280, Senn 202, ATH-M30, ATH-A300, JVC-RX900, Logitech G35, Monster Turbine Pro.

16. (NETWORKING) 2x Linksys E2000 (Extended), 1x Netgear WDNR3700 (Main), Netgear Proline 16 Port Gigabit Switch, 2x Linksys 8 Port Gigabit Switch.

17. (PRINTERS) Canon MX860 AIO, HP P1102w Laser, Canon PIXMA Pro9000 MarkII.

-BUILD AREA -

18. i3-530 @ 4.4Ghz, Asus Maximus 3 Formula, 4GB Corsair XMS, Corsair H50, Nvidia 9800GT 512MBx2 SLI, CM Stacker 830, CM 1000w PSU, Seagate 500GB HDD x2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Ubuntu 10.10, Samsung 24" IPS LCD.

19. LG 23" 720p LED HDTV

*LIST OF UPDATES:

UPDATE 1: Lets Begin Shall We?

UPDATE 2: List of Hardware.

UPDATE 3: Office Cleared and Moved!

UPDATE 4: Electrical Work Done!

UPDATE 5: Let The Ripping Begin!

UPDATE 6: Let The Painting Begin!

UPDATE 7: Floors Done! Furniture Assembly Done!

UPDATE 8: TV In!

UPDATE 9: Monitors In!

UPDATE 10: Room Cooler In!

UPDATE 11: Fixing Issues! Hardware Installation Begins!

UPDATE 12: 1st Completed Pics! (April 2010)

UPDATE 13: Old Office Revisited.

UPDATE 14: 2nd Completed Pics! (6 Months Later)

UPDATE 15: New Build Area!

UPDATE 16: 3rd Completed Pics! (March, 2011)

*

DESCRIPTION:

The idea for this project came after experiencing various short comings with my old office setup. It was cluttery, messy, and disorganized for a place I was going to spend more than 8 hours a day in.

Here were some of the things I need to improve before starting this project:

1. Not enough power for all my workstations and various other electronics. The breaker box would trip with more than 3 PCs loading at the same time.

2. Bad paint job from few years back, when I ran out of motivation few years back.

3. Mismatched furniture collected throughout the years. Also, not presentable but rather utilitarian style of arrangement and decor.

4. Cramped. Arrangement of the old office left the space feeling cramped and claustrophobic.

5. Old tobacco smell lingering from when I used to smoke in the office.

6. Sick of how the office looks after spending a lot of time in it for the past 8 years.

7. With all the hardware, the room gets toasty, peaking around 78F during summer.

SOLUTION:

1. Repaint all walls and doors (WITH MASKING TAPE THIS TIME!)

2. Purchase all new furniture

3. Purchase and install new A/C Unit

4. Redo flooring

5. Install 3 new power outlets with 3 dedicated circuits with 25A each, for a total of 5 dedicated circuits, 25A each.

TOTAL COST:

Although the absolute total cost is a bit vague since there were a lot of little costs that ended up accumulating to a bigger cost, here are the general breakdown of total cost for this project, rounded.

1. Building Materials (Paint, Flooring, Lights, Supplies, Wood, Hardware)

$1700

2. A/C Unit

$500

3. Electrical Work

$300

4. Furniture

$1000

5. Computers and Monitors

$????

6. Beverages (RedBull + Beer)

$100

THOUGHTS SO FAR:

I would like to give thanks to everyone for their compliments and inputs, which have motivated me to complete this project with energy left to spare.

I never anticipated this many interest and buzz when I first started this project, and I was thrilled to see so many members who have followed this thread from the start.

The great thing about this "BUILD LOG" is that it's never complete, but rather a work in progress until I strip it down to start all over again.

So far, there has been few changes since the first completion, and I am already planning my next set of upgrades in my mind.

My work efficiency have greatly improved since the completion, and I would like to think that the growth of my company has something to do with this, which would mean that this project has already paid itself and then some.

The other great thing about this project was that it was completely tax deductible. One of the perks about owning an IT company is that my electricity bill, internet bill ($179 a month for 100Mb Down/100Mb Up), cell phone bill, landline bill, and best of all, all my PC hardware including upgrades are all tax deductible. The downside is I have to pay personalty tax on "equipments" for my business, but the depreciation rate for PCs are ridiculous, and I only pay tax on "market value" on the equipment. Plus side is that even the depreciation are tax deductible. Combined with various other start up business tax breaks, this office build has paid for itself and then some as well.

FAQ:

Q: Why do you need so many computers?
A: I own an IT company. Since I work from home, I needed multiple setups for various tasks for work.

Q: Couldn't you have setup Eyefinity with multiple monitors and one or two workstations instead?
A: No not really. Yes, it would have worked, but difficult for the way I work. Since multitasking is important, and the way I work is sorta sporadic, I find myself more efficient if I can float around from one workstation to another.

Q: Do you have anyone else that works with you or are those computers all for you?
A: I have employees and staffs, but they work from their own homes or travel around. I am the only one that uses this office.

Q: What is your monthly electricity bill like?
A: Since the completion of this project, I have seen my electricity bill hike about $150 to $200 a month. The A/C runs 24/7 to keep the room cool, and at minimum 3 of the PCs are on at any given moment doing something.

Q: How loud is your office?
A: Not too bad. Considering I have hardwood flooring, and not that much textiles to absorb noise, it's actually rather quiet. The loudest fans I use right now are CoolerMaster R4s, and they are not that loud at all. Although the noise is more spread since computers are spread throughout the office, unlike typical PC setups where noise is more focused just where the PC is, the A/C unit is still louder than any of the PCs, and the A/C unit I have is very quiet.

Q: What is your ambient temps like?
A: Once, I had all 6 computers running LinPack just to see how hot the room can get, while leaving my A/C on low fan speed. After 2 hours of running, the room peaked at about 76F which wasn't too bad considering. Few weeks back, I had some friends over for some WASD action... With 4x GTX460s, 4x 5770s, and 1x GTX260s running full along with CPU heat, and body heat from 4 people, the room got about 80F which was also pretty good. After turning the A/C to max, the room cooled to about 75F.

Q: Why did you not go H20?
A: At the end of the day, these are meant for work. More time I have to spend on maintaining these computers, less time I have for work. Air cooling just makes more sense when it comes to maintenance free operation, and all I have to do is about once a month, just blow some air into the PCs.

Q: So are these PCs just for work then?
A: It's tough to say what happens once the "office" closes for the day. And since there are no doors to open or close, and no set hours of operation, what happens when the sun goes down is entirely open for discussion.

Thanks everyone for visiting!


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## axeafordmartin

very nice upload picture

i think ill be watching this


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## bryce

Sub'd. Can't wait to see the before and after photos. I seriously need to do this myself, but I'm broke.


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## GoHigh

So sorry for the delay in pics... Will have some time this weekend. WORK'S GONNA KILL ME BEFORE I GET TO REDO MY OFFICE!!! Must.... Hang...... On.........


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## deadringerr

I would love to see this! +sub


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## Rucka315

I wish you were in nc i need a job.


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## eseb1

Sweet, can't wait to see pics.


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## GoHigh

UPDATE! FINALLY

Sorry for the delay, but it's been truly a grueling weekend. On top of my crazy work load right now, I had birthday events and weddings to go to... It looks my next weekend freed up a bit, so maybe this project can get underway...

I have been disassembling few computers already, getting ready to clean everything out.

I am going to setup a temporary workstation in the entertainment room, until this project can be finished.

My office, as if it wasn't messy enough, has gotten out of control thanks to UPS and FedEX dropping off shipments... I usually get about a box a day, from various online retailers, and on Friday, I received few impulse buy items I have been eyeing... Thermalright VenomX and two of MS Sidewinder X6 Keyboards... I am addicted to bargain hunting, and when I usually start with any deals posted here on OCN...

Sadly, I won't be able to install my new cooler until this project gets finished... Must resist...

I took some pics of my current chaos right now.









My server and 3rd workstation area...









My storage closets with hardwares and parts...









Inside of my storage space...









Another storage area...









My build cart... I love this thing, but it's gonna go upstairs to my garage now... It won't go with my theme in my new workspace.








[/IMG]
My "L" workstation... This is where my 2nd i7 rig was... As well as my server...









Taking a vacation... I probably won't be hooking these up until the office is complete. The COSMOS is my MAIN RIG... The Antec300 is my 2nd E8400 WS rig...









My favorite workstation. It's quiet, it runs OSX, WIN7, and Ubuntu... It's my Swiss Army Knife... Those 2x Acer 23" are new...









My 2nd favorite WS, my very first i7 rig... i7 @4.0Ghz, 12GB OCZ Reapers, 1x GTX260 1.7GB Edition, WIN7, blah blah blah...

I will post more pics once I clear the room... I was thinking of making a 3D plans, but I realized that planning is over, and it's time to just do it... Hopefully, the walls will see some white primer by next week...

Thanks for looking...


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## wumpus

sweet man. this looks like it is going to be pretty sweet


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## bryce

If you don't want to add any of those rigs to your new workstation, I'll take em and pay shipping lol.

Can't wait to see the final product. I wished I had the money to redo my office and get some more rigs built


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## bulmug

got enough computers?


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## GoHigh

"PARTS LIST"

Here are the list of hardware that will be going into this room...

1. Furniture









I got two of everything to make 2x "L" Desk, 2x Bookcases. I didn't get the mobile filing cabinet, since I don't have anything to file. I don't have any paper documents since I scan everything into PDF...









I will have 4 of these workstations in total.









Two of these to match...









I need some drawers to put a way stuff... Since my desks do not have any, I will be getting this to store stuff away.

2. TVs

I will have two 1080p TVs in this room... One for gaming monitor and one for watching TV.









This one I already have. 32" 1920x1080... It works great as my monitor for my main rig. The only downside is I get a bit motion sick when playing FPS because of the screen size.









This one I will have to get. I just sold that other 32" SONY 1080p TV, and will be getting this 47" to hang on the wall. I might downgrade to 42" depending on budget and size limitations on wall space.

3. COLOR OF PAINT...

I will be doing a TRI-COLOR paint scheme...








[/IMG]










I know the pics are that great, but the darkest color is like deep deep blackish navy blue... The middle is pewter, and the lightest is like blueish grayish sky color... I will be doing a 1/2 wall darkest, the other 1/2 lightest, and about a 12" stripe of pewter in the middle going around the room... Should be fun.

4. FLOORING...

I am still undecided about flooring options. I have come to find out that laying down floors are very expensive, and while carpet is a bit cheaper, I am thinking I should spend a bit more and get something better. The floor is concrete, so laying down natural hardwood will be difficult. I am thinking laminate bamboo flooring, but I will see what the budget will allow...

Some ideas...









Bamboo Laminate Flooring









I have been researching this... It's stained concrete, and I might work in my office. The only thing is that the concrete has to be polished, which will create a very nasty amount of dust.









The cheapest option, the carpet. I like the softness on my feet, but I hate vacuuming, and the dust.

5. Lighting...

I am replacing the 6x 2 BULB Florescent lighting with 6x 3 BULB Florescent fixture, and 3x Pendent lights...



















6. AC Unit...

I will be looking for a portable AC unit for my office because of 2 reasons...

a) I have been using the window AC unit for sometime now, and it gets difficult to keep clean. The spaces in between are just enough for occasional visits from outside bugs.

b) During the winter time, the AC unit just doesn't work as well since the outside temps are so cold. I am hoping that portable unit (since it stays inside and uses a hose to exhaust the hot air) will work more efficiently no matter what time of the year.










That's about it right now... I am sure this list will grow as things move along.

Thanks again for watching.


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## Skagi

What AC unit is that? I've been looking around for one but come up with nothing. Probably because its winter :\\


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## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bulmug* 
got enough computers?

Please read my original post. I own an IT company, and I need all the computers for my support duties.

What I WILL admit to, is that all my computers are a HUGE overkill for what they get used for... GTX260s and a 4.0Ghz i7 definitely doesn't make my job any faster since I rely on customer's broadband speed... (I have Comcast's Extreme) Last friday, I was working on a client's computer with a Verizon's 3G card... Needless to say, I had a few less hairs than when I started...

BUT, I figured... If I am going to build a workstation, I was not about to make any compromises regardless of usage. Although I won't be getting the 5970s anytime soon, I wanted my work horses to be ready for anything.


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## bryce

I like the colors you got.

And for the flooring, I say go with wood even if it's a bit more. 1) Because I just think it looks better than carpet; 2) No static build up and chancing ruining a part or something.


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## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FrEaKâ„¢* 
What AC unit is that? I've been looking around for one but come up with nothing. Probably because its winter :\\

It's SHARP CV10NH... You can buy it at HOME DEPOT, online. I provided the link.

It's a bit expensive, but it is black. It's hard to find black ones...


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## Evil-Jester

that polished concrete looks nice







and with the dust .... 1 large fan blowing air into the room from the door and two large fans sucking air out thru a window or 2 problem solved


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## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bryce* 
I like the colors you got.

And for the flooring, I say go with wood even if it's a bit more. 1) Because I just think it looks better than carpet; 2) No static build up and chancing ruining a part or something.

Yea... I am thinking the same thing. The fact that I have concrete floors underneath means I can only go with SNAP-IN laminate right now... They run about $3 per SQ/FT... So, we are talking about $1000 installed. That's a bit more than I wanted to spend, but push comes to shove, at least it will be something I will like. Thanks for the input.


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## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Evil-Jester* 
that polished concrete looks nice







and with the dust .... 1 large fan blowing air into the room from the door and two large fans sucking air out thru a window or 2 problem solved









That sounds like a very loud idea...

Unfortunately, I have 3 dogs, and they usually like to sit right outside my office door. I can just picture my office as a dust canister full of dog hair, like my vacuum.

I have been using a HEPA air purifier, designed to be used in an area up to 1000sq/ft, and it REALLY helps with the dust. Of course, vacuuming more often would also help a lot...


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## mr. biggums

where are you picking up those desks and shelf's from there really good looking.


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *mr. biggums*


where are you picking up those desks and shelf's from there really good looking.


You just missed it...

STAPLES had them on a huge SALE that ended on Saturday.

Originally the price for one "L" is $169+$169+$39=$377+TAX+FS... The original prices on each bookcase is $169.

I bought them for $109 per desk, $9 per corner unit, and $99 per bookcase, so I spent a total of $652+Tax+FS.

They are called Z-Line Design Horizon Collection. They are made of solid wood, and reinforced with steel. It also features laminated 8mm glass tops.


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Rucka315*


I wish you were in nc i need a job.


That's funny... One of my partners is in Charlotte, NC... We have three locations, TN, GA, and NC...


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## lurkingdevil

You can watch and game on just a single tv, unless you wanna do both simultaneously.
Save money, save space?


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *lurkingdevil*


You can watch and game on just a single tv, unless you wanna do both simultaneously.
Save money, save space?


Yea... I know you are right... But, I really like having the 32" as my monitor, and I do like to have ESPN on in the background... The thing is, using a 47" as a PC monitor is not exactly great, and using a 32" as a TV is a bit small. I even thought about getting a 26" Samsung T26HD LCD monitor to replace my 32", and using the 32" as my TV... I dunno... That might work too I guess. Although I am not 100% committed yet on what I am going to do (That will be the last thing I do after everything else is completed), I am hoping I will have enough money left over to just get a bigger TV... Thanks for your input though.


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## mr. biggums

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


You just missed it...

STAPLES had them on a huge SALE that ended on Saturday.

Originally the price for one "L" is $169+$169+$39=$377+TAX+FS... The original prices on each bookcase is $169.

I bought them for $109 per desk, $9 per corner unit, and $99 per bookcase, so I spent a total of $652+Tax+FS.

They are called Z-Line Design Horizon Collection. They are made of solid wood, and reinforced with steel. It also features laminated 8mm glass tops.


i would of been paying full price either way the Canadian staples never gets the u.s deals sadly.


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## unknownSCL

sub'd! Can't wait to see more!

Also check out this computer room build log, maybe you can get some more ideas.








http://www.biscade.com/office/


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *unknownSCL*


sub'd! Can't wait to see more!

Also check out this computer room build log, maybe you can get some more ideas.








http://www.biscade.com/office/


That's a great office... A little scattered though... But very nice build.

Thanks for the link.

Breakdown of my office starts on Monday, and will probably continue until Wednesday. I will start to post some pics of my systems, while I blow them out with some air... I am thinking about just going ahead and installing my VenX while I am doing it as well...

I thought about converting one of the storage areas as the "SERVER" closet with network equipment all centralized... Maybe I will do it to keep everything streamlined and clean...


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## bryce

I was thinking about making my closet a network area, but then my mom would have a fit with me running cables through the walls lol.

I have a 6ft 19" media rack that's enclosed, but got no shelves for it though


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## Liighthead

looks like its gonna be a nice room xD

i got a double bunk with a desk down the bottom, desk olny goes 1/2 way







xD might get some wood someday n make a bigger desk.....
x( i wanna job in the it world ... olny 15 tho lol

any ways subed n carnt wait


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## GoHigh

Well, it looks like another busy week of work again, which will cut into the time I allotted into this project, but at least I have decided on the flooring option.

I decided to just go ahead and do the wood laminate flooring, which will keep the dust low, and look nicer.

I am getting my buddy to come and help me with this, and it looks like work will begin as soon as all the current carpet is taken out, the base trim removed, and painting is done.

I decided to go with these...










It will add nice blend with the furniture and wall color, and it seems of great quality. When I looked into getting carpet done, the materials was going to cost just about the same, so it was a no brainer...

I will be starting to breakdown the office soon... Check back soon.


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## GoHigh

Dang... Now I can't make up my mind!!!

Which one guys? Help me out.










or...


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## bryce

Go with the darker wood. But that's just me and it looks a lot better to.


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## hydroslyder

+1 for the darker wood lol


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## Tardious

I prefer the lighter wood. The darker one looks dirty but the lighter one will show up dirt more. And you have more parts than my local pc shop ! Good luck on the project.


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## IEATFISH

If you have access to both of them, go put some little hardware pieces and paper slips on it and see which one blends more. Then pick the other.







I like the lighter one myself, though the light type of flooring in a darker color would be very nice.


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## deadringerr

Go for the darker wood!


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## GoHigh

The panel seems to be split here... Thanks for your inputs. At the end of the day, my wife will have the final veto rights. I am thinking darker might be the way to go... Will keep you guys posted.


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## shift

*Darker wood color for sure.
Good luck! 
*


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## Black Magix

darker wood imo...

Btw, I'd look at painter's tape rather then scotch. I've had scotch tape pull up fresh paint before.


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## GlockZoR IV

hmm darker wood, or a nice lovely carpet, becasue if its in your house, the wood might get cold in the winter, and if you spend 10 hours a day, might make sense


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## GoHigh

Mini UPDATE...

I went to Sam's today to look at the different floors, and I decided to go with the lighter one...

On the picture, it seemed that the darker wood would be more classy, but in real life, the lighter wood had a nice soft glow to it that I think will work nicely with the harsh lighting...


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## murderbymodem

Good choice on the lighter wood, I was thinking the same thing









I think wood floors will be nice, you'll be able to roll around to different workstations without getting up! I'd love to have a room with tons of computers and wall-mounted LCDs all over the place


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GlockZoR IV*


hmm darker wood, or a nice lovely carpet, becasue if its in your house, the wood might get cold in the winter, and if you spend 10 hours a day, might make sense


Yea... Temperature might have been an issue if I wasn't using the space as my office, but with 6 PCs, let's just say I don't need a space heater during winter...

In fact, I have to run a window AC unit year round to keep the temps below 70F.

Thanks.


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## GoHigh

UPDATE:

So, finally had some time to break down the office today with some help from my wife and a friend.





































The old desk and bookshelves are being donated to someone else... I hope. I do have some storage, but I really don't want to move it. I hope someone can make good use out of it...

I must have had about 3 miles worth of cabling in there, and whole bunch of wireties which had to be undone, on top of what looks like a warehouse full of hardware... I put it all into my spare bedroom for now... I literally don't have any room to move in there at all... HOW THE HECK DID I HAVE THAT MUCH STUFF IN THERE???




























I did HAVE to have a temporary workstation though, since the project will take about 2 weeks to complete. So, I set this up in my downstairs media room.









My Swiss Army Knife Computer... The DO-IT-ALL...









My other i7 rig... Workhorse...









My server... The overkill NAS...









My new desks and bookshelves...

I am getting pretty comfortable here in my new setup. You never realize how loud your rig is until you move it to a really quiet room in the house...

My wife is pretty understanding about the mess of wires and hardware. I don't think she is going to have anyone over for awhile, but at least when she watches TV, we can at least be in the same room for a change.

Tomorrow morning, my electrician is coming to install the new outlets in the room. 3 dedicated 15AMP breakers should provide the room with extra 6000W of power capacity.

You might ask... "HOW MUCH IS YOUR POWER BILL A MONTH?"

Well... Currently, my power bill during hot summer days is about $400 a month. During winter, it's drops to about $300... My home is 6000SQ/FT so, heating and cooling costs are pretty astronomical. I do anticipate a slight increase though in my next power bill, since my working has increased from about 6 to 8 hours a day, to about 10 to 12 hours.

Thanks for viewing!


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## rmp459

my powerbill is double that and i have 1800 sq ft lol


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *rmp459*


my powerbill is double that and i have 1800 sq ft lol


Here in TN, we have a US GOV agency called TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). They use the TN River to generate electricity via series of dams, which supplies the power to TN. It also has few nuclear plants they have been working on as well around different parts of TN.

Here in TN though, we are not a huge industrial state, so we have a lot of power left over, which we sell to surrounding states in southeast.

That means CHEAP POWER for us here in TN though... Especially here in Chattanooga.

For instance, the AVG price per KW in NY is around 17 cents...

Here in TN, about 8 cents...


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## bryce

My power bill is about the same as yours GoHigh. Though my house is like 3800sq ft or something. ~1700sq ft per floor. I don't know lol.

Nice room so far. Mind having a yard sale for the OCN members XD.


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## KG363

My dad pays $700 a month I think. Used to be nearly 1k until we got a new AC. Not sure what our Square footage is but We have a pretty big 1 story house. 6 bed 3.5 baths. But WOW you have a lot of stuff!


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## tanderson

that looks real great, and it will be a nice change and fun project!

what part of TN are you in ?


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## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tanderson*


that looks real great, and it will be a nice change and fun project!

what part of TN are you in ?


Chattanooga, TN...


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## GoHigh

UPDATE

It's been a good day... For me, but maybe not for my electrician friend, who is just finishing up the wiring for the 3x dedicated outlets from the breaker box.














































Although it looks industrial, it will be painted when I paint the walls, so it won't stand out too much... I am also going to run some pvc pipes to use for running some CAT6s along some walls for wire management.

I am thinking about starting ripping out the carpet and the baseboards starting tomorrow, but we will see...

Thanks for looking...


----------



## hondajt

Very cool. Why not run some 220V line's? Most power supplies run more efficiently at a higher voltage.


----------



## KG363

I wouldn't like those big metal tubes, but it makes you look more professional


----------



## bryce

He said he's painting over them.


----------



## KG363

I know, but they'd still bulge out


----------



## bryce

True, but it's his room lol. He got a bunch of desks so maybe they'll cover it up.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *KG363*


I wouldn't like those big metal tubes, but it makes you look more professional










If I had it my way, I wouldn't have done them either... But it does give couple of advantages, one major thing being that if the next owner of the house doesn't want all those extra outlets, they can just remove the conduits and get rid of them... I plan to live in this house for about 6 more years, before starting to build another home... HOPEFULLY...

However, I am doing sort of a industrial, warehouse look to match the conduits. I am going to run some PVCs the same diameter, along all the walls for wire management and cosmetic reasons...

Of course, they will all be painted to match the walls, so that it does look finished...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hondajt*


Very cool. Why not run some 220V line's? Most power supplies run more efficiently at a higher voltage.


I thought about it, but I like the fact that this is more universal. Plus, most of my workstations run pretty low voltages, with 80PLUS 600W PSUs or less, so I don't think I will really need them... My i7 rigs run 1000w PSUs, but even then, not a major deal...

ALTHOUGH... I have been eyeing that 1200W PSU for my next rig...

The great thing about this conduit system is that if ever I need to add more lines or change out the existing ones, it is really easy to do...

Thanks for the suggestion though... Will definitely keep that in mind...


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 3-15-10

Small update actually...

I spent the better part of the afternoon ripping out all the edges of the carpet, trying to find out what REALLY lies underneath...

I have been in this house for about 7 years now, and I always thought that it was bare concrete underneath the carpet...

I quickly learned that it was actually GLUED on industrial carpet underneath, which makes the flooring job a bit more complicated







...

I tried ripping out the industrial carpet, but it was so glued on that the backing of the carpet (which is some sort of a black foamy material) would just tear from the carpet itself, which would leave a very nasty mess of uneven surface for the new floor.

After calling some buddies for advice, we decided that the best way to do this would be to leave the carpet to act as a extra layer of padding.

Because the hallway leading into the office is already a hardwood flooring, the height would actually be almost a perfect match with the carpet on.

Another plus side would be that it would provide a more acoustical and thermal advantage over the bare concrete surface.

The DOWNSIDE would be that I am REALLY anal about dirt and dust, so I am going to have the carpet thoroughly steam cleaned, to make sure that no residual dust will be creeping up from underneath...

I will also be lining the surface with POLY material to provide an extra layer of moisture block.

The hardest part today was not the deconstruction of the baseboards, but rather the removal carpet tack strip, which was nailed to the concrete. Because the nails were so deep into the concrete, it was very difficult to get the strip out of the floor... Nothing that a crowbar and hammer couldn't take care of though...























































The next phase is...

MONDAY - I am leaving out of town for a meeting with a client all day. 7 hours on the road... Sucks but comes with the job.

TUESDAY - Move the rest of the furniture out of the office and hopefully Salvation Army will come and pick up the desk to give to someone who needs it. Once the furniture is out, remove rest of the carpet, and start masking off for paint. And OFF TO SAMS! To buy the flooring...

WEDNESDAY - PAINT and PAINT!!! With the help from my wife, I hope to get the painting done by the end of the day. Because there are three colors, and each layer has to be masked off, this will be split into three phases. This might work out good since I am filming my TV commercial in the afternoon.

THURSDAY - PAINT SOME MORE!!! I will probably be painting the very bottom of the walls in the morning. Also, I am going to hang the new lights on Thursday, which will be a lot of time on the ladder. I got SIX lights to hang, so this will be fun...









FRIDAY - LAYING DOWN THE FLOOR!!! Better part of the afternoon will be spent laying down the flooring. Hopefully, there will even be enough time to finish the new baseboards as well.

SATURDAY - LET THE ASSEMBLY BEGIN!!! I am going to have some friends over to help me assemble all the new furniture. 4x Desks, 2x Bookcases, 1x Dresser Drawer. I don't think it will take too long, since the design of the furniture seems to be pretty straight forward.

SUNDAY - FINISHING TOUCHES... Hopefully, we can be on track this week so that we can get to just finishing up here and there this day. With my wife work schedule (on top of being PREGNANT), and my work schedule, this is all based on assumption that we can get all this done. Chance of around 55% at best.

MONDAY??? - We will see...

Thanks for looking guys. Hopefully, the outcome will be brilliant!


----------



## bryce

You spelled steam wrong







.

I remember pulling up the carpet tack strip. God I hated it so much. Seeing how I'm right next door (state wise) I'd come and work 24/7 on the room while you were doing your own work to get it done for you, provided you pay the meals, hotel, mileage, and payment lol.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bryce*


You spelled steam wrong







.

I remember pulling up the carpet tack strip. God I hated it so much. Seeing how I'm right next door (state wise) I'd come and work 24/7 on the room while you were doing your own work to get it done for you, provided you pay the meals, hotel, mileage, and payment lol.


Corrected... Thanks...

You have no idea how appealing that sounds to me right now, after my arms feeling like JELLO. But, I think I am supposed to be enjoying this... Building my own personal haven from scratch... (Or at least that's what my wife says)

The biggest obstacle right now is my WORK and my short ATTENTION SPAN. Hopefully, I will be able to finish this project without giving up and hiring someone else to finish like I always have been doing.

Thanks for the offer though... I do have 5700sq/ft of other space, so maybe I will take you up on that one day...


----------



## bryce

Wasn't meant to be serious







. I can't afford to go to TN right now anyways, but soon as my work picks up in April.

I probably won't be back today to check out any updates, going to the doctor's to see about BAD abdomen pain







.


----------



## KG363

You've got a busy week ahead of you


----------



## Madman340

Regarding the carpet debacle, I would advise tearing that up to expose the concrete instead of leaving it. This just strikes me as something that you'll regret doing once it's completed. If you leave the carpet, I wouldn't be surprised if walking on it would create a 'crackling' noise from particular boards giving way from pressure due to the carpet. Also, you're using a vapor/mold/etc shield type of thing, too, right?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Madman340*


Regarding the carpet debacle, I would advise tearing that up to expose the concrete instead of leaving it. This just strikes me as something that you'll regret doing once it's completed. If you leave the carpet, I wouldn't be surprised if walking on it would create a 'crackling' noise from particular boards giving way from pressure due to the carpet. Also, you're using a vapor/mold/etc shield type of thing, too, right?


Thanks for your input... Overall, the industrial carpet underneath seems to be in pretty good shape. Because of the timing issue, I am not able to get this thing steam cleaned professionally, but I am planning on laying down a 6mm moisture blocking material underneath.

I do agree that it would have been better if the carpet could have been removed, but since the foam underneath the carpet was ripping apart, it would have taken about a weeks worth of work trying to get every crumb removed with a scrapper.

I have consulted some pros, and they actually see this as a good thing, seeing is it will provide a layer of cushioning and sound barrier.

So I decided to move forward with just laying the laminate flooring over it.

Your suggestion is very welcomed, and thanks for your input.


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE

So, I haven't been able to post for awhile, but thing have been moving at a pretty good pace.

I don't know that I am moving at a pace which I had set for myself, since as I predicted, my work and other commitments are getting in the way, but I have been working very hard to keep up with the schedule.

My final deadline for finished product, ready-to-work, done-with-everything timeline is around Wednesday of next week.

I have a convention down in ATL starting on Thursday, so I would LOVE to come back to a freshly remodeled office...

This week has been committed to getting all the materials and supplies and painting so far.

I finished purchasing all the PAINT, FLOORING, and LIGHTS, and all the other supplies needed to get the job done.

So far, I have gotten this far...














































As you can see, I have done quite of bit of painting... What you can't see right now is the two layer of ceiling paint that had to be done before any of this could begin, and taking off all the old lights which also had to be done.

I have hung three of the new lights so the wall painting can begin, and so far, all the wall colors have first coat on them, ready for second coat.

There is also a stripe of the same ceiling color (kind of a metallic grey) stripped across the middle of the wall to give a divider between the two colors.

This is quite tedious and it's taking forever, and my arms are about to fall apart, but it is great seeing the changes come to fruition...

I hope to be done with paint by Friday morning, and ready to start laying down the floors starting friday afternoon.

The few things left to buy (47" LCD TV, 10K BTU AC Unit, and new Base Molding) will also have to done by this weekend.

So far, I have gone over budget by $300 since I ended up buying more paint than needed, and I have upgrade the TV from 42" to 47"....

I will keep updating as often as I can, but boy this is tiring...

Thanks for watching.


----------



## KG363

Nice update. It's really coming out great!


----------



## GoHigh

Thanks.


----------



## caraboose

I like your room!
Square rooms are always nicer then oddly shaped ones are.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *caraboose*


I like your room!
Square rooms are always nicer then oddly shaped ones are.


Thank you. My room measures 15x18, so I guess it's just about square.


----------



## shift

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Thank you. My room measures 15x18, so I guess it's just about square.


Great size. Perfect for a dedicated home theater


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shift* 
Great size. Perfect for a dedicated home theater









That's funny... Before I started my company, that was the idea for this room... I figured I could do without an office, and I had it all planned out with tiered sitting, 100" screen, and etc...

Maybe that's what the next home owner can do...


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 3-22-10

Holy cow, have been working at this room like a dog for the last three days, and it seems like I got a lot accomplished.

Since the last post, I got the floors done, base trim done, painting done, lights done, furniture assembly done, and TV bought...

The only things left to do now is:

1. Finish painting the closet doors
2. Clean up floors for any paint drips
3. Touch up paints here and there
4. Finish painting around the windows
5. Finish Caulking around the door trims
6. Assemble all the workstations back into the office
7. Wire manage all the workstations
8. Install the brand new AC
9. Buy and assemble the new console for the TV
10. Install TV and Audio
11. Put up window treatments
12. Clean up the basement for all the stuff we moved out...

HOLY SHIZZLE... I STILL HAVE CRAP LOADS TO DO...

This project is going to kill me...









Well, enjoy the pics anyway... It's always the details that take the longest time, and it looks like my project won't get done until I get back from ATL for my business trip.

I am so... tired...










UPGRADE!!! I was originally going to just buy a simple 42" LCD TV, but I decided to reward myself with something a bit nicer... I bought this kickazz TV today, because the pic quality seems to be bar none... It's a LG 47" 240hz LCD TV, which is only 1.7" thick!!! It a lot nicer than the one I was originally going to buy... Too bad I won't be able to hook it up until after the trip...


















The Doors...










The Floors...



































These lights a helluva lot brighter than the ones it replaced, since it uses 4x T8 bulbs each, vs 2x T12s... It looks pretty good too, which nickel trim on both sides...










The closet doors with first coat of primer and paint.


















Configuration for the desks were changed from two independent L desks to 1 REALLY BIG "L" desk...



















That's me, laying down the last piece of the floor... It was a hard day's work for a not so handy man...

I will be posting pics of the PC installs, which I hope to start tomorrow evening. I am going to HD tomorrow to pick up the new AC unit, and will be installing it after the window gets some fresh paint.

After all that is said and done, I will be posting pics of final BEFORE and AFTER Pics...

I am hoping to do some detailed photos of my rigs as I am blowing them out for dusts, but it is supposed to rain all week, so we will see...

Thanks for watching...


----------



## bryce

God, I wish I had my own place lol. All I'm going to be able to do is paint the room.

Very nice though. Just be sure you disable any and all security alarms, etc for me so I don't get caught and arrested =).


----------



## Madman340

God that looks FANTASTIC. It's only been a few days and you've made tooooons of progress since I last saw this. Can't wait to see the finished product, which doesn't look too far off!


----------



## goobergump

Hey man it's looking good!


----------



## markt

Nice work, it sounded alot like what I did, mine out grew the office and has a equal setup in the living room(folding farm). I also ran 2 dedicated breakers myself...


----------



## GoHigh

Thanks everyone... You guys have been a huge motivation so far in this build... So far, pics don't do justice in terms of how everything looks right now... I will be taking the final pics hopefully by next week on Tuesday. Stay tuned!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *markt*


Nice work, it sounded alot like what I did, mine out grew the office and has a equal setup in the living room(folding farm). I also ran 2 dedicated breakers myself...


Thanks. I don't fold yet, but I am thinking with all my gears, I should be able to put up some decent contribution, during my off time (which seems to be never, but I guess I do have to sleep once in awhile).


----------



## mirunit

What are you using for a router?


----------



## Liighthead

dam looking sexiiii XXD carnt wait 4 moreee

i wanna see how it all gets setup in the end







keep it up X)


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mirunit* 
What are you using for a router?

I think I am using a Netgear WNR3500 right now for my main router, and a Linksys WRT320N as my second router for upstairs... I have bunch of routers in my storage, so when one breaks or starts to have issues, I just pull one out and start using it.

I am thinking of using my home server as a DHCP server, and breakout my Netgear Proline 24Port Gigabit Switch, but I haven't made up my mind yet...

I have been eyeing some other routers, but I usually pretty low tech when it comes to routers. I don't like messing with it, and as long as it gives me an IP address, I just usually let it do it's thing.

Perhaps a DDWRT upgrade later once I feel like messing with it some, but I have been contemplating some fancy mod for that using a mITX case...

Also, as much as it saddens me, I think I might have to change it out for a Airport Xtreme, since I have to support it for my clients.


----------



## KG363

I didn't like the colors at first but seeing the furniture in there, it looks great. They complement each other wonderfully. And the lights go with it too. can't wait to see it done


----------



## bryce

Can't wait to see it all finished. Lend me $300 for desks







. Just kidding on that.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *KG363*


I didn't like the colors at first but seeing the furniture in there, it looks great. They complement each other wonderfully. And the lights go with it too. can't wait to see it done


Thanks! It was a gamble for me too... The dark color was a bit too blue than I originally anticipated, but after it was all said and done, it turned out pretty good.

GODDDDD... I just want this to be done so I can start installing my computers, but these tedious details are soaking up all my time...

On a brighter note, I found a unit with shelves for me to put my TV on, so I will be assembling that tonight... Thank God I have bits for my drill... It would have taken me forever with those dinky little tool they give you...


----------



## caraboose

Those desks are amazingly sexy.
Perhaps since still images do not do justice, you could take a video of the final completion?


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 3-23-10: TV and Storage Unit In!!!

I spent the better part of the evening putting together this drawer unit for storage. Although the desks are nice, it doesn't have any storage, which makes stowing away small little stuff very difficult. This will make organizing, and keeping the place neat and tidy much easier...

It's actually a dresser I bought from Target... I wanted to get something nicer, but I ended up running out of money on this project long time ago, and my wife's understanding has it's limits...

It would have also helped if I didn't buy a $1200 TV yesterday, which was about double what I WAS going to spend... Or at least that's what I told my wife when I started...









I bought this for around $179, and although the unit I wanted was MUCH nicer, it was around $500, which wouldn't have flown well with the wife.

It's fine though, and it actually looks pretty nice. The TV fits really nicely, and although it doesn't leave much room for other stuff, I am going to use the one of the book case as a AV rack.

PICS:













































This TV is ridiculous... Glass screen, glass base, and only 1.7" THICK!!! It's a shame I am putting this on a pedestal, but don't worry folks... Once the storm dies down after the project is completed, this baby is going on the wall.

I can't wait to turn this sucker on and try out the picture quality...

Here are the specs:

LG 47SL80


----------



## shift

Congrats on the LCD / TV and that is one SeXy LCD!
LG makes a wonderful product. I own a 50" Plasma for about a year now and would not trade it for anything! The picture is worth a million words and the remote / setting was easy using my Avia calibration disc. I have mine hooked up to a PS3 / HDMI.


----------



## bryce

It beats my tv by a long shot







. I only spent $649 on my 40" and it was a Dynex







. Though I guess I can't argue for a free TV now can I?


----------



## MasterFire

These are the kind of things that make me wish I could keep my room clean.

Great job so far I must add!


----------



## Neur0mancer

Nice work man.

Love the look of glass desks but I swap HW in and out WAY to much to maintain any decent wire management behind and wood keeps everythign tidy in appearance









Looking forward to the final pics


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shift* 
Congrats on the LCD / TV and that is one SeXy LCD!
LG makes a wonderful product. I own a 50" Plasma for about a year now and would not trade it for anything! The picture is worth a million words and the remote / setting was easy using my Avia calibration disc. I have mine hooked up to a PS3 / HDMI.

This TV actually has a ISF Certified Calibration built in, using about 8 different test patterns. Although it's not perfect, it works fairly decent, especially for contrast and brightness adjustment. Color adjustments are pretty subjective though, but there are about a million adjustments you can make.

I couldn't wait last night, so I pulled out my PS3 from the mess of hardware in the spare bedroom, and hooked it up to see my BluRay Planet Earth... I was... lost... for... words...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Neur0mancer* 
Nice work man.

Love the look of glass desks but I swap HW in and out WAY to much to maintain any decent wire management behind and wood keeps everythign tidy in appearance









Looking forward to the final pics

These desks have a built in wire management panel in the back, which can hide a lot of wires, but you are right, it is going to take a lot of work to get these to look good.


----------



## GoHigh

1000 posts!!! Horay!!!


----------



## bryce

Is Planet Earth on Blu-Ray really that good lol. I see all the geeks here have it, am I missing something?

I just put a paint sample on the wall, so about to take a pic of it for my thread. Anyways, I've got a cheapie TV/blu-ray player, give me your PS3 if it's a 1st gen XD.

Hurry up and finish I wanna see it in person LOL.


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 3-23-10 #2

Yay! I think I am ready to start assembling my workstations... Not right now though... I am too tired... Busy day at work...

I did start to disassemble my temp WS area, and put out my other two monitors in the office to see what it would look like...























































The Pics are a little deceiving, since both the Dual Monitor setups are using 23", the stand alone LG TV is 32", and the other Samsung monitor is 24". Since the color of the room got darker, the room size is sorta deceiving, as it looks smaller.

The ACERs fit on the desk the best, but the others are hanging off the lip a little, which is a little bothersome for OCD person like me.

Other than that, it looks like a go.

I am gonna take some private time tonight, and go shoot some pool. Once I get back, I will probably start installing the workstations.

I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE AMOUNT OF WIRES and WIRE MANAGENT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO DO!!!

Ah.... That feels better... Sorry guys, had to get that out of my system...

OH YEAH... One more thing... I bought a mount for the TV today... If I am still alive after my wife gets done with me, I will hang it and post some pics.


----------



## bryce

Mount the monitors on the walls, why not?

I'm thinking of turning my desk out so my back would be at the door (which I hate), but it would give me the option of mounting the monitors and speakers on the wall.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bryce* 
Mount the monitors on the walls, why not?

I'm thinking of turning my desk out so my back would be at the door (which I hate), but it would give me the option of mounting the monitors and speakers on the wall.

I may consider it later, but for right now, that isn't going to work... The great thing about this setup is that I can modulate things later, if I decide to add more stuff. Mounting the monitors will keep me from doing that...

Also, that is A LOT of mounts I have to buy...

Nah... For right now, this is going to work.


----------



## Madman340

I've got wire-management OCD, so I'd be sourly happy if I had to do that lol.


----------



## paquitox

Its looking sick bro, nice work!


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE: 3-24-10 New Friend...

Well, it seems like my last big purchase was made tonight for this project, and I couldn't be happier...

Meet my new friend... Sharp 10,000 BTU Portable A/C Unit in BLACK!!!

First of all, it's so hard to find anything black in terms of A/C goes, but one that looks as good as this to match the decor is even harder to find.

I was a bit skeptical about it's performance and it's claimed "Library Quiet", but let me tell you guys that this unit ROCKS!!!

After doing some extensive research, I found that the reviews were a little mixed bag... Some good, and some terrible.

I decided take a gamble and try it out, since I could always return it.

Well, I couldn't be happier... It really is THAT QUIET!!! It's cooling performance is GREAT! Even on the regular setting (This thing has a MEGACOOL option, where it runs on TURBO mode for 30min), I had to turn it down quite a bit. It's on MEDIUM FAN right now, and it is actually quieter than my sig rig, which is a HUGE PLUS.

First the pics...














































I do have central Heat and Air, but this will supplement it to keep my room nice and cool all year round. During winter, I have to shut the vents in the room to keep heat from coming in, and it still stays around 74F...

The old window unit was a 4000BTU Unit, so I can only imagine the frigid temps this will be capable of...

During the summer time, without the old window unit which this replaced, the temps would go to around 78F, which is a bit toasty for me. With the old window unit on max, the ambient temps would reach around 70F, which was much more comfortable. With this unit, I am hoping to keep the room around 65F to 67F year round, with all the PCs and electronics on... We obviously won't know until dead heat of summer...

ANOTHER UPDATE...

I put in some chairs today, which I bought from IKEA awhile back, and never got around to use, since my old setup didn't leave much room for it.

These are UBER comfy, and they are pretty minimal in terms of floor space needed. They are not small by any means, but a comparable seating surface would require a recliner of some sort, which would be way too bulky.

I bought RED awhile back, because I liked it against the black frame. At first, I was unsure about having something that bold in the office, but I think it adds some color to the office, which would be otherwise just be monochromatic. I can always change out the seat cushions though, so once I get tired of it, I can just replace it with something else.














































Right now, all I am limited to is my MBP... I REALLY need to start installing the WS tomorrow...

I am getting the final few details done tomorrow, like putting up the new blinds or shades (haven't made up my mind yet, and maybe a rug for the seating area in front of the TV (haven't made up my mind yet about that either).

Thanks for watching...


----------



## Madman340

Looks great. I think it's safe to say that is your new mancave?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Madman340* 
Looks great. I think it's safe to say that is your new mancave?

Thanks...
Mancave / Work Space, depending on time of the day...
Great thing about working from home is I get to have all this, and still be able to justify it to my wife... I don't think she would have been so understanding if it weren't for the money coming in from working from this space.


----------



## KG363

Looks great. I have that same AC unit btw.

Bought it for when we lose power during hurricanes. Plug it into the generator and cool my dad's room


----------



## cazza1938812

Italian Job

nice work by the way awesome plan and execution makes me want to tidy and paint my room... and then i remember i am extremely lazy


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cazza1938812* 
Italian Job

nice work by the way awesome plan and execution makes me want to tidy and paint my room... and then i remember i am extremely lazy









"YOU WILL NEVER SHUT DOWN THE REAL NAPSTER!"

LOL...

Thanks for the compliments... I am really lazy too... But I am trying to be better at it...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KG363* 
Looks great. I have that same AC unit btw.

Bought it for when we lose power during hurricanes. Plug it into the generator and cool my dad's room

Cool... The mounting system leaves something to be desired, but I think I am going to do a custom mount for it later, which will involve some plywood and cutting out a hole for the vent.

I really like this unit... It kinda takes few minutes for it to kick in, but once it does, it's refrigeration cold...


----------



## bryce

Very nice! That ac unit is something I want, these two fans in here don't do a thing for the heat







. How much was it if you don't mind me asking.


----------



## 21276

Wow. That setup is boss! Great color scheme too, very neutral and easy on the eyes.


----------



## GlockZoR IV

hmmm... your haven is coming on, but i dont think that the ikea chairs will last very long, i had 2 ikea chairs, and they both fell through. i think thats just because the swedes dont like us brittish people, obvious really, they gave us sven gorren erikkson, who interestingly, managed notts county football club (my local team) and i sat pretty much next to him in a game. he sat next to my dad... my dad being the alcaholic he is hurled abuse at him, but that isnt the point. the point is i would have gone for some sexy bang + olufsen chairs.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GlockZoR IV* 
hmmm... your haven is coming on, but i dont think that the ikea chairs will last very long, i had 2 ikea chairs, and they both fell through. i think thats just because the swedes dont like us brittish people, obvious really, they gave us sven gorren erikkson, who interestingly, managed notts county football club (my local team) and i sat pretty much next to him in a game. he sat next to my dad... my dad being the alcaholic he is hurled abuse at him, but that isnt the point. the point is i would have gone for some sexy bang + olufsen chairs.

LOL... I didn't think I would ever SEE a British accent, but somewhere after the Swedes and Football, I got lost in translation...

As for the chairs, they really don't need to last that long, but the whole chair idea was sort of a afterthought anyhow...

The quality of the chairs seem to be average at best, but I got them for really cheap, so I am not too concerned.

B&O chairs would have been nice, but they also cost probably more than the entire office combined, which is a big downer. I might swap the chairs out for a more loveseat style, which I can lay down on a little later...

Thanks for the input though...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bryce* 
Very nice! That ac unit is something I want, these two fans in here don't do a thing for the heat







. How much was it if you don't mind me asking.

I got these for $399 at Home Depot. These are pretty much the same price anywhere, including any online retailers... The good thing about Home Depot, is that at least you don't have to pay for shipping...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Flatliner* 
Wow. That setup is boss! Great color scheme too, very neutral and easy on the eyes.

Thanks yo...


----------



## OTHG_ChefTreb

Very Nice work! Its obvious that you have put a lot of thought and effort into this project. It is very chaotic to have your world turned upside down like this. Im in the middle of remodeling our living room(which is also my puter room)and know just what you're going through. 
+1


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *OTHG_ChefTreb*


Very Nice work! Its obvious that you have put a lot of thought and effort into this project. It is very chaotic to have your world turned upside down like this. Im in the middle of remodeling our living room(which is also my puter room)and know just what you're going through. 
+1


Thanks for your sympathy... Although I am really excited to be in the final stages, this project has been pretty ambitious and probably wouldn't do something like this again for a long time. The only reason why I took such a personal approach was because this space means so much to me, and I wanted to do it myself, rather than I what I would have normally done, which is pay someone to do it. At the end of the day though, it is all worth it...

Good luck with your remodel...


----------



## bryce

It's coming along nicely. Can't wait til mine is finished. I think I'm going to go ahead and spend a bit more on new desks and a ton of zipties.


----------



## GoHigh

Good call... I am swamped with hardware in my room right now, since I am moving everything back in. I was going to post the pics, but I think I better just spend that time hooking everything back up.

I am leaving on a quick business trip tomorrow, so everything will have to be done when I get back.


----------



## Volcom13

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Good call... I am swamped with hardware in my room right now, since I am moving everything back in. I was going to post the pics, but I think I better just spend that time hooking everything back up.

I am leaving on a quick business trip tomorrow, so everything will have to be done when I get back.


I'm getting a new desk myself. I want to applaud your build. I need a bigger case and some longer cables cause my Case is pretty messy at the bottom. I love your TV. How much was it? Love your room and the color of the walls.


----------



## hondajt

This is very cool. I can't wait to see it finished! I am getting motivated to get my butt in gear on my layout now.


----------



## caraboose

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hondajt*


This is very cool. I can't wait to see it finished! I am getting motivated to get my butt in gear on my layout now.


You should.
Man caves/command centers/custom built rooms just for awesomeness are always really exciting to watch happen.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *caraboose*


You should.
Man caves/command centers/custom built rooms just for awesomeness are always really exciting to watch happen.


Your build was much more involving than mine... At least I had all four walls already here when it started. I didn't know about your build until midway through mine... It kinda motivated me to continue and make things better. Good job!


----------



## GoHigh

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I just got back from ATL on a business trip.

I got back late last night, just to catch the lame UFC 111 fight...

I have been busy trying to fix some hiccups which I encountered in my room...

I have to get some ZZZs now, but I will post the details later.

Thanks everyone for your comments!


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 3-31-10: IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH

Well, nothing like few bad buffalo wings to clean you out and knock you out for few days...

I dunno what it was, but after eating some left over buffalo wings from BW3 I got from UFC111, I was KO'd for couple of days... I couldn't even keep water in my system long enough to get hydrated...









After two days of misery and sickness, my stomach is finally starting to come around, and I started to eat something other than plain white rice and water.

I feel a lot better now, but I think I am going to stay away from chicken for awhile... I guess I will just have to eat mor beef...

ANYWAYS...

That unfortunately wasn't the only hiccup that I had encountered before my trip last Thursday... While mock assembling my office with my PCs, I encountered few problems...

1. The desks were not as solid as I originally thought, making them kinda shaky when I bumped them. This obviously was NOT a big problem for most, but one thing I HATE is shaky furniture... During the assembly of the furniture, I even reinforced them with generous helping of Gorilla Glue, but it still made them some what wobbly...

2. My 32" LG Monitor was not of correct height once it sat on the desk. My desk has a 3" riser of sort, and it made it really uncomfortable to work on.

3. My plans to use my Netgear 24-Port Proline Gigabit Switch has been scratched due to the cooling fan on the switch itself. Believe it or not, I can handle the low hum of my 2000RPM Panaflos but I couldn't handle the high pitched whine of the 40mm fan on the switch. More I tried to ignore it, more I kept noticing it, so it had to go. This was a problem since now, I am having to reconfig my original network cabling.

To take care of the wobbly desk problem, it took a lot of time and trial and error to get a solid work surface, without altering the desk too much.

I came up with these...









I braced the two legs where the "L" comes together with this...









I got four of these reinforcements to join the two desks together on each wall.









This was the most tricky, but did the most to improve the problem. Basically I got a corner finishing block, drilled them into a stud (to create enough space between the wall to compensate for the depth of the base molding), and used a wide "L" bracket to join the desk and the block.

The result?

The desks will not wobble or even shake with any kind of force. These things are here to stay!!!

As for the monitor positioning problem, here is the fix...









I bought a telescoping mount for the TV... It comes out of the wall about 9" and will retract itself back to about 2" from the wall. It also has multiple adjustment points, for whatever...









And this is MUCH MUCH better now... I think it looks a lot cleaner too...

While I was mounting this, I decided to mount my new 47" TV too...









I went with FIXED rather than TILTING... This mount has the option to do both, but it's perfect at the fixed position...









A little teaser for a final product...

In efforts to make myself feel better, I did all I could to distract myself from the sickness for the last couple of days by working hard on my office.

I got a A LOT done, and currently the office sits at about 97% done.

But I don't think I will be done 100% (Meaning NO MORE WORK PERIOD) for another week or so... The reason is... Here is a little teaser...


























































However, I want the final shot to be dramatic, so I am going to hold off on the final shots until it's officially done.

I will post pics of the final shots before the PC upgrades though soon... Thanks for watching!


----------



## murderbymodem

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GoHigh* 
Thanks...
Mancave / Work Space, depending on time of the day...
Great thing about working from home is I get to have all this, and still be able to justify it to my wife... I don't think she would have been so understanding if it weren't for the money coming in from working from this space.

What exactly do you do at home, by the way?

Sorry if it's been asked before


----------



## caraboose

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Your build was much more involving than mine... At least I had all four walls already here when it started. I didn't know about your build until midway through mine... It kinda motivated me to continue and make things better. Good job!


Glad I could've been of some assistance.

I know half way through my build I just wanted to give up, I saw the bill for the carpet and I had recently bought a computer for my ex, which she never got so I was out a bunch of money as it was. But the end result always will pay off.
Keep up the good work.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Redmist*


What exactly do you do at home, by the way?

Sorry if it's been asked before


I own a specialized IT consulting company... Too much to go into details, but basically I work with dental professionals.

I work about 8 to 10 hours a day at the office, and the off time is my "man cave"...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *caraboose*


Glad I could've been of some assistance.

I know half way through my build I just wanted to give up, I saw the bill for the carpet and I had recently bought a computer for my ex, which she never got so I was out a bunch of money as it was. But the end result always will pay off.
Keep up the good work.


I hear ya... Between working my butt off during the day, and trying to get this project finished in the evening, I was running out of juice pretty fast, burning candles at the both ends...

And, I am WAY over budget on this, and it seems like it was the unexpected things that added up more than the planned stuff...

I am just about finished though... Just... Have... To... Finish...









Thanks for the word of advice...


----------



## hondajt

congrats! And I'm glad you are feeling better.

Why are you changing the cables for the networking? Just getting a different switch or what?


----------



## bryce

I wanna see the finished product now! =).

My room is basically done, just ran out of cash to finish it lol. And I was seriously about to buy that EXACT same desk the ther day at Staples, but it was $170







.

And how nice of you to build me a new rig. I really need an upgrade and thanks to you I'll have one lol.


----------



## Nexus-7

This is really quite the transformation! Thank you ever so much for documenting this effort in such detail. It's awesome to watch this undertaking progress.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hondajt*


congrats! And I'm glad you are feeling better.

Why are you changing the cables for the networking? Just getting a different switch or what?


Thanks... I am feeling a lot better now, but still not 100%. Let's just say that the room is a lot more complete than me right now...









As for the cables, I decided to just get all new CAT6 cables, and terminate them in the central location underneath the "L". The reason why I had to change them was that I originally had planned a central large switch, which meant longer cables and more difficult cable management.

I will post the pics a little later...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bryce*


I wanna see the finished product now! =).

My room is basically done, just ran out of cash to finish it lol. And I was seriously about to buy that EXACT same desk the ther day at Staples, but it was $170







.

And how nice of you to build me a new rig. I really need an upgrade and thanks to you I'll have one lol.


I am about to post some pics tonight, of 98% done pics. Pretty much everything is done, minus the planned upgrades to the computers, and few minor things, which I don't even know yet.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Nexus-7*


This is really quite the transformation! Thank you ever so much for documenting this effort in such detail. It's awesome to watch this undertaking progress.


Wow... Now that's a compliment! Thanks for such a unexpected praise.


----------



## shnur

I've just went through the whole thread and I'm still with my mouth open, amazed on things that people can achieve...
I mean, you do expect somebody from this forum to make a nice rig and OC it to some extreme levels... but when somebody is already good at PC stuff and goes into house modding and gets such a nice taste as well; no ugly colors or just all white/black...
I really like the colors you've chose in the end, the blues and the floor, while I was reading your story I was thinking "please take the white floor!!!"

Thank you for this! I'll keep looking over the next posts.

As for money, when you go one route, when you involve yourself in such a big project, finish it, it'll be a lot more rewarding even if you still need to spend a lot on it. Because the last thing you want is be deceived.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *shnur*


I've just went through the whole thread and I'm still with my mouth open, amazed on things that people can achieve...
I mean, you do expect somebody from this forum to make a nice rig and OC it to some extreme levels... but when somebody is already good at PC stuff and goes into house modding and gets such a nice taste as well; no ugly colors or just all white/black... 
I really like the colors you've chose in the end, the blues and the floor, while I was reading your story I was thinking "please take the white floor!!!"

Thank you for this! I'll keep looking over the next posts.

As for money, when you go one route, when you involve yourself in such a big project, finish it, it'll be a lot more rewarding even if you still need to spend a lot on it. Because the last thing you want is be deceived.


Wow... Thanks for reading the whole thread... I honestly didn't know that people would be so interested. To be honest with you guys, starting this thread has been a huge motivational tool for me to keep pushing to get it done. If I didn't have any followers in this thread, I would probably still be painting right about now...

Thanks so much.


----------



## GoHigh

UPDATE 4-1-10: BIG UPDATE!!!

First off, thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement and inputs. I really feel like this project has come together very nicely, and I couldn't have done it without you guys pushing me forward.

This update pretty much showcases my office in it's 98% done form. I will do some artistic stuff later with some before and after shots, but for now, I feel like this office is just about complete.

Without further delay... I present to you, my office... (WARNING: A LOT OF PICS)


























































































































































































































































That pretty covers the entire angles... As I mentioned, I still have few finishing touches here and there, but nothing that will deviate from what's here right now.

I am hoping to start upgrading by workstations by the end of next week.

Planned upgrades right now is...

1. Replace my E8400 E0 in my Hackintosh with Q9550 E0...

2. Replace PSU in Hackintosh with my new TQ850W...

3. Build a new i3 530 rig in a HTPC case.

4. Replace Corsair H50 in my 2nd i7 Rig with Thermalright VenX

5. Replace Asus P5K Deluxe in my 4.3Ghz E8400 E0 Rig (The one with 2x Acer Monitors) with Asus Maximus X48 Board...

As promised I will post the FINAL shots later, when I get the place dusted and ready for camera...

Thanks for watching guys!!!


----------



## GoHigh

MORE PICS!

I like dark shots... So, here are a few...


----------



## b0klau

Wooooow that is too sick.....


----------



## Dankebudz

KILLER SET UP

Do you play on all of these by yourself!? I bet you're the guy on WoW who has 5 accounnts synced up together









Nice job, everything looks great! /jealous


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Dankebudz*









KILLER SET UP

Do you play on all of these by yourself!? I bet you're the guy on WoW who has 5 accounnts synced up together









Nice job, everything looks great! /jealous






Unfortunately, I am all work and no play... By the time I get around to do anything fun, I usually end up going out and playing some pool or golf... I would like to get back into playing some games again, but nothing like WoW... Never played RPGs... Takes too much time.


----------



## HighTensionz

So much win! Great work...no amazing.


----------



## KG363

Wow, just wow.
I am proud to say I followed the whole thing. You must be proud to say you DID the whole thing.

It Looks like the "not too distant future" in movies, besides the dystopia.

I have one question, Why do you have 6 xbox controllers?


----------



## Mr.Pie

lol wow very sexy room! wish it was mine


----------



## Dankebudz

It's all good, I was just joshin' you. WoW is a little... ummm... outdated? It's all about the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 now! That is until Final Fantasy 14, Star Wars: TOR, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, or whatever mythological game you believe in comes out.


----------



## Baldy

Damn, your computer room makes me







. The transformation from the first few pics you posted till now is simply amazing. Good job.

Oh, any reason why you are planning to switch over to the VenX? Pretty sure they gave the same temps as the H50, last time I checked at least.


----------



## GoHigh

I JUST COULDN'T RESIST

I know I promised you guys a better dramatic pics showcasing NEW/OLD pics, but I found some old pics here on OCN I posted since I was a member, kinda showing some changes that this room has gone through...

Enjoy... I am sure you'll be able to appreciate the differences a bit better...


















































































































































































LOL... I honestly can't even remember (just a few weeks ago now) when my office was like that anymore...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *KG363*


Wow, just wow.
I am proud to say I followed the whole thing. You must be proud to say you DID the whole thing.

It Looks like the "not too distant future" in movies, besides the dystopia.

I have one question, Why do you have 6 xbox controllers?


Thanks man... Thanks for following it from the git-go... I still think that Caraboose's build was much more involving and extensive than mine, but I am very proud of the work I put into it... Like I proclaimed from the start, I am not a very handy man, but after doing this, I am confident that I can do just about anything now...

As for the controllers, I USED to have 3x XBOX360s in the basement, until I sold one, and donated the other to a friend. Now, I am just down to one, but still have 6x controllers... I use the two extras as my game controllers for PCs though...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Mr.Pie*


lol wow very sexy room! wish it was mine










Thanks!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Baldy*


Damn, your computer room makes me







. The transformation from the first few pics you posted till now is simply amazing. Good job.

Oh, any reason why you are planning to switch over to the VenX? Pretty sure they gave the same temps as the H50, last time I checked at least.


Thanks again...

As for the VenX, I dunno know yet why I am changing, since H50 already does give a pretty good temps. I think I am looking just explore the difference, and see what's good right now. If I like it, I am going to change all the workstations out to the VenX (Until something even better comes along few months from now







)...


----------



## hydroslyder

Awesome build and log! I followed it from the very beginning, I was even one that voted for the dark floors (so glad you went with the light floors by the way!) I would love to have a room like this and your thread definitely sparked my imagination, however I'm in college and don't actually have a room I could do this in









Anyway fantastic build enjoy all that hard work you put into it and enjoy listening to all of us drool over your masterpiece!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hydroslyder* 
Awesome build and log! I followed it from the very beginning, I was even one that voted for the dark floors (so glad you went with the light floors by the way!) I would love to have a room like this and your thread definitely sparked my imagination, however I'm in college and don't actually have a room I could do this in









Anyway fantastic build enjoy all that hard work you put into it and enjoy listening to all of us drool over your masterpiece!

Thank you for following my thread. I appreciated your input.

I remember when I was in college... I graduated 10 years ago, so it's all a vague distant memory now... I do remember drinking and partying a lot, but I don't remember any of my professor's names...

Good times...


----------



## Kryten

I have two children ages 4 and 10 I'd love to trade for your office. PM me for details.


----------



## caraboose

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Kryten*


I have two children ages 4 and 10 I'd love to trade for your office. PM me for details.





















Good job, GoHigh







Looks a lot better than it did before the transformation.


----------



## yellowtoblerone

Talk about lan party dream. From lighting to aesthetics it looks fantastic. However I don't know how much more geeky can this get. It's certainly a place I wouldn't bring a girl to.


----------



## shnur

Looks neat!
Now you have to hire a cleaning lady









Also I don't know how you prefer it, but personally all my cables are 1 foot over the floor, that way I can stretch my legs and not pull up on some random cables... 
I've even made some cable management at work since I like when things are flush and neat








Congrats on everything! It makes me want to buy a house and start modding it haha


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *yellowtoblerone*


Talk about lan party dream. From lighting to aesthetics it looks fantastic. However I don't know how much more geeky can this get. It's certainly a place I wouldn't bring a girl to.


Probably not a great place to hang out with your girl, but that's what the bedroom is for...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shnur* 
Looks neat!
Now you have to hire a cleaning lady








Also I don't know how you prefer it, but personally all my cables are 1 foot over the floor, that way I can stretch my legs and not pull up on some random cables...
I've even made some cable management at work since I like when things are flush and neat








Congrats on everything! It makes me want to buy a house and start modding it haha

Yea... I really tried to make everything look much more streamlined, but this was the best I could do... Given the sheer number of wires, the thickness of the wires, and various placement of components, I really couldn't do much else with it at the time.

To be honest with you, I probably could have done a bit better with utilization of wire conduits, but I basically ran out of gas during that stage of the build.

Another obstacle was that considering I change out my equipment so often, I needed to make everything semi removable, so I couldn't make a permanent solution just yet.

As for the cables getting in the way though, all the wires go behind the bottom part of the desks, which makes it unobtrusive to limbs...

Thanks for your suggestion though... I am seriously considering some series of pipes and conduits for more of a invisible look. Perhaps a revision thread later I guess...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *caraboose* 









Good job, GoHigh







Looks a lot better than it did before the transformation.

Thanks yo... Thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## Code Geass

EPIC build log. Defo worthy of more than just a REP +


----------



## shnur

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GoHigh* 
Yea... I really tried to make everything look much more streamlined, but this was the best I could do... Given the sheer number of wires, the thickness of the wires, and various placement of components, I really couldn't do much else with it at the time.

To be honest with you, I probably could have done a bit better with utilization of wire conduits, but I basically ran out of gas during that stage of the build.

Another obstacle was that considering I change out my equipment so often, I needed to make everything semi removable, so I couldn't make a permanent solution just yet.

As for the cables getting in the way though, all the wires go behind the bottom part of the desks, which makes it unobtrusive to limbs...

Thanks for your suggestion though... I am seriously considering some series of pipes and conduits for more of a invisible look. Perhaps a revision thread later I guess...

True, you have something to cover up, I don't... I would think that now you don't really feel like re-doing everything but prefer enjoying it a bit. This is something you could re-think later on when you have some free time. (If that ever happens...)


----------



## GoHigh

Wheeww... I am starting to do some upgrades to my WS as planned...

Just finished putting together the P5K to Maximus Formula swap on the E8400 WS... I took the 1.225VID E8400 E0 out of the hackintosh, and just put it in the new mobo...

Within 5min of BIOS tweaks, I am currently sitting pretty at 45min LINPACK stable @...

4.5Ghz... 500x9, with 1.35v BIOS Vcore, and 1.31v in CPUz...

This is a dang good mobo...


----------



## Madman340

Great! That cable management is IMPECCABLE.

+rep for a great job!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Madman340*


Great! That cable management is IMPECCABLE.

+rep for a great job!


Thanks!

Poop... I just crapped out at 4.5Ghz... After 1hr of Linpack...

I am trying 4.45Ghz with same settings...


----------



## KG363

Dang, those are good clocks


----------



## CULLEN

What the hell do you do for a living?! Hands down! Dopest room I've ever seen!


----------



## shift

Damn that setup is so sweet!!!!

WOW!!!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


UPDATE 4-1-10: BIG UPDATE!!!

First off, thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement and inputs. I really feel like this project has come together very nicely, and I couldn't have done it without you guys pushing me forward.

This update pretty much showcases my office in it's 98% done form. I will do some artistic stuff later with some before and after shots, but for now, I feel like this office is just about complete.

Without further delay... I present to you, my office... (WARNING: A LOT OF PICS)


























































































































































































































































That pretty covers the entire angles... As I mentioned, I still have few finishing touches here and there, but nothing that will deviate from what's here right now.

I am hoping to start upgrading by workstations by the end of next week.

Planned upgrades right now is...

1. Replace my E8400 E0 in my Hackintosh with Q9550 E0...

2. Replace PSU in Hackintosh with my new TQ850W...

3. Build a new i3 530 rig in a HTPC case.

4. Replace Corsair H50 in my 2nd i7 Rig with Thermalright VenX

5. Replace Asus P5K Deluxe in my 4.3Ghz E8400 E0 Rig (The one with 2x Acer Monitors) with Asus Maximus X48 Board...

As promised I will post the FINAL shots later, when I get the place dusted and ready for camera...

Thanks for watching guys!!!


----------



## hondajt

Quote:



Originally Posted by *shift*


Damn that setup is so sweet!!!!

WOW!!!


Can you please remove the pictures from the quote? No need to see it twice.

Very cool setup. Overall, how happy are you? Anything you would do different?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hondajt*


Can you please remove the pictures from the quote? No need to see it twice.

Very cool setup. Overall, how happy are you? Anything you would do different?


Whew... Just got back from Memphis, TN, which is about 330miles from where I live. Just went there for a quick fun trip, and came back about 10lbs heavier... Memphis just has a lot of great places to eat, and my wife and I love to go on a food expedition.

Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome. As with any projects, doing something always leaves somethings to be desired in terms of minor details, and my only regret right now is that I should have spent a bit more time on the wire management. I don't know that without doing something a bit more dramatic like creating a custom wire conduits, this could have made things better, but perhaps sometime later, I will do just that, and leave all wires invisible.

Thanks.


----------



## SamuelL421

Amazing office GoHigh, looks great, everything clean and matching.

Great choice on the AC too, I bought the older version of the same model 2 years ago and its still going strong. Crank it up and turn on the air filter (if the new version has it?) any smoke smells will be gone in a few weeks, speaking from experience.


----------



## calavera

that is awesome! Not to sound like martha stewart but a plant or two could make it better


----------



## sting_rayz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Whew... Just got back from Memphis, TN, which is about 330miles from where I live. Just went there for a quick fun trip, and came back about 10lbs heavier... Memphis just has a lot of great places to eat, and my wife and I love to go on a food expedition.

Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome. As with any projects, doing something always leaves somethings to be desired in terms of minor details, and my only regret right now is that I should have spent a bit more time on the wire management. I don't know that without doing something a bit more dramatic like creating a custom wire conduits, this could have made things better, but perhaps sometime later, I will do just that, and leave all wires invisible.

Thanks.


Hmmm, 330 miles puts you at about Crossville if on a straight I-40 path. I wish I would have found your thread earlier but I must say the results are impressive. I am a contractor by trade, developing commercial real estate with my father. We build buildings and lease them back to companies long term. The T-8's will be a huge improvement over the old T-12 fixtures. A few years ago we remodeled a Fred's building we own with T-8's and the difference was night and day, have been using them ever since.

Overall impressive thread and I'm beginning to think I'm in the wrong line of work.. lol. Next time you and your wife come to Memphis let me know what kind of cuisine you are craving and maybe I can point you in a good direction that might not be "well known" but worth the trip. BTW where did you go eat at this weekend while here?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *sting_rayz*


Hmmm, 330 miles puts you at about Crossville if on a straight I-40 path. I wish I would have found your thread earlier but I must say the results are impressive. I am a contractor by trade, developing commercial real estate with my father. We build buildings and lease them back to companies long term. The T-8's will be a huge improvement over the old T-12 fixtures. A few years ago we remodeled a Fred's building we own with T-8's and the difference was night and day, have been using them ever since.

Overall impressive thread and I'm beginning to think I'm in the wrong line of work.. lol. Next time you and your wife come to Memphis let me know what kind of cuisine you are craving and maybe I can point you in a good direction that might not be "well known" but worth the trip. BTW where did you go eat at this weekend while here?


Yo, thanks for the compliments.

Thanks for the heads-up on the light fixtures. I dunno that my room is any brighter with the T8s, but it's definitely quieter with non of that cold HUM of the T12s...

I actually live in Chattanooga, TN, and it looks like you live just west of Knoxville. I never visited Crossville, but perhaps I will get to one day. It's a lot closer than Memphis for sure...

While I was in Memphis, I ate at the usual places like Gus's Fried Chicken and Rendezvous BBQ, but I also checked out a lot of ethnic places like their awesome Vietnamese restaurants. My wife and I lived there for 4 years, so it was memory lanes for us.

Good luck on your family business.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *calavera*


that is awesome! Not to sound like martha stewart but a plant or two could make it better










Yea... I agree. I am looking at some plants right now, but the problem is I couldn't keep one alive in the past. Maybe I will get something fake, I dunno.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SamuelL421*


Amazing office GoHigh, looks great, everything clean and matching.

Great choice on the AC too, I bought the older version of the same model 2 years ago and its still going strong. Crank it up and turn on the air filter (if the new version has it?) any smoke smells will be gone in a few weeks, speaking from experience.


I don't think the late generations have the "AIR FILTER" option... Yes, but I agree that this A/C kicks. Right now, since my central air just turned on today, it's keeping my room pretty frosty at 67c. My workstations are pretty happy right now







.


----------



## i_ame_killer_2

My future room. Great work. Got a lot of inspiration from you.

Looks professional.

Good Work!


----------



## calavera

try sansevieria. you only need to water them like once a month. just need to have some sunlight every now and then though.


----------



## judasdoh

你为什么用那个字呢？你姓高吗？

oh and good job on the room.

you get a cookie for this.


----------



## cazza1938812

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GoHigh* 
I don't think the late generations have the "AIR FILTER" option... Yes, but I agree that this A/C kicks. Right now, since my central air just turned on today, it's keeping my room pretty frosty at 67c. My workstations are pretty happy right now







.

I hope you mean 67 degrees fahrenheit not celsius or i am going to sweat from all the way in Tasmania...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *judasdoh*


你为什么用那个字呢？你姓高吗？

oh and good job on the room.

you get a cookie for this.










LOL... Most people think I am Chinese, because of my "GOH" character on my sig pic, but I am actually Korean. As you probably well know from living in China (I read your post few weeks back), other Asian countries also use Chinese characters as well, as their secondary writing. My last name is "GOH" with means "HIGH" which is why my sig name is "GOHIGH"... In states though, my uncle who came to America back 50 years ago, decided that our last name was going to be "KOH" not "GOH", so it just stuck as "KOH" now...

So, I have no idea what you said in the first line, but I thank you for whatever it said.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *cazza1938812*


I hope you mean 67 degrees fahrenheit not celsius or i am going to sweat from all the way in Tasmania...


Sorry... I did mean F, not C. Yea... I guess 67C would be pretty dang hot, even for Tasmania standards.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *calavera*


try sansevieria. you only need to water them like once a month. just need to have some sunlight every now and then though.


Wow... I will look into it. Dang, you either work at a nursery, or just aced your botany class. Either way, thanks!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *i_ame_killer_2*


My future room. Great work. Got a lot of inspiration from you.

Looks professional.

Good Work!


Wow, that's a great compliment. Thanks a lot.


----------



## yellowtoblerone

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Probably not a great place to hang out with your girl, but that's what the bedroom is for...


Yeah no doubt the bedroom is used for something, but say if you're dating a new girl, the couch in your living room is your 2nd best friend.


----------



## Carlitos714

I'm jealous! sweet man


----------



## cd_rom

DAmn, you make asians proud lool


----------



## OTHG_ChefTreb

WOW! that looks absolutely awesome. All of your hard work has paid off, now you can get to work doing what you do best.

I'm in the middle of redoing our living room/computer area. I thought about posting a work log, but its more living space instead of computer. Ill post a few finished pic in computer room thread when Im done in a bout three weeks.


----------



## Thedark1337

Holy .... That is a nice office you got.


----------



## ZainyAntics

If I ever win the lottery...


----------



## laxhockey1563

What's that background picture you have on all your screens? I like it a lot.

And what type of curtains are those? And that little table next to your L desk on the right...where's that from?

Your computer room makes me want to renovate my whole house hahaha.


----------



## technoredneck95

Amazing!


----------



## Ice98

wow, thats some massive project

nice though, looks practically like a lan cafe

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ZainyAntics*


If I ever win the lottery...



haha, vouch


----------



## Evtron

Awwweesssommme It looks really great. I think the darker wood would have turned out better but they are both great.

So how's that A/C unit working for you? I was considering getting one myself. We have central AC but I need something that I can trust is going to totally freeze me out.


----------



## GoHigh

Holy shizzle... Have I been busy...

After getting back from my last trip, I have been diligently working to clean / upgrade my machines. Practically, except for my main sig rig, all 4 other machines have gotten an upgrade or changed. There were some planned upgrades, but some unplanned as well.

I hope to post some pics later, but basically...

1. Replaced the HS on my 2nd i7 rig from H50 to VenX (What people are saying is true... I have seen 4c drop in temps using crappy fans (Scythe Slipstream 110CFM x2). Can't argue with results.

2. Replaced CPU on my Hackintosh from E8400 to Q9550... (Crapped out on VID 1.30V!!! But this is the only machine in the house which I have not OCed, so it really doesn't matter). I have also replaced the Corsair 400W PSU to Mushkin 650W modular PSU).

3. Replaced out my crappy MSI P45 NEO motherboard with E8400 which I was running as home server with my new Asus Rampage Formula with E8400. Slapped the Mega on it, and 4x 1TB HDDs, 3x 500GB HDDs, and overclocked it to 4.4Ghz using 1.25v in CPUz. Can someone say OVERKILL??? Sad part is I don't have a GPU on it yet, so it's running with my old 9500GT right now. I got it connected to my TV in my office, and will be SERVER/HTPC... Upgraded the PSU with Antec TQ850W...

4. Built a new i3 530 rig... I used the H50 I pulled from my i7 rig to cool this thing, but it's running so cool, I could run this thing on a stock HS... I just bought a Antec 900 for it, to kinda play a little brother role to the i7 rig in a 1200... A little frustrated since I can't get this rig to go stable above 191 BCLK no matter what voltage I use... So far, I am at 4.2Ghz with HT on, and with 1.30v without LLC. Still experimenting...

5. Moved my AMD X3 rig unlocked to x4 (which I have been fooling around with a bit) into my Antec 300 case... Probably will use this as my HTPC for my living room, but I am not sure... Will be using my old H50 with it, but I am not really sure about that as well...

6. Had to build a couple of WORKSTATIONs for a client... Special favor... I hate doing this for customers, but this client is a bit special. Nothing special.. Just couple of E8400 rigs, with stock Intel boards for max profit... PITA...

Sorry to ramble on guys, but it's been awhile since I logged on...

I hope to take some final pics soon with all the workstations in their rightful places. Thanks for watching guys...


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *OTHG_ChefTreb*


WOW! that looks absolutely awesome. All of your hard work has paid off, now you can get to work doing what you do best.

I'm in the middle of redoing our living room/computer area. I thought about posting a work log, but its more living space instead of computer. Ill post a few finished pic in computer room thread when Im done in a bout three weeks.


Good luck bro... I really like LR/PC combo... I find myself using my LG TV for most of my web browsing these days... I have been using my laptop cart for a KB/Mouse tray as well, and it's pretty comfy... Looking forward to the pics.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *laxhockey1563*


What's that background picture you have on all your screens? I like it a lot.

And what type of curtains are those? And that little table next to your L desk on the right...where's that from?

Your computer room makes me want to renovate my whole house hahaha.


The background pics get changed very often, but the ones you saw are from TOASTERWAFFLES... Just google "toasterwaffle wallpaper" and it will take you to his site. They have some funny cool looking ones.

The "curtains" are actually roman shades. I got them from Bed Bath and Beyond, for fairly cheap. EASY install, and they black out all outside light.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Evtron*


Awwweesssommme It looks really great. I think the darker wood would have turned out better but they are both great.

So how's that A/C unit working for you? I was considering getting one myself. We have central AC but I need something that I can trust is going to totally freeze me out.


Thanks!

I think I would have been just as happy with the DK wood, but I will say that lighter wood makes the space seem more spacious.

As far as the AC, dude... you should definitely get one. Right now, even with all my PCs running, my room lever gets above around 67c, even during the hot ass days we have been having lately. (I live about 100 miles above you) And that's with my vents on the central AC still blocked off... Once those get opened, I am going to need a jacket in here...









Thanks everyone for kind words.


----------



## KG363

Since you last update with pictures you have built/upgrade like half a dozen computers. I haven't done a thing to mine


----------



## Liighthead

wow... that room is amazing. great job .....


----------



## Liselotte

siiiiiiiiiick! in the near future my room will be like this. great work man. very inspiring too.


----------



## Pwnage of Death

I hate you.


----------



## GoHigh

I have been meaning to post some final pics of "lived in" state. Like all room remodels, it's really hard to get final on stuff since stuff has to be moved around after trial periods. All in all, it's mostly the same but with few upgrades here and there...

Unfortunately, our beloved family dog unexpectedly passed away last Sunday, and we have been trying very hard to deal with the loss. For such a small dog, he sure did fill a lot of space in this house and in our hearts. He was a very special dog to us since we brought him into our house after my dad died 8 years ago... To help mom with her struggles, I brought him to her as a way to fill some void... He had done an excellent job of this, always keeping her company and never leaving her side. He had also proved to be a great family dog, always seeming to know when we were glad or sad... My mom and my wife and I dearly miss him a lot, and I don't know that we will ever forget him.

Here is a tribute to him...

Rocky... Our most loyal and beloved family member...


----------



## Lord Xeb

Oh crap man, THAT IS AWESOME!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Lord Xeb*


Oh crap man, THAT IS AWESOME!


???







Not exactly the response I was expecting after I posted my beloved dog died... I guess you didn't read the last post.


----------



## dpx [R]

Gohigh where do u get those table/desks!!?? their sooo nice.


----------



## FEAR.

soooo many screens 
love it, wouldnt mind having a room like that in my house









oh btw nice LG tv, i got one of them too









and sorry to hear about your dog


----------



## godofdeath

wow this place is amazing


----------



## Jimi

Why would you ever leave that room??


----------



## shnur

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jimi*


Why would you ever leave that room??


There's no bathroom !!!!


----------



## godofdeath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *shnur*


There's no bathroom !!!!


*****
true true
plus no food
nor a comfy couch for the tv


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *godofdeath* 
*****
true true
plus no food
nor a comfy couch for the tv

LOL... Well, the bathroom is about 10 steps away from the door, and the mini fridge is on it's way... As for the comfy couch, that's true, but these chairs are actually pretty comfy to sit or sleep on for awhile...


----------



## godofdeath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


LOL... Well, the bathroom is about 10 steps away from the door, and the mini fridge is on it's way... As for the comfy couch, that's true, but these chairs are actually pretty comfy to sit or sleep on for awhile...


no blanket for when its too cold









i do suppose you can just turn all the monitors towards you lol


----------



## Thedark1337

^ Lol..... or setup motors on every monitor and with one click of a button they all rotate to where the remote is.







That would be awesome


----------



## godofdeath

haha
i just realized i was suppose to say computers


----------



## GoHigh

Well, it's been a long time since I updated this thread, but there has been a lot of changes in my life since this office build...

The biggest being the birth of my first baby, Isaac.

Also, since the build, my work has been picking up like crazy and I have been playing the balancing act between trying to be the best father I can be, while trying to continually grow my business.

My company has gone from a small operation IT company to a nationwide corporation within the past few months, and I truly feel lucky to have all this good things happening in my life right now.

Anyway, I figured I would share the subtle transformations within the transformation my office has gone through now that it's thoroughly broken-in.... No really major wear and tear, and I keep it pretty tidy most of the time, but between the late hours working and countless cups of coffee and RedBull, it can get a little messy... But, since the workflow is so great, I have been able to minimize most of the clutter during hard working hours...

I figured I let the pics do the talking...


























































































As you can see, it's pretty much same for the most part...

The major changes are...

I replaced the case of my main sig rig from the CM Stacker 840 to HAF-X. I also swapped the GPU from 2x GTX260s SLI to 2x Asus DirectCU 1GB GTX460s in SLI. Cools much better now, and my GPU temps have gone down significantly.


































The way I have the fans config'd on the HAFX is the top now blows the cool air in with 3x R4s, The massive front fan blowing in cool air from the bottom, with H70 exhausting hot air out the back, and the side panel working as the main exhaust, which carries the hot air from the GPUs... I have played around with many fan configs, and this worked the best in terms of both CPU and GPU temps...

The next big change is moving the home server/HTPC to my 2nd WS area with 2x 23" monitor, replaced the Thermaltake case with Lian-Li PCB2000V, swapped the Mobo and CPU from Asus Maximus Formula/Q9550 combo with Asus Sabertooth 55i/i3-530/4.3Ghz/XFX5770 CF combo. I am currently running 2x RAID5 setups using 6x WD Green 1TB Drives. The OS is installed via JMicron Raid0. I was running Windows Server 2008 R2, but I found myself not needing a server OS since most of the time, I just needed a file sharing server. I ditched the Server 2008 OS with Windows 7 Ultimate x64.










































The next big change was moving my Hackintosh setup to a new Antec 902 for better cooling (I will always miss the P180 MiNi... Such a great case). I upgraded the Gigabyte/Q9550 Combo from my old setup to Gigabyte P55M-UD4/i7-875K/4Ghz/8GB/MSI Ligthning GTX260 1782mb setup. This thing now scores well above 8-Core MacPros now, although not so much the Dual Westmere setups.


























I have also added a 17" MBP to my arsenal... The funny thing is that I am still WAY too attached to my old 15" MBP, so I still haven't really used the 17" much yet. I think I just need to find a better home for it somewhere else, so that I force myself to switch...










I replaced the old Server/HTPC combo with just dedicated HTPC/Gaming PC... Asus Maximus III Formula/i3-530/4.4Ghz/Sapphire 5770 CF. Obviously, this setup not really great for KB/Mouse, I use a Xbox 360 Controller with it for racing games mostly...


































































My constant is still my 1st i7-920 I built... Nothing major changes here, except for upgrade to 2x MSI TwinFrozer GTX460 1GBs in SLI. I did upgrade the monitor from 24" Samsung to 27" Samsung... Kinda makes a big difference the extra 3"... Please hold the easy jokes.


































That just about wraps it up...

The only thing I might add to all this is the one disappointment with the whole build so far...










When it worked in conjunction with the central A/C, it was dang good... My wife called my room the walk-in cooler... However, now that outside temps have dropped to about mid 70s, my central A/C doesn't run anymore, and this little guy has been trying very hard to keep up with all the WS heat output... So far, it's losing the battle...

I added the fan to keep the components from trapping heat under the desk, while circulating the cool air around the room...

Even with it, it's gets a bit warm for my comfort...

HOWEVER!!!

That's only because I like my office to be as cold as possible, and the temps stay reasonable for most people's standards...

Right now, the room is sitting about 70F with all the WS on... One time, I stressed all the WS at once using OCCT LinX, and saw my temps rise to about 
78F. But to give you an idea as what my room would be like without it, I turned off the A/C Unit and left the SERVER and Hackintosh on for about a day... When I came back that afternoon, the room sat a nice toasty 79F... So I guess it's doing it's job...

Also having said all this, my WS have gotten upgrades which does put out more heat than before...

If I had to do it all over again though, I would probably get a much beefier unit... Who knows though... Maybe this winter, it might okay...

Any who... Thanks everyone for watching... And also, thanks everyone for following.


----------



## Liighthead

WHAT THE .....

estamate of how much that all cost? lol


----------



## Detroitsoldier

So... much... nerd porn...


----------



## Pineappleman

Dang man, that is seriously awesome! Good job!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Liighthead*


 WHAT THE .....

estamate of how much that all cost? lol


Although cost at one lump sum can seem a bit overwhelming even for excessive compulsive like myself, it's been sorta upgrade here and upgrade there, new build here and new build there, for the past couple of years so the cost don't seem to hurt as much as if I were to have done it all at once...

My CPA this year don't agree with me though...

Plus, all this is tax write-off for me, even my electrical bill, my 100mbps Fiber Optic internet bill, heck even square footage of my office, my build area, cases of RedBull, midnight Wendy's drive thru... Except for my games, everything is fair game for tax write-off for me... As long as I use it in some way for my business, like how I used my new Sennheiser 555s along with a mic for my recent teleconferencing, is all business expenses...


----------



## Liighthead

arrrr nice









hows the i3s peformance? toying with getting 1..

and so u work from home? what ya do? fix computers or something ima guessing :]


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Liighthead*


arrrr nice









hows the i3s peformance? toying with getting 1..

and so u work from home? what ya do? fix computers or something ima guessing :]


Honestly, as much as I hate to admit it, I really like the i3s. They are cheap, OC well, and whether it's gaming or working, you really don't miss the 2 cores and 4 threads at all...

As for my work, I own a technology consulting company which specializes in medical industry.


----------



## Liighthead

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Honestly, as much as I hate to admit it, I really like the i3s. They are cheap, OC well, and whether it's gaming or working, you really don't miss the 2 cores and 4 threads at all...

As for my work, I own a technology consulting company which specializes in medical industry.


mmm kool thanks.. yeah u got nice ocs lol 4.3 and 4.4? or somethin lol if i saw right.

as for ur job.. seams nice


----------



## AdvanSuper

F.m.l.


----------



## KG363

Still looks great. At least you make use of your mini AC. I have the same one, as mentioned previously, but I can't find the venting stuff. that an my windows open out rather than up prevent me from using it


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *KG363*


Still looks great. At least you make use of your mini AC. I have the same one, as mentioned previously, but I can't find the venting stuff. that an my windows open out rather than up prevent me from using it


You could just make one out of some plywood and cut it to length... It's really not a complicated mechanism... Just couple of sheets of thin plastic and few screws... Perhaps a 3/4" plywood, with two pieces of 2" wide lips in "Z" like shape with hole cut to size with a jigsaw will do the trick... The reason why I am suggesting it is because I thought about making one myself, paint it black, for better tight fit.


----------



## vibrancyy

Amazing Office









I work in the IT field as well & the only thing holding me back from an office like that is space









But the room shall suffice, Thanks for the incredible inspiration with great furniture and tech to make it pop!


----------



## m98custom1212

Why no custom loops? Worried about leaks or something?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *m98custom1212* 
Why no custom loops? Worried about leaks or something?

Just hate the hassle multiplied by 5. I understand the better temps and all, but it's one thing to maintain the loop when you have one rig, but when you operate 5 rigs, it becomes a huge headache. Nope, much rather just stick a good HS on there, and forget about it until when I have to apply some compressed air to it, and be done with.


----------



## m98custom1212

Thought you meant have a custom loop in your main system, so i had to ask


----------



## squad

Holy crap such an amazing room wowsssss.


----------



## opuss

Alright, I would have one 'mother machine' and set the rest against the wall under tables, etc. When I need to access the machines, I would VNC into them. Then there would be no need for all those monitors. You also would not have to move around so much and it would make life so much easier


----------



## Morizuno

Holy cow, what keyboard is that(one near steelseries mouse pad)? No seriously, I love it.

About your room, it looks like something that you see on those home improvement shows =o


----------



## HobieCat

Simply stunning.

You Sir need to get those machines folding


----------



## nascasho

Daaaayum... I wish I had a room like that.







Props dude.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *opuss*


Alright, I would have one 'mother machine' and set the rest against the wall under tables, etc. When I need to access the machines, I would VNC into them. Then there would be no need for all those monitors. You also would not have to move around so much and it would make life so much easier










Yea... I know. However, 90% of my work involves resolving issues via remote support. During main prime hours, I work on four offices at once, which makes my life very easy with multiple workstations. Having said this, my main sig rig doesn't get much love, and it's my hackintosh and my "server" that sees the most amount of action since I can easily access four monitors.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Morizuno*


Holy cow, what keyboard is that(one near steelseries mouse pad)? No seriously, I love it.

About your room, it looks like something that you see on those home improvement shows =o


Thanks. It's a FILCO Tenkeyless Mechanical Keyboard with White Alps Switch. The ironic part about my hackintosh is that I actually VMWare into Windows when I need to, when I had to hack it to run Apple, and can run Windows7 natively.







Using a Mac keyboard is no joy in itself, but using it for Windows side is just ridiculously silly. Plus, since the Apple keyboard and mouse are blutooth, I can't access the BIOS screen with it...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HobieCat*


Simply stunning.

You Sir need to get those machines folding










You know, I actually thought about it, since after 7pm, my work is complete for the day. I always wondered what kind of PPD I would be able to get... Having said this, I am a bit worried about how much my power bill WOULD be if I did run all 5 machines 24/7 under folding load...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *squad*


Holy crap such an amazing room wowsssss.



Quote:



Originally Posted by *squad*


Holy crap such an amazing room wowsssss.


Thanks.


----------



## Shiveron

Is your wife aware that you build a gamer's paradise or is she still under the impression that it's your "office"


----------



## Rebellion88

Very amazing, a video to go with it wouldn't be a bad idea. Some fine inspiration there!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shiveron*


Is your wife aware that you build a gamer's paradise or is she still under the impression that it's your "office"










I think she's slowly catching on...


----------



## shnur

I see that you don't stop with the improvements!
I also like my i3 very much, it's a very good proc for the price you pay for it. I actually "downgraded" from a PII x4 955 to it, and have yet to see any difference in things being slower. I mostly game on my PC so that's probably mainly it.

Otherwise I have to ask, I see you have SLI/CF in almost every build, do you run GPU intensive tasks?

Second question, are you alone or do you have coworkers in that room? Personally it'd be too much to grasp for me.

On a side note, looks like the next upgrade would be that AC unit, it looks like there's a lot of DIY attemps at making it better but you've reached the maximum of the calpabilities.

Good job!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *shnur*


I see that you don't stop with the improvements! 
I also like my i3 very much, it's a very good proc for the price you pay for it. I actually "downgraded" from a PII x4 955 to it, and have yet to see any difference in things being slower. I mostly game on my PC so that's probably mainly it.

Otherwise I have to ask, I see you have SLI/CF in almost every build, do you run GPU intensive tasks?

Second question, are you alone or do you have coworkers in that room? Personally it'd be too much to grasp for me.

On a side note, looks like the next upgrade would be that AC unit, it looks like there's a lot of DIY attemps at making it better but you've reached the maximum of the calpabilities.

Good job!


Thanks!

No, I really don't run much GPU intensive tasks, except for my 2x 1366 rigs, which I occasionally game on. The main dumb CF setup is the "Server/WS" in the LianLi case... I don't use it for gaming, nor do I run any GPU intensive tasks, but I figured for as cheap as the 5770s are, and anything worthwhile doing, might as do it well, I just threw couple of them on there... I am kinda getting the itch for 4x or 6x monitor setup







, just to see how much it might improve my "workflow"... Maybe the whole EyeFinity might come in handy when I do...

As for the CF setup in my "HTPC", I also figured I throw couple of 5770s in there, just in case I want to play something that might require something a bit more robust. Having said this, I am limited to using Xbox360 controller, so anything REALLY robust don't really apply there...

As for your other question about Co-Workers, nah... my staff all have their own setup at their own homes. No physical workplace means less overhead for the company, and we usually meet up in ATL (About 1.5hours from my home) for our bi-monthly meetings or just web-conference. So, no... The only person I share the office is with my 4mo old son, which he occasionally spends some time just hanging out...

As for the A/C, I really havent decided whether I will upgrade or not. Having 4 dedicated circuits in the room means potentially, I could just get another same unit, so take the load off of each other... Having said this, I am not looking for an ice box room, so low 70s is perfectly adequate for me I guess. The ironic part is I am complaining about not being cold enough during cold seasons, while it works perfectly fine during hot seasons... We will see how much I want to bring the temps down when it's 25F outside...

Thanks for your comments folks!

We may not be done upgrading yet!!! I got the itch for 55incher and a full 7.1 surround sound... And somehow, I am trying to justify a 980x build to my wife, and I don't think I want to air-cool that setup...

Will post updates as they come!


----------



## scottath

Nice setup you have there.

the Lian Li is a v2010b isnt it - looks the same as my case.

but thats an epic setup for just 1 person to use.......


----------



## antipesto93




----------



## AutoItKing

Holy... mother... of... God....
Can I, like, have that? PLEASE????

Gamer's paradise... I'd jizz myself every time I walked into the door, seriously.


----------



## shnur

That is a lot of computers for one person! I guess your son will grow up with a lot of access to technology


----------



## ddx

Epic thread. This has got to be the best man cave I've seen on OCN.

Have you thought of building a few SFF i3 machines to replace some of your workstations? Something like a Sugo build. You could stack them (2 between each set of monitors) and save a ton of floor space as well.

It may help your heat and power bills quite a bit too as those i3s use way less power.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ddx* 
Epic thread. This has got to be the best man cave I've seen on OCN.

Have you thought of building a few SFF i3 machines to replace some of your workstations? Something like a Sugo build. You could stack them (2 between each set of monitors) and save a ton of floor space as well.

It may help your heat and power bills quite a bit too as those i3s use way less power.

Thanks.

I built a couple of E8400 SFFs (Not itx but matx in HTPC case) but I was after something a bit more robust. I did build a i3-540 using Gigabyte itx H55 board, and LianLi itx case, but I gave it to my wife as her PC.

Personally, I am not really cramped for space in my office, so floor space is really not a priority. The room does look a bit smaller in the pics, but it's actually quite spacious. I think the measurements are something like 17x18, and there is a storage closet which measures about 2x18 where the double doors are.

Thanks for your suggestions though...


----------



## SomeDooD

Amazing Room man!!!!


----------



## godofdeath

whats the keyboard tray that your mouse and keyboard is on behind the couch/seats

since you are a corporation now, shouldnt you move out of the house and perhaps rent a place if its doable?


----------



## Deadric8

wow care to sell a system or 2....lol...mabey one of those monitors??wish i could afford to just completly build up 1 rig...my rig below is the best i can do right now...love tho room tho....add a lazyboy and i'd call that my bedroom the wifey could have the rest of the house lol


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *godofdeath*


whats the keyboard tray that your mouse and keyboard is on behind the couch/seats

since you are a corporation now, shouldnt you move out of the house and perhaps rent a place if its doable?


Considering an outside space of about 1000sq ft will cost around $2500/month, I would much rather just keep that money and work from the house. Plus, with the arrival of my new handsome son, I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather work from the house where I can be close and have the opportunity to bond with him as much as I can...









As for the TRAY, I got that at OFFICE DEPOT for like $30... It's actually a laptop stand, but I use it for my keyboard/mouse for my HTPC. I don't really use it much though, and I have a GYRATION KB/MOUSE combo which I use most of the time...


----------



## waar

so. much. win.


----------



## Shiveron

I honestly don't think I could handle a room like this. I can seriously see myself never leaving. Add in a refrigerator and a microwave, and you'd only ever have 1 reason to leave that room lol. I'd get so fat w/ a room like that...

or would i....
treadmill behind red chairs


----------



## Kaiga

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GoHigh* 
Considering an outside space of about 1000sq ft will cost around $2500/month, I would much rather just keep that money and work from the house. Plus, with the arrival of my new handsome son, I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather work from the house where I can be close and have the opportunity to bond with him as much as I can...









Its me, your long lost son! who... wants to you know, do father and son stuff? Anyway I'll just sleep in that room, I mean you don't need to ready up another room for me, I'll be fine.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shiveron*


I honestly don't think I could handle a room like this. I can seriously see myself never leaving. Add in a refrigerator and a microwave, and you'd only ever have 1 reason to leave that room lol. I'd get so fat w/ a room like that...

or would i....
treadmill behind red chairs










I have been putting on a few pounds lately... Thinking about getting the PS3 Move just to get some exercise...









Quote:



Originally Posted by *Kaiga*


Its me, your long lost son! who... wants to you know, do father and son stuff? Anyway I'll just sleep in that room, I mean you don't need to ready up another room for me, I'll be fine.


LOL... Perhaps my high school girlfriend has kept something from me???


----------



## codeM0nK3Y

Dude I'm so jealous of your office... Would love to do something with mine but if I had any sense I wouldn't even be able to build a decent PC lol

That, and my room's got alcoves, cupboards and doors in all the wrong places. And the walls are made of concrete. So yeah, I'd pretty much have to build a room within a room


----------



## est1984

I can't imagine the amount of noise coming out of your room with all that.


----------



## swisha

with that setup all i would need would be a minifridge and a microwave and id never be seen or heard from again.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *swisha* 
with that setup all i would need would be a minifridge and a microwave and id never be seen or heard from again.

You know, a lot of people have said that, and I actually do have a mini fridge and a microwave, and an electric kettle sitting right outside of my office. There is also my spare bedroom, a home theater with 55" TV and 5.1 Surround, and a full bath just few steps away... There is also a PC build station which I use sometimes right outside as well (Pics will be taken soon) Needless to say, I do sometimes not make it upstairs to my master bedroom few times a week... Which kinda works for me because of my newborn...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *est1984* 
I can't imagine the amount of noise coming out of your room with all that.

Actually, it's relatively quiet... I been working hard on finding a right combination of fans and configurations to maximize cooling while keeping things on a quiet side... The loudest fans I am using right now is the CoolerMaster R4s, which really isn't loud at all... Now, the music that comes out of those Mirage OM9s on the other hand are pretty loud sometimes...


----------



## Madman340

Yeah I remember reading a little fact about decibels where they really don't go louder than the maximum (Or something like that)

For instance if you have 1000 fans running softly it won't be as noticeable as 10 fans running very hard. (Maybe not to that extent but I'd like to see somebody challenge that example with proof lol)


----------



## swisha

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


You know, a lot of people have said that, and I actually do have a mini fridge and a microwave, and an electric kettle sitting right outside of my office. There is also my spare bedroom, a home theater with 55" TV and 5.1 Surround, and a full bath just few steps away... There is also a PC build station which I use sometimes right outside as well (Pics will be taken soon) Needless to say, I do sometimes not make it upstairs to my master bedroom few times a week... Which kinda works for me because of my newborn...



i hate you.... ur living my dream!


----------



## kyuutketsuki

Yea I had that air conditioner, in white. I just returned it to Costco today and ordered a two-hose 14,000BTU Haier to replace it. The problem with the Sharp is that it's a single hose unit, which means it creates negative pressure, pulling air into the room from any leaks, while it steals the already cooled air to cool itself and spits it outside.

BTW What are the names of the paint colors in that room. I will be building a seperate building that will be a properly networked mancave/guest house, and I was planning on using a color similar to that.


----------



## Methos07

You're my hero.


----------



## Mongol

Quite lovely...indeed a work of art.









Wife and newborn not withstanding, it's still a VIRGINITY DEN.


----------



## DuckieHo

Room is missing a chemical fire extinguisher!


----------



## Citra

Quote:



Originally Posted by *DuckieHo*


Room is missing a chemical fire extinguisher!










Yes safety first, xD


----------



## Magariz

Wicked set up! Only one thing though, you gotta upgrade that receiver. Definitely could get more out of those Mirage's (or they might be Martin Logan's, either way sexy speakers). I would recommend a nice Onkyo or Onkyo Integra (the latter would be better matched in quality). Just my two cents


----------



## NguyenAdam

Your room is CRAZY dude. That is the ultimate geek cave. Sooo jealous.


----------



## Khobie

That's amazing, You can really tell how much planning went into your work. Well done. In the after shots its interesting to see how many pc's you actually have 8 or 9 I counted. My friends thought I was crazy with a main and lappy, not to mention the one in the pipeline. I need to tell them about you! Also noticing that the majority of the gear is protected by ups, smart and safe investment there. 10+. I'll stop blabbering and give you rep.


----------



## CHEFFY!

That is pure win...

Yes, how much did that cost in the end?


----------



## derickwm

Not gonna lie, that's pretty damn awesome.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Magariz;12228054*
> Wicked set up! Only one thing though, you gotta upgrade that receiver. Definitely could get more out of those Mirage's (or they might be Martin Logan's, either way sexy speakers). I would recommend a nice Onkyo or Onkyo Integra (the latter would be better matched in quality). Just my two cents


Yea, it's definitely in need of an upgrade, but I am looking at saving some dough for much more serious setup than a receiver. I was hoping that my 70 year old uncle will hand-me down his 1970s McIntosh PreAmp and Amp to me, but I don't think that will happen soon... To be totally honest with you, since the birth of my baby son, I haven't been able to listen to anything loud at all... My new collection of headphones are seeing plenty of action though...









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Khobie;12231956*
> That's amazing, You can really tell how much planning went into your work. Well done. In the after shots its interesting to see how many pc's you actually have 8 or 9 I counted. My friends thought I was crazy with a main and lappy, not to mention the one in the pipeline. I need to tell them about you! Also noticing that the majority of the gear is protected by ups, smart and safe investment there. 10+. I'll stop blabbering and give you rep.


Thanks! The UPS are acting more like a surge protection more than a battery backup at this point. I am thinking of investing some money into getting 1500VA units for each workstation, but at the cost of $150 to $200 a pop, it is going to cost a pretty penny. And the though of getting replacement batteries every couple of years is also frightening... I am thinking of just going with a beefy surge protection at this point... Thanks!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CHEFFY!;12262356*
> That is pure win...
> 
> Yes, how much did that cost in the end?


Not as much as one might imagine, but surely enough to make a dent in the savings in the end... To be fairly honest ( I can be honest here since my wife is not a member of OCN), there was a lot of hidden cost involved that my wife did not see on the check card.







But all in all, I would say the whole project ended up costing around $3000 or so.


----------



## grandestfail9190

*nerdgasm* This my friend, is made up of pure win.


----------



## Canadarocker

Oh its so beautiful, I could only wish for such a sexy setup


----------



## kaiser37

Are those red chairs just for style points or are they comfy?







How much did they cost?


----------



## Sircles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoHigh;8923678*
> MORE PICS!
> 
> I like dark shots... So, here are a few...


wait, whats that? LAN party at yours? oh an di dont need to bring my own? awesome.


----------



## dlee7283

I live in TN as well. Memphis,TN to be exact

You must be from Middle or East TN like Nashville because no one in the Western part would be smart enough to set up something that nice


----------



## skatpex99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NguyenAdam;12230542*
> Your room is CRAZY dude. That is the ultimate geek cave. Sooo jealous.


This sums it up. When I am in my 30's I hope to have my own house with a setup like this. Very Nice!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dlee7283*


I live in TN as well. Memphis,TN to be exact

You must be from Middle or East TN like Nashville because no one in the Western part would be smart enough to set up something that nice










LOL... That's funny. My wife and I lived in Memphis (Well, she did while we were married going to school in UTHS) near the Target House area in Midtown. I remember equipping her with pepper sprays and small pistol before she left, making her look like Lara Croft. Memphis is a funny town... Loved the food, still miss the food, I go back every now and then just for the food, but you never know when you are in a safe area or murder prone area. Thank God that in the 4 years she was there, not even a handbag snatch happened, but we came close a few times to real live crime action drama... And then you drive a bit down on Poplar, and before you know it, it's like you are in a whole another city. Good times...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *kaiser37*


Are those red chairs just for style points or are they comfy?







How much did they cost?


Those chairs are from Ikea I got couple of years back. I got them on sale for like $50 a pop with the cushions, but they are normally around twice that. I am changing them out for a more traditional seating like a loveseat, but just haven't found a right combo between comfort and looks yet.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Sircles*


wait, whats that? LAN party at yours? oh an di dont need to bring my own? awesome.


Those pics are the original pics before couple of updates, but yes, these will game when you need them to. As much as I am ashamed to say though, they have not gamed in awhile, and probably will be either upgraded or replaced even before a single chance to flex their muscles in a gaming environment.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *skatpex99*


This sums it up. When I am in my 30's I hope to have my own house with a setup like this. Very Nice!


Thanks! Take it from me though... Dunno how close you are to your thirties, but as cliche and oversaid as this may sound, thing change all of the sudden when you hit 30s... It's not a milestone you should look forward to by any means.


----------



## kaiser37

Just wondering, sense you have a sweet mancave that the wife approved of and you mentioned earlier that your buisness has picked up, do you own a hot car?


----------



## MightyMission

i love the white computer tower!
it could actually fit in with our furniture here,so i would get bonus geek points from the mrs...what is it?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *kaiser37*


Just wondering, sense you have a sweet mancave that the wife approved of and you mentioned earlier that your buisness has picked up, do you own a hot car?


LOL... I used to drive a 2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe, with about $10000 worth of upgrades including VOLK TE37 19" Rims, Stillen Cat Back Exhaust, Stillen Racing Cat Converter, AEM CAI, Custom Intake Plenum, Custom ECU Program, NISMO Coil Overs, and to top it all off, a 150Shot ZEX Nitrous Kit with dual tanks. I also did a full custom fiberglass sub install with JL Audio W7 12" Sub and JL Audio 500W Monoblock amp, with full Dynomat treatment all over the car. However, I traded it in 2007 for a Infiniti M45 with Sports Package because I needed a more of a sensible car. Last year in July, I traded the car in for a 2010 Hyundai Genesis 4.6L. My wife thought I was crazy trading in a Infiniti M45 for a Hyundai, but she agrees with me now that it's by far the best car I have driven to date.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MightyMission*


i love the white computer tower!
it could actually fit in with our furniture here,so i would get bonus geek points from the mrs...what is it?


I am assuming the "white" case you are referring to is my HTPC (One next to the speakers) and it's actually "silver" CoolerMaster Stacker. I got it during CoolerMaster's annual sale of their BStock items with free shipping couple of years back. Wire management is PITA, but you are right, it's a beast. For some odd reason, it feels much roomier in there than my HAF-X, when dimensions of the HAFX is actually a bit bigger. Some cases I plan to keep for a LOOONG time, and this is one of them, along with my Antec 1200... I dunno why, but I am really attached to these two cases. My new favorite case however is that beastly LianLi case I call my "Server"... Once again, wire management is PITA, and ventilation could be better, but I love that thing...


----------



## Farfnarkle

MAN I'm jealous...


----------



## septro

That room is BadAss.. great work. Mad geek props for making all that hardware look presentable.

One thing is for sure, you will single-handedly keep Windex in business with all that glass


----------



## akuamakana

my expression when i saw it finished


----------



## solar0987

Wowowowowowow






















now box it all up and ship it to my house








seriously thought nice work


----------



## GoHigh

Few more additions and updates coming to you a bit later... I might also redo the layout of this thread for better organization as well... Stay tuned everyone.


----------



## godofdeath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Few more additions and updates coming to you a bit later... I might also redo the layout of this thread for better organization as well... Stay tuned everyone.


lol there's more
like we all aren't jealous enough already


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *godofdeath;12515590*
> lol there's more
> like we all aren't jealous enough already


It's actually turning out to be a bigger update than originally planned, which is why it's taking a bit longer. Just finished putting things together, so update should be posted soon. New additions, new space, and etc.


----------



## ttaylor0024

Very nice! I am jealous...









Good luck to your new family and your business!


----------



## 5prout

Wow, stunning office/mancave!


----------



## GoHigh

After few months of working in the office, I realized something...

There was no really place to work on new builds, modify my current builds, work on client's PCs, or anything that is really dedicated for just working on stuff... Everytime a new build came up or anything that had to do with hardware, I was subjected to working on either the basement living room, pull out my utility tables, and basically making a mess of things until it got done, only to clean up and put away things, only to do it all over again...

To solve this issue, I took over a bay window area of the basement, which measures approximately 10x10, and decided to do a build area where all my tools and hardware could be centralized.

The requirements were the following...

1. Needed a good storage system to store hardware and tools.
2. Enough work surface to work on large PCs and servers.
3. Fairly tall enough for me to comfortably stand and work.
4. PC for quick reference and entertainment while building.
5. Monitor for installation of OS, diagnostic, and entertainment.

I came up with this. Enjoy the pics and description is below each photo.

There are more updates coming, but I just got done with this, and will be posting more updates later.






















































My big red cart. It's a mech cart typically used at auto repair places, but it's rather perfect thing to use for PC builds and repairs. I put all the parts on the lower tier, work on the PC sitting on the top, and just push it out of the way when I am done for the day. This actually doubles as a expanded workspace if I need it. Currently it holds my toolbox and powertools, along with bunch of hardware stickers I stuck on there at random.









It works great for holding small tools such as screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, tapes, etc. Office Depot, $59.









Basically, all the bins are dedicated for storage. All my hardware is still in my office closet, but few frequently used parts including sleeving are all stored in these grey bins.









I need a lighted surface for me to work on sleeving, soldering, disassembling, and etc. I bought a 20W Xeon spot lamp from Home Depot for this purpose. The shelf is from IKEA.









LG LED 23" HDTV/Monitor. I bought this for a project while back, and it never got used until now. It measures about 1" thick, which I think is the slimmest of the small TVs right now. I wish the res was full 1080p, but for this intended purpose, 720p is just fine. The extra VGA and HDMI/DVI cable is already run, so quick connection is all I need for it to be used as a diagnostic monitor.









I can't remember the last time I actually "watched" TV anymore... It's all on DVR, Netflix, and on my home network... I bought this AppleTV and have been waiting on an application, and decided to try it out here. When it's not being used as a monitor, I can catch up on some movies and shows streamed from Netflix, while working on a build.









Of course, what build are would be complete without a gaming rig?







This used to be my HTPC until it got -ahem- replaced with a new build which I will post later with my office update. It's still the 4.4Ghz i3-530, Asus Maximus P55 (or whatever they call it now), GTX260 MSI Lightening, CMStacker Case. That's my oldie but a goodie Samsung 24" 245BW monitor.









That keyboard was a pain to track down, but it's a Cherry Mech Key with MXBlue switches.

That's it for now. Thanks for watching!


----------



## cd_rom

GOD DAMN IT! that is so beautiful! I'm so jealous









I am in process of decorating my flat, any info on the "red" paint you use?

Cheers!


----------



## shnur

You do have some taste with colors







Something that is hard to achieve when you integrate computers/technology into your room.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *shnur*


You do have some taste with colors







Something that is hard to achieve when you integrate computers/technology into your room.


I would love to take credit for it, but my wife actually is the better color coordinator between the two of us. Thanks.


----------



## Madman340

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cd_rom;12530447*
> GOD DAMN IT! that is so beautiful! I'm so jealous
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am in process of decorating my flat, any info on the "red" paint you use?
> 
> Cheers!


It's red with a tint of orange I think? The lights are the kind that make it appear browner so it appears a little more orange than fluorescent lights would make it look.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cd_rom;12530447*
> GOD DAMN IT! that is so beautiful! I'm so jealous
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am in process of decorating my flat, any info on the "red" paint you use?
> 
> Cheers!


The lights used do make it more warmer, but actually it's actually RUST color paint. I painted this when I first bought this house in 2003, so no details on exact color name, other than that it was Sherwin Williams paint. I will say though... While others who see the room at first do love the boldness, after staring at it for the past 8 years, it does kind of get tiring, especially the paint covers about 1200sq ft of the basement area.

I plan to redo the entire basement sometime soon (maybe another build log soon???) with a pool table, 65" Plasma or 80" Front Projection system, full bar/food area, etc. When I first built the basement out, it was a dedicated media room with a 65" HDTV and theater style seating, but since the marriage, it has been converted into a hangout area for friends and family.


----------



## JoshuaaT

I wish I had that kind of money. Great job man.


----------



## cd_rom

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


The lights used do make it more warmer, but actually it's actually RUST color paint. I painted this when I first bought this house in 2003, so no details on exact color name, other than that it was Sherwin Williams paint. I will say though... While others who see the room at first do love the boldness, after staring at it for the past 8 years, it does kind of get tiring, especially the paint covers about 1200sq ft of the basement area.

I plan to redo the entire basement sometime soon (maybe another build log soon???) with a pool table, 65" Plasma or 80" Front Projection system, full bar/food area, etc. When I first built the basement out, it was a dedicated media room with a 65" HDTV and theater style seating, but since the marriage, it has been converted into a hangout area for friends and family.


I see. I will still go for red, I think it will look great with my small living room. Thanks for info!


----------



## 5prout

Again, that is amazing... I wish I had that kind of work space to work at







!!!!! Your work has definitely paid off







!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *5prout*


Again, that is amazing... I wish I had that kind of work space to work at







!!!!! Your work has definitely paid off







!


Thanks!


----------



## GoHigh

Thanks everyone for all your compliments over the past year or so. It has been fun to keep refreshing this thread with updates, and I will continue to update as more and more changes come along the way. I have also been pretty stoked to see that many of you are PMing with questions regarding some of the stuff like furniture, paint colors, and etc. I have had fun sharing my experiences with everyone here for the past year or so.

As this was my first thread with so much buzz, and I really have no experience with posting build logs, I am starting to think that the original post is a bit disorganized so I will be trying to clean it up a bit for your viewing pleasure. I just wish I had reserved some spaces so that I could have posted more pictures in series, but oh well.

I posted a small update with my NEW BUILD AREA. For those who have been looking at my thread from the start, you will see that it was the same area which I had a temporary work area setup during my office build. It is working fantastic so far, and I am ashamed to say that I have been spending a bit too much time there, rather than my cave.

Rather than blabbering on about changes since the last major update, I will just post pictures with descriptions. See if you can spot some changes between now and 6 month ago pictures.

First update is the addition of this 30" monitor. It's a DELL 3008WFP. What geek cave would be complete without a 2560x1600 monitor??? I got this monitor from Manyak's sale, and it's simply impeccable in shape and quality. I always imagined that I would never really need a 30" monitor, since 2x 23" 1080p monitors will be good enough, but there is something to be said about the sheer enormous size of this thing, and the resolution of 2560x1600 that a dual monitor setup can't match. The only problem now is that I have a bug to replace all my monitors with this, which will get very expensive... The best investment I made though...

























Second update is the addition of this new rig... The impression and specs are posted here. In summary, it's my very first AMD build, and it replaces my 4.4Ghz i3 HTPC. It games and plays movies, and for that intended purpose, it's great.


















































Third update is the replacement of the 27" Samsung monitor with this LG 32" LED 1080p TV. I realized that I absolutely enjoy using these TVs as my monitors, so I replaced it out. This one is a bit better than my other one, as it's LED and is much much slimmer... HOWEVER, the image quality doesn't seem to be as great as the cheaper and older TV. I think it might have something to do with the LED's bluish lights, but I am having a bit difficult time trying to balance the colors. Still beats the monitor it replaced though...


























Fourth update is the addition of a Mac Mini to the new 32" TV above. I thought about getting a small Zotac Ion PC for those times when I just want to get one the web for quick ref or entertainment without firing the big PC, but realized the short comings with ATOM PC just wasn't going to make me happy. So I built a SFF PC using Gigabyte ITX i3-530 system, put it in a LianLi case, but it wasn't small enough to really blend in. So I decided to just go with a Mac Mini instead, and I am glad I did. For all intended purposes, it's silent, runs cool, more power than ATOMs, and it's not too bad for $699. The only thing I upgraded was the RAM to 8GBs...

























Continued Below


----------



## GoHigh

Fifth update is the change to my home server. I thought that it would be fine to use the server as a workstation, since 95% of it's duties were dedicated for file server, but I realized that I wanted a dedicated server again since it's doing more things now than before like VPN, Media Encoding via AirPlay, Media Server, etc. It only took one bottleneck in the system resources for me to quickly abandon ship on the WS/Server idea. I added a 4 Port Intel Raid Card into the mix, and added 4x Samsung F3 1TB HDDs in RAID10. The other HDDs are still the same, 6x WD Green 1TBs in RAID5, 2x 500GB Seagate AS Drives for OS in RAID1. I have plans for major revision though, with a 16 PORT Intel Raid Card and 4x more HDDs. I don't like seeing that drive bay empty...









Currently, it sits on the left side of the TV, without a monitor or even a decent GPU. I just RDC into it for operation.










































Sixth and final update is the addition of the replacement WS where my server left. Its a i7-950 4Ghz/Gigabyte UD3R/12GB Corsair/5770CF/Silverstone 80Plus Gold 1000W/Corsair 600D/Noctua D14/3x 500GB Seagate AS in RAID1 build. My initial impression of this case is that from the factory, it's horrible. The freaking mesh where the fans go makes the fans whine like a pig. So, I had to cut off the mesh around the fans, which resulted in better airflow and no noise. Other than that, it's a pretty cool case. Hate the white LED fan though, I wish I could turn it off.


























I had a sidewinder X6 KB for this area (By far the worst typing keyboard ever), and either subconsciously or accidentally, I spilled my morning coffee all over it. I could have cleaned it I guess, but I said screw it and just cut the USB cord and threw it away, so that I could finally get one of these...

Freaking love the KB, and love typing on it... Now for that other X6 next to me, I think the OCN Ducky KB would fit very nicely there... Where is that coffee?










This is my "shrine" of my baby boy. I can't get enough of him, and I miss him whenever I am away...










That's pretty much for all the updates. Thanks for watching as always. There are few more planned changes which may happen in the next couple of weeks. Not really a mystery... I am getting better seating in here... Those red chairs have got to go. Until then, enjoy the full updated pics.

































































































































































Continued Below


----------



## GoHigh

My New Build Area


























































































Just For Comparison, Some Old Office Pics.


----------



## JoshuaaT

Looking good. I love that Dell monitor.


----------



## Amann

I wish I had 1/10 of the amount of money it costed to do all this **** just to finish my own single one lame gaming pc... wow


----------



## GfhTattoo

where u live i got a g20 van i can load up 1/2 of your pc stuff in it . 
J/k 
nice setup .


----------



## XiDillon

Speechless! Im on my way to Tennessee!


----------



## unrly

I'm not sure how you find the time to play with all of those toys, the setup is insane. Awesome, totally jealous!


----------



## yellowtoblerone

Everytime I see this thread

brings a smile to my face


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *yellowtoblerone*


Everytime I see this thread

brings a smile to my face










Thank you.


----------



## SniperXX

Quote:



Originally Posted by *yellowtoblerone*


Everytime I see this thread

brings a smile to my face


Same here.

GoHigh I like the changes. The build room is really nice, I love the organization. What kind of desk/shelving did you use for the build area?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SniperXX*


Same here.

GoHigh I like the changes. The build room is really nice, I love the organization. What kind of desk/shelving did you use for the build area?


Thanks!

The shelving unit is from Costco... The brand was Whalen, and the link to the product is here. It was pretty cheap, around $65 I think, and it can be configured for a 4 tier shelf, or a workstation like me. It's built fairly well, and it perfectly holds 3 bins I bought from Home Depot, per shelf like a glove.


----------



## septro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Amann;12552864*
> I wish I had 1/10 of the amount of money it costed to do all this **** just to finish my own single one lame gaming pc... wow


I was a poor gamer back in the day as well saving up 2 paychecks after my bills got paid to get a 240MB harddrive for $250bucks back in 1995.. that's right I said 240megabytes.. lol

Work that ass off homey and you too can someday scream "I'm RICH *****!"


----------



## Willanhanyard

Wow! Thats an amazing setup! That would be my dream office







. Sorry if someone has already asked this, but why do you need all of those computers?


----------



## CoRuPt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GfhTattoo;12554494*
> where u live i got a g20 van i can load up 1/2 of your pc stuff in it .
> J/k
> nice setup .


lol'd

that room is just ridiculous, kudos.


----------



## goobergump

Oh my gosh, I remember seeing this thread a year ago and I never saw the finished product.

Honestly I never thought I'd get an erection by looking at interior decorating. Fantastic job!


----------



## Lord Xeb

What company went nationwide for you? You work for BroadRiver? That is pretty cool


----------



## IEATFISH

Wow.







I must ask (even if it has been already) are all those computers just for you? I assume they all have different purposes but how often do you use them individually? Please tell me you have LANs.







Then again, between my wife and I we have 6 computers...

It sure looks wonderful. Great work!


----------



## EfemaN

You have literally taken my envisioned hopes for a future hope and brought them to realization. I bow down to your amazing sense of organization and decoration. You've done a ridiculously admirable job, sir!









EDIT: I just realized how much I like that table. Where can I acquire my own?


----------



## waar

we're not worthy


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Willanhanyard*


Wow! Thats an amazing setup! That would be my dream office







. Sorry if someone has already asked this, but why do you need all of those computers?



Quote:



Originally Posted by *IEATFISH*


Wow.







I must ask (even if it has been already) are all those computers just for you? I assume they all have different purposes but how often do you use them individually? Please tell me you have LANs.







Then again, between my wife and I we have 6 computers...

It sure looks wonderful. Great work!


Thanks!

Yes, this is my home office, so these computers are for my fingers only. I have had people over for (clearing throat) non-work related tasks during non-work hours though... Can't really say what we were doing, but the room did get a bit warm with GPUs running pretty hard.

Yes, the different WS do serve different tasks, but not really for delegated tasks. The hackintosh is used for designs, and new WS on 600T is for general support tasks. The two rigs with 32" LGs are setup almost identically ([email protected], 2x GTX460s SLI, 6GB RAM), and they are more for more "graphically intensive" programs that require WASD (Can't really say gaming now can I? since these are all tax deductions). On the busiest of days, they are all running remote support tasks, and I float around WS to WS.

And yes, LAN is a necessity.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Lord Xeb*


What company went nationwide for you? You work for BroadRiver? That is pretty cool










Thanks. I am the owner of BroadRiverIT.


----------



## Madman340

Oh my god! That's an Xbox 360 wired headset in the website slideshow isn't it?!

Haha, that's awesome.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Madman340;12583208*
> Oh my god! That's an Xbox 360 wired headset in the website slideshow isn't it?!
> 
> Haha, that's awesome.












I just got done organizing and redoing the introduction to this thread. A lot more work than I thought... I need a


----------



## Pendulum

I have 2 things to say about this...
1.) I LOVE IT!!!!
2.) I need to clean my keyboard after witnessing such greatness...

Great job!


----------



## pLuhhmm

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Thanks. I am the owner of BroadRiverIT.


Assuming this is your website; http://www.broadriverit.com/

You have a girl on I think the chat support slide using an Xbox Live microphone LOL

Also, you need some better headphones! Too many low level entry cans!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *pLuhhmm*


Assuming this is your website; http://www.broadriverit.com/

You have a girl on I think the chat support slide using an Xbox Live microphone LOL

Also, you need some better headphones! Too many low level entry cans!











Gotta love stock images...









The website cost me a small fortune, and you would think they could have done a bit better with the images...

As far as my own headphones, I am debating on couple of different ones right now, but I haven't decided on which ones yet. You are right... I have been playing around with some entry level ones, but my theory on these things are that I have to start from the bottom to truly appreciate the subtle differences in between the different level of headphones... If I were to have started out with high-end ones, I probably wouldn't appreciate it as much.

These headphones have been purchased in sequence from cheapest to highest, and I started out with Bose Triports, so yea... big differences are being noticed here...

Thanks for the advice though...


----------



## KOBALT

Oh my god.... :O


----------



## Mr. Original

and did you have to refinance to pay the electric bill lol


----------



## suntori3

Which model Lian Li Case are you using?


----------



## Dorianime

oh BTW i disagree with you having a guitar facing the wall >=[


----------



## G33K

:O

Can I hang out at your house sometime?


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr. Original;12844711*
> and did you have to refinance to pay the electric bill lol


LOL... Not really... I live in one of the cheapest electric bill area in the country, as we have TN rivers to thank. I did see about 20% increase in my electric bill however, but the good news is that it's a tax write off...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *suntori3;12857370*
> Which model Lian Li Case are you using?


I think its called PC-V2010...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dorianime;12861558*
> oh BTW i disagree with you having a guitar facing the wall >=[


I wish I could face it the other way, but the darn U hook want let me due to the depth of the guitar. The funny thing about it is that I am not really a player, as much as I grew up wanting a guitar so bad when I was in high school, but I parents were too poor to buy me one. So, few years back when I could afford one, I bought my first guitar which is a Takamine EG-334C. Since then, I bought an electric as well, and couple of Fender amps, but I honestly don't play. Call me a poser...


----------



## pjBSOD

It's beautiful.


----------



## Hilophant

Very nice. The room and setup looks really pretty.


----------



## Drakenxile

nice man hopefully if i can get my dads house my basement will look kinda like that


----------



## somebodysb2

Those IKEA Poang chairs are class!


----------



## taintedmind

Holy cr**! 










No, seriously: Really nice!


----------



## Reflux

Pornographic.


----------



## MetalBeerSolid

x ∞


----------



## frankth3frizz

rich people are RICH! lol


----------



## stu.

I want a room like this in my house.


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankth3frizz;13043070*
> rich people are RICH! lol


I dunno about rich... Last bank account statement tells me otherwise.

There are significant distinction between successful and rich. I have been fortunate enough to be successful at what I do, but that doesn't translate into dollars and cents. This office helps me to be successful at what I do...


----------



## OolerTheInventor

I just looked at all your pics man. I am completely amazed! I can't wait to finish up my 2nd degree in IT so I can finally start making some freaking money again. Currently living a state north of you answering telephones for some fruit company regarding their phones, tablets, and mp3 players









Any suggestions to get my foot in door as I come closer to my graduation date?


----------



## gnarlybug5

Hey! When were you planning on inviting me over?







jk


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoHigh;13067615*
> I dunno about rich... Last bank account statement tells me otherwise.
> 
> There are significant distinction between successful and rich. I have been fortunate enough to be successful at what I do, but that doesn't translate into dollars and cents. This office helps me to be successful at what I do...


thats true! you could be rich in success xD


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OolerTheInventor;13068182*
> I just looked at all your pics man. I am completely amazed! I can't wait to finish up my 2nd degree in IT so I can finally start making some freaking money again. Currently living a state north of you answering telephones for some fruit company regarding their phones, tablets, and mp3 players
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any suggestions to get my foot in door as I come closer to my graduation date?


Hate to be a downer, but IT industry is over saturated with talent right now... A lot of people in the industry end up taking jobs below their qualifications, just to wait for things to clear up again. It doesn't mean that you won't be able to find placement, but rather it might not be the job of your dreams to start.

The only advice I am qualified to give is that polish those people skills, while you can, while working behind a help desk. Most companies are looking to shave costs by hiring people who can excel as a dual purpose employee, such as sales/service. It's no longer acceptable for any IT pro to be a single trick pony, no matter what the level of talent.

Good luck.

PS. Sweet rig btw... Question though... Does that big fan in the front make buzzing noise for you when you crank it up? Mine did... I had to clip the mesh off the front to stop the noise. I thought it was just the fan, but I tried the other fan, and still the same thing... Oh well, all good now, and with the mesh off, it gets better airflow anyway...


----------



## PCSarge

well at least his office is dust free (the pcs eat it all for him)


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCSarge;13068980*
> well at least his office is dust free (the pcs eat it all for him)


http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1302413983&sr=8-3]This is my friend...[/URL]

Also, these visits often...


----------



## Playapplepie

I'll be honest: I have never been so jealous in my entire life. This is simply amazing! I sooo wish I had a geek cave like this!

Also, post #2,300


----------



## OolerTheInventor

Quote:



Originally Posted by *GoHigh*


Hate to be a downer, but IT industry is over saturated with talent right now... A lot of people in the industry end up taking jobs below their qualifications, just to wait for things to clear up again. It doesn't mean that you won't be able to find placement, but rather it might not be the job of your dreams to start.

The only advice I am qualified to give is that polish those people skills, while you can, while working behind a help desk. Most companies are looking to shave costs by hiring people who can excel as a dual purpose employee, such as sales/service. It's no longer acceptable for any IT pro to be a single trick pony, no matter what the level of talent.

Good luck.

PS. Sweet rig btw... Question though... Does that big fan in the front make buzzing noise for you when you crank it up? Mine did... I had to clip the mesh off the front to stop the noise. I thought it was just the fan, but I tried the other fan, and still the same thing... Oh well, all good now, and with the mesh off, it gets better airflow anyway...


Nope I hear my YLs on my H50 over everything.... u should tell Corsair about the noise and I bet they will replace the fan for you









Thanks for those words... my customer service skills are getting to be amazing while being on the phones... I am top advisor at my site, and have been for almost 2 years.


----------



## shnur

Quote:



Originally Posted by *OolerTheInventor*


Nope I hear my YLs on my H50 over everything.... u should tell Corsair about the noise and I bet they will replace the fan for you









Thanks for those words... my customer service skills are getting to be amazing while being on the phones... I am top advisor at my site, and have been for almost 2 years.


Having followed your build, I can say that I'm not surprised that you're in the top already


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *OolerTheInventor*


Nope I hear my YLs on my H50 over everything.... u should tell Corsair about the noise and I bet they will replace the fan for you









Thanks for those words... my customer service skills are getting to be amazing while being on the phones... I am top advisor at my site, and have been for almost 2 years.


Out of curiosity, what is the going rate for support rep these days? In US, of course...


----------



## shnur

I can tell you about Canada


----------



## Gabe63

Dude, your office is sick!


----------



## kid spartan

That's an awesome setup. Ever do any lan jams or stuff like that?


----------



## Madman340

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoHigh;13075873*
> Out of curiosity, what is the going rate for support rep these days? In US, of course...


I'm interested in this as well.


----------



## Colt

If you have 5 rigs why you need HTPC? you could hook one to the TV with HDMI.


----------



## ilhe4e12345

i have been following this thread since the beginning...and i love it.....and honestly think im gonna copy and steal your paint color scheme for my own little setup







...maybe not sure yet but it looks great either way!


----------



## GoHigh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Colt;13137869*
> If you have 5 rigs why you need HTPC? you could hook one to the TV with HDMI.


I'm kinda starting to wonder myself... Since it got built, I actually haven't even turn it on but maybe couple of times. And for those times I do use it, I could theoretically just use the server as well... I mainly built it to try out AMD, just to have some experience with it.

Since the build of this office, I have actually hired a couple of people that is taking some calls for me, so my work has gotten significantly lighter... Not really using much of the rigs right now anymore, and thinking about just getting rid of all of them, and starting from scratch, possibly even just creating ONE BADASS PC with 3x 30" stereo display... I kinda like the option of having peeps over though from time to time, and EVERYONE can play...


----------



## Colt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoHigh;13158382*
> I'm kinda starting to wonder myself... Since it got built, I actually haven't even turn it on but maybe couple of times. And for those times I do use it, I could theoretically just use the server as well... I mainly built it to try out AMD, just to have some experience with it.
> 
> Since the build of this office, I have actually hired a couple of people that is taking some calls for me, so my work has gotten significantly lighter... Not really using much of the rigs right now anymore, and thinking about just getting rid of all of them, and starting from scratch, possibly even just creating ONE BADASS PC with 3x 30" stereo display... I kinda like the option of having peeps over though from time to time, and EVERYONE can play...


3x 30" is crazy, for me 3x 17" (4:3) is more than huge.


----------



## UrbanSmooth

Very nice, the finished product looks like the lair of an MLG pro gaming squad!


----------



## JKClubs

I sure wish these images were still visible. I would love to see the results.


----------



## JerseyDubbin

I would have to agree. Would love to see them


----------



## 161029

So many broken images.


----------



## SgtMunky

DAMN! I bookmarked this thread this morning to read this evening, and all the pics are borken


----------



## winterwarrior

I'm still seein borken pics too, any chance they will get redone GoHigh?


----------



## sn0w

Kinda wanna see now after reading some of the comments


----------



## elcangri7328

I hope these pics are reposted !


----------



## Nishinku

Got all stoked up to see it then the pictures were down ^^

Oh well subbed anyways


----------



## Fixcar

Pls repair the broken pictures. Wanna see this magic


----------



## elcangri7328

I actually found the pictures throughout my tb's pf storage finally lol. I Saved them when i first saw this thread for ideas for my new apt. I am not sure if he would be ok with me reposting them though unfortunately.


----------



## SgtMunky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *elcangri7328*
> 
> I actually found the pictures throughout my tb's pf storage finally lol. I Saved them when i first saw this thread for ideas for my new apt. I am not sure if he would be ok with me reposting them though unfortunately.


Would be cool if the OP would clarify on this, as I remember the awesome wood flooring, and I would like similar

And its possible OP didnt have these pics backed up, and you do, so that would be epic too


----------

