VCaRamp

[stevodude]

hahaha, VCR+car amp = VCaRamp

Needed a temporary stereo amp upstairs and didn't want to pull my workshop amp out. (waiting for parts for my dual mono lm4680).

Not sure where to post this as it's a hybrid.

Took all up about 2 hours to throw together.

1 x 2x40w rms car power amp
1 x M-ATX power supply
1 x donor VCR

1st step: test the psu with the amp.
24 pin ATX PSU connector has 1 green wire - this should be jumpered to the black wire next to it in the connector block. This makes the PSU turn on without any motherboard.
connect 1 or 2 yellow wires (12v) from psu to amp, hook up a source and speakers and it ran well.

2nd step: rewire the PSU
pull the psu apart and unsolder any unedded wires (ALL of them exept: the 4pin atx mobo connector has 2x12v & 2xgnd wires, the green and another black)
ire the green and black to a toggle switch to mount in the front of the case.

3rd step: rewire the AMP
Pull the amp apart, desolder the power LED and extend with wires to front of case.
Desolder the dual 20k log pot (Was faulty), and wire 2 20k log pots using some cat5 cable to front of case. I used to seperate 20k log pots - 1 for each L & R because I didn't have any dual 20k log pots handy + it means I have built in balance controll hehehe.
Wire Speaker screw connectors to a 4xspeaker spring plug block.
Wire Input RCA's to 2 Panel RCA's (already on the VCR - see step 4)

4th step: gut the VCR
Test that the PSU & amp WILL actually fit in the case before doing this, but I have a few old VCR's floating around, all stuffed in some fasion.
THis was the fun part, Strip everything out of the VCR, including any plastic bits sticking out of the frame to the PSU and amp can fit flush on the bottom of the case.
desolder the 4 way RCA block off the VCR board and screw back into the frame.
Find a spot to feed a power cable through back of vcr into plug socket of PSU (no 230v wire-ing required.

5th step: throw it all together
Oh and also plug up the vcr slot with tape/and a screw on each side, we don't want any little fingers finding their way inside, nor do we want "things" jammed in the vcr slot like bits of toast or leggo or your car keys... :-)
Plug the PSU fan back in and screw it into the side of the PSU - Lucky it's a really quite 80mm fan, so makes bugger all noise.

6th step: take it upstair, plug source in, plug speakers in and crank up the VOl...

hehehe, ghetto 2x40w rms house amp.

[MatthewS]

Hell, I like it

- Matt