[Cancelled] Aluminium cases are NOT being made!

[Null]

^ http://appleinsider.com/articles/10/04/15/apples_new_macbook_pro_has_antenna_mounted_to_optical_drive_frame

Don't know if they still position it like that, seems likely though.

 

[Eight Bit]

When looking at the screen on an open unit, the antenna is behind the bezel on the upper left side. 


I would expect the window to be behind that, so I imagine the positioning (on the closed unit) would be something along the lines of:


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- Neelix

ty, good spot

 

[DrHAX]

Makes me wonder if there's any spot it could be moved so it wouldn't have to have a hole in the lid..... Actually could we get some information that isn't spectulative about this plastic window? Size.. location on the case? , etc, etc, 

 

[Eight Bit]

I was thinking, instead of a window, maybe something more stylized would be a better idea. Like a stripe in red plastic for the black case or a black stripe for the grey case or something.

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[levi]

That's not the antenna - that's the board on the end of the antenna. I don't actually know what that does, and I haven't opened my Pandora again yet to find out, but I'm interested that ingo's antenna mod just ignores it. The antenna though runs from the motherboard, perhaps the other side of the X button or thereabouts up to the hinge area, across to the left hand side of the hinge area, perhaps to above the 3 buttons or around there, then back across and through the hinge up to the screen area, where it runs around the screen and to that terminating PCB.


I assume it's total length is about the wavelength of a 2.4Ghz signal (about 5 inches, or almost 125mm), but because of the way it's folded it's more likely that one or other leg of the antenna will catch half of the wavelength. A striped window in the lid like that would expose about a quarter of the length which may work well enough, at least in some orientations, or perhaps we need a window in the hinge as well.

 

[fusion_power]

I was thinking, instead of a window, maybe something more stylized would be a better idea. Like a stripe in red plastic for the black case or a black stripe for the grey case or something.






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 Nice idea, could look good, I'll made a 3D sketch:

That's not the antenna - that's the board on the end of the antenna.

This little board IS the antenna afaik, the cable is just an connector to the mainboard. You can see that antenna-board onto my 3D image, the window goes over it and should be big enough for it's purpose.

 

[Eight Bit]

Nice Fusion Power,

I'd make it so that it looks like it runs over the entire lid though, like it's part of it and not like a hole was cut-out.

Still, impressive swift work on that render.

Could you make one like how I picture it?

But with the plastic in and not a hole so that I can see how it would look

 

[fusion_power]

Maybe, but the window can't cut completely along the lid, there must be some metal left to hold it together. I guess the window "strip" covers partly over the Alu and only has a smaller part open for the actual WiFi.

 

[rygD]

I was thinking, instead of a window, maybe something more stylized would be a better idea. Like a stripe in red plastic for the black case or a black stripe for the grey case or something.








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Nice idea, could look good, I'll made a 3D sketch:

I like the look of this, and I would be fine with it in black plastic.  I don't really want a window, but I would get it if it looks ok (for those times I don't have my USB thing).

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I wouldn't make it that big as the strength of the case will be lessen.  May be just a round plastic hole around that antenna PCB is good.

 

[Eight Bit]

Maybe, but the window can't cut completely along the lid, there must be some metal left to hold it together. I guess the window "strip" covers partly over the Alu and only has a smaller part open for the actual WiFi.

Ofcourse, the rest can be just an inlay, no need to cut the lid in two parts or have complicated bridges connecting one side to the other. milling  2 or 3mm out would be enough I guess

 

[fusion_power]

Design B:

  

Looks indeed better imho and could be easier to make/assemble. 

 

[Eight Bit]

Yeah, exactly!

And then as thin as possible and maybe bending down the round edge of the lid also but that might be pushing it

An other idea would be to make the stripe real thin, leading up to a circle over the antenna or something. There's so much possible.

Thanks for visualizing my ideas

 

[rygD]

Are the windows on the wrong side?  We can just mirror the pic.

Edit:  Will the logo be on the new cases?

 

[fusion_power]

The window is above the Antenna board as you can see in the very first pic.  But of course this design would work on both sides.

No clue about the logo but why shouldn't it be onto the Alu case as well?

 

[Eight Bit]

I want a skull there! h34r:

 

[DrHAX]

Why can't the hole for the aerial be on the front bezel side?  :blink:  I mean how many people need wifi when the device is closed :huh: (my guess is after saying this everybody will chime up that they use their pandora's as server rigs and torrent rigs now.)

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Why can't the hole for the aerial be on the front bezel side?  :blink:  I mean how many people need wifi when the device is closed :huh: (my guess is after saying this everybody will chime up that they use their pandora's as server rigs and torrent rigs now.)

I usually close my Pandora (to save some battery and when walking around) when using ekianjo's MPS pnd with a headphone.

 

[DrHAX]

I'm starting too not really like the window after all of the drafts and such. I'd wish we'd get a picture of what the product is gonna look like..thats the only issue for me dropping the money. after the US conversion and the fact I have to send in my pandora to RMA it its 150 dollars minus the shipping. I'm probably going to be looking at 200 dollars once its done.. and at  a miminal wage salary thats a crap ton of money. before dropping that much cash on a product i'd at least like to see what it looks like.

 

[rygD]

Why can't the hole for the aerial be on the front bezel side?  :blink:  I mean how many people need wifi when the device is closed :huh: (my guess is after saying this everybody will chime up that they use their pandora's as server rigs and torrent rigs now.)

I close mine to conserve the battery.  I can't think of any time where I have wanted wifi on with it closed.