Description
One of the best things about the RC2014 is its modular nature. This allows people can build up the kit to their specifications. Sadly, this makes a universal rear panel that meets the needs of everybody really difficult. This Blue Box Rear Panel Kit hopefully meets your needs. Even if not, it should at least gives you a starting point for reaching them. Either way, expect some level of DIY to be involved.
The Blue Box Rear Panel Kit is designed to fit a 110x250x190 Blue Box and compliment the Blue Box Front Panel. It uses the fixings supplied with the enclosure and requires no drilling or modifications. Two large cutouts give easy access to the power input and switch on the backplane, as well as any modules with rear facing connections such as the RP2040 VGA Terminal or the LCD Driver Module
Port Covers
There are 5 port holes which can be used to bring out ports or other connections that are not easy to access inside the case. There is a wide variety of Port Covers that can be fitted here;
- Blanking plate – to cover the port hole
- 6mm hole – Ideal for 3.5mm audio socket or a toggle switch
- 2 x 6mm hole – Got two audio modules? No problem. Or fit two toggle switches. Or a combination
- 7.5mm hole – Suitable for barrel jack sockets
- 6mm + 7.5mm hole – Power switch and barrel jack?
- USB A – Bring out the USB keyboard or thumb drive storage to the back of the case
- USB C – All the cool kids are using USB C these days. Now you can too!
- Dual FTDI – Need to connect to both serial ports on your RC2014? No problem!
- FTDI + 6mm hole – Ideal for adding a switch to select either USB keyboard input or FTDI input
- DB9 – D shaped hole suitable for DE9 connectors such as joystick or serial, or DE15 connectors such as VGA
- Keystone – Accepts a standard keystone module such as phono, HDMI, RJ45, BNC etc
- Proto – 105 through-hole pads on a 2.54mm (0.1″) pitch. Ideal for whatever small ancillary circuit your RC2014 may need, or passing through header pins.
Due to the total combination of port covers available (371293 permutations!) listing every permutation is unfeasible. Therefore this listing has the option of no port covers, or 5 blank port covers. There is a listing for a pack of 5 port covers which allows you to choose any of the 371293 permutations. There is also a listing for individual port covers which can include an appropriate connector or switch.
Bus Expansion Socket
An optional Bus Expansion Socket allows for Standard Bus modules, or most Enhanced Bus Modules to be fitted outside the enclosure too. Selecting this option will include the pins and socket for the rear panel as well as the pins for the Front Panel I/O Module. It does not include the 40 way IDC cable or the jumper cables needed for Enhanced Bus signals. This is a regular IDE Hard Drive cable that you may well have lying around, or is cheap and easily sourced.
The Blue Box Rear Panel Kit comprises of just the rear panel PCB only. The enclosure, and RC2014 within it are not included. Port Covers and Expansion Bus pins/headers are only included if selected.
