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--- shuttlechassis [2026/08/12 18:52] – created xodium
+++ shuttlechassis [2026/09/09 06:51] (current) – xodium
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 ====== Shuttle's Chassis Types ======
-Shuttle had quite a few variants of the XPC throughout the early-to-mid 2000s and later on. Some of these share components, while others look similar but might as well be worlds apart. This should hopefully help break down some of the differences between types.
+Shuttle had quite a few variants of the XPC throughout the early-to-mid 2000s and later on. Some of these share components, while others look similar but might as well be worlds apart. This should hopefully help break down some of the differences between types. **This is not an exhaustive breakdown.** There are some oddball one-off types that may get missed.
 Before we begin though, we need to decipher the actual model names, as there is a method to Shuttle's madness, here. For example, let's look at the **SB61G2**.
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 For the most part, the chassis components are cross compatible. The G chassis has mounting provisions for every type of front panel Shuttle used with this series, both screw posts for the G2 faceplates, or snap-in points for the G5 faceplates.
-The only gotcha here is that the front panels have exact port cutouts that may cause problems if you attempt to mix and match front panel components. Pay attention to this as you work. Some of the front panel boards also have different means of connecting to the motherboard (some use the standard headers you'd see in a full size PC, some use a smaller pitch connector, and some use a ribbon cable).
+The front bezel and ports are where things can get...complicated. Shuttle used a number of different styles for wiring up the front, and you need to be careful of this. Thankfully, the USB port board is modular and can be swapped out if need be.
-However, in every case observed so far, the front panel essentials (that is, the power button, reset button, and LEDs) all use the standard front panel header connector that you'd see on a full desktop, and most (if not all) Shuttle motherboards have a standard header on board just in case. So worst case, you can connect the buttons and LEDs directly to the motherboard and potentially forego the front panel USB/FireWire/audio.
+There are three styles I've seen for wiring up the front panel:
-The ribbon cable style also appears to be cross compatible with other boards and front panels that use it. (Observed moving from SS30G2 board to SA76G2 board in the same chassis.)
+  * Standard pin headers, same as full desktop PCs
+  * Combined (but smaller) pin headers, similar to USB 3.0 pin headers, kind of
+  * Ribbon cable between USB board and motherboard (front LEDs and buttons plug into pin header on USB board)
+However, regardless of all this, most (if not all) Shuttle boards have a set of standard pins on the motherboard for USB + buttons and LEDs. So at worst you'll still get USB and front button/LED functionality. Just maybe not FireWire (or TOSLink if you have a Shuttle with it on the front).
+Given the USB board is modular, I highly recommend just keeping the USB board paired with its respective motherboard to make things less complicated.
 **Notable tweaks and revisions**
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 **CPU cooler mount**: On the G-series the CPU cooler (Shuttle's "ICE" system) screws into the chassis, also acting as a means of holding down the motherboard. For the early G chassis, the mount points were fairly consistent, being more toward the rear and centered. Late in the 00s, however, Shuttle moved the CPU closer to the front of the case, and offset it to the right (if looking at the system from the front). These still mate up to the rear exhaust all the same (though they use the larger rear fan mentioned previously).
-This is a hypothesis but it seems this may have been to allow the older (and potentially outgoing) G series chassis to share __some__ components with the newer and different chassis types.
+This is a hypothesis but it seems this may have been to allow the older (and potentially outgoing) G series chassis to share __some__ components with the newer and different chassis types. Case in point: The SA76G2's cooler is shared with the SH67H3.
+**G4 power supply mounts:** The G4 variation seems to have a subtle tweak to the power supply mounts and might use a smaller power supply compared to other models in the G-series.
+=== Faceplate Variants ===
+**G/G1**: Both drives visible from the front, as re the ports. Front bezel is screwed into the chassis, with a transparent acrylic in multiple different colors (clear, blue, green). You could also put designs behind the acrylic in some cases (and Shuttle sold kits for this, as well).
+The buttons and LEDs are mounted to the bezel itself, beware of this when removing the bezel completely from the chassis.
+**G2**: By far the most common. Same as G but this time sporting a metal plate instead of a transparent acrylic vanity plate, and said plate is actually inset into the front panel. Power buttons and LEDs are circular, and toward the lower center of the front this time. Further, these are mounted to the XPC's chassis internally, so the faceplate (and vanity plate) can be removed without disturbing the wiring. However, **be careful as the buttons and LEDs have surrounds that can fall out and are easily misplaced once the vanity plate is taken off.**
+**G4**: A departure from the G/G2, this variant eschews the externally accessible 3.5" bay and replaces it with a card reader. The power button and LEDs are relocated to the lower left (and I assume this means they're mounted to the front bezel rather than to the chassis itself). The front of the G4 looks to to be a snap-in affair, foregoing the screws used in the G/G2.
+This model variation also notably tweaks the G chassis subtly in the rear with a smaller power supply cutout than is seen on the G/G2 models. It is therefore assumed that power supplies are NOT interchangeable with this model and others.
+(Note: I have not seen a G4 variant in the wild. Please do email me if you have one and would like to document it!)
+**G5**: Like the G4 variant, this one snaps in and isn't fastened via screws. The buttons and LEDs are once again moved to the center (and mounted to the bezel, not the chassis), but nudged up to just under the 3.5" bay. And yes, this design does bring back the 3.5" bay that was turned into a card reader with the G4 variant. However, unlike the other Shuttles in the G series, this one moves everything behind flip-down doors for a sleeker appearance.
+**G5M**: This is just the G5 variant with a mirrored finish and an LCD baked in that Shuttle calls the Variable Function Display. This was notably only used in two models (three if you count the Deluxe trim of one of those two models).
+===== Zen/K Series =====
+(Not to be confused with AMD's Zen architecture.)
+Far as I can see, this was a one-off, as the only apparent model in this line is the **ST62K**. This was a strange model, opting to go for silence over everything. The power supply, as such, is an external brick that is supposed to run cooler and quieter. This model also eschews the AGP slot, opting to use it for integrated video (provided by the ATI chipset). You only get a single PCI slot for expansion, here.
+The ST62K was also notably smaller than other Shuttles.
+(There will be more to say here once I get one, as I do have a lead on one.)
+===== What About The 2010s? =====
+I'm hesitant to cover this era because this is where things kinda started going off the rails and Shuttle's systems started varying much more greatly between each series. To scribble some quick notes about these:
+**H Series**: From my limited experience, appears to be a successor to the G series and a halfway step between the G and J/R chassis. Retains compatibility some late-era G series parts (like the heatsinks for some boards) but the chassis is ever so slightly larger (same size as J/R?) so G series chassis components won't fit. Screw mounts for the front panel are also very different.
+Uses a more standard ATX-style I/O shield (but is physically shorter) as opposed to the FlexATX one.
+For upgrades, this series notably moves the PCIe x16 slot to the innermost position, allowing use of double-wide cards at the cost of the PCIe x1 slot nearby. (Finally.)
+**J/R series**: The //actual// next step up. Lots of stuff physically moved and cooler mounts no longer attach to the chassis. Notably, these chassis are micro-ITX compliant, so you can just use a standard motherboard in here, if you so please (which opens up some fun opportunities).
-NOTE: Page in progress, more added as I can\\
+Some models have a hidden 3.5" bay under the vanity cover, some do not. (My SH61R4 had one, for example.) You can either forego the vanity cover, or design and 3D print one with the bay exposed.
--xodium