Case Modders - Think Small

sysadmn writes "Mini-ITX is a relatively new form factor for PC motherboards measuring only 170 mm x 170 mm. The folks at Mini-ITX.com have this page of interesting projects, including full systems built into 1/10 scale models of a Ford Focus Rally car and a VW Beetle. Another project recycles a SparcStation IPX from 40 Mhz Sparc to 800 Mhz Via C3. Not to be outdone, motherboard maker Via has its own Mini-ITX project page, with several cool automobile systems."

Comments

problems

[ottothecow]

my only gripe with small cases is the overly common: I cant fit it all in

they are great for settings where you dont need much. My school library has some small cases for the computers running the card catalog, unfortinately the card catalog computers are running fullpower P4's with tons of ram and all the goodies, while the computers used to do internet research etc. (and not nice small cases) are 1st generation p3s

in my head I dont see why you need more power to look at card catalog text (thin clients would be the ultimate space saver, stick a server somewhere that has room but no easy access to actually have a monitor and stuff) but I have to admit, the cases were very pretty
the suggestions I see for these as a LANparty case just dont make sense, usually I like to have my full graphics and sound etc along with me

Commercial cases

[Coryoth]

Why is it that there is no serious commercial market for quality case design? The only company actually seriously doing any design work is Apple. Some of these cases are exceptional, and I know I'd pay decent money for them.

What's with all those companies out there? Why can't they get their act together and provide some decent case options? Anyone know?

Jedidiah

Re:Commercial cases

[MisterBlister]

most profit in the PC market comes from businesses. they dont want fruity "extras" driving up their workstation prices, and plain beige cases go well with the grey cubical space...

Although Apple does have a foothold in some niche business markets, they tend to be 'CREATIVE' businesses like graphic design houses...These businesses are more likely to buy such things and appreciate the industrial design.

Case modding may be fun, but be careful...

[FueledByRamen]

Case modding is fun. I stuffed my last PC into an old SGI Iris Indigo that I was getting pissed at (blew up my KVM switch before I realized that the keyboard port is a few pins away from standard PS/2...). However, watch what you're stuffing that motherboard-of-the-week into. I don't care if you rip up a Sega Saturn, a Sony PlayStation, an old SPARC, or an Iris Indigo - those were all mass-produced systems. (With the exception of the Indigo, these were all on the mini-itx.com site.) No one is going to miss that old tape deck, and making your own case out of plexiglass is just cool.

What I don't want to see is someone ripping up a piece of history for 15 minutes of fame. I'm donning my flame suit already, but just give me a chance here. Stuffing an Eden mini-itx into a 1/10 size Beetle is just cool. However, if you rip up an old NeXT Cube, or an Apple III, I'll be forced to kill you. Old hardware is cool and useless; old, rare hardware is to be kept around by any means. Go ahead and rip apart that old boat-anchor XT you have lying around for a new bullet-proof (literally) box, but if you put a cutting wheel through a rare piece of hardware, you deserve to have your guts ripped out and a new motherboard sewn into place, just like the antique that you destroyed.

So go ahead and stuff a micro-pc in that old 80's toploader VCR, or a PS1. Just stay away from the truly rare, cool stuff - it needs no modifications to be neat and interesting.