Mini PC in an Actual Lunchbox

schnell29 writes "I am looking for a small case and such to house my next computer, and I have seen many mini, micro, flex ATX cases, but mini-itx.com has caught my atention. I like the lunchbox pc. With all the talk about quiet, small pc's this might be the ticket. And hey, they even report that VIA is now Microsoft CE .NET 4.1 certified."

Comments

Tasty

[Anonymous Coward]

Mmmmm this computer looks good enough to eat!

Re:Tasty

[cioxx]

Mmmmm this computer looks good enough to eat!

Seeing how it's powered by Windows, it probably eats all the RAM all by itself.

NO LUNCH FOR YOU PENGUIN BOY!

Batman Lunchbox

[Blackneto]

Pfft! I'll put mine in an Incredible Hulk lunchbox.
It will kick this guy's ass.

Re:Batman Lunchbox

[The Original Yama]

I'd like to see someone install a Red Hat system in a... (wait for it) red hat! Now that would kick some serious tail. I wouldn't want to wear it, though.

If I put my PDA in my hat, does that count?

And when you boot it...

[darkov]

"Oh God, not Windows again! I told her I hate windows..."

Great!

[The Original Yama]

Now I can cook my lunch at work on my Athlon!

this will make bullies happy

[StefMeister]

Beating up geeks to steal their lunch (money) will become much more profitable.

Little Jonny starves to death...

[MosesJones]

This is ridiculous and irresponsible, mothers will be sending kids to school without food by mistake.

This MUST carry a large warning label that clearly states "contents are not edible".

Cooling Fan

[theedge318]

You can also eliminate all those pesky cooling fans ... just use those refreezable ice packs.

Honestly ... should we really be trying to put a computer in a lunch box ... how about putting it in a keg. Not only can it serve up your DIVX movie collection, it can provide you an all your guests with your favorite frosty beverage. Again the need for the cooling fan is eliminated by the kegerator.

Does anyone know where to get a kegerator with RJ45 and Composite/RCA connections?

Imagine ...

[BabyDave]

a five course dinner of those!

Only problem with x86 architecture

[tulare]

is that the manufacturers still insist upon maintaining obsolete interfaces on their mobos. Seriously, how many of you are going to buy a printer tomorrow that is parellel-only? The echos resound through the hall. Similarly for the serial port. These ports are only there to support older hardware for those too uncreative to go find dongles if they're stuck with crufty old hardware. One serious advantage of, say, an iBook over a comparable PC laptop is that the designers were free to be more creative because they weren't stuck with a bunch of zillion-pin garbage sticking out the back of the computer.

Seems to me it's time to clean up the x86 motherboard. I've been happily not using parallel or serial for about two years now. YMMV.

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[tulare]

Actually, come to think of it, ps/2 is also a thing of the past. Imagine how much more you could get out of a mobo like this if you replaced the ps/2 ports, the parallel port, and the serial port with, say, 6 usb and 2 firewire ports. Again, why not?

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[orangesquid]

I am frustrated when PC's come with only one serial port instead of two. Serial ports are incredibly useful for connecting external modems (sorry, but winmodems are solid cpu-using crap and there's no guarantee an internal modem isn't a winmodem) and for serial consoles. When you want to remotely administer a server that can't connect to the network, do you login through the serial port, or do you talk instructions over the phone to some idiot who doesn't know the difference between a PC and a lunchbox? Oh, wait...

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[AftanGustur]

is that the manufacturers still insist upon maintaining obsolete interfaces on their mobos. Seriously, how many of you are going to buy a printer tomorrow that is parellel-only?

Dohhh ? Isn't that like claiming that Floppies are obsolete since no software is delivered on floppies any more ??

I think you should instead think about the number of printers in-use that are parallell-port only, and then think about if the parallell port is "obsolete".

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[tulare]

Not a bad point, although I have to add that, given the spaghetti that passes for wiring at my workplace, I don't remotely administer anything that can't talk to the network. Unless you consider remote to be the distance between the keyboard and the comp. Besides, I'm perfectly content using my usb-to-serial dongle on those blue moon occasions and forgetting about the ugly mess that my laptop doesn't have.

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[sql*kitten]

I think you should instead think about the number of printers in-use that are parallell-port only, and then think about if the parallell port is "obsolete".


But those printers are in-use on hardware which does have parallel ports, and if you assume computers generally outlive printers (true, IME) then there's no problem manufacturing motherboads without the legacy ports. The only problem is if you need to run the new printers on those old PCs...

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[tulare]

I'll take this one at a time:

"Isn't that like claiming that Floppies are obsolete..."
Yes. Floppies are obsolete. Rely on them at your peril. I won't. I will still use them for those machines which I have to manage which are so obsolete as to be unable to boot from cdrom, but that's it as far as their usefulness goes. Rate of failure alone is a great reason to trash the floppy disk.

"I think you should instead think about the number of printers in-use that are parallell-port only..."
Yes, some printers still are parallel-only. How many of those are laser printers? Not very many. IMO, inkjets are almost never worth saving when you re-up your system, and most laser printers have multiple interfaces, so you're not tied to the parport to use those. One exception to the above is the occasional pen plotter... many of those are parport-only and definately worth saving if you need one. Which is a good reason to buy a "specialty" computer to manage it, or, um (jetdirect) an external (jetdirect) print server. (jetdirect)

All I'm trying to say is that not every single x86 mobo needs to have all this old crap hanging off the back of it. Be nice to clean things up a bit, while maintaining special models for people who need them for a particular purpose. Kind of like how you can still buy boards with ISA slots on them. Anyone want to argue that ISA isn't obsolete?

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[thunderbee]

I'll address the serial port issue only. Try configuring a Cisco (or about any worthy piece of network equipment, Suns included for that matter) without a serial port. *boo*
But hey, I work with my computer, I guess Josticks all come in USB now so you don't really mind.

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[Lumpy]

I am GLAD that I have serial and parallel ports. Only crappy modems (yes some people HAVE to use modems yet they dont live in gattica like you...)
use anything but the serial port... Please tell me where I can get a US robotics V.everything modem that is USB or PCI... you CANT. and the parallel ports.. I have several devices that use the paparle ports... tell me where I can get a USB eeprom burner or Pic programmer...

How about a UPS that has usb out to signal the server to shutdown or my critical workstation..

How about a Professional BetaCAM deck that has control vis USB? hell shw me one professional device that has USB for control.

now let's look at scientific... Ph meters, mass spectromaters... no usb on them.. only serial.. good old RS232..

thousands more people than you depend on the RS232 and parallel ports every day.

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[ShavenYak]

Imagine how much more you could get out of a mobo like this if you replaced the ps/2 ports, the parallel port, and the serial port with, say, 6 usb and 2 firewire ports. Again, why not?

I use a Via Epia motherboard in my MAME cabinet. Between the need to hook up a keyboard encoder, and the fact that it's running FreeDOS, using USB would not be an option.

These would also make great platforms for car audio and home theater machines, where you're likely to want to run a small LCD or VFD display, most of which will need a serial port. There are still plenty of good reasons to keep the legacy ports, and if you need that many USB ports, you can get a USB hub.

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[debest]

Can someone summarize the differences between ATX, mini-ITX, mini-ATX and whatever other form factors are out there?

Same page that I linked to above has an excellent graphic of the size difference between mini-ITX, Flex-ATX, micro-ATX, and full ATX.

PS why does a motherboard have to be flat? Why not L-shaped?

If you had a dedicated PC that needed a very low profile (think super slim), then a L-shaped motherboard might be necessary to squeeze in things like the power supply, hard drive, and CD drive. The problem is that this had better be a high-volume item, otherwise you wouldn't recoup the costs of producing a board useful for only this device.

Also, you would likely be looking at a less than optimal layout design (odd shapes mean longer traces), which could lead to performance and stability issues.

BTW, I assume by your references to "flat" and "L-shaped", you are not asking about a motherboard that is literally bent into a third dimension. If you are, this is impossible to manufacture. Circuit boards cannot be printed by machine unless they are flat. If you require a device that has main boards on two planes (one laid horizontal, one 90 degrees vertical), then you would need two separate boards and some type of connector (like a motherboard and a AGP or PCI card).

Re:Only problem with x86 architecture

[agallagh42]

I've upgraded or replaced my computer FOUR TIMES since I bought my printer. It's a Canon Bubble Jet 4100C, and it's still functioning like the day I bought it, which was 7 years ago. It is, of course, parallel only.

what's the point

[dr.Flake]

beside's the usual answer: "because i can do it !"

He still needs a backback to bring along his keyboard, mouse and monitor. Plus 500 meters of power cable so he can sit in the park and eat his lunch (from his other lunchbox) and type some letter.

and with these specs? get a laptop.
But i like the whole idea of very small but complete boards. Nice hack.

Re:Linux?

[Simon Lyngshede]

Of cause it run Linux, and *BSD. Via is even developing Linux drivers for the Eden platform. This enables you to use features like the TV-Out.

www.viaarena.com has a forum for Via Eden Linux users.

Cheater!

[Anonymous Coward]

There are two ways to get a computer into a lunchbox:

1. Shrink the mobo
2. Get a HUGE lunchbox

He opted for #2.

linker error: undefined reference to `CE .NET 4.1'

[AftanGustur]

And hey, they even report that VIA is now Microsoft CE .NET 4.1 certified.

?? Sorry, I mean no offense but I don't get it.. What has a "Microsoft CE .NET 4.1 certification" to do with this box ??

Ubiquity of serial and parallel

[chiark]

I've got one of these boards, bought it from Ewan at Mini-itx. Top guy, top service :-)

It's being used in-car. The easiest way of displaying info is still a VFD or LCD model interfaced to the serial or parallel port.

My car also has an OBDII connector, so I can play with the engine management computer. Which is nice. Serial at 1900-baud - very strange rate.

I have looked at building USB interfaces for the above, but it isn't worth the hassle. There's a PIC that'd do the job of looking after USB, but with low speed transmission, plus the hassle of writing a USB driver it's non-trivial. USB can't speak until it's spoken to, which is fun...

Also, forgive me for pointing out the bleedin' obvious, but there's 2 USB ports on there, plus 2 USB headers. :-D

FYI, the EPIA-M will have USB 2.0 too...

Re:Ubiquity of serial and parallel

[platypus]

Thanks for the reply, I asked as I was really surprised that these interfaces to the car electronics are open (but I assume probably only the passive ones are open).

Now I learned through google that there a real scene around car electronics reverse engineering, which I didn't know before.
There's even a open source suite for that stuff at
http://freediag.sourceforge.net/
which you probably know.

Nice stuff

Linux!

[e8johan]

I'm currently running RedHat 7.3 on one of these. It works like a charm. My only problem was that the DIMM module made it hard to fit the CD reader in the chassis, but as long as you're into case modding that's not a problem.

Have to say it...

[Cpt_Kirks]

You forgot:

3. Profit!