Thin Mini-ITX Platform Enables DIY iMacs

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Thin Mini-ITX Platform Enables DIY iMacs

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday August 7, 2012 @06:40AM from the computer-from-concentrate dept.

crookedvulture writes "Shipments of all-in-one PCs are growing exponentially faster than those for typical desktops. Unfortunately, highly integrated systems like the iMac have traditionally made it difficult to replace or upgrade parts. And forget about assembling an all-in-one for yourself. Now, however, Intel has developed a Thin Mini-ITX platform that allows system builders and end users to put together all-in-one systems with standard parts. This hands-on look at Thin Mini-ITX pieces together an ersatz iMac using off-the-shelf components, and the process is pretty easy. While the end result isn't quite as slick as one of Apple's creations, parts can be swapped out with ease, and the configuration can be tailored to suit one's needs."

19 of 206 comments (clear)

You can't do that! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-07 06:44 · Score: 3, Funny

You're advocating violating the OS X EULA!
Heresy!!!
1. Re:You can't do that! by Theoden · 2012-08-07 06:47 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  You're advocating violating the OS X EULA!
  Heresy!!!
  Pretty positive TFA is about building an all-in-one similar to an iMac, not installing OS X. :P
2. Re:You can't do that! by imagined.by · 2012-08-07 06:48 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Which is legal in a lot of countries! For example Europe!
3. Re:You can't do that! by imamac · 2012-08-07 06:49 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It didn't look like they were talking about installing OS X on it. But, it does use the Intel DH61AG motherboard, which is easily used for a hackintosh.
4. Re:You can't do that! by mcgrew · 2012-08-07 08:00 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Pretty positive TFA is about building an all-in-one similar to an iMac, not installing OS X. :P
  Then it's hardly an iMac, now is it? You might as well say your Linux desktop is a Mac. If it's not running Windows it's not a Windows computer, if it's not running Linux it's not a Linux computer, and if it's not running OSX it's not an iMac.
  A computer is a lot more than just hardware.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
5. Re:You can't do that! by joh · 2012-08-07 08:09 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Just last week I read the UK has to "ask permission" before they can rollout rural broadband expansion.
  These things are heavily regulated in the EU. Seems a pretty good way of dealing with this, since broadband (and this is *real* broadband) seems to be much cheaper and competitive in the EU than in the US. I'm paying 20 Euros a month for 50 Gbit with unlimited traffic and a flat landline and I can choose between half a dozen suppliers. What about you?
  
  Even U.S. states do not need to do that. They just do it.
  You surly meant to say "they just don't", I guess.
exponentially faster??! by doti · 2012-08-07 06:49 · Score: 5, Insightful

are growing exponentially faster than
you keep using that expression... it does not mean what you think it does

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factor 966971: 966971
Re:No OpenFirmware, no Mac. by imamac · 2012-08-07 06:53 · Score: 3, Informative

The article is about a similar form factor to an iMac, not running OS X.
Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-07 06:56 · Score: 3, Informative

I've had a 27" iMac running at home powered on 24/7 for over two years now. It has never shut itself off due to over heating.
I'm guessing you either got a faulty unit or your school room is a pig sty or you're lying.
Are all in one desktops now all known as iMacs? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-07 07:03 · Score: 4, Insightful

WTF does this have to do with iMacs?
1. Re:Are all in one desktops now all known as iMacs? by nedlohs · 2012-08-07 07:51 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Yes, the Commodore PET was 7 years earlier.
MAFIAA logic by firesyde424 · 2012-08-07 07:03 · Score: 3, Insightful

[sarcasm] Breaking news: Intel sued by Apple for patent infringement. Apple has sued CPU manufacturer Intel claiming infringement of their patent on the design of small, compact, all-in-one devices that can run OSX. Apple filed the lawsuit in a federal court located in western Texas. They are asking for an injunction against Intel as well as an award of $5,000 for each device sold by Intel. Apple has claimed that the only reason people buy something other than an Apple device is because they can and therefore every sale of these devices by Intel represents a lost sale for Apple. [/sarcasm]
Re:Competition is a good thing. by kidgenius · 2012-08-07 07:04 · Score: 3, Informative

Vizio just came out with one. Looks pretty nice too
Re:Why? by cpu6502 · 2012-08-07 07:05 · Score: 3, Insightful

Why do people automatically assume ONE bad device == all such devices are bad? It's called "birth mortality". When a device is not properly assembled and dies early (or other serious flaws). Just because 1 Mac suffered birth defects does not mean the other 100,000 Macs were bad. Your school should have simply traded the bad Mac for a good Mac.

--
My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
Re:Why? by 91degrees · 2012-08-07 07:10 · Score: 5, Funny

Yeah. Overheating is a problem with fanless macs. Sometimes you can prevent this by flipping it upsidedown from time to time and giving the components at the top time to cool.

This technique is called the Hot Apple Turnover.
Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-07 07:13 · Score: 4, Informative

I currently work at a location with 41 27" iMacs, and I used to work at an authorized repair depot for apple. I have repaired and handled MANY of these machines, and I can tell you they don't "shut down due to overheating". They will clock themselves down to a point where the machine is excruciatingly slow, but the aluminum back of the machine will act as a large enough heatsink to keep the processor cool at whatever speed it clocks down to (probably something like 200mhz judging by the slowdown).
There are three components that would likely cause the symptoms that you describe:
1. DC/SATA Cable - on early 27" (and some 21.5") iMacs, these would short out somewhere along the cable and cause all sorts of shutdown and sleep issues. It was a bitch to fix but generally the first part we would replace if we couldn't determine the cause of a problem.
2. Power supply - Even someone as simple-minded as you would probably understand how a faulty power supply could cause this issue - not "Steve Jobs hating fans".
3. Display Inverter Board - The inverter board on early 27" units would fail regularly, causing the screen to go black, and making standard luddite users think the whole machine powered off.
Steve Jobs did not hate fans. Steve Jobs hated loud and obtrusive fans. The 24 and 27" cinema/thunderbolt displays contain fans, and every iBook, PowerBook, and MacBook (including the air) has had at least 1 fan (the 15" before late 2009 and 17" up until they cancelled it had 2).
Get your facts straight, your single anecdotal story != true for every iMac.
Re:Why? by zerro · 2012-08-07 08:05 · Score: 5, Funny

ahh yes - you were holding it wrong!
Re:Why? by jedidiah · 2012-08-07 09:02 · Score: 4, Informative

The most rational thing that people can do is make judgements about their own personal first hand experiences and second hand experiences from people they know and trust.

--
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Re:Why? by jo_ham · 2012-08-07 09:54 · Score: 3, Insightful

Ahh look. It's the white knight here to defend Apple with his anecdotal evidence.
My anecdotal evidence is just as valid as the OP's anecdotal evidence based on a data set of one alleged machine.
Take that for what it's worth, or is his post "valid data" because it criticises Apple?