Mini LAN rig mk.II (12" x 15" x 3.5")

[Captain Slug]

Woohoo! I got a power sander last week and sanded down my $10 Steel LAN case. Now I don't want to paint it because I fell in love with the "delorian" look of the naked steel.

http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader1.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader2.jpg

The whole case is only 12" x 15" x 3.5" and will soon house a mobile gaming system. Temporarily outfitted with Celeron 300@600, 128MB RAM, 10GB HDD. In September it will switch to a Duron 900 and 256MB PC2100 DDR

I'll add the blacklight and windows soon. Updates forthcoming as I add the hardware...

[Zer0fight3r]

Looks Great!

Instead of that 900 GET A 1600 XP MAN! 60 BUCKS WHO CAN BEAT IT!

You selling anything like that?

[Tbird man]

cool man but you may want to consider putting a layer of clear coat on that thing (DeLoriens are STAINLESS steel) and some silver paint for the front.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Zer0fight3r
Looks Great!

Instead of that 900 GET A 1600 XP MAN! 60 BUCKS WHO CAN BEAT IT!

You selling anything like that?

Thanks :D
Hmmm, to use the 1600 XP I'd need to use a noisier 1U HSF.
I may just leave this system in it's current silent configuration.

This case comes with a speaker in the front panel and I had to rewire it to use a 3.5mm jack. Now that it works, there's no need to use headphones when I'm gaming on-the-go.

I bought two of these cases and the second one isn't sanded down yet.
The second one is modded to fit a Micro-ATX motherboard rather than a Flex ATX one. So if anyone is interested I could start
modding that one for a possible sale too.

Edit:
<-------------YAY, SIX STARS!!!

[Zer0fight3r]

How much would you want?

Hmm..

What grit did you sand it with?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Zer0fight3r
How much would you want?

What grit did you sand it with?

1. This case will need to use a laptop CD-ROM drive and a bracket for mounting the hard drive. So the prices start adding up...

Case $10
300W 1U PSU $60
Slim CD-ROM $30
cd-rom adapter $10
CD-ROM/HDD bracket $25

Total = $135 before shipping

So if anyone finds that a reasonable price for such a tiny/sturdy lan case I'll start trying to acquire more of these cases so I can fix them up.

2. I have no idea what grit I used. I just bought the sander and used the pads that came with it. I could use 230grit if I wanted a finish that wasnt so rough, but I kind of like the look of it this way...

[Zer0fight3r]

Sheesh, That's alot for a 300 Watter.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Zer0fight3r
Sheesh, That's alot for a 300 Watter.

That's because it's tiny (1.5" x 4" x 9")

[Lt. Max]

make a pic with a pop can next to it so we could see the size of it better :)

[Zer0fight3r]

LOL

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Lt. Max
make a pic with a pop can next to it so we could see the size of it better :)
As you can see here it's only a bit taller than two cans of sprite. Mmmm, Sprite.
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader3.jpg

[Lt. Max]

damn that thing is smaller than i thought :eek:
very nice.

[Tbird man]

How would one go about aquireing such an item? I have seen cases of this dimension before but the location of this site eludes my recolection.

[adamtekh]

thats darn cool yo

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
How would one go about aquireing such an item? I have seen cases of this dimension before but the location of this site eludes my recolection.

The former life of this case was as an IBM Netvista Legacy Free computer. Surplus and Over-stock cases are available several places for $10 to $20 and physical condition of the product varies.
All of them include a 95Watt power supply which is only enough for an All-in-one mobo, HDD, and CD-ROM.
Ebay has a couple dozen.
http://members.aol.com/captainslg/netvista.jpg

I can work up a tutorial on how to turn these cases into a Micro ATX LAN rig in a few months, because right now I only have enough ca$h to deal with fitting a Flex ATX systen inside.

[64Thunderbolt]

Very Very Kool indeed!!!!

Cheers :beer:
Charlie

[Zer0fight3r]

I think a 250 Watt would be sufficent, you would be cutting it close.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Zer0fight3r
I think a 250 Watt would be sufficent, you would be cutting it close.

I have a 1U 300W PSU which I can mount over 2 PCI slots when I DO upgrade. But based on my current ca$h supply (or lack there-of) it looks as though I won't be upgrading this machine unti X-mas time :(

It's a 95Watt for a Celeron based system until then...

[Tbird man]

so does it use a laptop cdrom? if so does it have the adapter to 40pin IDE? i saw the ultmate space saver one time. it was a slim cd rom floppy and had room for a 2.5 in HDD and fit into one 5.25 bay. or you could use a slim cdrom and a regilar floppy and it fits perfect in a 5.25 bay. I plan on building my own mini rig sometime soon using a FATX mobo slim floppy and cdrom a 1U PSU and a slim 3.5 40pin IDE drive. for the expansion cards i am gonna use a 32bit PCI riser with ribbion cable.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
so does it use a laptop cdrom? if so does it have the adapter to 40pin IDE? i saw the ultmate space saver one time. it was a slim cd rom floppy and had room for a 2.5 in HDD and fit into one 5.25 bay. or you could use a slim cdrom and a regilar floppy and it fits perfect in a 5.25 bay.

Yes, Yes, Similar but getting slim FDDs to work with PCs is a nightmare. I bought a bracket that fits the slim CD-ROM and a regular sized hard drive or floppy into one 5.25" bay.

Originally posted by Tbird man
I plan on building my own mini rig sometime soon using a FATX mobo slim floppy and cdrom a 1U PSU and a slim 3.5 40pin IDE drive. for the expansion cards i am gonna use a 32bit PCI riser with ribbion cable.

If you need help with that give me a ring because I know where to find all the parts you need.

[Tbird man]

i found most of it at servercase.com

[pby5cat]

is flex-atx the same as mini-itx (170mm x 170mm)?

[FunkDaMonkMan]

Crap man, Very Very nice.

Is that system going to be powerful enough for your gaming needs though? It would be very easy and cool to take to a lan party, but how useful is it going to be once you get there?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by pby5cat
is flex-atx the same as mini-itx (170mm x 170mm)?

No, Flex ATX is 240 x 170mm. But a mini ITX system would spaciously fit in this case if I wanted it to...

In fact, I was thinking of selling the spare case and 92 Watt PSU in the SFF Forum because this is a bit cramped for a gaming system.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by funkdamonkman
Crap man, Very Very nice.

Is that system going to be powerful enough for your gaming needs though? It would be very easy and cool to take to a lan party, but how useful is it going to be once you get there?

Thanks

It will mainly be used as a Game Server, but with a low Profile TNT2 32MB DDR (or GF2MX, depending on what I can find) it will easily run a very playable game of UT.

This will also make a great system for me to tote to the computer lab at college to keep myself occupied between classes. I did that with the first version and really enjoyed all the funny looks I got :D

[Tbird man]

with a PCI riser you could cram just about any PCI video card in there. hey i woder if they could make a USB video adaptor?:confused:

[Tbird man]

well i put a bid in on a net vista case, we'll see how it goes.

[Tbird man]

where can i get an adapter for the cdrom besides servercase.com

[yanks111]

hey i found an auction on ebay for a similar case that is nearly as small, just a tad pricey. Its called the Cubid 2677 and is on ebay, but the auction ends July 31st.

Its smaller than an xbox at least:D

Cubid 2677

A site selling it: http://www.big008.com/ProPage.asp?proid=PI160265&type=epic

Ebay Auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2041845140

Edit: How much would you sell one of those mini cases for pre sanded, but with no hardware?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
where can i get an adapter for the cdrom besides servercase.com

iDot.com has the IDE adapter for $9
But I haven't seen the mounting bracket under $20 anywhere.

If you win the auction and you need any help getting your system built I can help you out.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by yanks111
hey i found an auction on ebay for a similar case that is nearly as small, just a tad pricey. Its called the Cubid 2677 and is on ebay, but the auction ends July 31st.

The Cubid 2677 is for Mini-ITX form factor motherboards ONLY.

Originally posted by yanks111
Edit: How much would you sell one of those mini cases for pre sanded, but with no hardware?

I can't advertise here so PM me...

[Starfoxer]

awesome job slug! that mofo is small!! i bet it's light as heck too! :p

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Ghetto Starfox
awesome job slug! that mofo is small!! i bet it's light as heck too! :p
Thanks for the compliments everybody :clap:

Even though it's steel it has less surface area than the plastic case I made. Empty (with ONLY the PSU inside) it weighs 5 or 6 pounds.

Edit: The Mini keyboard and mouse for this sytem arrived today! This is going to be one tote-able machine...
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader4.jpg

[Captain Slug]

Here's what the inside configuration is like...
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader6.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader5.jpg

The Hard Drive fits 90 degree from the orientation of and under the 5.25" bay. IF I were to use a Micro-ATX motherboard I'd lose that space...
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/invader7.jpg

The otherboard in the picture isn't a working one, and I'd have to use one with an ATX connection that's not positioned under the Drive bay. Luckily my Asus A7N266-VM WILL fit like this without any huge problems.

Don't buy this kind of case expecting to fit a Micro ATX mobo and a full size CD-ROM cuz they're GOING to run into each other.

[Tbird man]

I found S370 gateway fatx mobos on ebay for $20

[adamtekh]

how big r those and what speed cpus ?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by adamtekh
how big r those and what speed cpus ?

Most Socket 370 Flex ATX motherboards are 810E based and therefore can upgrade to the newest PIIIs and Celerons.

[Tbird man]

anyone know where i can get a VGA to s-video adaptor? and Cpt Slug, what do you need to do to fit a micro atx mobo?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
anyone know where i can get a VGA to s-video adaptor?

You'll need a scan convertor to do that... Here's one for $72 (http://www.pcstop.com/product_detail.asp?ProdID=170412) (really good deal)

Originally posted by Tbird man
what do you need to do to fit a micro atx mobo?

A. IF the motherboard you get bumps into the power supply, you'll have to mount a 1U PSU to sit on-top of 2 PCI slots in order to power the thing...
B. Chop off a part from the HDD mount (which will force you to use a Slim CD-ROM and adapter bracket for holding the HDD)...

[Captain Slug]

ARRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggg!
I just noticed some rust on the one I sanded down so I've going to take it to the auto-body shop next week to get a professional paint job.

And Tbird, I could pre-mod this one for you, if you want me to...

[Borgy]

why not just lacquer the case so you can keep ya cool sanded finish ?
its a realy cool case iv in the midlle of a Aluminum CaseSize: 6 1/4 x 18 1/4 x 13 3/4 is it big up against yours ,,,

I,v just got a old slot p2 to put in it it would never fit a csae as small as yours

[Tbird man]

thanks for the offer cpt. but i think i can manage it myself.so if you move the PSU do you lose your PCI slots? I was going to find a PCI video card with Svideo out. perhaps that PCI riser with ribbion cables is a good idea? or does anyone make a half hight AGP vid card( i found some micro atx mobos with AGP.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
thanks for the offer cpt. but i think i can manage it myself.so if you move the PSU do you lose your PCI slots? I was going to find a PCI video card with Svideo out. perhaps that PCI riser with ribbion cables is a good idea? or does anyone make a half hight AGP vid card( i found some micro atx mobos with AGP.

Here's a low profile GF2 MX 32MB SDR for $45

The power supply included with the Netvista case is non-standard and is half an inch smaller than a rackmount standard PSU. So unless you use a cable extender and the PSU externally you'll need to mount it like so...

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
thanks for the offer cpt. but i think i can manage it myself.so if you move the PSU do you lose your PCI slots? I was going to find a PCI video card with Svideo out. perhaps that PCI riser with ribbion cables is a good idea? or does anyone make a half hight AGP vid card( i found some micro atx mobos with AGP.

Yes, the flexible PCI riser would be a good idea and would allow you to mount a full size PCI card over the northbrodge.

The 1U PSU I have appearantly has a facade cover OVER the actual inner PSU and I'm trying to remove the outer casing to see if I can fit this PSU into the original PSU slot... I only need to remove 1/2 of an inch for it to fit.

[Tbird man]

here is the mobo i got for it. that should fit. and it only cost me $20.00. now i need to find some half height cards.

edit: oops http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2041737592

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
now i need to find some half height cards.

Directron.com and a couple of other online stores have low profile PCI modems. Just make sure they include the 8cm bracket.

Low profile PCI graphics cards are proving very difficult to find...

[Zer0fight3r]

Looks Sweet, what kinda heatsink fits?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Zer0fight3r
Looks Sweet, what kinda heatsink fits?

Anything shorter than 60mm. 55mm high heatsinks are safer because they'll be able to breath. This height limit eliminates everyone's favorite HSF from being used (the AX-7).

1U HSF fans are best for this tight case but are not completely necessary.

But seeing as this is a REALLY tiny case I don't think I'd recommend it for squeezing any Athlon chips inside du to power consumption issues. I'm barely going to be able to fit a Celeron based baming system in this thing. And in order to do so I have to use laptop sized drives (because I'm using the AGP slot).

The whole project will be finished in mid-september because I'm asking for a low profile GF4 mx420 (http://store.yahoo.com/livewarehouse/vgex11370.html) to be used with this system.

[Captain Slug]

Yay!!! I'm currently winning an auction for a laptop DVD drive so my mini gaming system will be able to play DVDs. :)

[Tbird man]

ya know whats funny. look for a PCI low profile video card with tv out... i only found one and it costs 88 bucks for a geforce2 mx200

[Tbird man]

oh btw, is the 2u riser at servercaseicom small enough to fit in there. if so you could get your PCI slots back.

[Twinkle]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


Yes, the flexible PCI riser would be a good idea and would allow you to mount a full size PCI card over the northbrodge.

The 1U PSU I have appearantly has a facade cover OVER the actual inner PSU and I'm trying to remove the outer casing to see if I can fit this PSU into the original PSU slot... I only need to remove 1/2 of an inch for it to fit.

see if you can take the guts ou tof the 1u ps and put them in the case from the other, it may work...

[Tbird man]

another option would be to build you own case for the PSU or to use a square fatx PSU in another location.

[AgEnT0140]

wow, i want one now :D so thisi where the 12gb laptop drive you bought from me is going? glad i could help you on your way to a kick ass lan rig :D

[Tbird man]

i found shuttle has a flex atx mobo with AGP and P4 support. not avilable alone though

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by AgEnT0140
wow, i want one now :D so thisi where the 12gb laptop drive you bought from me is going? glad i could help you on your way to a kick ass lan rig :D

Yep, But I've run into a few snags because the motherboard that just arrived is the wrong one.
Your hard drive will be put to good use and will save some much needed weight and space in this project.
I have another laptop HDD but it's only 800mb, which is just barely enough for Windows 98SE alone.

Originally posted by Tbird Man
i found shuttle has a flex atx mobo with AGP and P4 support. not avilable alone though

Keep your eyes peeled for the Asus P4B-FX. It's a Flex ATX P4 motherboard with AGP 4x and two PC133 DIMM slots. I haven't seen ANY other Flex ATX P4 solutions yet and I'm hoping somebody other than SHuttle will step upto the plate.

Flex ATX Motherboards (9.0" x 7.5") that DON'T have ISA slots will fit this case without heavy modification.
The easiest thing to do as far as building a system in this case is concerned is to simply use a Mini-ITX motherboard.
Mini-ITX currently limits you to Via C3 Processors, so you'd be building a budget Home Theater PC until better Mini-ITX solutions arrive.

One such motherboard is the Shuttle SV25 motherboard which is available on it's own from a few online vendors. It has an open Socket 370 slot.
However, it only has one PCI slot.

[Captain Slug]

I finished the new and highly improved paint job yesterday and BOY does the look of this case improve after just one coat.
This is Autmotive chrome which required heavy buffing after it dried. The drive door was painted automotive charcoal to give a little contrast towards the translucent black cover that hides the LEDs.

I now have two complete matching chrome cases, one which will eventually be sold if I don't need it...

[Captain Slug]

It looks as though 95Watts is only enough for a sub-800mhz Celeron and integrated graphics.

So I am now going to attempt putting my 300W PSU on a crash diet. The only screw holding the outer shell on stripped after a few turns of my screw drive so I'm going to have to drill through it.

BBL, to show everyone the aftermath...

[metallica0421]

me likes. Would you do custom windows too?

[Penguin4x4]

Capt., my grandpa's NetVista has the same front bezel as yours does...did IBM make all there systems with the same bezel or something?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
Capt., my grandpa's NetVista has the same front bezel as yours does...did IBM make all there systems with the same bezel or something?

All the Legacy-Free Netvista models used this case.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by metallica0421
me likes. Would you do custom windows too?

Seeing as I just spent two days on the paint job, no. I
'd have to repaint it after I made the cuts. And this chrome paint is rather labor intensive stuff.

I just found a 135W (http://shop.store.yahoo.com/power-on/flexatx135pf.html) PSU that will fit this case.
That would allow the use of PIII processors, Durons, AND an AGP slot.
But I'm still working on shrinking my 300W unit which will allow me to squeeze anything that can fit inside without having to worry about consumption issues.

[Tbird man]

hey cpt. you could use this (http://www.rackmountpro.com/productpage.cfm?prodid=813) to mount a better video card.

[Luie]

I was thinking of building a small PC like that earlier on. But, found out that there is no LAN Parties around Irvine, so.... I went and dream about getting a quiet PC instead...:(

[Tbird man]

i found out that enhance is comeing out with a 180w (http://www.enhanceusa.com/acdc_tfx12v.htm) flex atx psu that will fit our case.

[Penguin4x4]

PC Power & Cooling sells a 300W 1U PS. (http://pcpowercooling.com/products/power_supplies/highperformance/turbocools/index_hp_1u.htm)

[Tbird man]

the PSU we need is not a 1u PSU. that is 3.95" tall and the case is 3.5" tall, it won't work right it needs a flex atx psu

[Tactics]

What sized motherboards are you guys looking at?

220mm x 220mm?

[Penguin4x4]

Taking the casing off of the PS would give you about 1.5-2.5 inches, though.

[Tbird man]

Originally posted by Tactics
What sized motherboards are you guys looking at?

220mm x 220mm?

228mm x 190mm

[Tactics]

definately take some more pictures of how you guys are fitting all this stuff in their, I am interested to say the least.

Tac

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
i found out that enhance is comeing out with a 180w (http://www.enhanceusa.com/acdc_tfx12v.htm) flex atx psu that will fit our case.

oh goody!

The highest rated PSU I could find that will fit this case is this 135w model (http://shop.store.yahoo.com/power-on/flexatx135pf.html)

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tactics
definately take some more pictures of how you guys are fitting all this stuff in their, I am interested to say the least.

Tac

Poit!
A Slot 1 celeron, 2 laptop HDDs and crappy FlexATX motherboard are currently occupying mine as and MP3 player setup. The hard drives are insulated with foam allowing my tiny machine to be REALLY quiet.
I still need the bracket to mount the Slim CD-ROM I have and I'm unsure what to upgrade this machine with since I need to weigh my options. My brithday is coming up and I need to decide what I want...

[Tactics]

Do you think if you opted to go for an external CD-rom you could mount the PSU elsewhere and opt for a micro atx form factor board?

Tac

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tactics
Do you think if you opted to go for an external CD-rom you could mount the PSU elsewhere and opt for a micro atx form factor board?

Tac

THis case does require a little bit of tool work to be used beyond Flex ATX motherboards

Micro-ATX boards that are NOT larger than 244mm x 244mm will fit since I chopped off part of the CD-ROM support thingy.
Micro-ATX boards that have an ISA slot will also not fit unless you use a different power supply because the only included has a 60mm fan that protrudes a little bit.

Full sized CD-ROM drives will not fit because of space constraints involving the placement of the RAM. It's tight, but it can hold everything I want it to.

And the PSU won't fit anywhere else...

Once the 180w PSU is available I want to upgrade my main system and put a Duron 1ghz and DDR combo in this case.

[Penguin4x4]

I run a 2.5GB Maxtor and 6.5GB WD hard drives, 12x generic and 48x Creative CD-ROMS, floppy, 256MB RAM, NIC, GeForce 2 Ti and 1GHz Celeron fine on 145W.

[Tbird man]

cpt slug, i found an AGP flexable riser for $55.00. and what mobo is the one you got there?

[Tbird man]

well i got my back plate buchered up now and my mobo finally fits. I had to add serial, parallel, ethernet, and PS2 ports and move the USB, sound, and video.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
cpt slug, i found an AGP flexable riser for $55.00. and what mobo is the one you got there?

An extremely crappy PCChips board (I spit on their grave, ptoi).
It was only $20 and was the only Slot 1 Flex ATX or Micro ATX motherboard I could find to hold me over until I decide what to put in here...

Mounting an AGP card with a riser would prove more difficult than simply buying a $64 low-profile AGP card.

[Tbird man]

true but they do not make a low profile GeForce 4 4600;) that board would be nice for me. when you get a new one would you be willing to sell that one? if so how much?

[Penguin4x4]

ENPC Has VisionTek Xtasy Ti4600 OEMs for 299.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
true but they do not make a low profile GeForce 4 4600;) that board would be nice for me. when you get a new one would you be willing to sell that one? if so how much?

YGPM

P.S. I'll include the backing plate for it with is held by the I/O pins rather than the case.

[Tbird man]

well i got mine together today(mostly) and i found out i had to put the IDE cable in backwards(short end in the mobo) luckly it isn't ata100. other than that i think i can fit another slim 3.5" 1.2gig drive in there along with the 6.4 gig

[Tbird man]

i found an athlon mobo with an agp slot that should fit without modification. http://www.epox.com/html/english/products/motherboard/kt-133m+.htm

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
i found an athlon mobo with an agp slot that should fit without modification. http://www.epox.com/html/english/products/motherboard/kt-133m+.htm

YIPEEEEEEEE!!!! (even though I already did the modification)

[Tactics]

I think I am gonna join in on this netvista maddness.

Anyways 200fsb, thats going to be interesting because that leaves t-birds/durons which need decent cooling...

Tac

[Tactics]

This (http://www.ecsusa.com/L7VMM.cfm) Mobo will fit, and not ot mention it has 133 fsb, DDR, and AGP support.

Tac

[Tactics]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


That's because it's tiny (1.5" x 4" x 9")

Where can I find this PSU assuming it fits?

Tac

[dansonang]

a state of the art product.

I award u the <dansonang's most beautiful case for 1st week of august>

I like the paint. and I like it mobile. nice case for lan parties

[Tbird man]

Originally posted by Tactics
This (http://www.ecsusa.com/L7VMM.cfm) Mobo will fit, and not ot mention it has 133 fsb, DDR, and AGP support.

Tac

that mobo might fit if you move the PSU cut out part of the HDD bay and use a slim cdrom, the board is not a standard micro atx. the dimentions are about 8" x10" max and that is pushing it.

[Tactics]

I am going the external cdrom route. I am more concerned about fitting video card the is powerful enough to run UT3 decently. And from the looks of Army Recon I am going to need at least a GF3 series.

Tac

[bob_the_d]

just outa curiosity, what components did the original netvista model that used that case contain? anyone know?

[Tbird man]

cpt slug has a link to a lowprofile GF4 mx that would fit.

[Tactics]

Hmm.. i guess I can't be picky about the gf 4 mx. Anyways another thing I was wondering about is IDE adapters for 2.5" HDs?

Tac

[Penguin4x4]

Link (http://www.cablesnmor.com/hard-drive-converter.html)

[Tbird man]

wee i found a p4 mobo with ddr and agp . only prob is it is a bit too long to fit w/o modification (about 1.5") http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/product/p-4/650df/650df.htm

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by dansonang
a state of the art product.

I award u the <dansonang's most beautiful case for 1st week of august>

I like the paint. and I like it mobile. nice case for lan parties

Hehehe, thanks.

My bithday is coming up and that's when all the realy parts for this case will finally be put in.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
wee i found a p4 mobo with ddr and agp . only prob is it is a bit too long to fit w/o modification (about 1.5") http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/product/p-4/650df/650df.htm

Tasty, the only other board I've seen that fits is the P4B-FX, but it doesn't have DDR support.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tactics
Hmm.. i guess I can't be picky about the gf 4 mx. Anyways another thing I was wondering about is IDE adapters for 2.5" HDs?

Tac

I got mine at the local computer store for $8 and it included the mounting brackets it needs.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by bob_the_d
just outa curiosity, what components did the original netvista model that used that case contain? anyone know?

The original hardware was a classic Celeron 533. And the only RAM slot was a parallel DIMM which allowed a fulls size Optical drive to be used.
The motherboard had everything on board.

Plenty of power for a net machine.

[jadams]

Can atx, flex-atx, and mini-atx(?itx?) motherboards all use regular ATX power supplies?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguino4x4
ENPC Has VisionTek Xtasy Ti4600 OEMs for 299.

Good luck fitting one of those in this case. It won't even fit WITH an flexible AGP riser because you'd be laying it on-top of the CPU.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by jadams
Can atx, flex-atx, and mini-atx(?itx?) motherboards all use regular ATX power supplies?

They all use the same power connection.
But, some server boards have 24-pin connections or use a P9 for stand-by power. Most P4 motherboards require a special 4-pin plug which is NOT available from these lex atx power supplies.

AND NLX and LPX systems use a seperate 6-pin connection for 3.3V standby.

99% of the time, a regular ATX power supply will have the connections you need for a Micro-atx, Mini-ITX, Flex ATX, or standard ATX motherboard

[jadams]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


They all use the same power connection.
But, some server boards have 24-pin connections or use a P9 for stand-by power. Most P4 motherboards require a special 4-pin plug which is NOT available from these lex atx power supplies.

AND NLX and LPX systems use a seperate 6-pin connection for 3.3V standby.

99% of the time, a regular ATX power supply will have the connections you need for a Micro-atx, Mini-ITX, Flex ATX, or standard ATX motherboard

So if you were going with AMD you would be ok?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by jadams


So if you were going with AMD you would be ok?

135w is not a safe supply for any AMD system 180w is okay...

You can build a nice PIII or newer Celeron system on 135w without worrying about consumption.

[Tbird man]

i am planning to build my own case out of aluminum. i am going to use a slim cdrom and micro atx mobo and make it as mall as possible.

[jadams]

What does the 1U mean on a power supply? And what makes it different than the 135W/180W ones linked to in this thread?

[bob_the_d]

yeah, i'd like to know too.

i guess it's used in cases too.

http://www.pcmods.com/details.asp?ProdID=447

this is their only "4U" case...

can anyone shed some light on this?

[Tbird man]

1u and 4u are rackmount terms. they refer to the size of a rack. 1U takes up 1 rackspace, 2U uses 2 and so on. a 1U PSU has different dimentions than a Flex atx PSU. they are similer but not interchangeable

[jadams]

Cool Thanks TBird Man!

[64Thunderbolt]

learn something new every day!!!!!

Thanks guys...

Charlie

[Penguin4x4]

Oh, and congrats, Capt. Your clear rig is #5 on PimpRig (http://www.pimprig.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=79).:clap: :clap:

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
Oh, and congrats, Capt. Your clear rig is #5 on PimpRig (http://www.pimprig.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=79).:clap: :clap:


WHHoooOoooPppeeeee!!!!
:clap:

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by jadams
What does the 1U mean on a power supply? And what makes it different than the 135W/180W ones linked to in this thread?

1U power supplies are also built to more strict specifications and are more reliable that Regular ATX units.

1U defines that the TOTAL height of the rackmount case does not exceed 2 inches. So 1U Power supplies as standard are 1.7" x 4" x 7"+

4U cases are a little smaller than Mid-Towers (when you stand them up next to eachother) and are much lighter because of their assembly configuration.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
1u and 4u are rackmount terms. they refer to the size of a rack. 1U takes up 1 rackspace, 2U uses 2 and so on. a 1U PSU has different dimentions than a Flex atx PSU. they are similer but not interchangeable

There are 3 or 4 standards of Flex ATX power supplies, The one concerning this case is "TFX". Most Flex ATX and micro ATX machines use a standard called "SFX". I can't remember what the other two standards are at the moment, but each designation denotes specific measurement limits.

[Captain Slug]

I'm doing really well in school so this year my parents are being generous with my birthday (that and I'm turning 20!)...

So the eventual specs of this rig will be...

Duron 1.2ghz
128MB PC100 RAM
KT133 flex ATX mobo
GF4 MX420 64MB w/ TV-Out
12GB UDMA HDD
800mb mp3-only hard drive
24x Slim CD-ROM
12" UV Cold Cathode
135w TFX PSU
Rounded Cables (White or Glow in the dark, I want white so I can paint them with UV-Red paint)

Total Weight: 9 pounds


I can't wait... :D

P.S. My Birfday is September 16th

P.S.S. I eventually want to get a scan convertor, which would allow me to tote this computer to any location to play games or MP3s. But Since Christmas is around the corner I may just ask for an 14" LCD screen kit.

[Tbird man]

I am thinking of waiting untill shuttle comes out with a flexatx mobo with AGP and athlon support to upgrade. I also think i'll buy a shorter psu and try to fit two psus in there

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
I also think i'll buy a shorter psu and try to fit two psus in there

Shorter???
If the Shuttle board is Mini-ITX you may be able to fit two PSUs inside the case by hacking off 2 of the PCI supports. That amount of space could also fit a 300W 1U Power supply.

[Tbird man]

or 2 300w 1U psus:D

[Tbird man]

and no the shuttle board is not mini itx it is bigger than that. it is a small flex atx size.

[Captain Slug]

UPDATE!!!

My birthday is just around the corner and I've figured out that the cost of a small enough Socket A motherboard + a Duron + a low profile video card equals the cost of the upgrade I want for my main machine...

SO, the motherboard I'm currently using (which I thought was too big) will go in this case since it's a very annoying nForce 220D with integrated graphics and LAN.

It will be powered by the 1U 300w PSU I've had as a backup for wuite some time and mounting it will involve blocking off two PCI slots that aren't needed (since it has integrated graphics anyways).

So, main rig specs will end up being...

XP 1900+ AGOGA @ 2ghz
256MB PC2700 DDR RAM
Abit Geforce 4 Ti4200 64mb
20GB UDMA66 HDD
Creative PCI512
4.1 Surround Sound

And secondary Mini LAN rig will be...

XP 1600+
256mb PC2100 DDR RAM
IGP Geforce 2 MX (32mb shared)
12GB UDMA laptop HDD
800mb MP3 HDD
24x Slim CD-ROM
Cmedia 8738 2 channel sound through integrated case speaker or headphones


Weeeeeeeeeee!

[Starfoxer]

damn cool! i'd get some more memory sense sense the
graphics is gonna be shared.


DAMN SLUG! 2ghz?? what kinda cooling?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Starfoxer
damn cool! i'd get some more memory sense sense the
graphics is gonna be shared.


DAMN SLUG! 2ghz?? what kinda cooling?

The AGOGA stepping indicates that this is an Unlocked and UNDERCLOCKED 2100+

So it runs a little cooler than usual and overclocks to 1.9ghz without batting an eyelash. 2Ghz should be a piece of cake.

I tested the overclock on my brothers computer, but alas MY motherboard is a cursed A7N266-VM which has all of the overclocking features disabled :mad:

So, I'm asking for an MSI KT3 Ultra for my B-Day :)

[Captain Slug]

WHOOPEEE!!!!!

The last LAN rig project of mine left me with a gutted 300w PSU that I ahd completely forgot about. Tomorrow I'll start cutting a lexan backplate for it and it will fit as indicated in the pic. It's resting on the MOSFET heatsinks and will overhang the motherboard a little bit.

BUT IT'S SO LIGHT!!! The total weight of my LAN rig is DOWN 1 and a half pounds! W00t!!!!! :clap:

[Tactics]

If I buy a micro ATX motherboard 244x220 mm will I have room for a 300 watt 1U PSU if I don't use a cdrom?

Tac

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tactics
If I buy a micro ATX motherboard 244x220 mm will I have room for a 300 watt 1U PSU if I don't use a cdrom?

Tac

Yeah, if you modify the hard drive bracket a little bit a 1U Power supply could fit vertically... But the power plug connector wouldn't be in the rear of the case unless you found an extension.

Plus it would be recirculating warm out from the inside of the PSU to the indside of the case.

To mount it horizontally you'd probably need to use a 1U CPU Heatsink fan unti, which will be alot noisier.

So far the best option is to buy a TFX Power supply
OR gut a 300w and make a custom power extension like what i'm attempting to do.

[Captain Slug]

WHOOPEEEEE!!!

Inspiration has screwed up my sleping cycle yet again!
I've figured out what I'm going to do with the "back-up" case that I painted just because I could.

This is going to take a multi-part explanation...

1. My brother is coming home this Christmas and I had (until now) no idea what I was going to get him.

2. I have alot of older hardware that I don't want to let go of and it's just not fast enough to run windows.

3. For no particular reason I've been reinstalling some of my REALLY old Dos games on my mom's computer. Just out of boredom and curiosity. All of them are just as fun as I remember and a couple of them are more entertaining than alot of the new games I've tried.

4. I have an IDE Zip drive that nobody is using and after painting it chrome I wanted to do something cool with it.



SO, what I'm about to attempt is a cartridge based gaming console. I'll load DOS on to a couple Zip disk and load as many DOS games wil fit on each. They'll be labelled to show what commands to type.

The meager system stats will be

Celeron 300
92mb PC100 RAM
Integrated 16mb Video
Zip 100 drive (only boot device)
90w PSU

The zip drive only have a 5mbps transfer rate, but seeing as most of these DOS games are under 10mb that's not much of a problem.
One thing I do want to try is to setup a DOS game menu so I could just choose which game to play rather than having to type in a command.

Anyone have any pointers on how to do that?

[jadams]

DOS 6.22 should easily fit on part of one zip disk. It only took 3 floppies (1.44 x 3 = 4.32MB)

I remember an old DOS prog called Automenu, I did a search, and found this list of menu progs: http://www.simtel.iif.hu/pub/msdos/menu/ If that doesn't help just do a search in yahoo for DOS automenu.

You can put the name of the menu prog in your autoexec.bat file and it would come up automatically.

What I use to do was set up batch files for each program, so that when I booted up I just had to type the name of the game (also batch files name) and it would do all the dos commands to open the game. If you need any help with DOS let me know. :)

Hope this helps. :)
Jeff.

[Penguin4x4]

So you put it onto ZIP disks, turn it on, it boots to DOS, you type in the filename of the game you want to play, and it runs the game? Hmm, would this run on CD-ROM's and/or DVD-ROM's as well?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
So you put it onto ZIP disks, turn it on, it boots to DOS, you type in the filename of the game you want to play, and it runs the game? Hmm, would this run on CD-ROM's and/or DVD-ROM's as well?

It works as long as you specify the drive as a boot device BEFORE the hard drive (IDE-0).
I've made bootable CDs, which are ALOT faster than floppy boot disk (power on to prompt only takes 15 seconds).

[Captain Slug]

Thanks!
I'd only got the autoexec route if I put one game per disk, but these Menu programs will help a bunch. I might try the graphical one.

This is going to be fun! :D

Originally posted by jadams
DOS 6.22 should easily fit on part of one zip disk. It only took 3 floppies (1.44 x 3 = 4.32MB)

I remember an old DOS prog called Automenu, I did a search, and found this list of menu progs: http://www.simtel.iif.hu/pub/msdos/menu/ If that doesn't help just do a search in yahoo for DOS automenu.

You can put the name of the menu prog in your autoexec.bat file and it would come up automatically.

What I use to do was set up batch files for each program, so that when I booted up I just had to type the name of the game (also batch files name) and it would do all the dos commands to open the game. If you need any help with DOS let me know. :)

Hope this helps. :)
Jeff.

[Penguin4x4]

Which one though?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
Which one though?

If you're referring to my reply on boot order...

I plan on connecting the ZIP drive to the primary IDE channel as Master. Therefore it will simply replace the hard drive.
To set a CD-ROM drive as the first boot device you simply select CD-ROM, or IDE-2 (which means secondary Master if I remember correctly)

If you're referring to which DOS menu program I chose...

I need to test them all but FoxMenu sounds like the easiest option.

[Penguin4x4]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


If you're referring to which DOS menu program I chose...

I need to test them all but FoxMenu sounds like the easiest option.

OK, thats what I thought. I have and Idea, mod a SNES, so he can say that his SNES would whoop any XBOX, ROFLMAO!

[Captain Slug]

Well, I've been entirely unsuccesful at finding my old copy of DOS so I need to scrounge around for one.
A Boot disk does not contain enough DOS drivers for DOS games to run.

[Tactics]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


Yeah, if you modify the hard drive bracket a little bit a 1U Power supply could fit vertically... But the power plug connector wouldn't be in the rear of the case unless you found an extension.

Plus it would be recirculating warm out from the inside of the PSU to the indside of the case.

To mount it horizontally you'd probably need to use a 1U CPU Heatsink fan unti, which will be alot noisier.

So far the best option is to buy a TFX Power supply
OR gut a 300w and make a custom power extension like what i'm attempting to do.

Yeah, I have a very nice 1U copper HSF eyed for this project.

I was just taking a look at inside of my netvista and was wondering If the speaker was removed couldn't a 1U PSU be mounted to hover over extra pci slots, and blow hot air out. If the clearance was correct i'd suspect that you could have a standard CDROM and stuff along with a 300watt 1U psu.

Tac

[Tbird man]

i need to get order a proc for this thing. i probibly won't have any o/cing options on this mobo as it is from a gateway so what would i suggest for a general purpose computer?

[madcow235]

AW why did you have to paint over the invader zim icon :(

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tactics


Yeah, I have a very nice 1U copper HSF eyed for this project.

I was just taking a look at inside of my netvista and was wondering If the speaker was removed couldn't a 1U PSU be mounted to hover over extra pci slots, and blow hot air out. If the clearance was correct i'd suspect that you could have a standard CDROM and stuff along with a 300watt 1U psu.

Tac

I've already looked into that and it would require hacking a substancial amount of metal from the rear of the case. The spot above the CPU would be easier since it hat that inset area on the back of the case.

I'm still going with my naked standard 300w PSU method...


Oh, yeah! I managed to wire that speaker to a regular 3.5mm jack so I can plug it into the sound card. It was a piece of cake!

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
i need to get order a proc for this thing. i probibly won't have any o/cing options on this mobo as it is from a gateway so what would i suggest for a general purpose computer?

Celeron 533 is the LOWEST I can stand to install (windows) without tearing my hair out...
A 533 can handle anything other than newer games and is a piece of cake to cool.

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by madcow235
AW why did you have to paint over the invader zim icon :(

Sigh, I was too hasty in applying that. It was an automotive decal so it's stick once or remove. I might go back to Hot Topic and get another one when I'm ready to finish off the project.

[Tbird man]

heres my idea for a duct that utlises the holes above the ports as intake

[Tactics]

I have the money, now I am trying to decide what I want to buy. I think P3 1G but what mobo & PSU. Suggestions plz

[knif_00]

It's SODA, not POP :D

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
heres my idea for a duct that utlises the holes above the ports as intake

I thought about that but slot exhaust blowers just don't output enough to give effective cooling. If I cut an intake into the side of the case an AX-7 will fit snuggly.

[Xtasy672]

pop is from michigan, we are the only place in the world that calls it that, everyone calls it soda, thens theres soda-pop, now i wont even get into that

[Captain Slug]

Ahhhhhh!!!! The anticipation is KILLING ME!!!!

I get to have my brithday early this year since alot of people will be out-of-town on the actual date. So progress is an eventuality at this point.
After severe modification of a 300w PSU and the subsequent upgrade of my main system, I'm only a few weeks away from completing this project.

My mini LAN rig will also be lit by a UV Cold Cathode and I'll be able to fit a laptop Hard drive, Floppy, CD-ROM, and eventually a VFD in the front bezel.

I can't wait... :D

[packratbob]

i just got this case for 50 australia new. it comes with a 200watt atx seems to be enuf for my duron but i dont know how it'll cope with and xp. it only fits micro atx boards though so i just chucked in a msi all in one board not very good for gaming but its handy to have around leeching software and games.

[packratbob]

this is the internals

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by packratbob
this is the internals


Ooooooooh! Do you have any idea if there are any US suppliers? I just want the PSU.

Edit: Nevermind, I found one (http://www.directron.com/v30.html)

[Captain Slug]

If my A7N266-VM doesn't fit this case I may jut buy this one and paint it since it will fit all Micro-ATX boards without heavy modification AND it includes a 165w Power Supply. :D
http://store1.yimg.com/I/directron_1698_1399521 (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=7396)

I am SO getting this case. It will save me alot of hassle and I won't have to use a ghetto-whack Power source.

[drewthomas14]

you can buy that case off of ebay for really cheap

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by drewthomas14
you can buy that case off of ebay for really cheap

DUH!
That's what I did with my current case which this whole thread is about. It's the tinyest case I've put hands on and I'm trying to making it work... But the darn thing is soooo cramped!

Finding TFX Power supplies has proven to be a real challenge and the case shown above would simply be an easy-out. But I'm too far along at this point to quit.

All I need now is a CPU, cooling solution, and power source.

[Lt. Max]

have u considered water for cooling? since its so cramped.. could work well :) like with a tight rad or just bent copper or something

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Lt. Max
have u considered water for cooling? since its so cramped.. could work well :) like with a tight rad or just bent copper or something

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Whoo, you really don't understand how tightly spaced everything will be in this case do you?

In order to fit the gutted 300w PSU inside I would probably need to cut a large portion off one of the MOSFET heatsinks so that it can hang over the motherboard a little. There is next to NOTHING left space-wise once I get all the parts inside and from here-on it it's only going to get tighter.

Besides, the res would be so miniscule and water would double the working weight of this extremely light machine.

[packratbob]

anyone know of a good micro atx board with an agp slot on it or a decent onboard vid card i got a msi with trident but its **** with games even at low res. the 200watt psu seems to do fine powering my xp but the vid card reallly lets down the whole system. its only good for leeching software at the moment PM if u got any good boards in mind

[Lt. Max]

Originally posted by Captain Slug


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Whoo, you really don't understand how tightly spaced everything will be in this case do you?

In order to fit the gutted 300w PSU inside I would probably need to cut a large portion off one of the MOSFET heatsinks so that it can hang over the motherboard a little. There is next to NOTHING left space-wise once I get all the parts inside and from here-on it it's only going to get tighter.

Besides, the res would be so miniscule and water would double the working weight of this extremely light machine.

i kinda pondered that for a few sec but i decided to spit it out anyway :) good luck

max

[Captain Slug]

Despite earlier concerns it seems as though my A7N266-VM fits into this case nicely. All I need to hack now is an unwanted support that's misplaced.

I can either

a) go with this case and upgrade to a different TFX PSU
b) go with this case and further modify the regular 300w PSU I have
c) wimp out and spend $75 on a similarly sized case that includes a PSU and is roomy enough to provide good cooling yet meets all of my needs


Decisions decisions...

[Tbird man]

go for the current case and get a shuttle fv25 mobo and use a bigger PSU

[Pcmod]

ok

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
go for the current case and get a shuttle fv25 mobo and use a bigger PSU

Well, this will be a gaming rig and I already have a lovely All-in-one nForce board with onboard Geforce2. It's smaller than I thought and will fit. I just need to use a beefier Power supply (135 watts might work but could prove uncomfortable).

[Tbird man]

i see. the mobo i got might be shot (hey for 20 bucks not a bad deal) so i might be interested. what company makes that mobo?

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Tbird man
i see. the mobo i got might be shot (hey for 20 bucks not a bad deal) so i might be interested. what company makes that mobo?

You have two manufacturer options for pretty much the exact same board.

Asus A7N266-VM (includes usb and SPDIF/optical risers, NO overclocking, has much better northbridge passive cooling)
or
Abit NV7m (doesn't have risers, supposedly overclocks)

Average price = $75

Socket A + PC2100 DDR support + Geforce 2 IGP + Onboard LAN (as fas as the PCI cards I've tried) + MCP-D 5.1 digital audio chipset (only works in WinXP and 2000. Neither of which I use)

[Captain Slug]

Okay, I've broken down and ordered the new case. I was going to paint it chrome... But black is much more forgiving of finger prints (and painting a slim CD-ROM face is soooooooooo scary).

I was just too squeemish to further hack away at the 300w PSU I was trying to squeeze into the Netvista case, and buying a TFX 135w PSU and the bracket I need to mount the slim CD-ROM would cost more than ordering the newer case.

It should be easier to put a large window in.
It should be lighter
It already has a holder for my slim CD-ROM
And it's garaunteed to fit my motherboard without me having to undergo further dremel surgery.


Fewer headaches and I should be finished sooner. The Netvista cases I have will be used for a system I'm building for my brother (christmas present) and an MP3 server/stereo for the basement.

FINALLY I'm near completion and I'm getting soo antsy about finally having the computer I've been waiting 8 months to have in my mits.
YIPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

[Eclypsyr]

damn, that is smaller than I thought....jeez...nice LAN rig tho :D

[Captain Slug]

Doh!

I couldn't get my slim keyboard apart to paint it chrome and the chrome paint I have gets melted by clear coat. So I have been unable to paint my keyboard and mouse to match the case.

That, coupled with limited funding options has led me to purchase the Enlight Slim Micro-ATX case that I've been eying for two months. It's already clad in balck plastic and should provide for better cooling options. I'll let everyon know what I do to it in the coming weeks. But for now I just need to work on recovering from ever is ailing me and earn some much needed cash.

Originally posted by Captain Slug
I can either

a) go with this case and upgrade to a different TFX PSU
b) go with this case and further modify the regular 300w PSU I have
c) wimp out and spend $75 on a similarly sized case that includes a PSU and is roomy enough to provide good cooling yet meets all of my needs
I chose option C because I'm out of time and energy and siimply want this project to be finished. I'm holding a LAN party in November and I really don't have time to wait for a special Power Supply to be freight shipped all the way from China.