Case or Decase, that is the question.

[majoly]

Got lot of room inside my frame.

I was considering on decasing my computer parts and add few fans on the back of my arcade.

Of course I dont what to do that if I end up with serious heating issues.

Personal experience on people that decased their computer and what they did to make sure heat is not an issue?

Thank alot. I love this place

[Automark]

decase, ur cab is a case

[Phreakwars]

decase. Heat will NEVER be an issue with a bigger enclosure that breathes .vs being boxed in.

[jtslade]

Case, as it makes it easy to remove and work on it or upgrade.. Easy to clean..

Yes it does not look as cool but it'd say spend more time on front end, functionality, use better controls, make it look great on the outside, CRT fine tuning.. Etc


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[Thenasty]

"Case or Decase" don't matter if you have the back cover of the cabinet removed (leaving the cab wide open from the back end).

My experience is that the back door was always off the cab. The back is facing the wall.

In your case, your set up might be different.

[yotsuya]

I like to decase personally, but leave cased if you're lazy. Decased looks nicer. This is from my Janky Kong build.

[Peabo]

yotsuya, I like your solution for video card stabilization, I'll have to steal that

[n3wt0n]

I perfer decased. Yotsuya's pic is the perfect example of why. It can be very clean when done right.

[yotsuya]

yotsuya, I like your solution for video card stabilization, I'll have to steal that

Yeah, that's the one that works best for me. Especially with that custom metal plate.

[yotsuya]

I also leave it cased if it's a project for someone else.

[majoly]

Thanks for all your feedbacks.

I like the "Your cab is a case" makes sense.

And love the metal plate, its clean. Ill try to make something like that once I solve I my problems .

Thank you

[paigeoliver]

Real arcade games that run on PC hardware keep the computer in the case (except for PC based Megatouch style games, which are designed to mount the motherboard caseless).

Of the many, many cabinets I have built I have only had one overheat, it was one of the few I decased.

[Brizzle]

My preferance is to decase.  It exposes more air to the parts, which means cooler, which means that it lasts longer.  Plus, I dropped 8 lbs of weight by decasing form the PC case.  AND, it's easier to blow the dust off of the components.  Dust is everywhere, and you'll have to take the computer out and open it up to clean the dust off. 

THAT SAID, definitely consider what Paige says, too.  He has a lot of experience.  If you're stressing, just hook that case up.  but why not try decasing?

Once you figure out how to secure everything your first time, it will be easy. 

[monkeybomb]

I've always deceased and I don't what I've gotten from it other than the space I needed.  If my next project allows for the computer to stay in the case, I'm leaving it.  As far as the look, I don't think it looks better necessarily but it looks more like what you would expect an old school arcade game to look like on the inside.  Honestly, it doesn't come up though.  When people ask how it has so many games, I say "there's a computer in there" and then we play.  No one asks, "can I see what a computer looks like?"

[AMDman13]

Case and watercool. Best of both worlds!

[jbl77]

I remember before watercooling was chique building a kit and always worrying about a leak.

At least I didn't do what one buddy did...used a Peltier element and mounted it upside down 

[ark_ader]

Case:

I never decase as I need the appropriate airflow in the PC to keep things inside cool and free of dust.  Using a PC case inside a monitor makes sense as you can route all the cables in a clutter-less way, so you don't accidentally ding any wires going to the power or controller(s), or electrocute yourself. Besides arcade cabs use the bottom up airflow (passive) to cool components.  That digdug main board doesn't generate the same heat output as your P4, or ATX PSU.  The above comments shows how stupid we have become when dealing with modern PC equipment. I would take it all with a pinch of salt. 

[yotsuya]

I've had my main MAME PC decased for 5 years now with no issue.

[jbl77]

Case:

I never decase as I need the appropriate airflow in the PC to keep things inside cool and free of dust.  Using a PC case inside a monitor makes sense as you can route all the cables in a clutter-less way, so you don't accidentally ding any wires going to the power or controller(s), or electrocute yourself. Besides arcade cabs use the bottom up airflow (passive) to cool components.  That digdug main board doesn't generate the same heat output as your P4, or ATX PSU.  The above comments shows how stupid we have become when dealing with modern PC equipment. I would take it all with a pinch of salt. 

I get what you are saying, but I would disagree.

The reason for a case is just that:  A case.  A means to hold things....in a closed in constricted environment.  Because those things (and cables) are jammed in there, air flow is naturally going to be restricted.  With that consideration, they are designed with the concept of negative pressure in mind, hence the reason for the need to keep a cased computer closed.  And with all those things in there...what happens to the dust that DOES get in your computer? I bet it clings and clumps.

Also remember, thermal tests for CPUs are done on an open air chassis (aka test bench chassis).

In an area as large as a the inside of a cabinet with the proper ventilation, it will be completely fine; you just gotta remove the heat.  That said, I would say to completely comes down to preference.

[vwalbridge]

There are de-cased computers everywhere...you just don't notice them.

ATMs, kiosks, information booths, etc.

Unless it's an Intel NUC, de-case the computer and use PCB feet to mount the motherboard. Easier than trying to mount an entire computer case inside you cab.

[jbl77]

There are de-cased computers everywhere...you just don't notice them.

ATMs, kiosks, information booths, etc.

Unless it's an Intel NUC, de-case the computer and use PCB feet to mount the motherboard. Easier than trying to mount an entire computer case inside you cab.

...because they are cased....in a non-traditional case....like a cab