Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: crashwg on October 14, 2004, 10:47:11 pm
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Wondering where I could find such a thing. I'm considering throwing together a PC, nothing too special, with wireless controlers and keyboard for emulation on my TV.
Main concern is the shape and size of a case to start off with.
I need something that has the exact same footprint as a standard reciever/cd/dvd/whatever. Black would be good too. Only need one bay for a optical drive and one for a HD. Pretty simple list of demands if you ask me...
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http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=1507
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Can't find any size information on those cases except for the ones that say they're for home theatre...
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There's no real "exact footprint" for A/V gear, it varies from equipment and manufacturer. I've got multiple components in my system and not one of them has the same footprint.
Anyway, check out Rack Mount Computer cases. Standard rack mount devices and cases are 19 inches, which is only slightly wider than most A/V gear. If you find a rack mount case or server case that has removable mounting brackets, that should take you down to the 17 inch mark and would fit nicely into any A/V equipment stack.
D
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http://www.pcalchemy.com/index.php/cPath/23?osCsid=ce2793609d038543ca08c4b3f27ff119
http://www.byopvr.com/
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Cubid makes cases the are about the you are talking about. Flex ATX and Mini-itx are the type of motherboards you would most likley want to use. Slimline and 40 pin laptop drives would be good size drives to use also.
http://www.mini-itx.com/store/
Has good selection although a little pricey, I normally find the part I want there and then actually buy it on pricewatch.com or froogle.com. LOL making small PCs is kinda of a hobby of mine...
-FTen
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a mini-itx solution would be a good option... depending on the amount of horsepower you need....
(thanks to the people who linked to my site btw, appreciate it!)
here's a deeper link on byopvr where i review a slim mini-itx case travla c137 from casetronic (http://www.byopvr.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-3.html)
need a slimline optical drive though (notebook style).
FWIW, if i'm not mistaken... planetjay might be selling his m10k setup soon on ebay... he modded a mini-itx motherboard into a satellite receiver case (http://planetjay.com/content/view/28/27/) (unless he ended up using that IBM provista case I forget)
*shrug*
rampy
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Yes... I probably am going to put that on eBay soon.
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If you're into modding...
Find an older single CD or DVD player that fits your size requirements at a pawn/thrift shop. It already has the drive bay, all you'd really need to do is fit the rest of the PC in there. It seems like you should easily be able to fit even a regular ATX mobo in there, you'd just have to get some horizontal PCI risers and a low profile power supply.
It works beautifully in my head :)
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http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0165387 (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0165387)
$130 with power supply. Black & Silver. That's what I'd buy.
17.0" x 19.25" x 5.25" (432mm x 489mm x 133mm)
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Hey, thanks for posting that Crazy Cooter. I saw that last night and was planning on adding it to my list of posibilities but I accidentally closed the page it was on and couldn't remember the name of it.
Believe it or not I was thinking about painting the beutiful case but to make myself sound less crazy I was just thinking the front... Black to match my stereo.
Yea that case is at the top of my list so far.
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OMFG I just realized how deep that case is... 19.25"!
I'll have to cut the hardboard off the back of my entertainment center to fit that puppy in! Makes me wonder what the depth of all the rest of the cases I've been looking at are. :-\ I guess I'm gonna go check now.
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If you're into modding...
Find an older single CD or DVD player that fits your size requirements at a pawn/thrift shop. It already has the drive bay, all you'd really need to do is fit the rest of the PC in there. It seems like you should easily be able to fit even a regular ATX mobo in there, you'd just have to get some horizontal PCI risers and a low profile power supply.
It works beautifully in my head :)
Bling.. THAT is the best solution.. not only will it look nice, itll blend in well and people wont know its a PC..
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hey crash, if your still looking for options, I went ahead and measured a Compaq Deskpro EN case pc I have. Dimensions are : 12 1/2" W x 14 1/2" D x 4" H. Its great little case, its the usual ugly tan color, but some krylon fusion paint will make it any color you wish(im not selling this pc/case, just informing you of size for a alternative in your hunt). I have seen these cases and pc's on ebay, computer surplus joints, etc etc. Shouldnt be too expensive I'd think. YMMV. Game On.
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I've got one of these that I'm looking to off:
Cooler Master ATC-600-GX1
http://www.colorcase.be/grafiek/cases/atc600gx1.jpg (http://www.colorcase.be/grafiek/cases/atc600gx1.jpg)
I originally paid over $150 for it w/o power supply. I'd be willing to let it go for $100 shipped and I'll throw in a 400w power supply unused that came with a recent tower I purchased.
It's got some wear on it but now much.
As far as component size, it's standard stereo component size. The issue with it, at least in my case, is that it's fairly long. My entertainment center has one of those stupid pieces of cardboard on the back and the wife wasn't real keen on the idea of me cutting a hole in it to get it to fit.
It's nice because it looks a lot like a amp unit that you'd see for a stereo system.
I'd be happy to measure and take pics if you're interested.
Ultimately, I went with a case, when sitting next to the entertainment center, looks like a subwoofer thanks to the door on the front that has mesh running down the middle of it so that I can put my IR/RF receivers inside the door for my cordless controller and keyboard.