New PC in retro enclosure

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 15:17

I have to build a new PC, I was looking for new enclosures around and found some really nice ones... but I was thinking that it would be nice to build the rig inside an old PC/Console/whatever to give it a retro charm.

I was thinking to get a G5 or G4 enclosure, or maybe an amiga 1000. Any other idea? I would like to avoid the old IBM beige box of course

Broadmonkey · 10 Dec 2013, 15:25

Have you decided on hardware yet?

nathanscribe · 10 Dec 2013, 15:27

BBC.

Or maybe a black rack with a big red light on it and nothing else. With 80s stripes on it. And a keyboard on a coily cable.

Kind of like this, really:

Halvar · 10 Dec 2013, 15:28

matt3o wrote:I would like to avoid the old IBM beige box of course

Why? The original IBM PC box looks very nice to me and is some kind of icon. And that big red switch ... And you can use a model F with it that fits...

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 15:30

Broadmonkey wrote:Have you decided on hardware yet?

no, not really. but I can go both micro-atx or mini-itx. haswell based probably. as much ram as possible (16gb prolly). no cd/dvd. SSD+HDD (3.5 or 2.5, based on real estate). probably the problem is to fit the GPU...

nathanscribe wrote:BBC. Or maybe a black rack with a big red light on it and nothing else. With 80s stripes on it. And a keyboard on a coily cable.

problem with thin cases is the GPU... wondering if you can get a pci-x extension...

Halvar wrote:
matt3o wrote:I would like to avoid the old IBM beige box of course
Why? The original IBM PC box looks very nice to me. And than big red switch ....

well it's a bit boring

let me check some pictures around. maybe my memory tricks me.

Halvar · 10 Dec 2013, 15:34

matt3o wrote: well it's a bit boring let me check some pictures around. maybe my memory tricks me.

OK, that's matter of of taste. In any case, it's huge -- I don't know if I would want that kind of size.

Kurk · 10 Dec 2013, 15:35

I've built an mini-ITX server inside an old VHS video recorder.

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 15:38

Halvar wrote:
matt3o wrote: well it's a bit boring let me check some pictures around. maybe my memory tricks me.
OK, that's matter of of taste. In any case, it's huge -- I don't know if I would want that kind of size.

well, size is definitely an issue. the smaller the better.

cookie · 10 Dec 2013, 15:52

Lets see how this will turn out

I am currently building a new PC as well and had the same idea to give the case a vintage touch but I will not go that far to build it inside an old IBM or Amiga case. But it's a nice Idea!

I am curious how this will turn out!

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 15:55

cookie wrote:Lets see how this will turn out
I am currently building a new PC as well and had the same idea to give the case a vintage touch but I will not go that far to build it inside an old IBM or Amiga case. But it's a nice Idea!

what's in your mind?

cookie · 10 Dec 2013, 16:01

I am going for a modern case, a cooltec U3 but will repaint it in a verry light gray color.
My goal is to build a PC which is small, silent and powerfull. I am verry fond of how they organized the internals in the U3!

This is the plain case without color

I will maybe get rid of the IO on the front, lets see... first I need to sell some stuff and buy components

It is kinda retrofuturistic

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 18:37

I like that case! very minimalist, it looks like a lian-li actually.

Anyway absolute silence is at the top of my priorities. My last PC had a GTX660 with modded aircooler which is basically mute.

edit: I had a better look at the inside. I can't say airflow is optimal, but it's a nice little case nonetheless.

Findecanor · 10 Dec 2013, 18:54

For a small computer (Mini-ITX motherboard, Mac Mini, EeeBox etc.), I have been thinking of a Sun SPARCstation IPX or a custom-built case built to look like a smaller Amiga 3000.

Or go even more retro: HAL 9000. Brushed aluminium or oak veneer painted black.

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 19:01

Findecanor wrote:For a small computer (Mini-ITX motherboard, Mac Mini, EeeBox etc.), I have been thinking of a Sun SPARCstation IPX

http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/sparc/

Findecanor wrote:Or go even more retro: HAL 9000. Brushed aluminium or oak veneer painted black.

hmmmmmm HAL 9000 you say....

I'm officially intrigued...

kint · 10 Dec 2013, 20:06

I once transplanted my HTPC into the Highscreen 286 Desktop case of a family member. CD drive behind customized plate of the 5 1/4 floppy drive. I used to play some Boulder dash knockoff on that 16 MHz Machine...Good memories.

Its keyboard, a Highscreen Fokus 2002 haunts me 'till today.

cookie · 10 Dec 2013, 21:12

matt3o wrote:I like that case! very minimalist, it looks like a lian-li actually.

Anyway absolute silence is at the top of my priorities. My last PC had a GTX660 with modded aircooler which is basically mute.

edit: I had a better look at the inside. I can't say airflow is optimal, but it's a nice little case nonetheless.

I will post results here definately

The airflow is pretty neat for my project, the power supply is sucking out hot air, the CPU cooler (Corsair H60) is sucking out the Air to the back, GPU also! Fresh Air comes in through a 120 or 140 mm cooler at the Front. If you have any suggestions I am happy to hear them

Broadmonkey · 10 Dec 2013, 21:26

matt3o wrote:
Broadmonkey wrote:Have you decided on hardware yet?
no, not really. but I can go both micro-atx or mini-itx. haswell based probably. as much ram as possible (16gb prolly). no cd/dvd. SSD+HDD (3.5 or 2.5, based on real estate). probably the problem is to fit the GPU...

I have have been wanting to build something like that for over a year now, but don't really have the funds. optical drive is just redundant and if ever needed, can just be connected with the side taken off when needed.
But IMO this is one of the best solutions to a compact PC. Tilt it to the sides and it can stand on your desk and not take up much space!

Cooling is of course of its weak point, but placing the GFX like that, enables you to install it in a larger selection of older enclosures, especially in those differentiation from the ATX standard, and having a much narrower design.

7bit · 10 Dec 2013, 21:29

matt3o wrote:I have to build a new PC, I was looking for new enclosures around and found some really nice ones... but I was thinking that it would be nice to build the rig inside an old PC/Console/whatever to give it a retro charm.

I was thinking to get a G5 or G4 enclosure, or maybe an amiga 1000. Any other idea? I would like to avoid the old IBM beige box of course

Defect Indy workstation!

If you need more space: Indigo or O2.

cookie · 10 Dec 2013, 23:01

Broadmonkey wrote:
matt3o wrote:
Broadmonkey wrote:Have you decided on hardware yet?
no, not really. but I can go both micro-atx or mini-itx. haswell based probably. as much ram as possible (16gb prolly). no cd/dvd. SSD+HDD (3.5 or 2.5, based on real estate). probably the problem is to fit the GPU...

I have have been wanting to build something like that for over a year now, but don't really have the funds. optical drive is just redundant and if ever needed, can just be connected with the side taken off when needed.
But IMO this is one of the best solutions to a compact PC. Tilt it to the sides and it can stand on your desk and not take up much space!
Spoiler:
Cooling is of course of its weak point, but placing the GFX like that, enables you to install it in a larger selection of older enclosures, especially in those differentiation from the ATX standard, and having a much narrower design.

Man this one looks really nice!
Could you make some pictures of the closed case front side please? Thanks!

Broadmonkey · 10 Dec 2013, 23:32

Like this?

Just google Steam Machine to find more pics of it.
It's Valves new box of hardware, which they will sell with their new Steam OS. It's minded as a living room PC that will run their own operation system, so it's easier to navigate with the controller. Basically you could use any PC.
But I think they have done their homework with it since it uses stock components arranged in a clever way, and it's even in a very good looking box.

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 23:34

I really need to find one of those pci-x raisers...

Broadmonkey · 10 Dec 2013, 23:41

Yeah, I'll definitely include a raiser in my next build to take advantage of the more slimline profile like the Steam Machine!

matt3o · 10 Dec 2013, 23:44

only problem is that you can't fit a more robust GPU cooler (stock one is too noisy for my taste)

Jmneuv · 10 Dec 2013, 23:52

I have a G5 sitting in the corner.. but shipping to italy would probably be in the millions?
For the Gigabyte GTX660 you can flash a modded bios with lower idle fanspeeds.. what kind of mod did you do there?

Vierax · 10 Dec 2013, 23:55

Bad airflow and overpriced case just force me to stay with a standard vertical design by Fractal for my ×86 gaming computer (that the price to pay to have a fanless graphic card). However, the headless homeserver is a cubieboard (ARM dev board) in an old ATX PSU case

Maybe a 4U server rack… well, I'm not inspired.

matt3o · 11 Dec 2013, 00:01

Jmneuv wrote:I have a G5 sitting in the corner.. but shipping to italy would probably be in the millions?

yeah probably

thanks btw

Jmneuv wrote:For the Gigabyte GTX660 you can flash a modded bios with lower idle fanspeeds.. what kind of mod did you do there?

it's quite a sculpture

I removed the stock cooler and fans and placed a bigger one with very low speed 120mm fan.

Vierax wrote:(that the price to pay to have a fanless graphic card)

what fanless GPU?!

Vierax · 11 Dec 2013, 00:26

matt3o wrote:
Vierax wrote:(that the price to pay to have a fanless graphic card)
what fanless GPU?!

As I made the mistake to have an ATI internal chip for gaming in Linux (big issue with FTL) I had to buy an humble Gigabyte GeForce GT 610 : it's enough for what I have to run since there is only a few GPU-hungry games running on this OS. I don't use Steam nor Wine, the majority of my games are in 2D and maximum at a 720p resolution with lowest graphical settings

scottc · 11 Dec 2013, 01:59

I've always wanted to build a mega-PC in a retired Mac Pro G5 case... those cases are beastly!

Findecanor · 11 Dec 2013, 05:54

Just these past few days I have been tempted to bid on a defect Mac II SI just for doing a case mod...

7bit wrote:Defect Indy workstation!

If you need more space: Indigo or O2.

The Indy is too ugly for my taste. I am also not sure that the interior of an SGI would be not interesting enough in itself for it to be torn out and discarded.
There is something very special with the SGI machines in general. I always get very giddy when I see one. For years during the '90s .. when they were cool .., every encounter I had with an SGI machine was a near-religious experience.. Back when Computer Graphics was something magic.

matt3o · 11 Dec 2013, 09:05

the Mac II SI is indeed very nice, maybe a bit small to fit a GPU but the riser card gave me some interesting ideas.