I am interested in building a computer . . . . . but an odd one.
I've built 3 standard comps, but this is different
I want to take a suitcase. the kind where your can wheel it around. And make it a computer. Ideally, It would be 100% self-contained, meaning little monitor, keyboard and trackball built it.
The purpose is to have a mass storage device (120gb) with redundancy, so If one drive fails the other(s) can have saved valualble data.
The application: Compact Flash photography. My mother is a pro photographer who is going digital. the 1gb Lexar cards are ~800 dollers. We have 9. Still, thats not enough to shoot a wedding. Or event, etc. We have tried laptop, but getting the cables set up etc. is a pain in the ass and its not very mobile. And It doesn't store 'that' many pictures. We get 4+ megs/shot (Canon EOS-1D, RAW mode) so, the 20GB laptob drive is probably fine, but there is the fear that one would max it and be screwed.
So. Ideal specs.
Proc: between 1ghz and 2 ghz, preferably not to heat intensive. maybe Intel pentium III? how are the heatsinks on those, can they take mild shocks without falling off?
MoBo: basic 2 IDE channels. Onboard video. small is good. Onboard network.
HardDrives: 120GB, 2 or 3. Im thinking the WesternDigital 'specials.' I've heard nothing about them but good.
We want one CD drive. maybe burner. Just to install software.
Monitor: where can I find a small LCD, like 6-8 inches across(not diagonal) that goes into compute monitor plugs? didn't see one on newegg.
keyboard: small keyboards that are ps2/USB can be found _________. (fill in blank)
trackball shouldn't be a problem.
RAM: SDRAM, 512 or 1gb. The bottleneck isn't going to be the RAM - its going to be the CF card connection.
CF card readers. one or two slots. *thought strikes* do the make IDE CF readers? *thought unstrikes* If not we will need firewire or USB 2.0. Which means we may need a PCI controller for whatever we go with.
I'm shooting for a suitcase where you wheel in around, set it down, plug in one cord (to a surgeprotector, built inside) open the top, turn on, grab your data of CF cards, turn off, close, unplug, wheel around.
Cooling may be a problem, But I have no problem putting 900 fans in there, so it can be dealt with.
Thoughts, hints, helpful websites? Thanks to you all.
Frish
I've built 3 standard comps, but this is different
I want to take a suitcase. the kind where your can wheel it around. And make it a computer. Ideally, It would be 100% self-contained, meaning little monitor, keyboard and trackball built it.
The purpose is to have a mass storage device (120gb) with redundancy, so If one drive fails the other(s) can have saved valualble data.
The application: Compact Flash photography. My mother is a pro photographer who is going digital. the 1gb Lexar cards are ~800 dollers. We have 9. Still, thats not enough to shoot a wedding. Or event, etc. We have tried laptop, but getting the cables set up etc. is a pain in the ass and its not very mobile. And It doesn't store 'that' many pictures. We get 4+ megs/shot (Canon EOS-1D, RAW mode) so, the 20GB laptob drive is probably fine, but there is the fear that one would max it and be screwed.
So. Ideal specs.
Proc: between 1ghz and 2 ghz, preferably not to heat intensive. maybe Intel pentium III? how are the heatsinks on those, can they take mild shocks without falling off?
MoBo: basic 2 IDE channels. Onboard video. small is good. Onboard network.
HardDrives: 120GB, 2 or 3. Im thinking the WesternDigital 'specials.' I've heard nothing about them but good.
We want one CD drive. maybe burner. Just to install software.
Monitor: where can I find a small LCD, like 6-8 inches across(not diagonal) that goes into compute monitor plugs? didn't see one on newegg.
keyboard: small keyboards that are ps2/USB can be found _________. (fill in blank)
trackball shouldn't be a problem.
RAM: SDRAM, 512 or 1gb. The bottleneck isn't going to be the RAM - its going to be the CF card connection.
CF card readers. one or two slots. *thought strikes* do the make IDE CF readers? *thought unstrikes* If not we will need firewire or USB 2.0. Which means we may need a PCI controller for whatever we go with.
I'm shooting for a suitcase where you wheel in around, set it down, plug in one cord (to a surgeprotector, built inside) open the top, turn on, grab your data of CF cards, turn off, close, unplug, wheel around.
Cooling may be a problem, But I have no problem putting 900 fans in there, so it can be dealt with.
Thoughts, hints, helpful websites? Thanks to you all.
Frish
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