Whats the SMALLEST ATX case you can get....to piggy back on another topic, computers in cars....

[KDOG]

I'd like to find the smallest case I can find that will still allow a regular AGP vid card to be installed and cd rom. I'd also like to find where I can get a touch LCD screen(like 10" or so) cheap. I'm looking to build a full fledged do-it-all machine for my minivan. I realize I'd have to get a DC to AC power converter, but they're not much. Suggestions?

 

[Windogg]

I have a neat micro-NLX case that is about 11" x 12" x 3". It has 2 PCI (No AGP). One of them can easily accomodate a V3 PCI. The CD-ROM is a 24x slim-notebook type. The mobo is a Slot 1 MSI 6309 w/ a 440BX chipset, integrated sound, NIC, and graphics (4MB AGP ATI Rage IIC Pro). There is one internal 3.5" bay which I put in a 20.5 WD Expert. Its so small that most people don't even notice it on my desk. There are front mounted USB and audio jacks. Email me if you want full details.

Windogg

 

[skull]

I dunno about having AGP or anything but you could buy and iopener internet applience and hack it. They have the little LCD screen and everything.

JR

 

[flood]

Make your own case... out of wood or plexiglass. You can take the metal bracket off the AGP card to make it even smaller. Evern better, you can get one of those motherboards with onboard video and sound. Just add a power supply to the case and its ready to go.
Thats what I did for my car mp3 player. Its got a TINY ATX power supply (90w). Be sure to ground your case/psu to the car's chassis if you use the inverter.
http://amp.mp3car.com

 

[beat mania]

I cutted mine out of abs plastic. yeah, abs plastic + drummel = stink

 

[ltk007]

Quake III on the road


Oh Lord, I can imagine how many car crashes that will cause.

Hey Kdog, your on Snip! They used to be my ISP, till I got cable. Great pings even with a 28.8 connection.

 

[DABANSHEE]

You need one of thos LPX or NLX desktop 'book' PC cases, that are not much big than a floppy drive layed out next to a CDROM drive. The expansion cards fit on a riser, so are parrallel to the motherboard.There's a website that specialises in selling NLX/LPX cases & motherboards, but I forgot its name/address. Most LPX & NLX motherboards have intergrated Video, Sound, plus some even have intergrated nics & modems, However they do sell some that have AGP slots on the riser card. They have a huge range at that website I can't remember the name of. LPX systems will useally have greater expansion potential than NLX cases, as they often have slots on both sides of the riser card, while with NLX systems, they only have 2 or 3 slots on just one side of the riser card. However NLX systems are much easier to work on & upgrade as the case LED & switch wires & IDE cables, plug into the back of the riser, which has a slot at the bottom, that a edge connector on the side of the motherboard slides into - so when upgradeing you can slide the old motherboard out & slide the new one in without removing anything, except perhaps the heatsink & RAM, actually some NLX cases are designed so you don't even need to open them to slide the main board in or out.

Heres an example of a good NLX case
http://enlightcorp.com/pc_cases/7800.shtml

Also the new FlexATX standard might do you
Heres the link for the Elan Vital (Asus) FlexATX case.
http://www.elanvital.com.tw/products/pccases/B-9F.htm

BTW, you'll probably get more informative responces if you posted this at the cases 'n cooling forum, & I suggest you check the 'Case 'n cooling fetish' forum at http://www.arstechnica.com.

 

[markjrubin]

hey kdog,

you're right, you're website does stink

 

[Mday]

of course you can make your own, or get a slim one. these are flat and use mobos with onboard components. i am not talking about flexatx here. you can only use one pci slot which has a right angle extender... which mounts the card in sideways. i saw one of these last week.

lcds are expensive by nature. touch is a couple hundred more.

 

[KDOG]

ItK007: Yeah, Im on Snip - but it stinks though. I can't get faster than 26,400....bleh...looking for another ISP

markjrubin: uhhh, yeah I know thats why I said it.....

 

[geno]

Hey, has anyone owned or gotten to use one of those EspressoPC's? Ars reviewed it some time ago:
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/2q00/espresso/espresso-1.html
It's a 4x6 PC. It has a fully upgradable PP/FCPGA "mobo" running on a Intel 810 chipset. Looked pretty sweet, runs for a good price though.