trying to build a tiny pc

[batjeep]

Im bored and want to build a small PC, i was gonna make it in one of those metal electritians cases at home depot for $15 but i want smaller, so im thinking about buying an all onboard mATX board.

a couple questions,
any good all-on-board mATX mobo suggestions (socket A), i want to be able to play games, dvds, and divx, but it wont be my primary PC so cost is more important. (also, TV output would be GREAT, especially if i put in one of those little NTSC 4" screens later)
also if i could salvage my 384mb of pc133 that would be nice, but if i have to buy 128mb of DDR I will.

then the real question
im curious, are there cables that allow you to adjust the positioning of PCI cards? like if i was to buy a graphics card or install a TV card into this, but i want to lie it flat instead of perpendicular to the mobo? kinda like a riser, but with more flexibility. i bet i could make one, but not so sure i want to do that.

also any small PSs out there, a normal ATX power supply is huge, i doubt i need more then 200w for an all in one board with a duron

any other thoughts are welcome, thanks in advance.

[omega31]

If you want really tiny, you could try the ss40 (http://www.shuttleonline.com/spec.php3?model=ss40) from Shuttle. This one has socket A and 2 pci slots, but no agp. Shuttle just recently released a P4 model with an agp slot, so if you wait a while, they'll probably release a AMD version with agp.

[omega31]

BTW, here's a place you can actually buy this from: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=56-101-403&depa=0

A good 'ol Bill link. Bill, can I get a commission if batjeep buys?:p

[batjeep]

hehe, i know about the shuttle ones, actually they are what inspired me to not settle for using the big metal suitcase. but no, this is more of a project, then the desire to have a little PC, pluss i want it to be mad protable. and maybe even a portable, dvd, divx, pvr type thing when im done.

[AllGamer]

Check this out for a REAL Small and COOL "portable" PC

http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=130

that is perfect for a LAN party
and can make quite an Entrance

Drive In ;) with the RC controll :p

[batjeep]

ahhhh the tiny VIA board, eden? dunno if that has enough of what i want for the price though, but it is TINY.
any one know about the PCI slot thing though?
oh, btw, that car case, is frickin amazing. with a dvd rom and everything. ****

[omega31]

Hehe... Oh well.

PC Power & Cooling (http://www.pcpowercooling.com/prices/index.htm) has some slim atx power supplies. You could check out their diagrams and see if it would work for you.

[omega31]

That is cool, allgamer!

[AllGamer]

Yup! :D

that is definitely my first proyect for my next vacation

to Mod an old RC of mine to have it carry a computer, just like that Beattle there.

:p
it's just amazing they were able to fit all that stuff into it.

:t
I think for my proyect i'll either do a Van, or a 4x4 off road.

so i can get some room in there to add more stuff. :)

[batjeep]

so any one have any mobo suggestions, or ideas on how to move the location of pci cards? btw, thanks for that link to the PSs, ill check it out

[batjeep]

So im seriously considering the Eden boards now, cause of thier low temps, and all inclusive design. also i was wondering about a DVD drive, are notebook DVD drives directly compatible?
i was looking at drives like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2047761815

less then $50 for a mad slim DVD drive, sounds too good to be true.

now the hunt for a tiny PS

[omega31]

Hmm... I dunno. That notebook dvd drive has a 50-pin ide connection. Notebook hard drives have 44-pin, desktop has 40-pin. There are 44-pin to 40-pin adapters, but dunno about 50-pin to 40-pin.

[omega31]

Hehe... This will probably do it: http://www.bixnet.com/notslimcdtod.html

[omega31]

Same site. What do you think of this?
Pocket Mini PCs
http://store4.yimg.com/I/laptopupgrade_1699_672111 (http://www.bixnet.com/comsys.html)

[AllGamer]

**** cool
wow!!

[batjeep]

omega, thanks alot, yeah, since i wont be buying this stuff now, ill just keep my eyes out for a more standard slim DVD, but i thought the things would run me like 2-300 nice to know there are other ways. and i found the PCI riser cards, on ebay, and some other places, i think i might drop my ati tv wonder card in there, make it a pvr too. hehe

my goal is to be able to fit this all into something the size of a lunch box or something,

yeah i saw the pc you pictured, but its actually been out for a while, (i actually started watching that one way before it had a cd drive available. i think it was in a real early article on hardocp or something) but the on board video is cruddy for DVD on that, and i want dvd built in. plus I want a project, something to say. "I made that" hehe. this is all coming togeather pretty well
looks like i may be able to do it all for +/- $300
then later on ill look into a NTSC 4" LCD screen. niiiiice.