HTPC External Component Cases

bluphoto · 2007-11-27, 16:15

Are there any "front end only" cases out there?

I realise that there are many great looking HTPC cases, but I don't need the size of one of those things sitting under my TV.

Instead, I'm looking at using my old PC - still in its original case - in a cupboard behind my TV, with my DVD-R drive connected externally under my TV, via USB or similar.

The PC will be always on and will double as a fileserver for my other networked computers.

So what I'm looking for is a case which will take an external drive but will also include other "external" features of an HTPC, such as an integrated IR receiver, card reader etc. Something about the size of a commercial consumer DVD player (or smaller).

This would be much lower profile (2-2.5" high), far neater, quieter and hopefully cheaper than decking myself out with a completetly new enclosure for the whole PC.

rgds,
Guy

joystick · 2007-11-27, 16:29

Hi!

maybe you want look for something like this: http://www.sceneo.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13273

It's german, but the pictures speak for themselves....its a DIY, btw.

cheers

joystick

bluphoto · 2007-11-27, 16:35

Eh, no, not actually. Although I have to give the guy credit for being inventive!

I'm thinking of getting an old DVD player or VCR and making a new face for it, which will hold the DVD drive. I might even be able to reuse the VFD if I choose carefully, or at least replace the existing one (clock or whatever) with a new one.

I already have an unused HDD enclosure which I could probably get the USB2 -IDE interface card from.

cheers,
Guy

trevor · 2007-11-27, 18:49

MSI Media Live is what I would use, slightly higher than you wanted and the inbuilt graphics limits you s/w decoding of HD but more outputs than you would need.

Just built one up as a Media PC for a mate, great chassis and MP supports all it's features.

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...maincat_no=134

bluphoto · 2007-11-28, 08:59

This looks more like an HTPC in its own right - unless the case / VFD is available separately? Can't see any link to that - any ideas?

All I'm looking for is an enclosure to house my optical drive and a few USB connections / card reader.

There will be no motherboard / Processor / Graphics ability in it - this all remains in the PC in the cupboard.

cheers,
Guy

2007-11-27, 16:15	#1 (permalink)
bluphoto Portal User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	HTPC External Component Cases Are there any "front end only" cases out there? I realise that there are many great looking HTPC cases, but I don't need the size of one of those things sitting under my TV. Instead, I'm looking at using my old PC - still in its original case - in a cupboard behind my TV, with my DVD-R drive connected externally under my TV, via USB or similar. The PC will be always on and will double as a fileserver for my other networked computers. So what I'm looking for is a case which will take an external drive but will also include other "external" features of an HTPC, such as an integrated IR receiver, card reader etc. Something about the size of a commercial consumer DVD player (or smaller). This would be much lower profile (2-2.5" high), far neater, quieter and hopefully cheaper than decking myself out with a completetly new enclosure for the whole PC. rgds, Guy

2007-11-27, 16:29	#2 (permalink)
joystick MP Donator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 356 Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts Country: My System	Hi! maybe you want look for something like this: http://www.sceneo.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13273 It's german, but the pictures speak for themselves....its a DIY, btw. cheers joystick __________________ C2D 6550, 3gb, ASUS P5K-E WiFi AP, 2*500 GB Samsung Sata, 3TB Nas over Powerline,2x FloppyDTV DVB-C+, Alphacrypt, HIS ATI HD2600XT 256MB, Zalman HD160+Irmon, Harmony One + DiNovo Mini, MP 0.2.3 + Tv Server latest SVN, WinXP SP2

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2007-11-27, 16:35	#3 (permalink)
bluphoto Portal User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Eh, no, not actually. Although I have to give the guy credit for being inventive! I'm thinking of getting an old DVD player or VCR and making a new face for it, which will hold the DVD drive. I might even be able to reuse the VFD if I choose carefully, or at least replace the existing one (clock or whatever) with a new one. I already have an unused HDD enclosure which I could probably get the USB2 -IDE interface card from. cheers, Guy

2007-11-27, 18:49	#4 (permalink)
trevor Portal Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chelmsford & Reading..depending on weekday or weekend! Age: 46 Posts: 328 Thanks: 4 Thanked 45 Times in 27 Posts Country: My System	MSI Media Live is what I would use, slightly higher than you wanted and the inbuilt graphics limits you s/w decoding of HD but more outputs than you would need. Just built one up as a Media PC for a mate, great chassis and MP supports all it's features. http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...maincat_no=134

2007-11-28, 08:59	#5 (permalink)
bluphoto Portal User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	This looks more like an HTPC in its own right - unless the case / VFD is available separately? Can't see any link to that - any ideas? All I'm looking for is an enclosure to house my optical drive and a few USB connections / card reader. There will be no motherboard / Processor / Graphics ability in it - this all remains in the PC in the cupboard. cheers, Guy