Kellogg's Mini-itx HTPC (1 Viewer)

A

Anonymous

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Did you know that Kellogg's also make htpc cases nowadays? No really, I got this one in a corn flakes package. Well, not literally but I simply couldn't resist the idea of building a computer into this delicate retro-tincan so I sent in a couple of coupons, and here it is...just begging for hardware.

Top/front view:
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Top/back view:
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Bottom view:
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Inside view:
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And finally, compared to a 33 cl can of Tuborg beer:
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The can measures 213x172x91 mm (height x width x depth) so I believe a Via Mini-itx board (170x170 mm) will fit in quite nicely. The real trick will be to get a hardware-mpeg2 video card in there, since most pci cards are wider than 91 mm..oh well...

As for cooling, I don't believe one would need more than a couple of 40 or 60 mm fans, since the Via mini-itx boards generate very little heat. Of course, there's always the HD, DVD-reader and Video card, but I don't want any bulky 80 or 120 mm fans in there if it's not really necessary.

Hardware needed:

Motherboard: Via Epia M10000
CPU: Via C3 Nehemiah @ ~1 GHz
Hard drive: My old 3GB IBM laptop drive, with 2.5"->3.5" adapter
Memory: 512 mb 2700 ddram
DVD-rom: Teac DV28E Slimline
PSU: 60W Fanless kit
Fans: 1x processor fan, 1x 60 case fan
Video out: Built-in
Video in: Low profile Hardware-based mpeg2 card

Grey=still open
Green=acquired
Olive=to be ordered

That's all there is for now I guess. Will post more info once I get my hands on all the HW needed, so stay tuned. And of course, feel free to post comments 8)

22/11
After reading about the Via Epia boards out there, I'm thinking about wheather I should wait for the new nano-itx boards (which, At this time, are due to January 2005) or just go for a Epia-M 10000 or MII 12000. The MII has pcmcia, which I definately won't need but it's also 200 MHz faster than the M 10000. Practically, it shouldn't matter that much since it's the same C3 cpu and I'll be using a hw mpeg2 card anyway. Will probably save me some 40$ or so...

However, the system won't be able to make use of all the MP functionality, since the processor is way too slow. The upcoming Epia-N will, according to the specs @ Via Tech. feature more built-in video-decoding-stuff but I haven't heard anything about a processor faster than 1 GHz which will still be too slow for MP. Add to that the abscense of a pci slot (->no hw mpeg2 card!) and stuff will get real nasty.

Then it's better to have a motherboard with expansion capabilities, and a 1 GHz processor like the M 10000, right?
 
A

Anonymous

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Does anyone know some real slim dvd-drive, capable of inserting discs vertically?
 

dman_lfc

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    Slot load slimline DVD drives can be obtained here... www.mini-itx.com or variations closer to your location.
    FYI, I would steer clear of a VIA C3 processor for MP.
    There are Mini-ITX P4 boards around with better integrated graphics cards that have DirectX 9 support as the S3 UniChrome graphics used on the MII board is not fantastic when it gets pushed.

    Since it's your own novel case design then I'm sure the potential heat issue will be overcome.

    FYI, that website also has some other fantastic designs.

    DMAN.
     
    A

    Anonymous

    Guest
    I read the specs and they didn't say if it's got hardware mpeg-2 compression or not, which usually means that it's doesn't :wink:

    After all, my cpu will only run @ 1 GHz so I really need hardware compression. Otherwise, MP will be out of my league and the pc will just sit there and play dvd's and stuff. I won't allow that to happen, the Kellogg's can is just too beautiful for such a simple task 8)
     

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