Hey Modders: What kind of Case?

[Airlift]

Ok, I was struck with the impulse today to buy a Mini-ITX mobo/cpu with onboard lan, video, audio, usb2 and firewire. Now I'm faced with the daunting task of deciding what to install it in.

I could put it behind my driver's seat and get one of those little monitors that fits in the sun visor.

The current front-runner would be an old NES case (http://junkmachine.com/nintendo/members/tutorial.shtml).

There are a ton of ideas to choose from on the MITX sites out there (http://www.mini-itx.com/projects.asp), but I'd like to hear some that are really original.

Or I could put it in anything lunchbox-sized. How about some good ideas from my friends in the PSU community?

[Sputty]

Hmmmm...you could try a gamecube..That'd be hard though..hehe..Or an old printer..Again..sort of weird..Maybe a TV...Rip everything out and put a correctly sized monitor in.Microwave maybe...
BTW, I was just noting some interesting choices. I don't know much about modding cases

[Lexington_Steele]

I have a question along those lines for the physicists here.

I always thought that your computer's case encased your computer with metal so that there is 0 equipotential on the inside of the case.

I have noticed many cases with lexan/plexiglass/plastic openings on the side to look stylish.

My question is, does the fact that inside of the case is no longer completely surrounded by a conductive surface destroy the 0 equipotential situation?

[OneManArmy]

well, as long as its grounded to something, everything should be ok..... I'd imagine it makes it a bit trickier but, then again I dont mod. Might i recommend a briefcase? I've seen it done and was even thinking about doing it myself.

[ABRAXAAS]

I had my pc runing with no case ,just lating on top of my desk ,it would get a little warm from lack of air flow but it worked,it was noisy and looked really messy sprawled all over :D

[chopstickz]

Try an X-Box...oh wait its already been dome by Microsoft:p

seriously try here there should be some ideas around there:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=854&pagenumber=3

someone did a coffie table mod

[Lexington_Steele]

Originally posted by OneManArmy
well, as long as its grounded to something, everything should be ok.....

Either way it is grounded, but grounding actually makes it worse.

If the MoBo/cpu/all the rest of the stuff were not grounded then it wouldn't conduct electricity at all.

Since it is grounded, static electricity and such can flow through the internal components and therefore can fry them. A lightning strike near your house could fry your computer because electricity would flow through the internal components of your computer as it heads for ground.

Having a 0 equipotential inside your computer is to prevent things like this and protect you computer (any bonus electricity will hit the metal case and imediately go to ground without ever reaching the internal components of the computer).

My question is, does having partial coverage by an insulator destroy the 0 equipotential inside the case? (and therefore ruduce the protection of your computer)

[chopstickz]

shouldn't make any difference, as long as you hav'nt fiddled with the PSU it's own earth should protect it from any damaging power surges. Ive got a lian li pc 65 aluminium case with a perspex window in the side and ive had no earthing problems.

[Lexington_Steele]

But if you have a good amount of static electricity built up and touch the cpu, you can burn it out. It has nothing to do with whether it is well grounded or not.

If I leave my computer sitting open for extended periods of it will probably be ok, but I am wondering if it is safer to have a completel metal case or one with non conductive peices.

It is basically a physics question. An all metal box has an internal equipotential of 0. Would placing plexiglass or lexan sections of in the box even have a effect on the internal equipotential?

And if it would have an effect, how significant or insignificant would the effect be?

[Civilian]

Unfortunately the pics have been taken down for this case, but I think this was the greatest mod ever:

http://hardforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=536847&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

It is basically a remote control pickup PC.

[Hamma]

I just have an aluminum case w/window and neon light :D

[Squeeky]

i have an uber generic compaq case :rolleyes:

[Airlift]

I think I'm either going to snag an 8-bit NES on ebay for the case or mount it inside the slide wall of my case. That way my gaming cpu won't get lonely while it waits for teh damned game. :D

So the choice boils down to:

A. make it my voice and browser machine inside the case and use my big guy for graphics and gaming. While I've seen the NES done, I don't know if anyone has mounted a mini-itx on the slide wall yet.

B. Load it up with mame and nesticle and have the ultimate walk down video game memory lane. Oh yeah, it would go with me to work, too.

This decision is gonna take some time, I think. Which is good, because either way I have more parts to buy.