If you dont want to fall in the classic designs, I would look for something more useful, like putting the PC inside Something usually doesn't has a PC... Like the IONCITO (by elGafas) mod, it's basically a HTPC inside the couch, but outside the couch you could try on putting it into an old TV, making a wireless fileserver in the fridge, crazy stuff like that XD
Wow!! And then... my question is... Why the heck did you ask for mini itx case ideas!!?? Those mode are great, especially the second one The idea of a fridge with an LCD that could act as a wifi fileserver sticked to my mind
The pics were for you since you are fairly new. I had 3 MOTM nominations and won last December for H2O-C7 the first and only watercooled, carbon fiber cased Jetway C7 mini-ITX. I bought a six pack of Jetway boards on a dealer close out a while ago. Kind of a tongue in cheek welcome. The question was more addressed to commercially available cases. Outside of the Antec Skeleton, they are pretty much Mac mini or some clone of it.
That's because you only buy mITX for it's small size, and what's the point of spending to get smaller components if you don't fit them in the most compact space possible? The Skeleton does things differently but it doesn't do them right (at all!). That Mac-Mini-esque shape is the most efficient by volume, I suppose - but surprise us!
Yeah, And thats the reason, why I've chose to build a simple 190x190x75mm box for my ordered miniITX-parts. I'm trying to find something decent of shape and design for two days now, surfing tons of pages to get ideas, but in the end it's just a box. Boxes can bedifferent tho
Boxes, and more boxes.... I guess You'll have to put your mind in action to come up with something new...
Ok, assuming we are talking about the zotac board with a nice dualcore or the upcoming DFI mITX with a core i3, i'd first ask myself what i'd want the thing to do. In my case, it'd probably end up in the living room as a fileserver and media center. Some sort of high-tech miniturised setup to impress the neighbours when they come for tea Working from that idea, there's a couple of things that come to mind. Obviously, the thing needs to be as wireless as possible. One wire for power, HDMI to the TV, and optical to the soundsystem, and that's about all i'd tolerate. Where could you place it that looks good and still has the ability to connect to those 3 spots. It obviously needs to be close to the AV setup. This idea literally JUST sprung to mind while typing the above... Take one of the ubiquitous AV furniture cases. Something like this: Shorten all the shelves by about 5-8cm, and make double layers for the doors in that space. Now place the components in the door, while trying to have a little visible wires as possible. You can hide the PSU in the bottom somewhere. Use a good-looking external DVD-player (or make one better looking) and give it a window. Now put all the HDDs plus the drive in one door and the zotac board in the other. how's that?
Hijacking this thread to get a little bit feedback before I start to get to work The fibreglass-shell will just slide onto the aluminium-body without any screws attached to it. Buttons placed on the back, as I don't need them power and reset-buttons most of the time anyways, and just two 3mm LEDs in the front. Some fine black mesh will cover the ventilation-holes in the shell. Just a simple 200x200x80mm orange box basically, as I didn't came up with any better ideas
I like this one. The "slide on shell" is a cool idea. Maybe a couple screws from the bottom. I also found another case - a ZEAL but I can't find it outside of the Philippines.
Have you even googled for itx case mods? If you have you would of come across http://www.mini-itx.com which has some non square cases Moocow - http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/moocowmoo/ The "Tortoise Beetle" - http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/tortoise-beetle/ The aircraft carrier - http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/carrier/ Theres also a foxconn football and a lea from futurama. All decidedly not square.
And all decidedly much bigger then they need to be... Acer Aspire Revo R3600 = 0.97 l ASrock ION 330 = 2.5 l my design = 3.2 l (allmost noiseless at 10-15db/a) If it isn't about size, then why should I build or buy a miniITX-PC?
Trouble with many of the noiseless ones is that the cooling is often pretty crap. It certainly was with the Asrock I looked at and that wasn't quiet either. You certainly wouldn't want anything more than an Atom 330 in there. I have gone ITX for noise in the past too. I needed something that would be in the open in the room where I slept. Being a light sleeper I needed something very quiet and a fanless VIA ITX board suited me fine. Cube shaped ITX cases also have larger, quieter PSUs too so while I agree many are bigger than they need to be, I'd probably go for a small cube design, especially if I was using a Core 2. Even the ITX cube cases like those from Morex and the Case X atomic cube are still much smaller than m-atx cases.
Look to the past for mini-itx designs I say . The evolution of tube radios matches the current progression of cases from large behemoths to miniature desktop accessories. From the upright wooden consoles to the small bakelite radios. Or just look at some the fantastic mods that slipperyskip has been cranking out, many of which are inspired by old radio designs.
This one is mine. It's on the TODO list. USB turntable replacing the original. It's big enough for mATX or ATX but I don't do them.
