Has anyone here retrofit a slab with a pc based mini/micro atx motherboard? I have seen modifications to cubes done, but not the slabs. I am thinking of making a HTPC, or at least a myth frontend,out of one of my slabs, since the hardware will look so good in my entertainment center. :D There appears to be plenty of room for the components, and using the existing mounting points should keep me from having to make any irreversible modifications. I need to find a replacement power supply that does not exceed the dimensions of the original, but will have enough power for a couple of HD's.
Any thoughts or words of wisdom/experience are welcome
Been done.
Check out this web site.
http://agua.2y.net/index.php?Remodel%2FNeXTstationIt's a Japanese site. Translate it with google if needed.
He has also worked on cube and NeXT keyboard.
Quote from: "gborgns"Been done.
Check out this web site.
http://agua.2y.net/index.php?Remodel%2FNeXTstation
It's a Japanese site. Translate it with google if needed.
He has also worked on cube and NeXT keyboard.
Thanks for the link. I assumed that someone had done it.
Interesting idea about cutting the floppy slot bigger to add an optical drive, but I have a black external that I think will look good with it.
Thanks for the info
So you're saying that you have a slab that died, thus freeing up the case for such a project? And you'd of course be installing NS or OS for Intel on the beast, and not creating a abomination of an actual Wintel piece o' crap running inside the beautiful black box, right? RIGHT?!?
Actually, I have two monostations from which I'm hoping to cobble together one working machine.
If it turns out that one of them gets used for parts, I may end up doing the same thing with the case from one of them.
Of course, I'd do a dual-boot with NS/OS and probably XP...
In any case, I'd definitely be looking to make it completely fanless and silent. Some of the Mini-ITX motherboards don't even require processor cooling, and they can be run using a laptop brick-type power supply. No fans at all sounds pretty nice to me...
Quote from: "crimsonRE"So you're saying that you have a slab that died, thus freeing up the case for such a project? And you'd of course be installing NS or OS for Intel on the beast, and not creating a abomination of an actual Wintel piece o' crap running inside the beautiful black box, right? RIGHT?!?
I was thinking of making a HTPC system running linux/mythtv out of it, as it would look kick ass in my entertainment center. I have seen a couple of mods that place a blue power led behind the next logo, and really looks good.
I have just picked up a colorstaion board that I am going to install in another mono slab, and that will be a NS/OS system, once I can assemble all the parts. So please dont have a heart attack... ;)
There is just something about these older systems like the NeXT, Sun, SGI. You can tell that real thought was put in to how astetically pleasing the hardware is. It is also a good conversation piece when someone sits down at the pc and wonders how that old Sparc10 can be so fast (that is if they even know what it is). People ask who made that, is it an apple product, and where can I get one.
I am a pacrat at heart, so all the old parts are kept, and I try to not make any permanent modifications to the system that I can not reverse.
Quote from: "Ashman"Actually, I have two monostations from which I'm hoping to cobble together one working machine.
If it turns out that one of them gets used for parts, I may end up doing the same thing with the case from one of them.
Of course, I'd do a dual-boot with NS/OS and probably XP...
In any case, I'd definitely be looking to make it completely fanless and silent. Some of the Mini-ITX motherboards don't even require processor cooling, and they can be run using a laptop brick-type power supply. No fans at all sounds pretty nice to me...
Nice to see that someone else is thinking about doing this ... and I am not the only "heretic" around here :)
I was looking at the mini-itx way as well, especially since the can be dc powered and therefore not have a big power supply inside. I have also been toying with the idea of taking the guts out of an old powerbook or ibook and using that instead. I think I have an old "toilet seat" ibook g3 that might work. It would be a fitting homage to have a NeXT slab running OSX, as it is the child of NS/OS.
Now this is starting to get the creative juices flowing .. what fun :)
That is so wrong :P If I had a dead slab, i would definitely try it though. Would be cool to fit a Mac Minis innards in one.
Quote from: "helf"That is so wrong :P If I had a dead slab, i would definitely try it though. Would be cool to fit a Mac Minis innards in one.
Thought about that, but then I would have to cut the slab for dvd access. That also seemed much to easy, as it would just mean taking off the top and taping the mini in towards the back.
It does not have to be a dead slab, just not one that you are actively using. As I will save the parts, lovlngly cared for in anti-static bags and packing, I could switch it back at any time or if I needed to sell it.
That is true. I would just feel wrong gutting a working slab.
Just me though :)
I picked up some innards from an old crt imac (G3-450) so I think I am going to give it a go to see what klnd of havoc I can create. :twisted:
I will document myprogress, and start a thread in the Work Logs forum if others are interested.