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Multimedia PC / Low-Power File Server, Recycled

Multimedia PC / Low-Power File Server, Recycled
Use a small formfactor motherboard that may be collecting dust in your garage, a handful of other components from your PC junkbox, and some simple HTML and script code, put together the "Midnite Boy" (Mb).

My Mb sits next to my TV, is controlled by my TV/DVD/Stereo/Mb universal IR remote, can play Internet radio stations, MP3s, AVIs, show info from the web, and sit there just as a low-power, full-time, file share.

 
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Step 1The Guts

The Guts
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  • DSCN2029_c.jpg
  • C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Desktop\dad\MidnightBoy\photos\DSCN2030_c.jpg
Find some parts. In my case, I'm using a VIA EPIA M10000 motherboard (mobo), an old Quantum 30GB harddrive, a US Robotics USB/WiFi adapter, an IRA-3 IR receiver, and a neat little ATX power supply from my junkbox.

The mobo's overall size is about 6-3/4" square which happens to fit nicely on top of the power supply.

The IR receiver module is epoxied to the inside of the front panel. The IR sensor of the receiver module sticks through a hole drilled in the panel.

I put an acrylic sheet between the mobo and components on the back for electrical isolation and some structure to mount things to.

The USB/WiFi adapter is zip-tied to the acrylic sheet.

The harddrive is bracketed to the mobo and power supply using hand cut and bent sheet metal brackets.

The front panel USB connector is epoxied to two small wood blocks and the front panel through a square hole in the front panel.

The LED is hot glued into one of the grill holes in the front panel.
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44 comments
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Jan 9, 2010. 10:34 AMpipechaves says:
Is there some sort of issue with the app?

on the part for the wshell3.run(a)  it gave an error.......
also trying to figure it out it doesn't seem that it grabds the radio.vbs and do the split because a always contain 2 names that are not passed anywhere

like a little test i do the following on thet listActivate()

wshell.Run ('cmd /K cd  C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Documents\\My Music\\Sample Music & CLAmp.exe /PLCLEAR /PLADD  "mpehere.mp3" /REPEAT ON /PLAY  ' );    it that way im able to load the song....... but how to make it work the way is supposed to be

thnks for the help and great idea :) sorry if this is an old post.


Jan 12, 2010. 12:21 PMpipechaves says:
It shows the the path and the  paramPre, sorry I didnt post this from the beggining, i think its not grabbing the radio.vbs on the theme.xml......

, was this program working from the beginning?


Oct 10, 2009. 1:10 PMSkater_j10 says:
Cool Idea, i've never seen a PC in a wooden tower and I like the fact that it was recycled. So I was looking around Instructables and found a few more people doing these kind of projects, so I ended up making a group that's called "Small Form Factor ". It's a group devoted to sharing info. on small DIY computer projects/concepts. Please Join if you are interested. I forgot to mention that I have added your instructable to the group along with a bunch of others. I hope you don't mind.
Oct 6, 2009. 8:28 PMbwpatton1 says:
Hmmm..I just might have to build one of these and change it ever so slighlty, I just ordered an old Dell Optiplex GX150 that has a kind of scratched up case and I want it to become a meida center computer. So this will work perfectly Great Job!
May 12, 2007. 9:34 PMLasVegas says:
Incredible job! Did you leave the back open? How well does it keep cool?
Jul 16, 2009. 5:00 PMPhoghat says:
without a back it's easy to stick the old vacuum nozzle in and clean it without taking the case apart. I have a cat so I might look into some window screening fastened with Velcro
May 12, 2007. 5:41 PMRaisedByRobots says:
Where did you get the wood print to stick on to it? I think it's brilliant.
Jul 16, 2009. 4:57 PMPhoghat says:
Contac paper would be good too. I'm building 2 of these as we speak. One's for me to use as a Boxee box in my bedroom, and one's going to one of my grandsons as a dipshit computer he can wail on and not destroy daddy's toys.
Apr 12, 2009. 1:28 AMgurtek says:
Nice Work.....................
Jan 16, 2009. 12:14 PMHycro says:
Well, I'd leave the back cover off for improved ventilation.
Jun 29, 2008. 8:18 PMVitaminCM says:
Here is an article with a <a href="http://www.vitamincm.com/reusing-anreusing-an-old-pc-as-a-server/"step by step video on Reusing an old PC as a server</a>. There are even printable instructions.
May 3, 2008. 9:46 PMTransquesta says:
THAT'S pretty!
Apr 28, 2008. 11:21 PMsiloraptor says:
Cool! Excellent use of recycled material and yet a professional looking end result.
Mar 23, 2008. 1:07 PMMr. Rig It says:
Would love to see you add this to my new group.
Hope to see you there.
Home Repair, Refurbishment, and New Projects
Mar 9, 2008. 6:31 PMschimmi says:
that's not real wood? fooled me.
Feb 2, 2008. 8:11 PMNoodle93 says:
I want to get an old pc, not necessarily great specs. Then add a 80-160GB Hard Drive, about 12 USB ports, and use one of them for a Crossbox we have one at home here between a PC and a laptop. Then feed that to all of our other computers. It will make it basically a massive storage/USB hub.

>: D
Feb 4, 2008. 11:11 PMNoodle93 says:
Admittedly, that'd be better, we've just had a horrid time with our networking. D:
Jul 23, 2007. 11:59 AMTheMadScientist says:
me, personally, i'd have built this into my entertainment center [I have an old little thing that used to be used as a bookshelf that my tv sits on, but its meant for a tv, cause it swivels. :D]. anyhow, another suggestion would to be to put your dvd player, or just a dvd drive, and adapt the case for use with other things... such as game systems you have laying around [pre-hacked please. if you dont know what your doing, dont go around tearing up your xbox 360 ect... I just made a custom inclosure for my ps2...] or your ipod/zune dock.. this kind of project has many, many possibilities... and yeah, I like the vintage spin on new tech look.. nice burning the usb port symbol into the wood, did you do that by hand? or did you buy it?
Jul 23, 2007. 8:35 PMTheMadScientist says:
tells how well i'd do at an apphrasial service... anyways, yeah... what your doing sounds like a window kit.. and its been awhile since i've done one of those, hope you have fun. on another note, do you know if... damn, no model number... but anyhow, i'm trying to get this minipc i ran across to run on windows xp.... i'l eventually be buying a "better" one, to work as a full time server, and I was wondering if you knew any possible problems... I can run slax, slackware, and Fedora on the thing, but can't seem to get windows xp to run on it.... any suggestions?
Jul 23, 2007. 9:28 PMTheMadScientist says:
heres the motherboard I was talking about -> http://www.amptron.com/html/bk630es.html
Jul 24, 2007. 3:33 AMTheMadScientist says:
well, if you look on the site, you'l see that the specs of the board itself are limited to windows 2000 and below, but I intend to find a way around. when I try to install xp, it freezes up when loading files, and If I transfer a hd with xp already on it, it flashes up to the xp loading screen, then blue screen of death, then reset, looping until you kill the power
Jul 23, 2007. 9:32 PMTheMadScientist says:
ha... wow, it can support more ram than my beater pc... I might see if I can do a bit of modification to this... until then, i'm looking for some 512 sticks of 168 pin ram... gotta get this baby up to 1024 before I try anything... who knows, I might just get this thing running as well as my old computer.
May 12, 2007. 3:04 PM!Andrew_Modder! says:
Very cool! But it prob. gets heated up real hot!
Jul 23, 2007. 11:58 AMTheMadScientist says:
that depends, again, hes running on low power. also, it depends how his ventilation is set up, the strength of his fans, how fast his drive platters spin, and even the type of wood... its not definately going to heat up, but if it does, it isn't too hard... also, with no back panel, theres a great chance that that is excelent ventilation.
Jul 12, 2007. 9:07 PMhondagofast says:
This is cool, but be a little less lazy and make a back cover for the thing!
May 13, 2007. 12:39 PMHamO says:
Excellent idea and exection, well done!
May 13, 2007. 7:07 AMsdallesasse says:
Love your design of the enclosure!
May 12, 2007. 2:13 PMrobot says:
i think it' s nice project. what about noise? is it less then aluminium case? btw. sorry for my english
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