Multimedia PC / Low-Power File Server, Recycled

by Shomen

44K8843

Intro: 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.

STEP 1: The Guts

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.

STEP 2: Making the Front Panel

The enclosure is made from 1/4" hardboard which is cheap and easy to work with. A 2' x 2' sheet was more than enough for $3 at the local hardware store.

The overall dimensions of my front panel is 9-1/4" x 5" with cutouts for the IR port, USB connector, and grill. Tip: Design the grill on 0.1" centers then use a piece of perfboard as a drilling guide. I've used this technique several times with excellent results.

Next, use your favorite image editor and do something cool. The second image is an overlay printed on glossy stock with an inkjet printer. You can look around the web for photos of differnt types of wood (even inlay work) or photograph some yourself and layout a cool looking panel over the dimensions.

The printed overlay can then be glued to the front panel with 3M spray adhesive, or similar. Then take care of the cutouts with a sharp blade. I used a drill bit manually to cut the small grill holes out of the overlay.

STEP 3: Mounting the Front Panel

Two brackets secure the front panel to the guts. Each are hand bent and cut. You may need to be patient with adjusting them for fit.

The first is an 'L' screwed to a corner mount on the mobo and epoxied onto the front panel.

The second is a 'C' screwed to the power supply and epoxied onto the front panel.

STEP 4: Mounting the Harddrive

The harddrive is bracketed to the mobo at one point at the top of the board. It's secured to the power supply at two points along its bottom edge.

I bent up two similar brackets (one for the front of the harddrive and one for the back). Each of these brackets secure the harddrive, mobo, and power supply to each other at one point.

STEP 5: Finishing the Box

The enclosure (minus the front panel) is a simple 4-sided box (I left the back open) of the same 1/4" hardboard glued together using wood glue.

Just like for the front panel, glossy stock prints of wood are glued to the sides of the box.

Four small rubber feet are stuck to the bottom.

Two pieces of hardboard are glued to the inside of the box to give a more snug fit for the power supply.

STEP 6: Software

The rest of the project is software: install an OS, install the IR command application and configure it to understand commands from your universal remote, go to DeviantArt and hack the Windows bootscreen, setup Winamp to start up with Windows, set it up to find your WiFi router and share its drive on your home network, ...

The menu is based on HTA (HTML for applications). Google it. Some code's attached. I had some concerns early on about HTA performance. But, it runs wonderfully and is simple to work with.

43 Comments

pipechaves 14 years ago

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.


Shomen 14 years ago

How about trying an alert in listActivate()? Like this:

function listActivate() {
 if(listStep > 0) return;
 divList.style.visibility = "hidden";
 divListPointer.style.visibility = "hidden";
 a = '"' + listItemActions[setIdx] + '" "' + unescape(listItemParams[setIdx][listIdx]) + '"';
 var wshell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell") 
alert(a)
 wshell.run(a)
 wshell.quit
}

Then, it will show you the wshell.run() parameter. Then try running it manually like you did before. It could be the way you're referencing your data in theme.xml, or, the way CLamp is being referenced in album.vbs.

Let me know what you see.

pipechaves 14 years ago

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?


Shomen 14 years ago

Yes, I ran it for a couple of years.

theme.js runs loadTheme() which does: listItemActions[i] = path + "\\" + b.getAttribute('action');

As long as theme.xml has this in the list: <set name="radio" path="theme\radio" action="radio.vbs" paramPre="http://">

radio.vbs will run when selected. That is, as long as you have the Windows Script Host installed...

Try typing "cscript" in a dos window.

Botmatrix 14 years ago

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.

Shomen 14 years ago

Cool! I don't mind at all. That's a cool collection. I have a couple others I am tempted to post now...Thanks.

bwpatton1 14 years ago

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!

Shomen 14 years ago

Cool. You may want to take a look at my second attempt too: here. Be sure to post your results.

LasVegas 16 years ago

Incredible job! Did you leave the back open? How well does it keep cool?

Shomen 16 years ago

Thanks! Yes, the back's open. Cooling's no problem. The power supply I used has a 2" fan pulling air thru the front grill exhausting out the back and the EPIA has a CPU fan. Plus, the EPIA M10000 is said to consume about 10W. I can believe it.

Phoghat 14 years ago

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

Shomen 16 years ago

I searched the web for textures and wood sellers. One of my favorite finds was in searching for wood inlay sellers. Those guys do some awesome stuff and sometimes have great images on their sites. I hadn't tried this particularly but I'd bet you can find something looking at furniture sellers sites.

Phoghat 14 years ago

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.

gurtek 15 years ago

Nice Work.....................

Hycro 15 years ago

Well, I'd leave the back cover off for improved ventilation.

VitaminCM 15 years ago

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.

siloraptor 16 years ago

Cool! Excellent use of recycled material and yet a professional looking end result.

schimmi 16 years ago

that's not real wood? fooled me.
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