Introduction: The Televisor, a Dieselpunk Computer

The "Televisor" is a small computer based on a mini ITX motherboard and an old Bakelit radio housing. I found this housing slightly damaged and empty in a corner of an old radio store. I was able to "rescue" it.

For a longer time it was standing in a corner of my workshop as well. Then I found a very smart mini ITX motherboard with 2GByte of memory and a 2x3W class D amplifier on board.

The former place for the speaker was big enough for a 10inch TFT 4:6 (1024x768) Monitor.

I was although able to grab some historic switches an lamps.

The radio case was from around 1940 - 1942 so I have to remove the Nazi symbols.

Materials:

  • Intel mini ITX Motherboard
  • WLAN card
  • Wlan aerial
  • Mini ITX power supply
  • External 12V Power supply
  • TFT Display (open frame)
  • Some pieces of wood
  • Cables
  • Screws, nuts and bolts
  • Engraved copper plate
  • 2 component glue
  • Polish
  • Operating System

Step 1: Restoring the Case

The front of the case was broken :-(

I used 2 component glue the parts together and to fill the cracks.

After polishing there where cracks visible so I decided to cover them with a copper plate (see next steps)

Step 2: Placing Lamps, Switches and Push Button

Fortunately all the switches and lamps fits perfect inside the holes of the case.

The only thing I had to do was to widen the holes for the lamps a little bit.

On the original radio the upper three holes where used for volume, tuning, regeneration.

The lower holes for a switch and a lamp.

I just tried, that everything fits in place.

Step 3: The Display and the Speakers

Now it was time to mount the TFT.

The display was a bit smaller than the opening in the Bakelit case so I build a wooden frame the covers the metal borders of the TFT.
Everything was mounted on top of a piece of wood, which was mounted inside the case.

The speakers where mounted on a piece of wood as well and covered with a piece of black speaker cloth.

Step 4: Motherboard and Backplane

I cut a backplane out of wood and mounted the motherboard and the SSD HDD on it.

The WLAN areal was mounted on a mounting point of the motherboard.

Then two ventilation holes and a hole for an exhaust blower where drilled.

I also mounted the HDD LED and the reset switch on the backplane

Step 5: Up and Running...

After installing Windows XP ;-) and some programs the tiny computer looks a bit like a 1940th Dieselpunk MAC.

If you have any comments and / or questions, feel free....