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....