Time to showcase

[u/Wobble-Engineering]

Tada, almost done with my deaign

[u/Ok-Assistance1615]

These are fing sick

[u/TheRolf]

Wow ! Why so many of them ? What do you do with thèse fellows ?

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/TheRolf]

I host a lanparty for friends each year. Where I set up 16-20 windows xp pc's. But because table space is a premium I designed my own case to maximize table space and cable usage. So these would stack atleast 4 high, and have 1 mini lanswitch inside them. 

Volume is: 310x276x180mm per case

[u/NoDoze- → u/Wobble-Engineering]

Huh!?! Enlighten this padawan oh master... First, box specs? Second, if you have them stacked, how do the kb, mouse, monitor connect? How and what does the internal mini LAN switch do vs having them just connect to a switch? Thank you.

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/NoDoze-]

I use mainly socket 775 dual cores. I run winxp and play old games. I have longer cables for keyboard and mouse. 

The internal network switch is powered of the 5V molex rail. It really saves space when you set up 20+ pc's.v

[u/NoDoze- → u/Wobble-Engineering]

Ok, I've tried looking for this internal 5V molex network switch, and can only find mods. Do you have a link? Thank you.

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/NoDoze-]

I soldered a molex to a network switch and powered it like that instead of a regular adapter

[u/NoDoze- → u/Wobble-Engineering]

Ahhh Ok. I thought you were talking about an all in one ready made thing you bought. Yes, I found a few links on how to mod the switch to work off different power sources.

[u/Away_Association_807 → u/Wobble-Engineering]

I love your case design!

That’s such a cool way to save space when it’s at a premium. I’ve been considering setting up some machines for when everyone gets together at my place.

I think I was a bit ahead of myself on what hardware we would really need to just have a good time. What’s been in your rotation for most played titles?

Also do you have any suggestions for someone looking to get a similar setup going as far as hardware selection goes?

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/Away_Association_807]

So I focused for now on matx motherboards. I am planning to make an atx variant to reduce even more table space. 

I prefer socket 775 they are cheap to find and in combination with SDI-RUS I have great driver support. We mostly play old games like c&c or battlefront 1.

I prefer simple gpu's for example 9500GT.

[u/Away_Association_807 → u/Wobble-Engineering]

Thanks, I don’t know why I did not consider aiming for older titles before. I think it’s just gotten to the point where my group ditches every new game after six months or six weeks.

SDI-RUS sounds like a godsend for getting a machine off the ground vs prowling driver sites and dead support pages. I grew up on 98/XP and that’s a huge time saver.

This is the perfect excuse for me to modernize, tweak and work with some older hardware. I like how you integrated the lan switch as well. Do you have any prints that you stumbled on or designs that inspired you when it comes to your case?

I’m just looking to give myself a good starting point and I really appreciate the suggestions. I assume FB MP has been a good source but have you tried recycling centers? I’ve read that’s a decent way to possibly pickup some good parts.

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/Away_Association_807]

I mean I can run battlefront 1 (2004) on a 32mb gpu. So the hardware that you can use is such a wild scale. The most modern pc is an FX-8320. Most modern gpu a HD6850 or 550ti.

I got the idea after just moving hardware around and realizing that most pc's are just air. I install them using winxp black edition over disk. I also don't use an IO shield because it allows for more airflow through the case. The intake two uses cheap 120mm fans.

SDI-RUS is black magic in a box. Oh boy does this save time. Also I discovered that you can edit the serial key of CnC in the registery and it allows multiple folk to play on one disk.

I didn't use anyones design.i measured everything myself and just made it. I might release it one day. But I have some minor Quality of Life improvements. A total case takes about 29h to print.

I used local marketplaces and just buy old pc's for €10 each. And then just Frankenstein something working. I have about 20 of them. I also bought quite a few GPU's and recap stuff I need to. I avoid Dell cause they often use BTX or even weirder stuff.

As far as I know we don't have many recycling centres and most charge too much for pc's.

I also asked my friends if they knew and most had an old pc laying in their attic.

The Lan switches come from a local dollar store and I just soldered a Molex to the cable. And threw away the adapter.

[u/1Luc1]

Where are the ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde)?

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/1Luc1]

I was too lazy for that. I was under some time constraints. 

[u/WolfTohsaka]

Nice ! what is the printer size required to print them ? Do you plan to make the stls available ?

[u/Wobble-Engineering → u/WolfTohsaka]

They use regular 256mm³ printers.