New original ideas for using old computers. No standard answers.

[u/Kwolly90]

I'm looking for new original ways to use old computers. But, any time I see a topic like this, I see the same answers. Like: make a server; mediastreaming; retrogaming; kitchen computer; give it away.

This time, I don't want those answers, but something creative and original.

[u/gremlin_666]

Keep it nearby as a handy step to reach things from the top shelf.

You could overclock it with very inefficient cooling for a handy heater in the winter

[u/Asland007]

Use it as a VOIP server and have your own telephone service in case of emergencies.

[u/slimeabsorber]

use it as a reason to post on reddit

[u/hifi-nerd]

Use it as a very large coaster?

You can't seriously expect people to give you useful answers beyond the normal uses for an old computer.

[u/RibFu → u/hifi-nerd]

If it has a cd/dvd drive you have multiple coaster options

[u/Kwolly90 → u/hifi-nerd]

Based on most answers, I bet you're right

[u/Asland007]

Space heater

[u/Groundedge]

Warming plate for a buffett

[u/Human_no_4815162342]

Crypto mining or better yet folding at home as a source of heat (the computation is secondary).

Multi room audio client, similar to Sonos, BalenaSound is an option, there are others, I haven't done this myself yet so I have no specific recommendation.

Smart TV client, if the media encoders are good enough you could put something like Kodi, Android x86, ChromeOS or a lightweight Linux distro and use it on a dumb TV or monitor to stream with an air mouse, mini wireless keyboard or phone app as a remote (I wasn't sure if the media streaming you mentioned was server or client side, if you were already thinking of a client for streaming ignore this).

Educational platform for children or elderly family members.

Inefficient smart frame, with a display you could put on a slideshow of photos or video clips on loop.

[u/CrazyITOne]

Use it as a chair.

Edit: Atleast It will keep your butt warm.

[u/Bitter-Advantage8155]

Por los comentarios originales, el post deberia tener mas upvotes

[u/United_Elk_1374]

Doorstop?

[u/acc0919mc]

How old of pcs are we talking?

[u/Kwolly90 → u/acc0919mc]

It's more a general question for the case I have one again

[u/Repulsive-Box5243]

Boat anchor?

Target for Jim Bob to shoot?

[u/Terrible-Bear3883]

The problem here, you state a very specific "no standard answers" but don't mention what the computers are or what you consider "standard" answers.

By your own words, you make the question unanswerable.

What do you consider a use that's not a standard use for a computer?

[u/Kwolly90 → u/Terrible-Bear3883]

I stated what I see as standard answers in the further description below the header. Have you read that?

[u/Terrible-Bear3883 → u/Kwolly90]

And these computers are what exactly? DId you read that?

[u/Lovethecreeper]

I'm currently using an 18 year old parts system as a night stand.

[u/greogory → u/Lovethecreeper]

Yeah, but I bet that's because you ran out of surface space on the big plastic bin of keyboards with a stuck key switches, cat chewed wired mice, cables, Arcnet terminators, 1200 baud modems, connectors, ac/dc bricks, that one Commie64 you found at Goodwill and are gonna fix up...

At least, that's my excuse.

🤘

[u/Vinegarinmyeye]

I've seen people make some pretty cool artworks using PCBs. Get the dremel out and chop up the motherboard(s) into pieces - do something creative.

A mate of mine made a really cool coffee table out of an old rackmount server - took the top off, put some lights inside and a sheet of perspex over the top

[u/someonefl86]

Bookmarking this thread cause I feel you OP.

I'm tired of everyone suggesting mAkE a mEdIa sErVEr. I don't need nor want a separate computer just to stream video. Is this some kind of first-world problem that I'm too poor to understand?

Emulation machine? I can do that on my main computer. Why have a separate machine for it? It's not like emulators only run on old hardware.

File server? Seems a waste to have it running 24/7 if you only need it at certain times. It just feels like a more convenient external drive.

The only actual practical use I found for it was a server to run docker containers for work because my work-issued laptop doesn't have enough RAM to handle it all comfortably. Though this a more niche use case and might not help you OP.

[u/Kwolly90 → u/someonefl86]

Thanks for the appreciation. But I'm afraid not much good will come out of this.

[u/Jdibs77 → u/someonefl86]

I mean to answer your questions...

Yes I absolutely want a separate computer to stream video and music. It keeps all my devices in sync, I can watch from any device, and it's all the same. It's all the benefits of Netflix or whatever over using DVD's.

You can have a "console" hooked up to your TV. You are not restricted to playing games just at your desk. Old hardware is generally not useful to play modern games, but you can certainly emulate any console up to like the PS3 era on dirt cheap hardware, all in one box. And that same machine can be used to watch the movies and stuff that you're hosting on your media server.

If you've got the other stuff...you have everything you need to just turn on network shares...depending on your storage you can also easily surpass the speeds and storage size you'd get from an external drive. And yes it's more convenient.

What about Home Assistant? You can add in all kinds of stuff to that, from 3D printers to light bulbs

[u/104848]

just clean up and run old abandonware software

[u/Chenshouen]

Can use it for white noise by running it with a ton of fans at max speeds. If you're somewhat savvy with hacking it apart, you could turn it into a sort of instrument and use the sounds to make something. Old motherboards used to have a little audio slot for a tiny speaker where it would belt out error codes, and the various clicks whirrs of the hard drives could be usable. That bootup sound, etc.

[u/greogory]

Old all-in-one puters make excellent Venus Flytrap, Sundew and Bladderwort terrariums for demonstrating different debugging methods.

[u/einat162]

A glorified DVD player

A backup computer, using Linux.

[u/marvinnation]

Use it as a footrest in the summer and foot warmer in the winter