Two computers in one case

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JRV
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Two computers in one case

#1 Post by JRV »

I just finished adding a second motherboard tray and a Mini-ITX motherboard to my computer.

http://www.scc.net/~jrv/feature/feature.htm

The electrical tape around the rear cutout looks a little tacky.
Does anyone know where I can get some good edging material to go around the cut out in back?

raffy
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power

#2 Post by raffy »

Nice. Some more detail about the second power supply could help.

Or is there a way to share the ATX power supply, much like hard drive power is shared by a special cable?
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Lobster
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#3 Post by Lobster »

8) Smart idea. I too wonder about feeding two boards from one power supply. For a time I did not bother with a case. Needing to access components . . .

:)
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JRV
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The second power supply

#4 Post by JRV »

The second power supply is a PicoPSU-120. It is a little thing no bigger than the 20 pin socket that the power supply cable plugs into.

There is a link in my article to download the manual for the power supply.

As for running two computers off one power supply, I don't know. I have not tried this but I think when one computer is turned on the power supply will turn on and start both computers. I will have to experiment with this.
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Sage
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#5 Post by Sage »

Why?!
What is the blue pipework for? Water? Air?

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JRV
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The Blue Tubing

#6 Post by JRV »

It's for water.

The CPU on the main motherboard and the GPU are water cooled. The heat is pumped out to an external reservior/cooler. The CPU and case temperature normally stay around 30 Celsius. And it's quiet.

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#7 Post by Lobster »

Interesting

:) Do you think you could get a printer in there too?

A printer that took up two 5.25" bays (one for paper and labels) would be neat. 8)
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#8 Post by Sage »

...but I'm interested to know why you want two m/b in one case??!!
Why watercool the VIA boards - overkill?
Unless you're a student living in a dormitory, most Americans have houses big enough to accommodate several standard junk PC s running Puppy in each room, including a half-a-dozen in the dog's kennel, for all the puppies.
The point of these live/compact Linux distros is that they will run on stuff that other folks would happily pay you to take away saving precious landfill, although some of your fellow countrymen are so dumb they want to go out and spend upwards of $500 on new parts!
If you just enjoy hobby pursuits, it may be more intellectually satisfying to get one of the tiny distros running on a 286?!!!

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JRV
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Two computers in one case.

#9 Post by JRV »

The VIA is not water cooled.

The other computer that is water cooled is an AMD FX60.

When I need something fast I use the FX60, but it heats up the whole room.

The VIA draws about 20 watts and does most of what I need to do.

I saw that Thermaltake Mozart TX case with two motherboard trays for about $300.00 and figured I could make one out of spare parts for almost nothing.

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#10 Post by Sage »

The alternative is to incorporate the VIA into an item of furniture - number one choices are recliner chair/settee! With a small reversible vent fan, warm seat in Winter, cool seat in Summer?
Many VIA projects incorporate boards into toys, models, ornaments, etc. Should be possible to upstage the evil one with a coffee table version.....

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alienjeff
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#11 Post by alienjeff »

Sage wrote:...some of your fellow countrymen are so dumb...
For the love of God, Buddah, Allah or Puppy - would you please dispense with the cheap shots at the United States and citizens thereof on this forum?

Though your posts are otherwise helpful and enjoyable to read, I, for one, am past the point of being annoyed with the insidious barbs. And I'm not alone. There are many others who feel as I do, and they're not all Americans - as a matter of fact, a few happen to be your own countrymen.

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Flash
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#12 Post by Flash »

All right you two, that's enough. Let's not ruin another thread. Why don't you take it to the "Truly Off Topic" section? :)

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jason.b.c
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#13 Post by jason.b.c »

i really do fail to see where Sage said that....
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#14 Post by Pizzasgood »

[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
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VariEze
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#15 Post by VariEze »

I know this is an old post, but I have a 60mhz and a 450mhz MB in one case, running on 1 atx power supply. It was partly to save space, and partly because we had a major power surge, and I had to buy a whole bunch of power supplies, and ran out of money.

It works just fine, 200w PS, 2 cd's and 3 HD's. I have 2 reset switches. Only thing wierd is if a MB needs a full power off, you have to shut down both. Not really a problem with linux, I usually have 3 or 4 months up time.

--Karl

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#16 Post by John Doe »

Sage wrote:Unless you're a student living in a dormitory, most Americans have houses big enough to accommodate several standard junk PC s running Puppy in each room, including a half-a-dozen in the dog's kennel, for all the puppies.
For sure. The money "grows on trees" over here, you know. ;-)

We all have 10 cars (Exotic Sports Cars), boats, jet skis. The really lucky ones have their own F-16 in the backyard (I have to keep a tarp over it or the neighbors bitch about how much cooler it is than their apache). I spend as much on lobster, hookers and cocaine for my dogs per week than a brit probably makes all year.

I'm going to get that new operation and just have the iPhone implanted in my head. That way I don't have to bother getting it out to make all this money.

@JRV

Very different idea. I've been silently reading. Keep up the creativity.

DB Cooper
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Two computers in one case

#17 Post by DB Cooper »

JRV: good for you. It just shows that what ever the mind can concive it can achieve. A few questions:
Are you able to use two monitors and run both computers at the same time?
No. I would like to do this.

I answered my question because I remember you said that only 1 is on
at a time.

How did you hook up the keyboard and mouse for the thin client?

Forgive me JRV, but I don't see the back of the original computer or
is it the thin client that I don't see?

Try looking around at home depot for some molding or use the rubber
form a car window.

I have several old computers setting around that need repair.
I would love to fix them but don't have a clue of how to start.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.....And puppy gets new pups.

DB Cooper
________________________________________
When the student is ready...the teacher will appear

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JRV
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Two Computers in one case

#18 Post by JRV »

The two computers are entirely seperate. I usually use only one at a time but they run independently.

I have the keyboard and mouse on a usb hub that is easy to switch from one computer to the other. The monitor has two inputs. VGA and DVI.
The VGA is hooked up to the thin client. The DVI is hooked up to the original computer. It would be easy to hook up two monitors.

The pictures are of the thin client. It is mounted above the power supply
for the original computer. Except for the hole cut in the back for the thin client the case looks like any other ATX case.

I used press on door trim purchased at Big Wheel Auto.

Imported by:

Elegant USA, LLC
100 Bomont Place
Totowa, NJ 07512

Part number AT1007

www.elegantusa.com

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#19 Post by Everitt »

Great project!
You might want to look at fitting a KVM switch, possibly inside the case? That way you could have a physical switch, or a keyboard combination to switch between the two machines, rather that swapping cables.
As for running two computers on asingle powersupply, I don't think it's feasable. I'm not sure how an off motherboard would react to a sudden change in power. The problem is that if you were ever using both machines at a time, and shut one off, it would simply cut the power to the other.

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#20 Post by Fanless_Puppy_Fan »

I like the idea of the internal kvm. I have a couple of belkins that would work great, but I think they might be a little large. I also think you could run both computers off the same power supply by making a Y out of a mother board connector and two plugs or else you could just tap the +12V and ground for the picoPSU off of one of the disk drive power plugs.

But all this sort of defeats the OP's purpose of running one at a time.

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