Emboldened by this idea he took on the challenge to create a multimedia PC to hook up to his TV with the use of a VIA EPIA M-Series Mini-ITX board.
After gutting out his Mini Falcon, Sean discovered the wonders of hot glue as he liberally spread it around to fasten wires into place.
Wanting the engine to light up, he installed some blue EL wire and to make it a true multimedia PC modified some of the components, adding an IR interface, TV-in as well as a DVD drive.
In the end he was able to get everything to fit in nicely, (well almost, he had to go back and take off the PS2 mouse/keyboard connectors) including the original working guns, modified buttons to power it on and off, as well as to open the DVD drive.
Taking inspiration from the modding community Sean was now hooked. “I can't wait for the Nano boards. I've got Boba Fett's Slave 1 just begging to be gutted.”
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Mini-Mesh Box
Modder: Lincoln Stein
Country: New York, USA
Date of Project: July 2nd, 2004
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA M 10000
Inspiration: No power tools required
Purpose of Mod: Home PC
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/minimeshbox/
Lincoln Stein had been in awe of the beautiful and imaginative designs created over the years and finally decided to take a shot at constructing a PVR for his bedroom.
“Unfortunately I am a destructive force when paired with a table saw or Dremel drill. So I searched around for projects that wouldn't require power tools.”
He came up with a very practical solution, the Mini-Mesh Box, as it would only require a pair of wire cutters and a bottle of glue.
Neatly packing all the components in the box and with no worries about ventilation, it proved to be straight forward for Lincoln with only a few snips in the back for the I/O.
His Mini-Mesh Box PVR escaped his destructive tendencies. “Even though I retired that system a year ago, I have continued to be a big fan of the Mini-ITX form factor and use it for several projects where I need small form factor and low power consumption.”
This project really shows how simple a mod can be for those who question their personal tech skills.
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The “Tortoise Beetle”
Modder: Ran Diyer
Country: Hong Kong, China
Date of Project: December 6th, 2006
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA 5000
Inspiration: His tortoise found a shoe box
Purpose of Mod: Home Media Server
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/jukebox/
Sometimes inspiration comes from the most unlikely of places. Ran Diyer of Hong Kong was shown the way by his pet tortoise while it was exploring his room.
It came across an old shoe box with a beetle logo on it and an idea was born.
Ran quickly put his CorelDraw skills to use and came up with an elaborate blueprint.
Sleeping only 2 to 3 hours a day for 8 days straight, Ran obsessed over the construction of his Tortoise Beetle mod.
Armed with a VIA EPIA 5000 Mini-ITX mainboard featuring a 533MHz VIA Eden processor, some chipboard, enough LED lights to light up a Christmas tree and a sheet of highly durable Perspex, the mad scientist played God and brought a new species to life, The “Tortoise Beetle.” Here is the genealogy according to mini-itx.com.
Mini-ITX Tortoise Beetle, Epiamorpha randiyer
Description:
Adult: These oblong-oval beetles are basically blue in color with various black and/or red markings depending upon species. Slightly flattened and squared at the shoulders, Mini-ITX Tortoise Beetles' bodies are somewhat Perspex-like in appearance. Body margins extend in a roof-like manner over much of the head and legs. Most species are 3 to 4 feet long.
Biology:
Distribution: Mini-ITX Tortoise Beetles occur primarily in suburban Eastern Asia.
Life History: Mini-ITX Tortoise Beetles spend much of their life as adults connected to a system of internet tubes, or in other dry, protected places. In winter, beetles emerge and feed. The female adults deposit eggs. Larvae emerge and transform into pupae. Over the course of about 8 days, a new generation of beetles emerges.
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Web/File servers – Serving up Style too!
Another popular use of the Mini-ITX platform was in the creation of web/file servers, the low power consumption was ideal for the 24-7 running demands. Also these systems were to fit within the home somewhere and the ability to custom build a case was of great appeal.
These mods inspired some of the more aesthetically pleasing and stealth designs as the wiring demands were much less and they did not require connection to a dedicated monitor. This allowed for them to be placed in a greater selection of locations. Mark Pepper was able to sneak one into his previously “off-limits” living room and John Kanemura created the Attache server, which fitted neatly within a James Bond inspired aluminium briefcase. Another elegant design was the Deco Box which featured a car inspired muffler system to create a whisper quiet machine and the Humidor CL server Project which fit a Mini-ITX, DSL modem and wireless router in a beautiful cigar humidor case. Peter Watson drew inspiration from his passion of working on his Supra sports car and made homage to it with the Supra Server, which followed in the Jelly Bean spirit of using a model car for the housing.
These web/file mods were the forerunner to more commercial systems which followed. Today there is a burgeoning NAS (Network Attached Storage) and file server market that follows the low power, small footprint that the Mini-ITX embodies.
Web/File Server Modding Project - Creator
The Attache Server - John Kanemura
The Deco Box - David Benz
The Frame - Mark Pepper
The Humidor CL Server Project - Jeffrey Stephenson
The Supra Server - Peter Watson
The “Attache Server”
Modder: John Kanemura
Date of Project: January 23rd, 2004
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA M10000
Inspiration: Aluminum attache case
Purpose of Mod: Web/File Server
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/attacheserver/
Now this mod is something even James Bond would want.
The all business “Attache Server” created by John Kanemura neatly packs a VIA EPIA M10000 Mini-ITX board, CDRW/DVD-Rom and a 14” LCD monitor inside a sleek looking aluminum briefcase for all those stealth missions in the field.
As cool as this mod looks the actual construction was a rather straightforward process of cutting out a few holes and slots for the DVD-CD-ROM, and the other components which needed outside access, and then fitting everything neatly inside.
The brilliant layout and inspired case make this a simplistic masterpiece, case closed!
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The “Deco Box”
Modder: David Benz
Country: USA
Date of Project: December 15th, 2004
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA ME6000
Inspiration: Art Deco design
Purpose of Mod: Linux Server
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/decobox/
David Benz is an artist by trade who has tinkered with varying art forms such as painting, graphic design, sculpture and even robotics. So when it came time to set up a new Linux server in his living room he decided to take matters into his own hands and let his creative side take over.
Inspired by Art Deco design and a trip to California he came up with the Deco Box. “The neon sign thing was inspired by a sign on a hotel I saw during a road trip my girlfriend and I took recently though Northern California.”
We all know how quiet Mini-ITX boards run but this wasn’t good enough for David.
Wanting to use a slightly larger power source with a fan, he conceived of a rather unique solution to
dampen the sound and make this system whisper quite. “It seems like the point of a car muffler is to maximize air flow while minimizing noise flow. Since these goals match up well with muffling a power supply, I figured it would be a good place to start.” (You can see his rather ingenious design above).
So he built a muffler on top and hung the power supply inside the case to take advantage of convection.
His beautifully constructed “Deco Box” blends naturally into his living room and but for the lights you would just think it was another piece of furniture, not a fully functioning Linux server.
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The “Frame”
Modder: Mark Pepper
Country: Staffordshire, UK
Date of Project: May 10th, 2005
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA V10000
Inspiration: Picture frame
Purpose of Mod: File Server
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/frame/default.asp
As with most people interested in PC construction, Mark Pepper was depressed with the available choices for PC cases. “The choice of "container" for your PC ranged from the medium box to the big box, only expanded recently with the small box. All these are boxes, and usually beige.”
As soon as motherboards shrank and the cost of small PSUs became affordable Mark was eager to get a computer into his living room, “an area out of bounds to PCs due to my wife’s exclusion policy for the room.” The Frame was born.
Selecting a suitable frame to fit all the components, and of course his wife’s taste, Mark inserted a piece of polycarbonate to mount his VIA EPIA V10000 Mini-ITX board, power unit and HDD upon.
Mark must have read Antony Winn’s Jelly Bean Project from a few years earlier as his mod was not complete without the addition of some LED lighting effects, in this case some blue Lazer LEDs which act as the centerpiece to this fantastic mod.
Finishing up, the frame was inserted on top of his fireplace in the living room and acts as file server, providing video and audio files to other computers in the house via his wireless network.
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The “Humidor CL Server Project”
Modder: Jeffrey Stephenson
Country: USA
Date of Project: February 1st, 2004
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA CL 10000
Inspiration: EPIA CL Linux firewall/router project
Purpose of Mod: Web/File Server
Link to Full Story: https://slipperyskip.com/page2.html
This is the second mod created by master craftsman Jeffery Stephenson to be featured in our book.
Having been inspired by the EPIA CL Linux Firewall/Router Project article he had read on mini-itx.com, Jeffery decided to squeeze a computer, DSL modem and wireless router into a beautiful Art Deco humidor he had laying around.
This elegant design with a classic clock inlayed on the front is an artistic piece for the home that sneakily hides all the components underneath a removable Spanish cedar tray.
As beautiful as the finished project is even this one caused Jeffery some troubles. “It is the largest humidor that I have modified and the most expensive, both in component costs and stuff blown up.”
“I had seen a picture of a Hush computer in service at someone's home and had been dumbfounded by the fact that this beautiful computer had a butt-ugly modem and router stacked on top of it with all the sundry cables winding around connecting everything. The plan was to put all three "boxes" inside the humidor and have them all powered from a common power supply. The server would operate headless, 24/7, from my living room, which is the center of my "estate" and therefore the preferred location for the wireless system.”
This is something everyone would love to have in their homes as it eliminates the need for those extra boxes and wires trailing around your living room in a distinguished case.
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The “Supra Server”
Modder: Peter Watson
Country: Australia
Date of Project: July 21st, 2005
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA 800
Inspiration: Engine conversion on his Supra
Purpose of Mod: File Server
Link to Full Story: https://www.mini-itx.com/projects/supra-server/
Peter Watson had already created an HTPC mod before using the box of his VIA EPIA 800 Mini-ITX box. After finishing a real life conversion on his own Supra he was inspired to retackle his computer mod.
“I saw the HTPC cars on this site and on a few others and realized with my experience in computers/RC cars/engine conversion this was the task I was made for.”
As his first mod was only a temporary solution, he set to work to make his new mod a reality and as he wanted to use a model car, what was more fitting than the selection of a Supra.
As this was to be a server compared to an HTPC, there was considerably less cabling to worry about, just power, LAN and modem.
His past experience paid off as he did a masterful job modding the case and with the paint job.
You can see his car enthusiasm shine through with the blue LED ground effects installed; anyone wanna drag?
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Car PCs – Taking Computing on the Road
Now you might think this would be a section highlighting some of the best mods to utilize a model car as the case but not so. Looking back it seems only natural that a Mini-ITX would find their way into a car at some point or other as the traditionally strong “boys and their toys” car modding community is fanatically popular the world over. I am sure all of you have at least one friend who is always trying to get you to check out their new awesome ground effects, blinged out rims or trying to deafen you with their arena filling sound system.
These car mods were truly ahead of their time, though. Most started off trying to find a way to utilize their recently converted digital music collections in their car so they could free themselves from the constraints of that 10-disc changer in the trunk of their car and have their entire library at the tips of their fingers. However, once realizing the amazing capabilities of the Mini-ITX platform and its elegant compact design, full in-car entertainment systems started to emerge which added GPS and Internet capabilities for route charting, security features with built in cameras, multiple screen displays for viewing of movies and playing games as well as that all important music player.
These early car mods demonstrated that renegade spirit to the utmost and like many regular car projects took on a life of their own. Some fine examples are the MP3 Runner car PC and the Ford Focus MP3 car PC, which has gone through 4 transformations over more than six years and is still not finished, to the graduate project Dakota project that netted Brian Shoemake the top prize. at his university. Others include the simple DOS Head unit, solving the problem of getting FLAC file support into a car to take full advantage of the custom car stereo’s potential, and the way out there VESPA-PUTER in which a Mini-ITX was used to pimp out a Vespa scooter.
Over the years many of these ideas have slowly been added into cars through devices or integration into car systems but it has not been until recently that you see such complete solutions becoming available.
Car PC Modding Project-Creator
The Dakota Project - Brain Shoemake
The DOS Head Unit - Hayden Smith
Ford Focus MP3 Car PC - Steve Goodman
MP3Runner Car PC - Elliott D. Cooper
VESPA-PUTER - Luca Barzelogna
Ford Focus Car PC
Modder: Steve Goodman
Country: UK
Date of Project: 2003 – present
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA 800
Inspiration: James Bond and Knightrider
Purpose of Mod: Car PC
Link to Full Story: https://www.stevieg.org/carpc/install/tours/v1.html
In 2003 Steve Goodman began to build a car PC system to fulfill his childhood fantasies from James Bond films and Knightrider TV shows. Using a VIA EPIA 800 Mini-ITX
board, Steve constructed a highly intelligent system that even does what it is told!
The array of communication technologies in Steve’s Car PC include voice control, satellite navigation, Internet access, and live traffic data monitoring.
Not quite happy with all that spy type technology he built in video and radio entertainment to allow all passengers to sit back and enjoy the ride.
In the above photos you can see the first case he created to house the PC complete with a VIA logo he customized on the back. This would not make it into the final build as he found a local store which sold Mini-ITX cases that did a much better job of cooling the PC.
To document his work StevieG created his own website and blog at: https://www.stevieg.org/carpc/ and thoroughly recorded his progress. Never one to be satisfied, Steve has continued to rebuild, revamp and modify his in car system to this date going through 4 major installations in all, even upgrading the car itself to a new one.
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MP3Runner Car PC
Modder: Elliott D. Cooper
Country: Newark NJ,USA
Date of Project: 2003
VIA Board Used: VIA EPIA M10000
Inspiration: Toyota 4Runner
Purpose of Mod: Car PC
Link to Full Story:https://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/308228/1
Back in 2003 Elliot Cooper set some lofty goals for his Toyota 4Runner. “My goal is to have one of the best in-car entertainment systems out there. My system will ultimately consist of a computer running the most current windows operating system and capable of running all windows programs, a GPS, Winamp (for all mp3s), a DVD player and a PS2 or Xbox. There will also be a built in rear view and security camera hooked up to the alarm system.”