17" Monitor Case Modding -- The "iMike"

greyrax writes "So what does a Canadian cabinet maker who's a closet techie do during those long winter months? You modify a 17" monitor case to house your computer (think iMac). The blow-by-blow descriptions and pictures outline this three-month project. The only question that I'm left with is 'What is that antenna for?'"

If you use a Mac...

[Dopefish128]

I saw something like this a while ago on Apple Fritter [applefritter.com] where a guy built his classic iMac into a 21" monitor. He didn't go the easy way and use an LCD screen, though.

One word...

[doppleganger871]

...nice.

That has got to be the best monitor/case mod I have ever seen. Not my choice for colors, but I am really impressed with the quality that went into this. I'd like to see a company start making cases like this, with the LCD already mounted in the front. I do think there would be a market for it.

Re:Long winter months?

[Anonymous Coward]

While I don't agree with the color, it certainly isn't stupid.

And as far as iMac goes, they're a gimmick- and this is an act of recreation. Like comparing apples and oranges. (pun somewhat intended)

I don't remember the last time I saw 4 drives or so just on the faceplate of an iMac. With a few cosmetic touches, I'd buy that before I would an iMac.

What A Great Idea

[Fenis-Wolf]

This is the coolest, most complete mod i've ever seen. I'm very impressed. The skill required to put this together was really cool. I wish i had half this guys skills.

Interesting, but ...

[Cthefuture]

The antenna must be an 802.11 antenna or something, this person obviously likes doodads and gadgets all over his machine. I mean, damn, look at all the drives, bays, and other assorted crap on the front. Tacky. Look at all those fans! Egads! Blech.

I'm by no means a Mac fan, but one thing they are is quiet. Either no fans or very quiet fans. This machine is old-sk00l, large and loud. Again, blech.

The paint looks like an old boat or something. Hehe. The problem is that it's real hard to paint computer equipment and make it look good. It almost always looks amateurish. I think that's why a lot of people use aluminum, new or original plastic, and/or plexiglass instead of paint. Airbrushing might look OK if you're good.

With that said, this person seems like a good fabricator. I really like the workmanship. Quality work, but the overall design is too clunky and bloated for me.

But they certainly didn't ask for my opinion so I'll STFU now.

Re:One word...

[deranged unix nut]

While I like the workmanship and effort that went into it, although it looks very functional, I would have gone with a more asthetic design.

The biggest thing that throws me off of this design is the number of fans and the noise that it would make. Personally, I'm tempted to put the CPU in a closet and have a USB floppy and dvd in a noise and vibration dampened drawer for occasional use. ...then again, I'm probably just wanting some silence because I have 2 rackmount servers, two desktop boxes, and three towers at my desk in addition to laser printer, inkjet, scanner, TiVo, 16 port hub, 8 port switch, and a few other things at my desk that make noise.

What impressed me most

[molotovcD]

ok, so computers have been made smaller, and they have been made faster. But what mde this so cool was how it all came together in the end. The final product was quite well refined. I am impressed :D I like the choice of colours too.

Awesom...

[infonick]

I think it's sexy and new! Personally, i like the antenna, heck, i like it all! Add a few case lights and it would be the hit of any lan party. oh, and immagin : Dual-Monitors! >:)

BzZZzzZZT!

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to be a TV Broadcast Engineer -- fancy words for "I fix everything in this station." I probably took a good shock from something, something like a cap, once a week. After a few years of that, I've got this to say: it's painful, but if it's not plugged in, you guys are largely making this out to be more dangerous than it really is. (Pacemaker-laiden folks aside. :-)

What put it in perspective for me was that I also worked on giant godzilla-sized tube-based 25kW RCA transmitters out of the 70's, and oh by the way those things DID carry enough charge to shock you into the next world. :-) They came equipped with a thing we called a "Jesus stick", a plexiglass rod with a copper thingy on the end and a big braided cable that ran to ground. You'd open up the rack, then go around and touch everything with this gizmo. When you hit something live, there was a big noise, a big spark, and you said ...

Those were fun times!

Brian