Stealth Computers: NY Times on Mini ITX Modding 185
securitas writes "What's smaller than a breadbox? Or a toaster? Or a teddy bear? The New York Times has just discovered mini-ITX based computers (Google /CNET mirror, minus the pictures). It's a nice overview of the mini-ITX scene and suggests that small form computers are a hot growth area while the traditional PC business languishes."
Not just for modders (Score:5, Insightful)
Just before buying, I had second thoughts, and checked out the price of a Dell system. They start at around $400, around $230 less than I spent. But... that's with only 256Mb memory, no floppy, and the CD wasn't even a writer (which I didn't think you could buy anymore). "Upgrading" all those thing brought the price considerably higher than what I paid, and then I'd end up with a system with unknown pieces that might not play well with my choice of OS.
Lifetime (Score:4, Insightful)
My only reservation is the fact that this technology may lack the ability to upgrade, quite similiar to what we find with laptops.
That aside the PC industry has been pushing on with faster and bigger components (CPU, RAM) every few months, in an effort to stay afloat. The thing is that I still have a dual 166 which works quite nicely ( if a little noisily), under my desk. My point is that we have not needed to upgrade our computer half as much as we have.
Yeah sure those of us that want to do funky stuff like hardcore gaming, or video editing might be an exception, but for my dad who's sole computing experience is checking his hotmail account and typing up documents, this is far from necessary.
Re:Great (Score:3, Insightful)
Mini ITX is great... really... I mean, for $2000 I can build myself a Mini-PC that is kick ass (well, shitty video card, ac97 audio, integrated LAN)
I built my Mini-ITX for $480 with an ATI TV Wonder. Had I wanted to shell out another $100 I could've had it with an ATI Radeon 8500 AIW, which I would certainly not call shitty. And this box has remote keyboard, mouse, remote control, and DVD player included.
but if I spend $1000, I can have a kick ass PC, with the ability to expand it in the future!!!
In the theoretical world where I bought an ATI Radeon instead of a TV Wonder, I spent $400 less than you for the same thing. Of course a mini-ITX is expandable. It has PCI and USB 2.0. Sure it doesn't support AGP... but if you don't NEED AGP, that's not really a problem is it? It doesn't ALWAYS have to be JUST about framerates, people.
what is it with constantly trying to adapt an x86 architecture to solve all the real world problems out there? Whether you agree or not, the x86 is a PC solution, stop putting them in pagers, phones, cars, and whatever else...
x86 has a choice of robust and powerful operating systems that many people have lots of good experience on, as well as lots of cheap (in many cases free) easy to understand and powerful development choices.
Embedded architectures are limited to one or two scaled down flaky operating systems that most programmers have little to no experience with, and the development platforms are almost universally a barrier to entry in terms of cost, support, and functionality.
You tell me which one you'd rather work on?
Mini ITX is crazy, it prevents you from customizing the PC the way most PCs can be.
How so? Oh I see you list some points... let's look at them shall we?
You have limited space for expansion slots
2 PCI plus USB. With the number of integrated devices, you don't need more... especially if you opt for USB audio and bulk devices.
logistical problems with cooling
How can one possibly call a processor putting off 13W of heat a logistical problem with cooling? When I built my Mini-ITX I literally slapped the thing together. I didn't put a single extra fan in it. And it runs not only cool but quiet as well. The warmest part is the power brick which is OUTSIDE THE CASE... not really a problem in my book...
and adding storage/optical drives
I have one hard drive and one DVD drive in my Mini-ITX. Yes, I am out of room in my case. But I could've opted for the two-3.5" bay case for just a few extra dollars. But you don't need it. The Mini-ITX is supposed to be a second computer, not a first computer. Or its for the non-computer enthusiast who just wants a computer thats non-obtrusive and maybe a little stylish. In the first case, if you need extra storage, set up some server shares. In the second case I doubt the user is really thinking about one day adding a 500G drive...
and in the end the damn thing runs the same OS as your desktop, and is used the same way... WHY???
I beg to differ that it is used the same way. I use mine as a DVR. Others use them for jukeboxes, mixing computers, and even office tasks. While my main computer has to be mediocre at everything, my mini computer can afford to specialize and be very good at one or two tasks at the expense of others, because I have my main computer if there's something I need to do that it can't really handle.
There is a reason for the need of a small computer, and damnit, there is always a better more economical and practical solution than stripping an x86 to fit the criteria.
I would hardly call a mini-ITX a stripped x86. With onboard EVERYTHING, decent processor speeds (their design criteria was "good enough in a low-heat low-cost package", not "as fast as possible at whatever cost". I believe they succeeded), and industry-standard connectors it can do everything that any x86 can do. And do it cheaper and quieter.
Small is good? (Score:3, Insightful)
It's like cars. I like old cars, where you can practically sit in the engine bay while you work. Now to change the plugs in my car I have to remove the intake manifold and half the fuel injection harness. And damn if there isn't a computer under the hood too, so now I have to worry about bumping a ribbon cable lest I take the airbags or brakes offline.
I think SFF is the future... (Score:3, Insightful)
Now, I would have. Two HDDs (no floppy as I never use it anyway), the 2x160gb Seagates I have now, would be plenty. Anything more could go in the hard disk rack in the server & mount them from there. You have your AGP slot for graphics, one expansion card (but pretty much all you can ask for on the mobo), fast processor and all that.
That, and an LCD to replace this 19" CRT. Why? Because neither got any style, and I don't mean to go down the case modding route. I've got the performance I want now, what I miss is style. Something that looks small & unintrusive, not something that looks like it's about to make the desk it's sitting on cave in.
That is, as soon as I get a job, sigh...
Kjella
Re:Lifetime (Score:2, Insightful)
If I had mod points, i'm mod you down to Troll. I've had my current PC for about 5 years now (P2-333 with 192 mb RAM), and I run a modern Linux Distro (Slackware 9.0 with KDE 3.1). It's not slow, doesnt' take 10 secondes to redraw anything and best of all, I can run the newest kernel and patch up everything. For all I do (coding, e-mail/web, some office work, music/video playback) I don't even see the need for better or faster hardware.
Heck, I was running about the same setup I'm running now back on my P100 with 64 MB in the days (KDE 1.0, StarOffice 5.2, all the gnu tools, etc..). The P2 I have now is a real bomb I had bought for gaming in those days (before I was enlightened by the Console's price/upgrade cycle).
People are quick to let themselves be sold something they don't need just for penis envy. Unless you're still gaming on your PC, which is darn expensive with those 1000$ upgrades every 6 months, you basically have not needed a new PC for over 5 years like the grand-father post said.