Gaming Rig in Xbox

[siliconchampion]

Hello everybody!
Just wanted to share my new build in progress.
I'll disclose right now that it is gonna be a few weeks until I have the money for the final build, but I am looking for input until then.

So, basically, i'm building a midrange gaming rig within the case of the original Xbox.

Here are the tenetive specs (that I know will fit!).

nVidia 9800 GT
Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.5 Ghz
4 GB of Corsair XMS2 DDR2-800 memory
Seagate 80GB Notebook HDD
and an Antec Earthwatts 380W power supply
Zotac motherboard that has a PCI-e slot and Wi-Fi

This will be using a Mini-ITX motherboard and a low profile 9800 GT.

The 9800 GT is the best card we could find in a low profile form factor. the second best was a 9600 GS. If we had not been able to find a good low profile card like we did, we would order a device that is basically a ribbon cable to connect PCI-e, so that we could mount the card in a different direction. We will know for sure after this first build, but the ribbon cable could allow the use of larger graphics cards like the 8800 GTX, which i have two of to integrate into these builds.

The hard drive is sorta pathetic, but i have it laying around.

The power supply is coming out of its case and then being mounted next to the motherboard.

 

[siliconchampion]

I am currently modding the case to fit everything, and I will post some pictures tomorrow of the interior of the case.

Basically, I am gutting it and removing the entire back of the xbox, in order to allow the PSU power plug and I/O panel on the mo-bo to fit out the back.\

On the floor of the case I am attaching a peice of polycarbonate (plexiglass) to the original standoffs that held the motherboard and power supply of the xbox, then I will be adding in my own standoffs for the new motherboard and psu.

I look forward to your comments or ideas for me.

 

[motaku]

He is talking about the first xbox not the 360. That a really neat project you got going on. I am looking forward to when you finish your project and post pic.

 

[croc]

PCs have been built in toasters... But why?

I met a gunsmith in Amarillo TX once. I asked him what kind of guns he built... "I build guns that shoot, son, guns that SHOOT!"

 

[RiotSniperX]

that would be nice, pics of it working would rock.

 

[siliconchampion]

I have the interior modded how I would like it, but i am debating whether or not to use a power supply that is taken out of its case... Does anyone know some good small power supplies that would work for the components i listed above? I wish antec made micro-atx psu's...

 

[siliconchampion]

the idea is still the same in the original xbox correct me if im wrong but i think the red ring of death is from when it overheats so i would definatley add some kind of extra fan

I don't know about that, just for the fact that I have used optimal cooling conditions for my xbox 360 and have gotten the red ring of death twice, and my original xbox is still running like a champ after 8 years.... well, until i just gutted it...

And I will be adding cooling, the top xbox symbal is being removed for a wire grate that normally covers a fan, and there will be several air-flow modifications, and a fan or two for exaust.

My friend and I are going to take the internals from 4 xbox's and mount them into a server case wth a wireless router, and then put halo 2 on all the hard drives. 16 player mega box of doom.


And as I said you guys, it is gonna be a while before I have all the internal parts.

 

[siliconchampion]

PCs have been built in toasters... But why?quotemsg]



And I have seen toasters built into computers! (and coffee warmers...)

 

[Nik_I]

do you plan on gaming with that computer or are you building it more for the fun of it? if you're just doing it for fun you could get an atom motherboard and a small SSD along with a fanless power supply, which will all fit well inside the xbox case. also, putting that kind of a system into such a small box will create heat problems pretty fast. remember that the original xbox used a mobile celeron processor with a geforce 3 gpu. those two things didn't produce all that much heat.

 

[siliconchampion]

This will be a gaming rig, more than likely to be sold. I am toying with the idea of using a standard atx psu outside the chassis, out of practicality. My main opposition to using the psu that I am taking out of its case is the fact that once it is inside the computer, and we run it for the first time, it would take several days for the capacitors to lose their charge enough for it to be safe to work inside of it again.

And trust me Nik_I, heat generation is my primary concern with this system and I will be finding solutions for that.