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grafitisoc · 2013-01-12, 04:42

I have a HP from a few years back that has plenty of good hardware to be an HTPC, I just don't want the big ugly case.

How reasonable is it to just gut the thing and place it in a new aesthetically pleasing and smaller form case. Should I worry about heat?

Plus any way to find out the motherboard size so I can pick a new case?

fvtalon · 2013-01-12, 06:55

As long as it's not a proprietary motherboard design it should be no problem. An easy way to tell the probable motherboard form factor is to look at the expansion slots on the back. 1 slot = miniITX, 4 slots = microATX, 7 slots = ATX. Then you'll have to find an appropriate case.

I think heat is only a huge issue on mITX build with real small cases. I think most mATX cases are a pretty decent size, especially for 'regular' hardware. It's different if you're talking about overclocking, big/multiple GPUs and other high power equipment.

lagledavid · 2013-01-12, 07:01

I just did this.I have an old HP with a pentium D Proc. Added a gt40 gpu and threw everything into a
Lian LI pc-v351 micro atx, Was easy had no problems running xbmcubuntu. I am very pleased

rossdret · 2013-01-12, 07:34

(2013-01-12, 04:42)grafitisoc Wrote: I have a HP from a few years back that has plenty of good hardware to be an HTPC, I just don't want the big ugly case.

How reasonable is it to just gut the thing and place it in a new aesthetically pleasing and smaller form case. Should I worry about heat?

Plus any way to find out the motherboard size so I can pick a new case?

For the price of a new case you could always get a G - Box Midnight. Smile

Fits in the palms of your hand and probably has as much horsepower as that ancient HP.

lagledavid · 2013-01-12, 07:40

(2013-01-12, 07:34)rossdret Wrote:
(2013-01-12, 04:42)grafitisoc Wrote: I have a HP from a few years back that has plenty of good hardware to be an HTPC, I just don't want the big ugly case.

How reasonable is it to just gut the thing and place it in a new aesthetically pleasing and smaller form case. Should I worry about heat?

Plus any way to find out the motherboard size so I can pick a new case?

For the price of a new case you could always get a G - Box Midnight. Fits in the palms of your hand and probably has as much horsepower as that ancient HP.

i doubt that very much

rossdret · 2013-01-12, 07:41

(2013-01-12, 07:40)lagledavid Wrote:
(2013-01-12, 07:34)rossdret Wrote:
(2013-01-12, 04:42)grafitisoc Wrote: I have a HP from a few years back that has plenty of good hardware to be an HTPC, I just don't want the big ugly case.

How reasonable is it to just gut the thing and place it in a new aesthetically pleasing and smaller form case. Should I worry about heat?

Plus any way to find out the motherboard size so I can pick a new case?

For the price of a new case you could always get a G - Box Midnight. Fits in the palms of your hand and probably has as much horsepower as that ancient HP.

i doubt that very much

depends on how many years back.... lol.

lagledavid · 2013-01-12, 07:44

true my ignorance

rossdret · 2013-01-12, 07:50

(2013-01-12, 07:44)lagledavid Wrote: true my ignorance

My first HP was a 50MHZ pentium that I bought when I joined the AF 16 years ago. I don't even think the hard drive was 250 MBs. Now my android phone has a 1.1 GHZ processor and the Micro SD card holds 32 GBs...

It seems like yesterday we use to say.."oh your on a cell phone Huh

who you callin'? the president?" Or am I just getting old?