really really small motherboard

B

BatteryAcid

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 8, 2002
Messages
371
I'm looking for a really small machine for my next mod. Basically I'm thinking of something like the Via Epia series in terms of size, maybe smaller. Does it exist? It doesnt have to have all that much functionality, (decent)onboard sound is pretty much the only requirement I have, in addition to USB2. The reason I dont want an Epia, however, is that I want to use an old Celeron or P!!! chip I have, I haven't decided which to use yet.

edit: onboard video is a definite requirement. Am I gonna end up stuck with a Via machine?
 
Finding a socket 370 motherboard with good onboard video is almost impossible. I haven't seen anything with much better than a original Radeon, and I doubt you'd find it anymore.

If you wanted to go low-end AthlonXP you could get a Shuttle SFF motherboard with a nForce2 chipset, then you'd be getting GeForce4MX onboard.

I just built a system with a 1Ghz Athlon and used a Asus A7N266-VM (micro atx) with the nForce1 chipset (GeForce2 MX graphics), which isn't too shabby. If you're lucky you can get the A7N266-VM for $39, free ship for a refurbished one on newegg.
 
Video quality is almost entirely irrelevant. 810 onboard is what I've been using for this machine so far, I see no need to change that.
 
A little background.

I've had this old Celeron machine in my basement (my refuge) for a while now, and since I've got no case for it, it just kinda sits out in the open screwed to a motherboard tray from an old case. I've had my eyes open looking for something I could mod it into, and lo and behold I come across my old Sega Saturn.

Only thing is, the Celeron machine is on a MicroAtx motherboard, 24X24cm. I've got about 17x17cm to work with in my Saturn, so that wont work. That's why I'm looking for a smaller motherboard that I can plug the Celeron and its memory into.

I guess its back to the drawing board, unless I want to settle for a whole new mobo/cpu (via). I can't afford the Commwell stuff, and the whole point of this project is to use that computer.

Heh, last time I started looking for a solution to that problem I ended up with a new Shuttle XPC for my main computer (which in no way needed an upgrade). I still don't know how I managed to pull that one off. :p
 
man! don't bring death to the sega saturn! Those things are frickin collectors items by now.
 
Hey you're right, it is a real collector's item, it collects dust like you wouldn't believe:D Actually surprisingly enough there are a ton of people selling these on Ebay. Maybe that's a better idea.

You want it?

BTW that servercases.net website is actually servercases.com
 
I have an original saturn, not the 2nd revision. =)... my Sega Saturn was AWESOME!
 
There are mini-itx boards that take socket370 and otherwise have the exact same features as the epia (so theyre damn awesome), however I have yet to find a US distributer :(
 
Originally posted by BatteryAcid
Hey you're right, it is a real collector's item, it collects dust like you wouldn't believe:D Actually surprisingly enough there are a ton of people selling these on Ebay. Maybe that's a better idea.

You want it?

BTW that servercases.net website is actually servercases.com
Click to expand...

Dammit, i typed it just after i woke up... sad thing is i know it's servercases.com :p

I refer it all the time... even though i havne't bought anythign from them yet :9
 
Way too expensive. Besides, I have 256mb of PC100 SDRAM that I want to use, I can't justify buying a SODIMM to complete a project that's supposed to use up my old hardware.
 
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