PC Beauty

richlevy · 10-21-2007, 10:58 AM

This touches on so many themes I had a difficult time deciding where to put it. It fits under technology and and quality images.

I went to get a part from the local used PC store and while I was in there I saw custom built PC's on display. One of them was a PVC pipe one that originally caught my eye for originality but wasn't very aesthetic.

What I didn't notice or understand was that there were also PC's built into some old pieces of furniture. After I saw the first one, the technician led me around to show me some pieces. It was funny watching her open some cabinets to see if there was a computer inside, since not every cabinet, desk, stand etc had one built in.

One of their employees builds computers into old pieces of furniture, especially old radio/hi-fi furniture.

This PC is in the housing for a 1939 RCA radio.

I apologize for the picture quality, but my cellphone camera sucks. The blue neon and the analog gauges really looked great against the dark wood, but the blue neon caused glare in my cheapo cellphone camera lens.

When I saw that it was the same price as any mid-level desktop, I was very tempted, but I'm not in the market for a new PC. It's also not practical if you want to add a second drive or other hardware.

But it was so damn pretty.

Cloud · 10-21-2007, 12:27 PM

I've come across this idea before.

Here's a steampunk pc set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwhilde...7594363814399/

here's a cool one on boing boing:
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/09/24...watercool.html

and this one's awesome too:
http://www.datamancer.net/projects/engine/engine.htm

richlevy · 10-21-2007, 01:58 PM

It's certainly a little more extreme. I don't think I could take it as far as the typewriter keyboard. I still remember using a manual typewriter and how my fingers felt after punching out a few pages of text.

What got me was that I thought this stuff was expensive. The CPU I showed was $599 for a 2.6 GHZ. Except for the fact that it doesn't come with a keyboard, that's about what I would expect to pay for a standard 2.6Ghz CPU.

It was really tempting.

You have to consider that a lot of these old radio and hi-fi cabinets are being thrown away as junk, when most inexpensive furniture these days is pressed wood or similar. To get real wood in anything now is almost considered 'heirloom'.

The cabinets were mass produced, but the difference in materials between mass production in 1939 and today is huge.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-21-2007, 06:39 PM

But what are the specs on the power supply?

ZenGum · 10-22-2007, 10:29 AM

They look cool and I like them just because they're different. I am tired of beige.
There are a few questions:
* does it take up more space than you are happy to give it?
* would it be a complete bitch to clean and dust?
* are you likely to want to add extra components, and if so, how hard would it be?
* have they properly addressed the cooling situation? Especially if dust builds up - fires could start that way.

If it passes, and if you like it, go for it. How much are keyboards? Cheap cheap cheap.

richlevy · 10-27-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum

They look cool and I like them just because they're different. I am tired of beige.
There are a few questions:
* does it take up more space than you are happy to give it?
* would it be a complete bitch to clean and dust?
* are you likely to want to add extra components, and if so, how hard would it be?
* have they properly addressed the cooling situation? Especially if dust builds up - fires could start that way.

If it passes, and if you like it, go for it. How much are keyboards? Cheap cheap cheap.

Looking at the fan to interior volume ratio, I think cooling is taken care of, although wood is a better insulator than sheet metal, so there would be almost no passive cooling.

I would definitely have to talk to the guy who built it to find if any bays or slots were left open. I want to find out if he has a web catalog.

It's almost all theoretical since the clunker I am currently using is sufficient for the light use it serves.

As for space. It's wider than the CPU on my desk but shorter. My biggest concern aesthetically is that I would have to replace the duct-taped computer desk I have if I bought it.

Still, it's nice to want something.

PointsOfLight · 10-28-2007, 04:25 AM

happy halloween.

ZenGum · 10-28-2007, 04:28 AM

!

richlevy · 10-28-2007, 11:23 AM

Wow!

I assume that's running the Linux LAMP server seed with a SqaushFS.

bluecuracao · 10-28-2007, 12:38 PM

I love this stuff! Interesting...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

and this one's awesome too:
http://www.datamancer.net/projects/engine/engine.htm

After watching Mad Men one night (if you're not familiar with the show, it's about the New York ad industry in 1960, and the sets are meticulously decorated with objects of the time), I was thinking, what if one were to put a plasma or LCD TV inside one of those cool floor console models?

It looks like the monitor in the link above is in some sort of framed-out cabinet...it could just as easily sit inside an old TV casing. Or maybe the maker didn't want to go too "high tech."

10-21-2007, 10:58 AM	#1
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	PC Beauty This touches on so many themes I had a difficult time deciding where to put it. It fits under technology and and quality images. I went to get a part from the local used PC store and while I was in there I saw custom built PC's on display. One of them was a PVC pipe one that originally caught my eye for originality but wasn't very aesthetic. What I didn't notice or understand was that there were also PC's built into some old pieces of furniture. After I saw the first one, the technician led me around to show me some pieces. It was funny watching her open some cabinets to see if there was a computer inside, since not every cabinet, desk, stand etc had one built in. One of their employees builds computers into old pieces of furniture, especially old radio/hi-fi furniture. This PC is in the housing for a 1939 RCA radio. I apologize for the picture quality, but my cellphone camera sucks. The blue neon and the analog gauges really looked great against the dark wood, but the blue neon caused glare in my cheapo cellphone camera lens. When I saw that it was the same price as any mid-level desktop, I was very tempted, but I'm not in the market for a new PC. It's also not practical if you want to add a second drive or other hardware. But it was so damn pretty. Attached Images __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama Last edited by richlevy; 10-21-2007 at 12:14 PM.

10-21-2007, 12:27 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I've come across this idea before. Here's a steampunk pc set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwhilde...7594363814399/ here's a cool one on boing boing: http://www.boingboing.net/2007/09/24...watercool.html and this one's awesome too: http://www.datamancer.net/projects/engine/engine.htm __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-21-2007, 01:58 PM	#3
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	It's certainly a little more extreme. I don't think I could take it as far as the typewriter keyboard. I still remember using a manual typewriter and how my fingers felt after punching out a few pages of text. What got me was that I thought this stuff was expensive. The CPU I showed was $599 for a 2.6 GHZ. Except for the fact that it doesn't come with a keyboard, that's about what I would expect to pay for a standard 2.6Ghz CPU. It was really tempting. You have to consider that a lot of these old radio and hi-fi cabinets are being thrown away as junk, when most inexpensive furniture these days is pressed wood or similar. To get real wood in anything now is almost considered 'heirloom'. The cabinets were mass produced, but the difference in materials between mass production in 1939 and today is huge. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama Last edited by richlevy; 10-21-2007 at 02:27 PM.

10-28-2007, 04:25 AM	#7
PointsOfLight learner of things Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 39	happy halloween. __________________ "It's not freedom if you have to join the majority in order to feel that you are free." -Paul Woodruff

10-28-2007, 04:28 AM	#8
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	! __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

10-21-2007, 06:39 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	But what are the specs on the power supply?

10-22-2007, 10:29 AM	#5
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	They look cool and I like them just because they're different. I am tired of beige. There are a few questions: * does it take up more space than you are happy to give it? * would it be a complete bitch to clean and dust? * are you likely to want to add extra components, and if so, how hard would it be? * have they properly addressed the cooling situation? Especially if dust builds up - fires could start that way. If it passes, and if you like it, go for it. How much are keyboards? Cheap cheap cheap.

10-28-2007, 11:23 AM	#9
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Wow! I assume that's running the Linux LAMP server seed with a SqaushFS. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama Last edited by richlevy; 10-28-2007 at 11:28 AM.

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