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minute (mntmn@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:25:44 JST minute

i wonder what would be the best way to put the MNT Reform motherboard + a PCIe graphics card + PSU into a small (metal) case, given the non-standard dimensions. perhaps it could be adapted to *ITX mounting holes with a metal or acrylic cut sheet or 3D printed part; but what about the ports? or a custom case would make more sense. ideas?

In conversation Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:25:44 JST from mastodon.social permalink
- minute (mntmn@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:40:50 JST minute
  in reply to
  - jacqueline 🌟
  @jacqueline true!
  
  In conversation Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:40:50 JST permalink
- jacqueline 🌟 (jacqueline@chaos.social)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:40:52 JST jacqueline 🌟
  in reply to
  
  @mntmn a custom case makes a lot of neat options available. e.g. a nice spot to put battery packs, giving you an inbuilt ups.
  
  In conversation Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:40:52 JST permalink
- minute (mntmn@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:57:35 JST minute
  in reply to
  - JJ
  @jj yep, the ITX cluster board is shelved, NLnet rejected the funding application
  
  In conversation Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:57:35 JST permalink
- JJ (jj@social.infinity.garden)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:57:47 JST JJ
  in reply to
  
  @mntmn
  Trying to adapt to a standard ITX case seems like it would result in some awkward compromises. A custom case seems like a better option to me if you're just taking the laptop motherboard.
  Are you also looking into a more standard ITX motherboard? I think you mentioned you were looking at an ITX board with muliple SOM slots at some point.
  
  In conversation Tuesday, 18-Apr-2023 22:57:47 JST permalink
- minute (mntmn@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 19-Apr-2023 02:09:49 JST minute
  in reply to
  - Sven
  @HeNeArXn wow, very thorough!
  
  In conversation Wednesday, 19-Apr-2023 02:09:49 JST permalink
- Sven (henearxn@chaos.social)'s status on Wednesday, 19-Apr-2023 02:09:50 JST Sven
  in reply to
  
  @mntmn this got too long for a Mastodon post (at least on my instance), so I threw a longer answer on my blog: https://www.svenknebel.de/posts/2023/4/2/
  In conversation Wednesday, 19-Apr-2023 02:09:50 JST permalink
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    fitting in an existing case For mITX fit would really be a case-by-case (hah!) basis, since the board is a bunch wider than the 17cm of mITX. (m)ATX with 244mm it'll much more likely fit (I think few cases really strictly limit to the 244mm). That'd mean you can have one side of ports positioned at the port bracket. In either case ports on the other side would be good to expose, and for many port types you can get extension cables that end in a panel mount which could be placed in the I/O bracket or in a slot cover. If the (from a laptop-user perspective) left side is exposed: Outward-facing are Power, Ethernet, Audio, SD card. Ethernet and Audio are good to have there, SD card is IMHO "meh" (doesn't hurt to be reachable, would also be ok to be hidden in the case). If Power is needed to connect to the PSU it's not a good place and would need a cable snake out and back in immediately, which is possible but ugly. If the PSU powers the board through an internal connector just plug the Power hole to make sure nobody accidentially connects a PSU. HDMI and all USB ports are internal then - in combination with a GPU HDMI isn't needed, if a user wants a different card they'd need an extension. Some USB ports also could be sent to front-USB ports, but some USB at the back is probably preferred by some - if so that needs an extension. PCIe port is on the side pointing towards usual GPU position, so to install a GPU there the riser connecting it can be very short but needs to bend back 180°. If the right side is exposed, I'd want Ethernet to be extended to the back. Audio in many cases could be sent to a front port. Power is fine internal, SD card is fine internal. Back has USB ports and HDMI. Front-USB could still be fed from internal USB ports (i.e. the trackball one). PCIe port is on the side pointing away from the usual GPU position, so a riser would go straight across the MB and then to a card slot. custom case For a custom case I imagine mainboard and and GPU back-to-back, which would give you something about as wide as a Reform, 2-3x as thick and probably shorter in the third dimension (depending on power circuitry exactly), so that the ports are exposed as they are in the laptop? That'd work quite well to mount it behind a screen (VESA mount?), or to have it with USB ports to the front and GPU exhaust to the back on a desk. HDMI at front would be a bit odd, but also not needed if used with a GPU (and could be behind a stylish cover)

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