Three Alternatives to the Beige Box

In this recipe I'll address three different builds. The first is a home theater PC, a moderate form factor which fits just as well in a stereo rack as atop a desk. The second is an ultra-portable model. The third is a throwback desktop PC case.

Differentiation is everything in the white-box business. So one effective way for a system builder to establish themself is to ditch the white-boxes altogether. Being well-versed in a number of different case builds also helps meet client requirements for portability or cramped spaces more easily.

Ingredients for the HTPC

For three decades, computer makers have sought to make their products look more like stereo equipment, while stereo makers have tried to give their wares a high-tech, computer-age sheen. The home theater PC (HTPC) is the latest pass at the "computer that feels like a stereo," and these configurations are best suited for deployment on a shelf or in a cabinet—not too far from the user, but certainly not meant to be tucked under a desk and forgotten like a beige tower. Our HTPC will be built as a combination media player and DVR. An HTPC is a comfortable form factor to start with, as you don't need much in the way of esoteric slim-line components or other off-the-beaten-path parts.

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(Note: All of the components in these builds are available through major parts suppliers, such as Newegg.)

Antec Fusion HTPC case: What says "stereo" more than a big, silver volume knob? That's not the only feature of this case, but it is one of the two most obvious. The other standout is a multi-line text display integrated directly into the case, used for track-and-title readouts with most media players under Windows and even Linux. It goes for around $180. Here's a look:

Hauppauge WINTV-PCR 150MCE-LP: This $80 PCI card provides single-tuner input suitable for recording one program while playing back another. The low-profile design will ensure better airflow in the case. Customers with HDTV feeds to their home or office may opt to substitute an HDTV capture card such as the VBox Cat's Eye line here.

HP DVD940I DVD+-RW drive with LightScribe: Any conventional optical drive would do for this build, but we will select a LightScribe drive for a few extra dollars (around $55) to give the customer the ability to burn labels directly from the drive. Home theater enthusiasts frequently burn their own compilations, so the more flexibility in the drive, the better.

ASRock ALiveNF6G-DVI motherboard: This mid-range Micro-ATX motherboard ($70) supports AMD's newer AM2 socket configuration, includes two PCI slots on their own card edge plus one PCI Express x16 and one PCI Express x1 for a full range of expansion options. It also comes with its own DVI-out, unusual for integrated motherboard graphics but ideal for an HTPC.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3500641AS: You may substitute your favorite drive here, but we've chosen a high-performance, high-capacity single-drive solution for this machine ($180). The 16 MB cache and 3.0 GB SATA access will help keep everything running smoothly even while the user records one program and watches another.

2x 512 MB DDR2 400: Choose your favorite supplier here. Two sticks (for $120), providing 1 GB will be suitable.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+(65W) Windsor 2.2GHz (retail w/heat sink): You can get the customer into a dual-core configuration for under $200: one core to focus on recording, the other to focus on playback.

SEVEN STEPS TO THE HTPC:

An HTPC may look different, but if you're versed in the classic ATX mid-sized tower, there won't be many surprises for you with this installation.

The Hardback PC

Popular external hard drive enclosures go for the "hardback book" look, but what if you could deliver a full computer in less than dictionary size? Mini-ITX designs let you cram a lot of computing power in a relatively small case, and the success of the Mac mini has only upped the stakes in this market.

For years VIA Technologies has been pushing this subcompact format more or less on its own. Recently, however, other OEM motherboard makers have entered the game with Mini-ITX platforms for both Intel and AMD chips (VIA's Mini-ITX boards all use its own x86-compatible processor). This broadens the range of features available for these slim-line designs, and may help satisfy customers who buy on CPU brand. These days, there are a number of appealing designs for both the home and chic office customer.

Hardback PC Ingredients

These ultra-compacts will need specialty components, but they're still widely available through suppliers like Newegg. Let's take a look at what's needed.

iStarUSA S-3 Mini-ITX Case: Technically a tower case, but far smaller than any conventional beige utility box, this enclosure (which goes for about $100), is built specifically for the tiny Mini-ITX form factor. It has a single, slim optical bay and an internal 3.5-inch bay for a single hard drive. Conveniently, it comes with a conversion cable for both 2.5-inch hard drives and the slim-line (notebook-designed) optical drives we will be using to complete the build, saving on some extra accessories. Here's a look:

AOpen i945GMt-FA motherboard: This Socket 479 board (around $250) conforms to the Mini-ITX build standard, roughly five inches square (or 17 cm x 17 cm). It is a standout among other Mini-ITX boards on a few important fronts. For starters, it is an Intel Core Duo board, cutting through the stigma that Mini-ITX is mostly suited for niche, lower-power applications. Additionally, it takes its own power from an included DC adapter which pulls more juice (90W) than many Mini-ITX cases provide through their own dedicated power supplies. That's particularly important if you plan to use a more powerful CPU in this build. Finally, it is one of the few to sport a PCI-Express slot, albeit only of the 1x variety; this means most high-end graphics cards are out, but many I/O devices (and even the occasional specialty video card) can be added.

Intel Core Duo (Yonah) T2300E (1.67 GHz): This is the entry level for the Core Duo line, but one which still delivers reasonable performance. It goes for around $200, but dropping down to a Core Solo could save $50 or more on this build. If the dual core is not a requirement, that may also be a place to consider cost-reduction. The Intel retail heat sink should have clearance in our case.

Two 512-MB SODIMM DDR2 667 modules: Again, with memory you can pick the brand you have had the best success with. This board, which retails for around $110, accepts notebook-style SODIMM modules to minimize clearance issues sometimes encountered in other small case builds.

Lite-On SLW-831S slim optical drive: The need for a notebook part makes for an expensive optical drive (around $90) considering its modest performance: The fastest DVD burn is just 8x, with RW burning at 4x. But to make the small case work, the price is worthwhile. The IDE converter we need to interface with the standard desktop controller is included with the iStarUSA case.

Hitachi Travelstar 5K160 160 GB SATA 2.5-inch drive: Although you could use the 2.5-inch ATA converter included in the case with a conventional ATA laptop drive, going with a SATA 2.5-inch device means we can simply use conventional SATA power and interface cables. These tend to be smaller and easier to manage than their old-world equivalents. This drive retails for about $140.

2.5-inch to 3.5-inch drive conversion kit: You still need the special half-inch brackets that convert a 2.5-inch drive to fit in a 3.5-inch bay, such as the one inside this enclosure. Typically, these $10 kits also include a pin-converter cable or board, but we will use the one from the case.

4-pin Molex to SATA power converter: You will also need to adapt the case's conventional HD power to a SATA power lead ($5) for the Hitachi drive.

SEVEN STEPS TO THE HARDBACK PC:

One of the most serious challenges in building a small PC is to avoid misplacing any of the small parts! Other than that, it's not too difficult:

Honorable Mention: Retro Chic on the Desktop

Computers in the 1980s lived on the desktop. But time and tastes changed, and the desktop fell out of favor. Now that experimentation is in again, it's possible to build a bold, eye-catching desktop once more—and I recommend giving it a serious look. One of the reasons desktop cases died out was that they were considered un-expandable. But recent improvements in case design mean you can do a full-size ATX motherboard build in a desktop case, leaving plenty of room for drives and expansion cards.

There are countless ways to build a full-size ATX machine for virtually any purpose--may I recommend a two-drive, 1.5 terabyte machine--so we won't do a full design here. The key ingredient is the case.

Thermaltake Tenor V VB2000SNS: Officially the Tenor is another HTPC design, but let's call things what they really are: This is a good, old-fashioned, "let's party like it's 1991, and I just got a new VGA card" desktop PC case. Internally, the Tenor is similar to working with the HTPC, so no worries there. Plus, this $100 case says, "Go ahead, set a monitor on top of me—that's what I'm here for." Yet the scalloped front and silver tones (it's also available in black) gives it just the right amount of style. Three external 5.25-inch bays and a total of five 3.5-inch bays provide plenty of storage space. Quad-core desktop, anyone? Here's a look:

Computers are commonplace in the office, but that doesn't mean yours have to look common. Adding these atypical case designs to your professional lineup will give any system builder more flexibility to meet customer demand with a wider range of computers that look good and are built right.

JASON COMPTON is a technology writer who has covered topics ranging from 8-bit entertainment to supercomputing for more than a decade.