Custom Cube

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Jules's picture
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Custom Cube

Hi all,

I have recently decided to make a custom cube of sorts. In essence it will be a G4 cube motherboard (with the fastest processor and graphics card I can fit to it) all in a custom case I have designed. Basically the box will be used as a set top box to be used with my 42" plasma screen TV (it only supports Mini D-sub 15-pin input according to the manual).

Now, since the case is custom and I can adapt any cooling systems needed, restrictions on what processors and graphic cards can be fitted are no longer dependant on the case size. So, my question is this: What is the best/fastest processor and graphics card I can fit into this system?

At the moment I am planning to have a 1.4 GHz Powerlogix card that is said to work the cube in there. However, Powerlogix also have a dual 1 GHz card that I think would work with the cube, but the cube isnt on the compatibility list (I assume due to size/heat constraints). Does anyone know if this would work? And would I be right in thinking that the best graphics card I could fit is the Radeon 9700?

All and any help would be much appreciated Smile

Cheers,
Ewan

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If you're using it as a set-t

If you're using it as a set-top box, the 1.4GHz card should do nicely. If you go the dual route, you risk having something that doesn't work or doesn't fit, then you have to wrestle with the PR people in RMA land. The Radeon 9700 should work in the Cube, as it's a 2x AGP compatable card. All those power requirements might but a strain on the DC-DC board though, so just be careful.

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The dual card's PCB is to lar

The dual card's PCB is to large to fit without hitting other things. Your also limited to what video card you can use do to the size of the faster cards. To drive that plasma your going to need a Radeon 9600 or preferably a Radeon 9800 (this is assuming the plasma has a DVI port). But again, the size of these cards will be the limiting factor.

EDIT: The 9700 is an OEM only card, there was no retail version of it. Re-reading I see you only have a VGA port on it? I am not sure if the radeons will be able to drive it this way, I have not checked, as I dont have a VGA TV Wink

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Too Much

For a set-top box, I believe a dual would really be serious overkill, unless you went for an old dual 450 or 500 as others have done. But considering the cost of a modern dual processor, and the amount of work involved (over at www.cubeowner.com you can find people who have put a dual 1ghz), it's not worth it. If you need the horsepower for your livelihood or just want the thrill of competing for the world's most powerful Cube, then go for it. Otherwise, IMHO you're wasting your money.

And by the way, the constraint for the Cube and dualies is with the DC-DC converter board.

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The upgrades come with ne DC-

The upgrades come with new DC-DC boards. 1Ghz and up all have them, after they started to pop like hot cakes when they first came out.

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http://www.applefritter.com/n

http://www.applefritter.com/node/view/605

if you REALLY want to go overkill...

CCC

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Or, you could just go out to

Or, you could just go out to your local hardware store, buy a set top box. This option is much cheaper, plus it leaves you with the cube still intact.

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Yeah, but that would complete

Yeah, but that would completely negate what I am trying to achieve here.

Basically, I have a home network set up with my main machine (G4 Tower) set up as a file server for the rest of the computers in my flat through a wireless broadband router (altough the tower is cust cat-5'd to it). I want to be able to access these files and play music (through my home cinema system), browse the net, watch divx movies and play some light games through my TV from the comfort of my couch. Why would I buy a standard set top box that... cant do ANY of that? I would need like 5 individual set top boxes in order to achieve that. A single G4 box could achieve this easily however Smile THAT is why I'm making it.

I'm knocking up a 3D image of (roughly) what it will look like which I will post when I get back home tonight. Looks pretty cool so far, but I need to texture it now to see how it will look...

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