Materials: Rationell Variera, Various PC Components, Plexiglass
Description: I used two Ikea's Rationell Variera levels with their stands to hold a standard ATX mainboard with its power supply, audio and video cards.
I used Rationell Variera's own holes to screw the hard disk and the power supply and closed sides of the box with plexiglass panels. Then i just added neon lights to have a coloured media server in my living room.
~ Max Alberici, Rimini, Italy
But why?
ReplyDeletefun? creativity? joke? who cares, when it is a nice idea?
DeleteMaybe the word "server" was all a non native English speaker could come up with, but I'm left with absolutely no idea how a box with one stinking drive, a video card, and some tacky lights that would be drowned in scorn on the custom computer web sites I frequent is a server.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and how exactly is this an Ikea Hack?
aside from going on 'custom computer websites', do you know anything about computers? I suspect not.
DeleteIt's an ikea hack as much as anything else is, probably slightly more acceptable than the 'botch together poor quality ikea furniture rather than make an effort to learn basic carpentry' crap that make up quite a lot of the posts.
Because it started off like this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60136623/
ReplyDeleteI like this, and a media server quite typically would have only one drive.
ReplyDeleteHow do you figure that? Perhaps if the media you're serving is a photo library but I, personally, have well over 3TB of media which I would be serving. Yes, I could get a 3TB drive but that doesn't leave me far to go, does it? Especially when things are coming in higher resolutions and bigger file sizes, I'd expect at least 2 drives and, if you're serious, a 5-6 drive RAID array.
Deletechill man...
DeleteNot a bad idea per say, but can I offer some suggestions from a computer standpoint?
ReplyDeleteFirst, you desperately need to clean up the wiring. Doing a transparent build requires new flawless execution in wire routing. I can't quite tell clearance levels from the pics, but if you could use larger standoffs to raise the motherboard another quarter to half inch you could route them underneath.
Second, remount those lights so that they are at least level if nothing else. If you can tuck them in to corners all the better. It's best to see the light and not necessarily the light source itself, especially being a media server visible while watching movies. I could see that being distracting.
Third, even though it has vent holes and all, are there any fans whatsoever? Might need to think about that one. Without knowing specific hardware I can't say too much about it though.
The above post made some good points. I'd like to add another - If this is a media computer, where are you mounting a DVD or BD drive? You might like one of those somewhere. Also, a 5.8ghz N wifi system, or a cat5e jack should be available on it.
ReplyDelete'where are you mounting a DVD or BD drive? You might like one of those somewhere' why would you have an optical drive on a media server, surely it just serves files over your network presumably to a HTPC, Xbox, PS3 (anything that acts as a media centre)
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with the above comment, a little more time and you could have routed wires and hidden lighting sufficiently that it looked boss. Great effort though, it definitely is a unique server casing.
Great! I like it! :D
ReplyDeleteWTF, did you guys run out of material to feature?
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrassed for you and the person who made the "hack".
It may not be the "best" implementation of this, but I think it is an interesting idea, which is what this site is all about.
DeleteI don't understand the haters of this idea. Max saw an Ikea product, imagined a use for it that Ikea never intended. Executed the idea and now has an interesting computer case. It may not be technically complex but it looks good and serves the purpose he intended well. So haters: where are your Hacks?
ReplyDeleteWhat! I love this hack!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't see the value here are 3 cool things
1 very attractive and fun and feminine
2 inexpensive DIY pc cases aren't free
3 it's shallow thus you have different placement options than a typical pc which is tall ( are they not tall anymore ?)
Adorable! ~Katia
What! I love this hack!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't see the value here are 3 cool things
1 very attractive and fun and feminine
2 inexpensive DIY pc cases aren't free
3 it's shallow thus you have different placement options than a typical pc which is tall ( are they not tall anymore ?)
Adorable! ~Katia
I think you hack is awesome and I'm sure with the comments above you've already improved upon it 10fold - Thanks for sharing - The case is something unique you won't find anywhere else and that's what makes me like it!
ReplyDelete