Winston's Lego Computer

Status: Construction complete.
Replaced CD-ROM w/ an 8X DVD drive.

Based on VIA EPIA-M9000
CPU: VIA C3 933MHz processor
Chipset: VIA CLE266/VT8235
Form Factor: Mini-ITX
IDE: 2xATA 133/100/66
Ram:1x DDR266 DIMM, Max 1GB
Integrated Ports:1xSVideo, 1xRCA, 2xPS/2, 1xRJ45, 1xCom, 1xPrinter, 2xUSB2.0, 1xVGA, Audio ports
External Ports: 2x USB 2.0, 2x IEEE1394 via card slot
Slots:1xPCI
Onboard Audio:VIA VT1616 6 channel AC'97
Onboard Video:Integrated VIA CastleRock AGP graphics with MPEG-2 decoder

	Globlink GKM-880 (USB-BK) ifree RF wireless keyboard & track ball mouse. Radio Frequency Technology (RF). Multi-media hot keys. 6 channels. 4 bit (16) security codes. Transmission distance up to 15 feet, Omni-directional operation. Energy saving management. Error correction transmission capability. Win. 95, 98, 2000,ME, NT compatible.
Other components: 256MB Kingston PC2700 DDR SDRAM 70watt Micro-ATX power supply IBM 18GB hard-drive Toshiba/NEC 24X CD-ROM drive (now replaced w/ Liteon 8X DVD drive) Tools: Dremel Loctite Quicktite super glue liquid (from Walmart) Brain w/ an imagination Experienced hands

 

Step 1: Test the motherboard as soon as you get it.... In the first power on the BIOS detected the cpu running at 40C ?? Kind of hot isn't it? When running the included "flightdeck" utility the alarm went off saying it was 17C ?? Kind of cold isn't it? Maybe an update will solve this problem in the future.

 

Step 2: Mount the motherboard and backplate onto motherboard.
	USB 2.0 and Firewire panel. No glue or adjustments needed. It fit tightly into the lego.
	Back panel. Lego holds the backplate in place.
	Motherboard using plastic motherboard pegs. These are superglued to a flat piece of lego (smooth top) which is then placed on the base. It is offset but it holds.

 

Step 3: DC to DC ATX power supply did not work. Missing a -5V connection on it? I had to use a micro-atx power supply. Mounted the notebook hard-drive and the wireless keyboard receiver. Keyboard receiver removed from plastic housing and placed in lego. Southbridge chip gets kind of hot so I had to put a little heat sink on it. I guess that is why they put a heat sink on the southbridge on the 1Ghz model. Had to increase the length of the base to accommodate the hard-drive.
	IBM notebook Hard-Drive Mounted and the wireless keyboard receiver mounted on top of the power supply
	Wireless keyboard receiver tilts upright and antenna extends to increase the range of the keyboard.
	Micro-ATX power supply w/ doors closed.
	Micro-ATX power supply w/ the doors open. Blue windows may be opened to cool the power supply.

 

Step 4: Increased rigidity of the base with lego pieces on the bottom and top of every joint. Installed CD-ROM and Hard-drive from my old NEC LT-120 sub-notebook. It died after going through the new powerful scanners at the airport. Thanks to Michael Ninness for the photoshop techniques. You will notice better quality pictures from now on.
	Vents on side of case will allow air to flow past the hard-drive. Black ladders are used as a grill.
	HD LED fits good into the clear lego "ion cannon" piece. A Dremel was used to make the LED go all the way in (same for the power LED). Air will also pass in from the front so that air will flow past the hard-drive. Power supply will push air out the top.
	Lego windows on the left side, a case modder's signature. Unfortunately all you will be able to see is a lot of wires like the CD-ROM cables and firewire/USB cables.
	Taken from fire engine Lego set, the ladders will be able to extend the CD-ROM. It will become clear why I did it this way later on. CD-ROM will be superglued to the gray lego pieces attached to the ladders.
	Another view at the extended ladders. Black arches on the left and gray arches in the front (from a castle set) are used to support the CD-ROM and eventually the top of the case.
	How the CD-ROM will look like on the ladders.
	A side view of the CD-ROM w/ the ladders extended.
	USB wire to the wireless receiver is run through the back. Maybe latter a wireless network card will be added.

 

Step 5: Finished the rest of the case. Will have to replace the angled CD-ROM doors because the Front pieces are blocking the CD-ROM tray from extending fully. Superglued the power and reset buttons to a window.
		USB/Firewire panel mounted on the front. The cables to the motherboard header are very thick/rigid and very unflexable.
		Completed case w/ a Netgear USB 802.11b wireless network adapter that broke. It was w/ the notebook at the airport scanners and did not work after that.
		Power (red) and reset (blue) buttons. Even got the Lego logos on the pieces to look upright. See next pictures for construction...
A dremel drilled a hole in each window. Switches were superglued to back of window. I strongly recommend the Loctite brand Qucktite superglue because it has squeeze handles and never clogges when capped.		A white Lego airplane window piece was used for the switches/buttons. The switches from a 1996 Micron case fit perfectly into the windows. A transparent red and blue 1x1 round piece were superglued to the top of the switches to form the buttons.
		Redid the hard-drive section. More airflow for the hard-drive. Also put in the rest of the clear pieces I had.
		Left side view of the windows. CD-ROM angled doors and the USB/Firewire doors closed.
		Move your mouse cursor over the image to the left to see the doors open.
		Top view of the case. The "mesh" piece allows the C3 processor's fan push air up the top of the case.
		A view of the CD-ROM tray out. Pieces had to be removed from the front which supported the angled doors.
		A clear window in the middle will keep an eye on the processor. I have concerns about the southbridge getting hot so I will monitor that.
		Move your mouse over the image to the left to see what it looks like w/ the wireless keyboard receiver down.
		Completed case w/ the wireless keyboard.
Output to TV is nice w/ some changes to the settings. Problem is that there is only a windowed and overscanned TV setting. It is either a black border on your entire desktop or get the edges cut out w/ overscan.
Quicktime trailers did not display video.

Conclusion:
This project was fun to work on despite the setbacks of a power board that didn't work and an unusually hot southbridge chip. It was too bad that I couldn't make the case totally black. This project took longer than I thought and the computer was heavier than I thought it would have been. I didn't weight it yet. I hope that this case will inspire other modders to create even better lego PCs or Macs. I wouldn't mind taking the board out of a first generation iMac and put it into a lego case w/ an LCD screen but who has money for that? Maybe Lego can create a new niche market for itself by making ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX form factor pieces w/ some metal shielding. That would really drive up sales of new and used Lego, especially for adults that want a PC for their kids in their networked home.

I'm using it as a spare PC right now. When my powerhouse machine is busy rendering videos or running processes I use it to browse the web, check e-mail, and maybe watch DVDs. I suggest getting a Nemiah based Mini-itx board for more demanding applications. They are pricier though. They were not available when this project was started.

I estimate that the components for this lego PC (including the adapters needed for the notebook hard-drive and CD-ROM) come out to $330-$380 not including Lego pieces. That is what I would pay for if the components were new. The majority of the components I already had. I had to buy the motherboard, RAM, keyboard, and adapters. I suggest www.bricklink.com for any specialty pieces in your own project. I have never used it but it looks impressive. Go to www.ebay.com for the adapters.

Special thanks to my cousin Lucille for donating the majority of Lego pieces.
Again, thanks to Michael Ninness for the photoshop techniques.

To see more mini-itx projects check out www.mini-itx.com

Inquiries may be sent to: wchow@hawaii.edu I will try to respond as best I can.
Need cheap storage on the network? Check out my Dell PowerVault 725n Network Attached Storage Server (NAS) page.

Next Project?
The MTX amp case??? Just have to add an "i" between MTX on the metal plate...