Mini-ITX case with 5.25 optical drive

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:27 pm

A quick question - are there any Mini-ITX cases with brick psu's and place for a regular 5.25 optical drive? all that i've found use slim drives that is pretty limiting and adds to the cost.

allenlux · Post by **allenlux** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:32 am

Have you looked at the mini-itx.com site? On their shop page for cases (http://www.mini-itx.com/store/?c=3) they have a table of cases.

In fact, I think the only one which takes a full-size optical drive is the Morex Venus 669. This doesn't take a brick power supply, but you could take out the PSU and replace it with a Pico-PSU + external brick.

I've done this with my old Chyang-Fun Mini-Cube case (after the PSU failed). The Mini-Cube was a nice case but is apparently no longer on the market.

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:02 pm

allenlux, thanks.

i've seen Venus 669. if i get it and a separate brick that will run me way over $200 just for that. plus, it looks like the only place they sell it locally is here:

http://linitx.com/product_info.php?cPat ... cts_id=542

that's way too much for the price.

edit: no one sells it locally...

allenlux · Post by **allenlux** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:35 pm

mcoleg, I know what you mean. When the Mini-ITX motherboards first appeared they seemed to be good value, but as the newer boards and cases have become steadily more expensive, it no longer seems like the best option unless size really is critical.

I put my most recent Mini-ITX board into one of these cheap Micro-ATX cases:
http://icrontic.com/articles/aspire_xqpack_pc_case

but aesthetically the result is unsatisfactory compared to the old MiniCube (which is about half the size).

By the way, where do you live?

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 2:18 pm

allenlux, i know, it's a darn shame. wasn't it suppose to be a bit cheaper? what you said seems like the best way to go so far. still, additional cost of the psu...

anywho, i was keeping my eye on this board:

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/d201gly

or m/b i'll wait till s1 socket boards come out. was planning to build something really low-power, do some cost efficiency calculations, you know, the usual. with proprietary parts only, no one in his right mind will go with low-power rig for the next system. the initial expense and the higher upgrade/repair/replacement costs off-set any possible energy savings.

i did find a small case that will upset the additional price of the brick and a slim optical drive:

http://www.directron.com/7396am1.html

on the downside, it will take only short-bracket pci cards, still proprietary.

edit: California :p

crispyfish · Post by **crispyfish** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:07 pm

mcoleg wrote:i did find a small case that will upset the additional price of the brick and a slim optical drive:

http://www.directron.com/7396am1.html

That case is hideous...

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:43 pm

yeeep.

zcream · Post by **zcream** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:57 pm

Any idea if we can get a case WITHOUT a power brick or PSU - and no space for 2.5" drives, but 1 5.25" bay.
I want to use a DC powered mobo and boot via flash and use the 5.25" bay for a removable SATA HDD..Hopefully the size will still be small..

Mini-ITX case with 5.25 optical drive

Mini-ITX case with 5.25 optical drive

mini ITX with ONLY 1 5.25" drive