Author Archive
Hive Logix mini-ITX Case Review
Posted by: | CommentsThese days when it comes to technology and hardware, it seems everyone wants things to be smaller. Whether it’s due to space constraints, potential cost savings, or in some attempt to be kinder to the environment. Whatever the reason, the market is becoming flooded with low power and compact hardware. Netbooks and iPads will be as ubiquitous as ever for the foreseeable future. Yet, despite motherboard and hardware manufacturers putting out smaller and smaller components, one segment of the market looks to be under-served. Case manufacturer PC Design Labs has recently launched branding under the Hive Logix name, and aims to change that.
PC Design Labs earned it’s solid reputation a few years back with it’s innovative and hardware friendly Qmicra case, which has been constantly refined to it’s current state. A lot of that refinement has come from user input, as founder Dave LaLopa is constantly listening to the community. After all, there’s no better quality control accounting, than from a person who’s spent their own hard earned money on one of your products.
With a solid and successful case design in the Qmicra, and a newly developing market, Hive Logix has introduced a new mini-ITX case. That new case is the product I’ll be reviewing today.
Project OSIDIAS video walkthrough
Posted by: | CommentsI had a little time over the weekend, so I thought I’d make something special for everyone that has been following this project. This is a video walkthrough of OSIDIAS. It explains how some of the components fit together, and I cover some of the design basics. Although I’ve left out a few details, I think you’ll understand the project a little better. Enjoy!
Project OSIDIAS video walkthrough from Craig Brugger on Vimeo.
Project mediaBIN3.0 Weighted Companion Cube by zAAm
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s time for another update from the forums! Today I’m featuring a modder that may not be the first to build a Portal companion cube, but that doesn’t matter. I’m pretty confident in saying zAAm’s mod may be the best example of a cube that I’ve ever seen. His attention to detail is over the top. Not only on the outside, but on the inside. Follow along and I’m sure you’ll agree…
zAAm didn’t step into this project without a little prior proper planning. What you see here is a Solidworks representation of the cube before a single cut is made. All the hardware placements were planned out in advance. This allowed him to maximize the available space, and make the cube as compact as possible.
Top panel cutting… in anticipation of a custom reservoir
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the biggest ongoing, yet unresolved issues with this project, was the placement of a reservoir. It’s been debated for much to long, and I wasn’t sure we would find a solution we really liked. Well, that has now changed…
More insanity and a UMPC…
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s a funny thing that happens when you are planning a project way longer than you had anticipated. Changes. Changes happen. Many changes actually. Although I’ve stood by the basic form factor I had first envisioned, things have been in a constantly evolving state. A tweak here, a tweak there, in the ongoing pursuit of perfection. Every last detail is being planned and thought out in advance. Just when I think I’ve got it nailed, another idea pops in to my head, and I’m revising again. Now, I can’t keep this up forever, and I’ll soon have to commit to a design plan, but until that happens I’m going to have a little fun.
So why the rambling intro? Well, I’ve got another idea. This one is slightly more costly, slightly more unique, and way more insane. In fact, this sort of thing wouldn’t even have been very economically feasible even a year or two ago. What sort of thing am I referring to? UMPC’s… Yes, why stop at 2 systems in a single machine, when you can have 3. Do I have your attention now?
Here’s what I’m thinking… As OSIDIAS stands right now, I’ve already got a 7″ touchscreen on the front. This screen was to act as the control interface for the pico-itx system, which in turn monitors and controls almost every aspect of the main system. If I replace that touchscreen with a UMPC linked via a wireless connection to the pico, I can retain the same functionality through software. The biggest advantage then, is the ability to remove the UMPC and control the system remotely. On top of that, I’ve got still got all the original functions of the UMPC itself. Overkill? Nah, there’s no such thing! So, stay tuned for updates as the plan gets revised and implemented. Insanity has reached a new level…
I suppose you want to see the UMPC I plan on using, huh?
