PCp attempt number 2; details, tips, and pics

[teraflop122]

As is generally known, my previous attempt to build a PCp failed due to time constraint and lack of funding. Now I have returned with a new and improved design, more moneys, and the lessons learned from my previous attempt.

This thread will be dedicated to my most recent efforts and to giving tips to other interested persons.

I will update this thread as new items of interest become available, probably starting and initially focusing on tips.

[FDSMAN]

hey, I was wondering if you would like to post your project in my new forum

http://s13.invisionfree.com/Modding_Core/

new project, new forum

[bicostp]

What motherboard are you going to use?

<img src="http://www.mini-itx.com/store/images/epia5000.jpg" width=400>
The Mini-ITX VIA EPIA 5000 is very small, and it's only $99 USD, the cheapest on the site.

[teraflop122]

I have deduced that the best possible choice for a PCp motherboard is the Via Epia TC10000 (or TC6000) Mini-ITX motherboard:



This board features an embedded DC-DC supply, so you need only supply 12volts. The TC10000 features enough computing power for games such as Unreal Tournament and Q3A, while consuming only 27watts max. The TC6000 is fanless and consumes a max of 17 watts.

This is the plan for prototype number one, as well as a template that newcomers should follow. The design strives for the simplest possible setup.



The box that the motherboard actually ships in makes a very good first case, as well.

[teraflop122]

The most common mistake when attempting to build a PCp is failing to choose appropriate components for the job, and grasping at far to high of a performance rating.

The first thing to remember is that a PCp will rarely be capable of playing new or even relatively modern 3D games (exception: see "I have more money than I know what to do with"). Modern 3D games tare most integrated graphics solutions to shreds, and all performance video cards suck an unheard-of amount of energy.

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>>>PCp type 1: "Typical, budget conscious, and energy efficient"

Most PCp's will fall into this catagory, because few people have 500 or 600 dollars to through out the window. The following motherboards are excellent choices, but one must be mindful of their performance capabilities.

>Emulation, pre-Quake 3D gaming:

Epia 5000
Epia 800

>Heavier Emulation, Video Playback, Quake era 3D gaming:

Epia ME6000
Epia TC6000
Epia ML8000
Epia ML5000
Epia PD6000

>Heavy Emulation, Video Playback, Q3A and Unreal Tournament era 3D gaming:

Epia M10000
Epia MII10000
Epia TC10000
Epia PD10000

>>>PCp type 2: "Type 1, but more expensive and modern, less energy efficient"

This catagory is similar to the first one, but many of the newest Epia boards fall into it due to their higher prices. For those higher prices, however, you get newer chipsets, DDR400 compatability, sometimes even SATA ports, and higher clock speeds.

>Energy Conscious, Q3A era gaming:

Epia MS8000
Epia SP8000

>High-end, Q3A era gaming:

Epia MS10000
Epia MS12000
Epia MII12000
Epia SP13000

>Freaks of Nature, Unreal Tournament 2003 era gaming:

Intel ITX (ULV Celeron M, Intel Extreme Graphics, only a tiny $78 price tag)

>>>PCp type 3: "I have more money than I know what to do with"

In this catagory we have any and all motherboards which feature Pentium M/Celeron M support. Due to the presence of those Intel chipsets, these boards almost always feature either Intel Extreme Graphics or Intel Extreme Graphics 2, which (under certain circumstances) allow UT2003 era gaming.

Commell LE370
Commell LE370Z
Boser HS-4705
Commell LV-671Z
Commell LV-671
Commell LV-673

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When building a PCp, motherboards which use Pentium 4 processors or AMD Athlon processors should always be avoided, as should any motherboards larger than the Mini-ITX or 5.25"x8" form factors, as these boards often draw a signifacant amount of current, and they can not feasibly be placed in a handheld.

[teraflop122]

Hmm, what could I possibly do to spur the interests of people here? Alternatively, I'd appreciate it if anyone could direct me to other, more PCp oriented forums.

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So you want to play blisteringly fast games on your PCp? Good luck with that...

Ok, so the situation isn't hopeless, but it is relatively antithetical. Nearly every motherboard I listed features a PCI slot, and a GeForce FX5200, or maybe even an FX5700, can still be found for the PCI interface. These cards are no longer new, but they should offer enough strength to run such games as Unreal Tournament 2003/2004.

The best way to mount said video cards is to purchase a PCI riser cable and twist the video card so it rests flat (but not directly on unless insulated, of course) on the underside of the motherboard.

Ideal video cards for this purpose are any slim/low profile cards which use only a passive heatsink for cooling (denoting a low power draw). If battery life still matters to you, you can strike a reasonable comprimise by underclocking the video card to around half the normal speed. Even a half-speed PCI GeForce FX5200 card is far superior to integrated graphics.

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http://www.logicsupply.com/product_info ... cts_id/452

[minkster]

I like your idea of building a PCp, but why windows 98? I've gotten the BSOD on that thing so many times its not even funny. I think windows2000 or XP would be a more reasonable choice

[teraflop122]

I heart Windows 2000 and XP I would gladly use them if doing so made sense for my particular project.

Unfortunately, both of those OS's's's require a truly tremendous amount of hard drive space (on the order of 2-3GB for a full working system including device drivers and etc). I need room for Unreal Tournament!

I will only have about 1.5GB available to me, and a full load of Win98 + the device drivers and etc can fit comfortably in 256MB of space, leaving me plenty for UT, Q3A, and some emulators and roms.

Furthermore, I plan to underclock the Via C3 processor, and it wasn't very robust to begin with. I don't want Windows 2000 or XP on there to slow it down

[shmagoogin77]

thats takes up more memory and power
you should really put linux on it

[bicostp]

Or you could run 98 Lite.

(a patch that cuts TONS of fat out of Windows 98 )

[xxxeagle]

Instead of using flash get a small 40-60 gig laptop or a removeable hdd then you can run xp and all sorts of games.

[tom61]

I see you're going for a more repeatable, but lunchbox-sized project this time.

If you're going with strictly a 4GB flash stick for OS storage, disable the swap or pagefile("virtual memory"). Flash has a fairly low number of write cycles before it goes bad, in the neighborhood 100,000 writes, and swap/pagefile writes to the disk every time you run low on physical memory.

Kind of odd, I'm thinking along the lines of getting a 3.5" board and Silver-Ion batteries (heavier, but more mAh in the same space), but you're going Mini-ITX (twice the size of my current board) and D-cell batteries.

[SpongeBuell]

sounds cool, but you should try to use something else for the case, as cardboard isn't that great. It's like having a Ferrari, with the body of a totaled junker.

[jellywerker]

then it isn't a ferrari now is it?

[teraflop122]

Arg, these constant forum crashes are making me want to join all of the rip-off forums instead ~_~

I would use Linux if only more games were made available for it, and if only I had any skill with that particular OS. On the other hand, I know exactly what I'm doing when it comes to Windows.

bicostp, Windows 98Lite looks uber cool and perfect for my needs! Only 40-50MB for 98SE? Craziness! It's not like I'll be surfing the net with a non-wireless portable Now, if only I could find that 98Lite software for free...hmmm...any suggestions?

tom61, did I say 4GB? I thought I said 1.5GB Either way, the cheapest form of flash storage is the Jumbodrive from Rosewill. The 1.5GB version is only $45, and only $79 for 3GB. Last time I checked, your board was a t least 5.75" x 8", while Mini-ITX is 6.7" x 6.7", so how is my board twice the size of yours? Have you actually dumped your first attempt in favor of getting a 3.5" board, or is all of that just speculation?

The power source is currently the only thing not yet set in stone. Initially the device will run on wall current (because I won't have much money to spare on batteries and chargers). The current plan is to fit C batteries in among the motherboard components (insulated, of course) in order to keep the size small.

Eventually, I'd like to bring the size down to a svelt 6.8" x 6.8" x 1.75", with the controller incorporated.

xxxeagle, laptop hard drives consume worlds of power in comparison to flash drives. Flash drives commonly consume only 5% as much as a laptop hard drive. That alone, plus the relative bulk of the involved IDE cables and adapters, keeps me from going that route.

SpongeBuell, It will not live in cardboard forever. When I have all of the parts perfected, I will try to shrink it down as much as possible, and place it inside some prefab plastic tuperware or something