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Case for industrial backplane

RadRacer203

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Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
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Location
Burlington VT
So a year or so ago I got an industrial backplane setup essentially for free and I've been looking for a case ever since. I just started looking again cause I'm running out of projects to keep myself occupied and I think I found a case on ebay I'll likely pick up. The thing I'm having a little trouble with is the layout on the back. On all the "full AT server cases" I see, they either can only fit standard size motherboards or the keyboard port is in the middle like this: (sorry for the awful quality)
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I don't have a picture of my specific motherboard but it's very similar to this, with I believe 14 slots and the keyboard port at the top.
0002308_pci-14s-picmg-10-full-size-passive-backplane.jpeg

I figure with a case like that I have 2 options- keep my backplane and modify the case (or find a new set of slots which I think is very unlikely), or find a different backplane. Any suggestions how I should proceed? I definitely want to stick with a tower case instead of a rackmount one and I don't believe I need the keyboard port on the backplane because the cpu card I have has onboard ps/2 so I can desolder it if necessary.
 
Also, out of curiosity what kind of motherboard would fit in that case with 8 slots below and 4 slots above the keyboard connector?
 
why would the keyboard DIN even matter if you are using a passive backplane? the keyboard would need to be connected to your processor card anyway most likely
 
2nd only to my trio of ALR 6x6's. ^.^

Totally forgot to answer your question!
Most cases for these 14 slot boards are going to be like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/163717006916 Some even have built-in screens! https://www.ebay.com/itm/181377776600

I'm personally considering a 2U "butterfly" version for the Pentium pro SBC that I have. Like this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/112036695320 Kinda waiting on a certain $1200 check from a certain orange-faced, ****-trumpet before I pull the trigger.
 
I saw a big Yeorng-Yang server case on CL for only $30. Looked like ti could handle oversized motherboards, but not sure of the number of card slots.
 
why would the keyboard DIN even matter if you are using a passive backplane? the keyboard would need to be connected to your processor card anyway most likely

I want to be able to use all 14 slots, and with the hole for the keyboard in the middle, 2 would be blocked off

If I go with one of the rackmount server cases it would have to be pretty special, like with a crt monitor inside or something. Otherwise I'd really like to stick to a ridiculously huge tower
 
I want to be able to use all 14 slots, and with the hole for the keyboard in the middle, 2 would be blocked off

If I go with one of the rackmount server cases it would have to be pretty special, like with a crt monitor inside or something. Otherwise I'd really like to stick to a ridiculously huge tower
I've got a Micro Five 286 Novell server that has ten slots if that's of interest.

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Too bad you didn't need one a few months ago. A local guy had a 14 slot case with telecom cards in it I could have snagged before he recycled it.

They are cool cases but without a purpose they just take up a ton of room. I didn't even bother to save the PC card in it.
 
I've got a Micro Five 286 Novell server that has ten slots if that's of interest.

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I like that case a lot, is it just a standard 286 on a 16 bit isa backplane? I think I have a 486 card that would be a pretty nice upgrade for it. Or maybe I can just get a 10 slot backplane and make my pentium 3 cpu card fit
 
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I like that case a lot, is it just a standard 286 on a 16 bit isa backplane? I think I have a 486 card that would be a pretty nice upgrade for it. Or maybe I can just get a 10 slot backplane and make my pentium 3 cpu card fit
No, it's a very proprietary 286 board. And that's just the beginning. Nearly everything in this system is proprietary but it does use standard floppy and hard drives.
 
No, it's a very proprietary 286 board. And that's just the beginning. Nearly everything in this system is proprietary but it does use standard floppy and hard drives.

Definitely an odd machine, I like it. I probably wouldn't want to tear it apart though.
 
I mean I don't need any more computers but I'd definitely be interested cause I like oddball stuff, how much would you be asking for it?
 
PM me with a reasonable offer.

I've gotta' warn you... the server itself is extremely heavy and will undoubtedly cost an arm and leg just to ship it. I would guess somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 ±20%.
 
I think right at the moment I'll probably pass on it. Maybe I can pick it up in person and save on shipping after this whole covid thing blows over.

I changed my mind on my P3 industrial backplane after seeing the prices of a lot of the cases, I'll probably just sell it soon. Not worth it to me for what's basically a pretty basic P3
 
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