Retro-modern computer builds

[resman]

(Not actually sure where this thread belongs, but I'll start here)

Does anyone else enjoy building modern computers with a vintage feel? I thought I'd post my two favorites:



They look like a bog standard Apple //c and Compaq Portable III but in reality they contain modern components mixed with vintage parts. In the case of the //c, it remains unmolested but the monitor (long ago defunct) was gutted and an iPad 2 LCD with controller was retrofitted along with a Raspberry Pi 3. The Apple 2 Pi software (https://github.com/dschmenk/apple2pi) bridges the gap between the //c's keyboard & mouse and the Pi:



The Compaq Portable III was used for parts to fix a Portable 386 and I just so happened to have a new LCD panel that fit perfectly where the old plasma screen resided. No kidding, I couldn't have measured and bought one to fit any better. Sometimes luck plays an important part. A NVIDIA Tegra X2 provides the horsepower for a portable 3D/Deep Learning workstation:



Now my favorite computer:



The retro-modern twins:



Dave...

 

[zombienerd]

I like them! I have been considering finding an old beige case for my current main machine.

 

[Sandisk78]

Well... when PIII computers were still "actual" I had an AsusP3Bf Mb in big case of a 286 desktop. IT was a big steel desktop case, "bullet and grenade resistant".

I had to use saw to cut some metal parts in back side to make the mb ports fit there... But since 2011 I don't use modern desktops - only laptops and so the problem isn't actual for me any more...

 

[Chuck(G)]

When the parts are pre-manufactured, I prefer the term "assemble from parts" rather than "build", which to me, implies something on a component level--and a wholly different level of skill.

 

[resman]

When the parts are pre-manufactured, I prefer the term "assemble from parts" rather than "build", which to me, implies something on a component level--and a wholly different level of skill.

I use the term "build" much like you would with a car project. You wouldn't need to machine the engine block from a solid piece of iron, but purchase a crate engine to install in an existing chassis. But there is some custom software on the //c that I wrote and I include both hardware and software as part of the "build". To each his own.

 

[creepingnet]

This has sbeen my thing for years. This March I built my 2nd one and I just lucked out and found a Perfect case for the job - an InWin D500 - looks so early 90's it should be home to a 486, but it's mATX so it can host the lastest hardware without an issue. Core 2 Duo 3.6 GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro x64. It now has dual screens because someone threw out a perfectly good widescreen monitor with DVI so now I have 2 DVI monitors instead of one. And the Keyboard is clicky - I'm now just trying to decide between a Microspeed PC-TRAC style USB trackball or a Kensington ExpertMouse for it.



A system or two ago I had this - a 1986 GEM Computer Products 386 clone of a Compaq Deskpro 386 that I housed a 1GHz Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and Windows 2000 Pro SP4 into. THAT was the computer I built my youtube channel on, the computer I made the Creeping Network website on from 2003-2009, and the computer I did so many modifications to the case literally fell apart after something like 8-9 years of hard use.