COMPUTERS

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Mini - ITX

I have been fascinated by the potential of this incredibly small form factor for some time. My interest is mostly down to the incredible size of the motherboard (17x17cm) as well as the brilliant ways in which people have used them to build computers in old typewriter cases, guitars, toasters, old radios - the list goes on.

Wearable computing pirate style!

This jolly fellow (above) built a PC using a Mini-ITX motherboard to wear round his neck with a rainbow strap. He decided to dress up as a pirate with a paper bag over his head for good measure! Read all about him here. I must remember my costume if I ever get one of my own Mini-ITX projects off the ground!

The boards themselves feature an integrated processor and heatsink which is extremely quiet and hardly uses and power. The boards also have sound and video built in. Only one thing has stopped me buying one - the price. The most powerful 1000mhz version is about £100. I'm still thinking about it but I would like one that's a bit more powerful for DJing MP3s with software like Traktor DJ.

I think the current VIA models would be OK to use as jukebox and DVD player but I'm yet to be convinced it could handle more. Mini-ITX recently took a slating in a computer magazine for just being some silly geeky fad rather than anything useful. A little harsh perhaps.

Am I wrong about Mini-ITX? E-mail me

Links:

Mini-ITX.com