Building a rackmounted computer?

[aaewen]

Believe me this is not the first place I would ask this question. But I am kinda out of option so I will try my luck here.

I need a new computer. But not just another big tower case, I need a rackmount. I have several racks at home and at work. They house audio and video equipment. So instead of trying to strap my odd PC tower case to a rack mount (and push around), why not just have a rack mounted PC? Most of the internet reacted to this idea in a very hostile way as if someone is about to commit genocide.

I know about the noise, so I am not going to grab just a standard U4 server chasis. It is especially bad when we roll up doing live audio recording for events and the fans add to the noise. So I am wondering if anyone come across a rackmount case that is friendly to office use (instead of server room) or if there is any good solution? I heard liquid cooling is out of the question if the computer is mobile.I do video editing so a laptop is generally under powered.

 

Thanks in advance.

[montky]

@aaewen

howdy, I sent a verbose technicalish PM,

it's unfortunate that folks don't see the potential utility in such an idea.

I think some of the folks at ThisWeekInTech or 8BitGuy's forum may be able and inclined to help though.

 

there are some options, depending on how customized you envisaged.

there aren't too many civilian-available off the shelf options though, which is a 'what the'?

 

you could for example, get 'the stack" built by one or more cabinet makers or retail store fitters,

the base could be over say, an RC vehicle frame, or simply some dolly/wheels from the hardware store or scrapyard.

(if you were filming say, and you want your computer stack to stay out of shot and move with the camera-boom,

it would go on it's own track-mountable chassis)

the finish could be anything from MDF, to acrylic, to (earthed) metal cases, whatever.

you then would choose the parts that will fit into the rack-case, and cram the guts into that.

soundproofing the exterior, and having noise-cancelling noise generators are tricky...

 

cooling flow-rates are also something tricky, if you want air-cooled.

 

I'm sure something could be made, and that'd be half the fun of the project hehe.

[aaewen]

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Let's not worry about the frame. I have a lot of them lying around at work. I can even buy a cheap $40 frame on Amazon. And at home I have this. Not exactly that, but very similar.

 

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/r58AAOSwZQRYYrEO/s-l300.jpg

 

The beauty of rack mount is I can worry about just the computer case for the time being, and I know in the future my case will fit nicely with any rack mounted systems. In fact, I may not be looking to spend on 1 super case so beautiful it will be in the show room. I am looking for cheap solution to convert all 5-6 old computers in my room taking up space to something rackmount so I can re-use them with ease. I can literately mount the motherboard onto a sliding rackmount and call it a day (I don't mind open case). But they don't have holes made for motherboard and I am really sloppy with the drills.

So my biggest concern is just.... the fan noise. I don't expect the noise to be super low (like in an audio recording room). I used to work around a lot of computers, so a noise level is fine. But a lot of these rackmount fans have JET ENGINE level noise. Long term exposure to these noises can't be healthy.

My ideal system would be:

- Front facing input/output (the motherboard with the back to the front) so I don't have to keep reaching for the back.

- Giant fans are ok, as long as noise is within reason.
- Liquid cooling option. Well I can't imagine it is so hard since I can mount the radiator on the rack.

Honestly, this will be a thriving business if I can find partners to start one. A mountable computer cases with drawers even for consoles and other devices, and mount cases for additional harddrives, optical drives, anything you need. Nobody said we have to cramp everything into that ONE box to cook up hot air. We can separate the devices to a different box as long as we have cables to link to the motherboard.

Edited May 24, 2017 by aaewen

[Fonger]

can a standard PC case fan be swapped into the rack? (if so, simply shop for a silent one)

[MightyZ0G]

mount a desktop (not tower) chassis in the rack and use "cool and quiet" case fans. having the room to move the PSU well away from the MoBo will help keep temps down.

 

if this is going to be used on a film set under lights, I would consider a thermal barrier on the top of the case to prevent the lights heating it up like an oven

[aaewen]

can a standard PC case fan be swapped into the rack? (if so, simply shop for a silent one)

 

Yeah, the quick and dirty way is to mount your entire tower case (with bolts, ducktape, whatever) onto a rackmount slider. 19" is really wide for most tower cases. It will do. Just that if I mount about 4-5 of these, it is just really messy (like downtown Boston after the apocalypse).

 

Silent fans is already the idea. It's a home project all right. So this is why I am here to ask if anyone already have done a lot more than me (just an idea now) and can offer a more tried and tested solution. Or maybe someone know some existing cases out there that I can adapt. Sometimes, I don;t mind spending $200 to make life comfortable (but not $4000 for an Alienware machine).

 

mount a desktop (not tower) chassis in the rack and use "cool and quiet" case fans. having the room to move the PSU well away from the MoBo will help keep temps down.

 

if this is going to be used on a film set under lights, I would consider a thermal barrier on the top of the case to prevent the lights heating it up like an oven

Tower or desktop really make very little difference in this case. It will be placed flat. And chances are, 99% of computers out there are tower anyway. All 5-6 of my old computers around here are towers. I mean I can throw them away ... but wouldn't it be fun to re-use them and learn something? Install Linux, try to setup a mini file server, etc... Or power a big multi-monitor display. There is a software called Synergy that allows us to use 1 mouse and keyboard to move seamlessly between computer screens as if you are using one computer. Yeah, it still needs KVM, but .... way more fun.

 

Anyway look at this: Thermaltake CORE P200 Pedestal case... check out the fans ....

 

 

http://www.thermaltake.com/db/products/case/P200/pic3.jpg

 

 

 

I just gotta think what I really need to do to mount it on a rack....

[Fonger]

 

can a standard PC case fan be swapped into the rack? (if so, simply shop for a silent one)

 

Yeah, the quick and dirty way is to mount your entire tower case (with bolts, ducktape, whatever) onto a rackmount slider. 19" is really wide for most tower cases. It will do. Just that if I mount about 4-5 of these, it is just really messy (like downtown Boston after the apocalypse).

 

oh, 4+ PCs in a rack

 

silly

 

just drop a shelf on the rack, put 2 towers on it

 

then another shelf

 

and of course another 2 towers

 

remove the sides and lash it down with zip ties

 

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Adjustable-Mounting-Depth-Vented/dp/B0013KCLQC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495665003&sr=8-6&keywords=rackmount+shelf

Edited May 24, 2017 by Fonger

[aaewen]

 

 

can a standard PC case fan be swapped into the rack? (if so, simply shop for a silent one)

 

Yeah, the quick and dirty way is to mount your entire tower case (with bolts, ducktape, whatever) onto a rackmount slider. 19" is really wide for most tower cases. It will do. Just that if I mount about 4-5 of these, it is just really messy (like downtown Boston after the apocalypse).

 

oh, 4+ PCs in a rack

 

silly

 

just drop a shelf on the rack, put 2 towers on it

 

then another shelf

 

and of course another 2 towers

 

remove the sides and lash it down with zip ties

 

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Adjustable-Mounting-Depth-Vented/dp/B0013KCLQC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495665003&sr=8-6&keywords=rackmount+shelf

 

 

you know what, this may be just what I will come down to, especially for all the older computers. Gutting them all to be rebuilt onto a rack case may be too much hassle and costly.

 

I have been looking all over but all the rackmount cases are so dang boring. I worked in IT around 2000 and nothing much has changed since then. Look at all the gaming cases? So many choices. I have to resist getting them because I cant have another junk tower layiing around my room taking up space like 6 old computers I am staring at right now.

 

And I ran into a problem ... should I even bother with ATX or mATX or even ITX will do for motherboard? 3 years not batting an eye at computer stuff ... now I act like a complete noob.

[SharraShimada]

So, your problem is not to fit the hardware to a rack, but to keep it quiet... The hardware is there. Even consumer-hardware wont be bothered it nailed to a server-rack. So, there ist absolutely no problem with that.

And for the cooling: Either use water-cooling with a large radioator and a huge, slow turning fan. Or use heatpipes and large fans. The larger the fan, the more air is moved at lower rpm. (yes there is a point at which its nonsense to use even bigger ones)

[tomomi1922]

I think fitting is not simply just fitting, but making it more user friendly. Rackmount hardware are designed to live in storage room (very nice climate controlled storage room) with technicians on foot working. These hardware don't have any ease of use features built in, like sound ports, USB in front, etc... so the challenge would be to find something that can be mounted on a rack and also serves as a home computer.

So far I only know of custom ones, they are expensive.