On 15 Jul 2004 at 22:24, Day Brown wrote:
>John Oram wrote:
>
>> Day:
>>
>> Form facor for ATX mobo is normally said to be:
>>
>> "full ATX" motherboards have a maximum size of 12" by 9.6" (304mm by
>> 243mm),
>>
>> "Mini ATX" boards have maximum dimensions of 11.2" by 8.2" (284mm by
>> 208mm),
>>
>> "extended ATX" form factor, also sometimes called "EATX". This form
>> factor is essentially the same as ATX, except that the board can be up
>> to 12" by 13" (304mm by 330mm).
>>
>> FlexATX mainboard size is 9.05" by 7.08" (230mm by 180mm).
>>
>> The Mini-ITX is more than 33% smaller than the FlexATX mainboard at
>> 6.69" by 6.69" (170mm by 170mm).
>>
>> The newest VIA mobo form factor is "Nano-itx" at 4.72" by 4.72 (120mm
>> by 120mm). Which VIA claims is "the world's smallest and most highly
>> integrated mainboard for the emerging generation of smart digital
>> entertainment devices."
>>
>> http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115286,00.asp
>
>I spoze that's pretty cute John, but I prolly got a dozen or more
>standard ATX and even some old AT cases sitting around from dead windoz
>systems.
>
>Maybe the square footage on the standard high rise cubical desktop is so
>valuable that they seek the 'Nano-itx' or whatever, but I doubt that
>space on the table where the SURVPC user has a system really sees much
>advantage in it. I tend to be more interested in performance reliability
>and low price than the smaller form factors. I look out for the fanless
>setups because I see so many crashed systems due to dust that was sucked
>into the PC while it ran in an ordinary home rather than a
>climate-controlled office someplace. The fans and heatsinks get choked
>with dust,... and it's history.
>
>For me, its usually cheaper to just pay the shipping on an ordinary atx
>that I can stuff into a case already on hand, than to get one of the
>new, and no doubt prettier, smaller form factors... and the case for that.
What the new (and smaller) sizes are good for is for the smaller sized
ATX cases, and also for embedded projects - hwere you want to put a PC
into a toaster's case, for example. However, the smaller MB also tend
to draw less power... which is another of their benefits. As you
mentioned, the fewer fans, the fewer moving parts to fail. They're
also quieter, as a side benefit.
On the other hand, putting them into a full-sized ATX case is usually
pretty ease. At worst, I've had to drill a couple more holes in the
bottom of the case, and add in a few standoffs, to make things fit
right. At most, ten minutes worth of work.
Anthony Albert
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Systems and Software Support Specialist Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
"This is only temporary, unless it works."
--- Red Green
