360 PC Concept

[psp_joy]

Was just thinking about how I need to get a new computer at some point, and I'm currently an avid 360 gamer, and then I remembered tomshardware.com doing micro atx gaming builds, and a thought crossed my mind with the following points:

- Stuff a Micro ATX or other sized format into an XBox 360 chassis
- Figure out if it would be possible to keep the stock 360 HDD

If you have seen this done before, please link me. Racking my mind on how to manipulate google to give me what I was looking for turned up with nothing on this topic at all. If nobody has seen this done before, why not strum up a discussion on what hardware would be ideal to fit inside the 360.

[aZiZ1]

im seriusly considering doing this, but using an ION board and stuffing the 360HDD in the top using 90 degree cabling. I think the only thing that needs adjustment and mounting will be disk tray and the flipping mobo.

[Jack6194]

Yeap, It is possible. there is a video of this somewhere, I'll find it in a second. I'm planning on doing this, then selling it, so if I can find a buyer, I'll be doing this on Monday

So here is it is; http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/feature-modder-guts-broken-xbox-360-stuffs-pc-inside-video- with the video & pictures.

This is what I planning on using;

1x Case from eBay.
1xIntel Littlefalls i945GC Atom230 CPU Ethernet onboard VGA Audio mini ITX Motherboard
1xCorsair 2GB DDR2 PC2-5300 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL5
1xSamsung SN-S083 Notebook 8x DVD±RW DL & DVD-RAM SATA Internal - OEM
1xCIT 500W MATX PSU - 20+4pin 1x SATA 4x Molex


After plugging my Xbox360 HDD into my PC, it shows up as a Sata Samsung drive, me thinks it could be flashed?

[PspKicks316]

You don't need a 500w psu. That's overkill and the heat would be a problem.

As for the HDD, just format it and it *should* work. I'm not sure how the 360 HDD firmware is setup.

[~:Dhruv:~]

hmmm ... I think at the end of the day its a standard harddrive. Any proprietrary software running on it will get deleted once you format it. Formatting it should get you a new harddrive .

[Jack6194]

mm, 500w is the lowest wattage I could find, that is only looking at ebuyer.com though. I will dig deeper into this later.

[aZiZ1]

Get an Atom board with a external Power Brick.

[psp_joy]

I've never seen it myself, but could you pull the OEM HDD apart and install something like a 200+ gb laptop drive, or something even like 500+ SATA if it would fit? Thoughts?

[PspKicks316]

Any 2.5" standard hard drive will fit in the 360 hard drive shell.
You'll only need like a 200w psu MAX if you're doing this.

[psp_joy]

If I'd do this I'd want to make this look as much like a stock 360 from the outside as possible. I'd want to install a better, faster optical drive, preserving the bezel off the 360's to transfer over, and ideally I'd like to make the controller ports into USB ports. Then, where the USB ports are on the front, change that into audio in's. On the back, I'd want to go with a graphics card with HDMI out, and mount any serial ports at least near the trapezoid-shaped video out. PSU I'd like to handle with an external option, with the power-in being in the same spot as it is on a 360. I'm thinking at the very least a custom cut panel with the ports mounted would be needed - I doubt there's any OEM mobo out there that would just conveniently mount up exactly right.

With the PSU, only thing I'd worry about is enough juice to run everything. I'd want to build as performance-orientated as would work in this form factor.

[pigoesfar]

I would be most worried about ventilation and cooling inside.

[psp_joy]

Two exhaust fans mounted to the rear with one intake fan in the bottom be enough you think? Go again with laptop fans for minimalistic size to max out internal air volume?

[Tri-edge]

buy a mac mini and put it inside

[froggy]

couldn't you use 1 of those skinny dell pc's

[pigoesfar]

Yeah, one of those dells might work.  I actually have some salvaged laptop parts laying around.  a fan, a disc drive, a 20gb hdd, laptop keyboard, ect...  If anybody needs these parts I can take some pics and sell them if anyone wants to try this mod.

[Jack6194]

So, digging deeper, could it be possible to use these types of PSU?
http://www.virtualvillage.co.uk/pw-200-m-200w-dc-dc-mini-itx-atx-12v-power-supply-psu-001480-119.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shcomp


Would it be possible to put intake fans(2?) at the bottom of the console, by the PSU connector?

[aquatsr]

buy a mac mini and put it inside

lol. +1.

Minimal work, maximal output. I like it.