Three Alternatives to the Beige Box

Nothing says "white-box PC" quite like an off-white ATX mid-tower. But we can have too much of a good thing. The world has more than enough off-white ATX mid-towers in it already. For this reason, alternative form factors keep gaining in popularity and availability. All this makes now an excellent time to branch out and visit new designs.

In this recipe I'll address three different builds. The first is a home theater PC, a moderate form factor which fits just as well in a stereo rack as atop a desk. The second is an ultra-portable model. The third is a throwback desktop PC case.

Differentiation is everything in the white-box business. So one effective way for a system builder to establish themself is to ditch the white-boxes altogether. Being well-versed in a number of different case builds also helps meet client requirements for portability or cramped spaces more easily.

Ingredients for the HTPC

For three decades, computer makers have sought to make their products look more like stereo equipment, while stereo makers have tried to give their wares a high-tech, computer-age sheen. The home theater PC (HTPC) is the latest pass at the "computer that feels like a stereo," and these configurations are best suited for deployment on a shelf or in a cabinet—not too far from the user, but certainly not meant to be tucked under a desk and forgotten like a beige tower. Our HTPC will be built as a combination media player and DVR. An HTPC is a comfortable form factor to start with, as you don't need much in the way of esoteric slim-line components or other off-the-beaten-path parts.

(Note: All of the components in these builds are available through major parts suppliers, such as Newegg.)

Antec Fusion HTPC case: What says "stereo" more than a big, silver volume knob? That's not the only feature of this case, but it is one of the two most obvious. The other standout is a multi-line text display integrated directly into the case, used for track-and-title readouts with most media players under Windows and even Linux. It goes for around $180. Here's a look:

Hauppauge WINTV-PCR 150MCE-LP: This $80 PCI card provides single-tuner input suitable for recording one program while playing back another. The low-profile design will ensure better airflow in the case. Customers with HDTV feeds to their home or office may opt to substitute an HDTV capture card such as the VBox Cat's Eye line here.

HP DVD940I DVD+-RW drive with LightScribe: Any conventional optical drive would do for this build, but we will select a LightScribe drive for a few extra dollars (around $55) to give the customer the ability to burn labels directly from the drive. Home theater enthusiasts frequently burn their own compilations, so the more flexibility in the drive, the better.

ASRock ALiveNF6G-DVI motherboard: This mid-range Micro-ATX motherboard ($70) supports AMD's newer AM2 socket configuration, includes two PCI slots on their own card edge plus one PCI Express x16 and one PCI Express x1 for a full range of expansion options. It also comes with its own DVI-out, unusual for integrated motherboard graphics but ideal for an HTPC.

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3500641AS: You may substitute your favorite drive here, but we've chosen a high-performance, high-capacity single-drive solution for this machine ($180). The 16 MB cache and 3.0 GB SATA access will help keep everything running smoothly even while the user records one program and watches another.

2x 512 MB DDR2 400: Choose your favorite supplier here. Two sticks (for $120), providing 1 GB will be suitable.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+(65W) Windsor 2.2GHz (retail w/heat sink): You can get the customer into a dual-core configuration for under $200: one core to focus on recording, the other to focus on playback.

SEVEN STEPS TO THE HTPC:

An HTPC may look different, but if you're versed in the classic ATX mid-sized tower, there won't be many surprises for you with this installation.

1. Unpack the motherboard and the Fusion case. Set all the motherboard accessories to the side for now. Install the motherboard in the bottom of the case. Run the case's front-panel USB cluster and the text display USB lead to the USB headers in the southwest edge of the board. They are marked USB4_5, USB6_7, and USB8_9. Connect the front panel audio on the northwest side of the board at the HD_AUDIO1 pins.

2. Unpack the CPU and heat sink. Open the ZIF socket, and install the CPU. Then secure the socket, and install the fan/heat sink atop the CPU socket.

3. Remove the 5.25-inch drive bay bracket, and install the DVD drive in the lower tray (the upper tray is blocked by the text display). Reinstall the 5.25-inch bracket. Remove the two screws securing the 3.5-inch hard drive bracket. Secure the SATA drive to the bracket, then replace the bracket in the case. Run power leads to both devices, and connect the small four-pin floppy power lead to the text display. Connect the DVD drive to the motherboard's single 40-pin IDE header. Then connect the hard drive to one of the computer's four SATA controllers.

4. Install the two DDR sticks in either the first two or last two of the four sockets. Either is fine, so long as you use two sockets of the same color.

5. Install the included ASRock DVI card in the 16x PCI Express slot, and the PVR tuner card in one of the two PCI slots. Secure both cards. If the client is a performance-minded gamer, substitute a suitable 16x PCI-Express video card.

6. Wrap things up by connecting 4-power Molex to the case's integrated fans. Run all of the other front-panel controls, such as power switch and LEDs, to the appropriate motherboard headers, located near the USB pads from step 1.

7. Close up the patient. You're done.