The Case Bottom
The bottom of the NES case has several apertures on its right half that could accommodate extensions to the PC's ports --
- two in the front (at bottom right in the image above),
- two on the side (upper right corner), and
- three in the back (top right).
Centered(-ish) at bottom is a detachable cover that opened to a port on the underside of the main board, perhaps for technicians to access. One also notices a series of channels, about a half-inch wide, which all lead to this spot. From this angle, one might think these channels are about airflow.
I intend to leave the power and reset buttons in place for aesthetic reasons.
Bonus points if I can actually connect the power button to the power switch on the case.
Super-ridonculous bonus points if I can get the lamp to work too.
I think my best bet for placement of the mini PC is in the area where the openings are, because the apertures offer access to ports, and because it is the largest area of the case bottom the PC might fit into.
If setting the PC down into this area doesn't work, I may be able to build a platform for the PC to rest on, allowing it to take ad
I think my best bet for placement of the mini PC is in the area where the openings are, because the apertures offer access to ports, and because it is the largest area of the case bottom the PC might fit into.
If setting the PC down into this area doesn't work, I may be able to build a platform for the PC to rest on, allowing it to take advantage of the added width of the raised areas.
In either case, I'll have to use a dremel tool to remove the "towers" that received screws securing the board.
Well, What Had Happened Was...
The mini PC unit arrived this morning. I found it was not going to fit in the area I'd hoped it would. So I went with my next option, which was to create a platform to use the support of the three narrow raised areas that seem to join at that mysterious port opening.
Considering I'm working with a plastic case, I needed to form that platform out of a similar material to have the best chance at adhesion. My economical answer: plastic building blocks and a liquid adhesive (the kind that sticks fingers together effortlessly and quickly).
After some careful measurements (cough) I came up with the design pictured above.
I didn't cut down the raised "towers" because I didn't have to AND some are perfectly positioned to hold the mini PC in place.
The Infamous MicroPC
I'm amazed by it and I haven't even powered it up yet
Measuring 4.25" x 4.5" x 1.75" (approximately), I'm in awe of this wee powerhouse. Perched on the raised areas inside the bottom of the case, it's only 2.5" tall, leaving plenty of "headroom" inside the assembled enclosure.
I have USB 3.2 extension cables on order which I hope to mount in the space once occupied by a controller, and a pair of right-angle HDMI extenders which I hope to mount in the other. I've retained the controller ports in case I need to try to dremel out the port part to retain the housing, but I suspect fashioning a mounting plate out of something else would be easier.
As you might imagine from the images with the building blocks, a few of the blocks are built up with the intention of holding the computer in place. I'll be lining the bits facing the computer with an appropriately padded material to preserve the machine's finish and hold it more tightly.
NES Console Power Lamp
A bright idea
I cut the plug off of the end of the several wires that connected the power and reset buttons to the main board, and wired them one-at-a-time to an unterminated USB cable until I found a combination which provided power to the lamp. I intend to plug it into one of the USB ports on the rear of the PC, so that when the PC is powered up, the console's power lamp will be lit.
Mini PC USB Ports Access
Ports is Ports
Reference to an old Wendy's ad there. So I took apart the controller port mounts on the front of the console, thinking I could squeeze the USB cables into one of those apertures. After a bit of dremeling I got the female ends shaved down enough to fit.
The computer has four USB 3.2 ports; two are on the front and two are on the rear. Since one of the rear ports will connect the console's power lamp, I may allow access to the other rear port through the back of the console.
