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PUBLISHER’S LETTER www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Peter Smith Ross Tester Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Rick Winkler Phone (02) 9979 5644 Fax (02) 9979 6503 Mobile: 0414 34 6669 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Louis Challis Rodney Champness Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Hannanprint, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $69.50 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 8, 101 Darley St, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. E-mail: silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au ISSN 1030-2662 * Recommended and maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip Possible uses for computer cases This month we return to a subject which we have discussed before: “Putting older computers to work”. Now that the year 2000 is with us a great number of older and notso-old computers have been pensioned off and are being thrown out and in many cases there is nothing wrong with them. I don’t know about you but this waste of functional hard­ware distresses me even though I am well aware of the reasons why older machines are discarded. Hence, we have a major article this month on resurrecting older machines. It starts on page 4. However, while this article may serve the purpose of put­ting some older machines to work there are still many that will not find a use in their present form. Not to be deterred, we can still see uses for this well-designed hardware. In particular I am thinking of the typical desktop computer case. Next month, we plan to present a stereo version of the Ultra-LD 100W amplifier module in a standard computer case. The two modules will be mounted on either side of a fan-cooled heatsink tunnel. The 80mm fan can doubtless come from the discarded power supply of the computer and so can some other bits and pieces such as the front panel power switch, the IEC power socket and cord and so on. The beauty of this approach is that it saves the expense of metalwork for the amplifier. These days integrated stereo ampli­fiers tend to be unviable as electronic projects because the metalwork is just so costly. This way, we avoid the expense and get a well-designed case with plenty of room inside it. If you can get an older “clam-shell” computer case, with push-catches on either side to open it, so much the better. Perhaps you are thinking that you (or your partner) does not want a beige coloured computer case in your hifi system. Well, being just a stereo power amplifier, it does not need to be on view. Or if you really wanted to, there is no reason why you could not spray it black. This approach could probably be applied to other projects as well. For example, perhaps a computer case would be entirely suitable for a public address or guitar amplifier. What about a transmitter for the amateur bands? Perhaps a mini-tower case would be even more useful for these applications. The plastic front panels of these computer cases are easily drilled to take switches, knobs and other hardware and you can obtain infill panels to close off the rectangular openings left by disk drives. In fact, the more I think about it, if you are a keen electronics hobbyist, you should ensure that you have some of these computers put by, “just in case you might need them!” Anyway, put on your thinking caps and think about how these old computers or their cases might be put to good use. We should­n’t be sending them all to the tip. Leo Simpson