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Ken_F2 · May 23, 2003, 12:51 AM

Check out the DIGN HV-5 case.

This PC ATX case is now available in Europe, and should be hitting the states in 2-3 weeks. It will be available in silver, gold, and black. It has a blue LED and aluminum tact switches, a USB-based VFD display, an IR interface, a silent power supply, and an aluminum body that is a whopping 3.55m thick.

Check out some of their concept designs too, like this tower, this desktop, this desktop, and this desktop.

What do you all think?

GlobalNomad · May 23, 2003, 01:12 AM

Looks pretty cool.

But what about the Lan Handles

osxisfun · May 23, 2003, 01:34 AM

i think apple's design team could do something like that in their sleep.

I think the 970's design will be xserve titanium like which should make both of us happy.

mmm... titanium 970 towers....

hmurchison2001 · May 23, 2003, 02:48 AM

It's obvious that the Desktop units are aimed at HTPC(Home Theater PC). They're on to something good here. Many of the Audio/Video guys would love a computer that actually looks like High End Audio Gear. I bet these things cost a fortune though...that Aluminum is THICK.

Mac Zealot · May 23, 2003, 02:51 AM

That looks like a coolermaster case.

Seriously....

I mean geez...

Anyway.. I can assure you the next PM will look those look ugly

Ken_F2 · 03:19 AM

Coolermaster is a piece of junk compared to the above cases. The above DIGN case uses 8.00mm thick brushed aluminum in the front, 4.0mm on the bottom, 3.55mm on the sides, and 1.5mm on the inside. Coolermaster typically uses a mix of 0.8mm and 1.0mm thicknesses in their cases.

Their parent company of the above manufacturer does the case designs for high-end home theater preamps and receivers.

Nick_G · May 23, 2003, 07:33 AM

It does make a big change from boring beige boxes, but they just look like Arcam amplifiers or something (the FMJ range).

D'Espice · May 23, 2003, 08:21 AM

Seriously, I would not want to have my Mac look like that. Somehow I don't like that design, looks more like a living room PC for playing DivX movies and stuff rather than a real computer or even a Mac.

mac freak · May 23, 2003, 08:26 AM

Methinks that's not so great. Apple, I hope, will utterly blow us away with their 970 case design. It's been far too long since I've updated the Mac part of my family...

euphras · May 23, 2003, 02:58 PM

Quote:
"It does make a big change from boring beige boxes, but they just look like Arcam amplifiers or something (the FMJ range)"

Exactly what i was thinking about....simply copied from late 80s highend HiFi-design (even the brushed aluminum HEAVY-HEAVY front plate).

bradoesch · May 23, 2003, 03:09 PM

It doesn't look very nice to me.

itai195 · May 23, 2003, 03:49 PM

That case is meant to be used for home theatre PC's. It's the first one I've seen that wouldn't look out of place amongst other A/V equipment. It's not a case design for desktop PC's, obviously...

Ken_F2 · May 23, 2003, 04:17 PM

itai,

It supports standard PC ATX motherboards. People are using in their custom-built standard PCs. It is available only in Asia and Europe now, but I will be replacing my current PC desktop case with the black version when it hits the U.S. market in about three weeks.

It is pricey; it currently sells for between $260 and $350 with the silent power supply in Asia and Europe.

CatOne · May 23, 2003, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by Ken_F2:
Coolermaster is a piece of junk compared to the above cases. The above DIGN case uses 8.00mm thick brushed aluminum in the front, 4.0mm on the bottom, 3.55mm on the sides, and 1.5mm on the inside. Coolermaster typically uses a mix of 0.8mm and 1.0mm thicknesses in their cases.

Their parent company of the above manufacturer does the case designs for high-end home theater preamps and receivers.

What's your point? They could make it 4 cm thick if they wanted to. I like my coolermaster case... my PC is about 27 lbs lighter than the Dell it replaced, and 4x faster to boot ;-)

-B

CatOne · May 23, 2003, 11:02 PM

Looks nice.. but it looks more like stereo equipment than a PC case. That may be all well and good but what if you want two optical drives, and what if you want to have the thing vertical for space considerations?

bracken · May 23, 2003, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by CatOne:
Looks nice.. but it looks more like stereo equipment than a PC case.

what he said

Superchicken · May 24, 2003, 12:15 AM

Dude those look pretty sweet don't know if I'd like it so much as a Power Mac case, I am kinda curious if apple will keep the power mac handles with the 970, simply becuase if they keep with the trend of unrounded for the pro line that will make handles very hard to not make look cheap/bad.
But if I could get some sorta multimedia non pro mac like that and had the cash I'd get it.

Cipher13 · May 24, 2003, 02:26 AM

I think those cases are so boring that I'm gonna fall asleep before I finish writing this sen...zzzzzzzzzzz

BrunoBruin · May 24, 2003, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by Cipher13:
I think those cases are so boring that I'm gonna fall asleep before I finish writing this sen...zzzzzzzzzzz

I agree. It's just a boring aluminum box. Am I missing something?

slider · May 24, 2003, 12:51 PM

Personally I still like the current design, I mean the door that opens to the side and the handles are really, well, handy. Maybe reskinning the case with a new material, but I love the curves and the details of it. Those aluminum cases look great, but it's just not a mac case.

billybob128 · May 24, 2003, 07:42 PM

personally i agree with the majority here these cases look more like boring JVC home stereos than the elegance of most computers let alone the current powermac cases...

arkhem · May 25, 2003, 03:12 AM

WOW really awesome cases! they should come out with a tower so i can use it for my PC!!!
(yeah i know booo... windoze i hate it too but the visual models and add ons in M$ Flight Sim 2002 kick the pants off X Plane 6, or 7 for that matter)

Ken_F2 · May 25, 2003, 03:43 AM

I guess people differ in their opinion of "elegant." I think the above cases are far more elegant than Apple's current Powermac cases, but then, I tend to prefer more simplistic designs that are heavy and of quality workmanship, rather than cheap plastic. I guess I don't think that a computer should stand out as a computer; I would rather it look more like an elegant, $5000 stereo component. I would like to see Apple bring the Titanium look of the Powerbook to the desktop--the Powerbook Titanium is what quality is all about.

Mac Zealot · May 25, 2003, 04:58 AM

Yes, they're pretty and elegant and all, but they're desktop cases.. another problem.

Anyway, I cannot confirm nor deny the next powermac will have:

A handle

a door

metal

That is all I can say if you get the idea

Eugene Fields · May 25, 2003, 08:55 PM

Originally posted by Ken_F2:
Check out the DIGN HV-5 case.

This PC ATX case is now available in Europe, and should be hitting the states in 2-3 weeks. It will be available in silver, gold, and black. It has a blue LED and aluminum tact switches, a USB-based VFD display, an IR interface, a silent power supply, and an aluminum body that is a whopping 3.55m thick.

Check out some of their concept designs too, like this tower, this desktop, this desktop, and this desktop.

What do you all think?

I think these are smashing cases! Too good for Apple. They would never make such a HQ case with such expensive desighn. Too Bad too! They really ought to with what they charge. I hope to be pleasently surprised, when the 970's appear. We'll see. It seems to me they are cutting everything to the Bone cost wise to have good numbers. The Bean Counters are running the show. Too Bad!

slider · May 26, 2003, 06:55 AM

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
Yes, they're pretty and elegant and all, but they're desktop cases.. another problem.

Anyway, I cannot confirm nor deny the next powermac will have:

A handle

a door

metal

That is all I can say if you get the idea

Hmm

osxisfun · May 26, 2003, 11:18 AM

I get the idea that they will look like new powerbooks and xserves hmmm..

nothing rocket science here. just common sense.

NYCFarmboy · May 26, 2003, 12:24 PM

boxy...
I just hope whatever the design is, it is not white...or boxy.

CubeBoy · May 26, 2003, 03:26 PM

Nah, it looks more like my CD player than anything else, also, where would the monitor go, on top of the case? That just wouldn't look good, I'd rather have a large transparent cube case, compact and elegant yet sleek and powerful.

Spliffdaddy · May 26, 2003, 04:48 PM

Are you talking about the pictures up there ^^ ?

It isn't meant for a desktop - it's meant to be racked/stacked along with other home theater components. There's no need for a monitor...it displays directly to your plasma TV or whatever.

rm199 · May 26, 2003, 06:53 PM

They look fantastic, especially the towers with LCD readouts on the front. Very special indeed.

RM

CubeBoy · May 26, 2003, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
Are you talking about the pictures up there ^^ ?

It isn't meant for a desktop - it's meant to be racked/stacked along with other home theater components. There's no need for a monitor...it displays directly to your plasma TV or whatever.

Sorry, I probably should of been more clear, my post was addressing the use of that particular case on the next Powermac which would look absolutely awful. A redesigned cube case or MDD case would look so much better. Who knows? Maybe Apple will design a radical new case that will surprise everyone to go with the PPC970 (Sphere anyone?).

dlefebvre · May 27, 2003, 12:13 AM

No matter what it looks like, I hope it's still as functional as the actual case. My guess is something white and chromy.

PB2K · May 27, 2003, 08:42 AM

all those designs look like brushed NAD-cd players

NYCFarmboy · May 28, 2003, 10:58 AM

Originally posted by PB2K:

all those designs look like brushed NAD-cd players

its a brushed steel square box?

I think its fine for under a cabinet where it will be behind closed doors.

I mean..its not ugly or anything..just very bland.

But thats what it is supposed to be..thats not something you'd be looking at all day.

Judge_Fire · May 28, 2003, 02:28 PM

I wouldn't want future Macs to look like something already in the market - Apple's case designers already have a good track record in innovation and reinventing the Mac.

I hope the future design allows a clever way to easily manage cables, with ports preferably on the front, but hidden by a door or something.

It's kinda strange that it's easier to add memory into a Power Mac tower, than to attach a FireWire cable, without getting off my lazy ass.

Now if only the new towers came in different sizes... Mini Towers (quiet ones) Rock! <pimps Hexus Forums >

J

NYCFarmboy · May 30, 2003, 01:16 PM

I for one like the present G4 case.

I think for the 970 look they should keep the present case, just go with black highlights instead of silver or white.

Most professional users desire black anyhow as it blends in better with other machinery.

But I know..Apple doesnt' like blending in..so I'm sure whatever comes will be All-White and lit from the inside so that it pulses at night in various colors.

driven · May 30, 2003, 01:22 PM

They look like something that Best Buy would produce.

I guess that's a good thing if you like Best Buy's stuff ....

Ken_F2 · May 30, 2003, 05:52 PM

I would like to see a Powermac desktop the same basic size as the Dell 4600C, but with a brushed metal or titanium-hybrid exterior like the Powerbook G4. The Dell measures 3.8" wide by 12.7" tall, but still has AGP and PCI slots and runs silent.

maguirer · Jun 2, 2003, 02:11 AM

Originally posted by Ken_F2:
Check out the DIGN HV-5 case.

This PC ATX case is now available in Europe, and should be hitting the states in 2-3 weeks. It will be available in silver, gold, and black. It has a blue LED and aluminum tact switches, a USB-based VFD display, an IR interface, a silent power supply, and an aluminum body that is a whopping 3.55m thick.

Check out some of their concept designs too, like this tower, this desktop, this desktop, and this desktop.

What do you all think?

Or just go buy an RCA DVD player, rip its guts out and plop a motherboard in.

No thanks...

Axo1ot1 · Jun 2, 2003, 02:35 AM

Originally posted by Ken_F2:
I would like to see a Powermac desktop the same basic size as the Dell 4600C, but with a brushed metal or titanium-hybrid exterior like the Powerbook G4. The Dell measures 3.8" wide by 12.7" tall, but still has AGP and PCI slots and runs silent.

I think they will probably be trying to optimize expandability, not cripple it. Very few people will be interested in a pro computer with 2 PCI slots and almost no room inside for adding hard drives, optical drives etc.