Monolith-esque Lego computer makes us want to pick up a Brick Separator and build a civilization
By Paul Miller 
posted Aug 8th 2008 10:05AM
posted Aug 8th 2008 10:05AM
[Via SlashGear]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
Holy crap... Way to much time on his hands..Its cool never the less..
But does it Play LegoCrysis ?
Wow, I think thats the first crysis joke i've ever laughed at. props man.
Is that a pre-made kit? Can't tell if he's taking status shots and displaying on the laptop or following instructions on the laptop(pre-made kit)
I would imagine that he planned it out first in some lego software to make sure he had enough pieces and what-not.
RTFA: He used a lego-cad program to design it and ordered exactly the bricks he needed. Baller.
I *might* be worried about it melting. Safer than cardboard i guess.
Still sexy as hell though. Makes me wanna go in the attic and grab the ol collection and make one. Wouldnt be as nice though, being that itd look like a multi-colored POS.
Props.
I would guess the hottest it gets would be around 100F or so...behind the motherboard PCB in the area of the CPU or Chipset. Well within Lego specifications :-)
Probably true :)
Either way, the more i watch the video, the more i want to try this out.
From the article-
"The total brick count for the model was 1039. I bought 199 extras, bringing the total ordered to 1238. The cost was $124.715 for the needed parts plus $14.488 for the extras. Since I had to order from four dealers, shipping costs were $24.10. So, the total for all the bricks came to $163 and change. Not bad, considering an actual Mini-ITX case costs around $100 plus shipping."
This is doable to the easiest degree, considering he has created a downloadable parts list, and assembly instructions with images.
Pure geek cred
The hottest components in the whole thing are actually the 12V DC power supply and the hard drives. The VIA processor/Mini-ITX motherboard runs so cold (34°C under load, 22°C idle). The hard drives run around 44°C. I recently added a second hard drive and an intake fan to take care of the extra heat.
Man, if I were you, I'd build it anyway and just spray paint it black at the end. ;)
-Blade Genexis
I don't see a drive tray.
Probably because there isn't one. Ever hear about these external drive things? Amazing times we live in.
External CD Drives FTL. I don't think it's out of the question to have an optical drive in here. He could have easily done a slot-loading drive in this case.
Building a drive cage would have been nearly impossible, since he'd need Lego pieces with raised circles on adjacent sides.
It was a conscious decision not to include an optical drive. There was literally no space left, even for a slim drive. Also, since I use it over a network with Microsoft's RDC, there was no need for one. I use Daemon Tools for any disc needs.
You blind or something. Oh wait, yea, u are.
Those lego block USB thumb drives would be a nice addition
Those USB lego block thumbs drives would be right at home.
Awesome
Damn comments system.
This dude deserves serious bonus points for building this all in a yoga pose.
Yes, but he needs to wash his socks...
:)
They are Joe Boxer socks, the foot part is gray! http://i8.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/c2/cc/3a11_2.JPG
"Lego Computer" by Luke Anderson.
"Get out more" by everyone else in the world.
Ha ha ha that was a really good stereotypical joke! [/sarcasm]
And yet you're inside somewhere on a computer telling other people to get out more. Hypocritical?
Seriously. I hope all those people with the "This guys got too much time on his hands" comments don't watch any TV or play video games. That is a *true* waste of time.
And here you are, sat indoors, replying to me; good grief, chill the f*ck out, was merely a throw-away comment.
Why is "massively defensive" the default geek setting when it comes to leaving comments? Sad that those most likely to leave comments on a lblog such as this are those least suited, in terms of possession of a personality, to do so.
I don't think it's massively defensive at all. I think there are two defaults. There's "massively douchebag" (i.e. you) and "not putting up with douchebags" (i.e. everyone that responded do your "throw-away comment).
By the way, if your comment is throw-away, why don't you just shut the fuck up and not respond at all?
hey.... i'm gonna get out my mindstrom and penumatic lego kit out!!...
maybe i can program it to automatically turn on the lego fan cum plastic propeller and open up the lego hood up by itself when the thing gets too hot :)))
sadly.. my summer break is nearly up.
better try next time
wow what a showoff. look how he intentionally made the case as a mini tower to show off to his friends. i may be impressed if it were a full tower with some sort of design on the side. i mean if you're willing to spend money on custom manufacturing the case, do it with some style or just buy a well ventilated case like the rest of us.
that's the only LEGO case i've ever seen that i actually like.
So, this thing could like, disintegrate if you dropped it.
Probably, but wouldn't you be just as worried about the case's contents following suit anyway?
Yes, probably.
Because dropping a computer in any other case is nothing to worry about.
Well, your comptuer would proably workafter a 3 foot fall. This one would be gone.
@Shunnabunich:
I once dropped a computer down a flight of stairs and it wasn't damaged at all. I had just picked it from the store, but made the mistake of using the carry handle on the box. Just as I was near the top of the stairs at work, the handle broke off, and it bounced all the way to the bottom... Thank god the styrofoam packaging saved it.
Did I need another reason to love Legos? Aw man that's a thing of beauty!
I'll assume those striped pants are pajama pants. If so, he did all this in one sitting in his "sleepy clothes"?
I dunno. I'd want to get a shower in before I sat down to a project like this.
Two questions: #1 Why? #2 Just because he has on a 'sleepy pants' he can't have taken a shower?
#3:
Who the fuck cares? All of you? Who the fuck cares about even 80% of the random useless waste of alphanumeric characters that presents itself as a few hundred nerdy posts.
Besides, you guys should be either offering constructive criticism, ways of improvment in design (presuming you guys have read the actually contrusction plans), or just not saying anything at all. Just SHHHHHHutup!
Wow. Bitter much?
Go out and make a friend. It's going to be OK.
Quick we have to keep the all spark cube from the deceptions..
GIVE ME THAT ALLSPARK BOYY!!!!!!
Opening the side of the case must be a nightmare.
I love timelapse video! haha!
not long before we see a "MegaBlock" copy of it..
megablocks...its just not the same...
lol, brick separator, that little gray thing always came in handy!
I have never once used a brick seperator in all my days toying with legos... waste of plastic better used for making more leogs, ask me. Use your teeth like a real man (boy, whatever).
Yeah, man. For one thing, the only bricks that are hard to separate - the tiniest, flattest ones - also happen to be the ones upon which that brick separator never could get any leverage at all. useless and self defeating.
Very nice project, though. :)
For all you apple fans.... I present the MacBlock! Oh wait, it will cost $699 and will be made from premium (designed in California) blocks that wont work with any other type of block.
P.S. its only available in white.
white? DAMN!
so no matter how much i baby it, its doomed to start cracking :(
Too easy, try a laptop instead ;)
http://www.marutan.net/comp/v3/index.php
We need someone to make a nano-itx version
I wonder how unstable that is vertically? Id be afraid to touch it, with all that weight of the components inside...
The whole thing weighs a little under 10 pounds, and is about 5.5" wide and 10" long, so it's actually very stable... as long as no one trips on the power cord ;)
(plastic) lego case + overclocked system = all fun.
The BIOS actually allows overclocking the CPU up to 2.5 GHz (from 1.5 GHz). I haven't tried because I'm afraid of damaging the motherboard (it's an integrated processor). I've thought about it though...
Looks like a Borg ship.
dude name is luke...coincidence? i think not.
I can't understand why I can't seem to take my eyes away from it.
That is beautiful.
Minit-ITX... it's actually pretty small. If I did something like this, I'd have to make a full ATX tower, and the whole project would probably spiral out of control.
Get an old washingmachine, remove the content, and voila, roomy case.
Actually come to think of it, you could probably cut some panels from the sides of an old washingmachine and construct a doable case, although it would be a bit over-solid and heavy perhaps, still they are often discarded so you got free materials.
I think this one is more sexy then the lego case mod at Quakecon 2008:
http://news.bigdownload.com/photos/quakecon-2008-pc-case-mod-gallery/954007/
I wonder what the acoustics are on a lego case, maybe I can make multiple airflow chambers, and maybe I could use some lego controls to make cool some spinning $#!% that got feed from the P/S instead of the D-batteries.
I'm going crazy thinking of all the possibilities!
http://www.spike.com/video/1338602
2001: A LEGO Odyssey
I started to do this a long time ago with the components from inside a Rev C iMac that the monitored had died in but neither Lego or MegaBlocks returned my emails when I contacted them to see if I could order a bulk of single color 2x4 bricks. Maybe I will look into it again when/if I ever get around to building an OpenMac.
This comment made my day.
The BIOS actually allows overclocking the CPU up to 2.5 GHz (from 1.5 GHz). I haven't tried because I'm afraid of damaging the motherboard (it's an integrated processor). I've thought about it though...
Hmm .. first thought .. "resistance is futile .." BORG cube ..
"high-end workstation boxen into lovable Lego form"
Brian Regan FTW!!
"The big yellow one is the SUN!!"
hehe very cool!
Wow, this is actually quite awesome, the case looks quite nice and it is very unique.
best lego case ive seen yet!
i think u have a loose block tho! uh oh!
about 6 up, 3 left (starting from the bottom right of the engadget pic)
lol
:P
vid, how to, parts list, man u *almost* thought of everything.
u just forgot to order some more complete kits, package them in one box, and resell them for more $. lol jk!