I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much
success with a search. Can anyone please provide a link?

I need info about dimensions, mounting hole locations, etc. I've been to
formfactors.org, but there doesn't seem to be anything about AT except some
passing mention.

On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much

As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked at, with
on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with a very
limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out metal from the back
of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most other
connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside of the case,
to the motherboard.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change nomail.afraid.org to ody.ca to reply by email.
(nomail.afraid.org has been set up specifically for
use in usenet. Feel free to use it yourself.)

"David W. Hodgins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much
>
> As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked at,
> with
> on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with a very
> limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out metal from the
> back
> of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most other
> connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside of the case,
> to the motherboard.

An ATX motherboard should fit in an ATX case.

The only issues I've had (which sound similar to yours) have been with the
motherboard connectors (vga, network, keyboard etc) - the case provides a
large rectangle pre-cut hole and the motherboard should come with a flimsy
metal pre-cut template which fits in that hole, providing a cut out for each
connector on the motherboard. The only issues I've had have been when the
motherboard and the cut-out have been separated.
--
Brian Cryer
http://www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"David W. Hodgins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much
>
> As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked at,
> with
> on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with a very
> limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out metal from the
> back
> of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most other
> connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside of the case,
> to the motherboard.

Even if the backplate is a varying size, the mounting holes that he asked
about must be in a standard position or you couldn't install the motherboard
into a case!

"Pawihte" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:icnmre$kq2$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much
>success with a search. Can anyone please provide a link?
>
> I need info about dimensions, mounting hole locations, etc. I've been to
> formfactors.org, but there doesn't seem to be anything about AT except
> some passing mention.

Are you sure you mean AT and not ATX?

AT is a very old specification which was popular back in the late 1980s and
early 1990s but was subequently superseeded by ATX. Source:
http://everything.explained.at/AT_(form_factor)/

The spec for AT or ATX will give you mounting holes etc for the motherboard,
not the case. So the spec will be of interest if you intend to design a
case, but will only give you a very rough guide (if that) as to the size of
the case that houses the AT/ATX motherboard.

ATX specification: http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx2_2.pdf

If you are looking at cabinets then I think you should be looking at "Rack
Units". Cabinets are specified (I think - never needed to buy one myself) in
terms of the number of units they will hold, and different equipment is
given in terms of its rack unit size. You might find the following useful
reading: http://everything.explained.at/Rack_unit or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_unit

Hope this helps.
--
Brian Cryer
http://www.cryer.co.uk/brian

Pawihte wrote:
> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having much
> success with a search. Can anyone please provide a link?

AT?
You want vetern hardware specs?
The case that could hold a mobo 1/4 sq yard in area?


> I need info about dimensions, mounting hole locations,

AFAIK, there wasn't any standard and every case was different. there was
up to 20(+?) mounting points depending on the motherboard. Maybe 9 were
commonly found.

Given that some cases also allowed the mounting of full brick tape dives
and had disks, but others were strictly 3.5" max size, there was wide
variation.

Brian Cryer wrote:
> "Pawihte" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:icnmre$kq2$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having
>> much success with a search. Can anyone please provide a link?
>>
>> I need info about dimensions, mounting hole locations, etc. I've
>> been to formfactors.org, but there doesn't seem to be anything about
>> AT except some passing mention.
>
> Are you sure you mean AT and not ATX?
>

Yes, I do mean AT, not ATX. There's plenty of information about ATX, BTX,
etc., but little about AT.

> AT is a very old specification which was popular back in the late
> 1980s and early 1990s but was subequently superseeded by ATX. Source:
> http://everything.explained.at/AT_(form_factor)/
>
> The spec for AT or ATX will give you mounting holes etc for the
> motherboard, not the case. So the spec will be of interest if you
> intend to design a case, but will only give you a very rough guide
> (if that) as to the size of the case that houses the AT/ATX
> motherboard.
> ATX specification:
> http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx2_2.pdf
> If you are looking at cabinets then I think you should be looking at
> "Rack Units". Cabinets are specified (I think - never needed to buy
> one myself) in terms of the number of units they will hold, and
> different equipment is given in terms of its rack unit size. You
> might find the following useful reading:
> http://everything.explained.at/Rack_unit or
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_unit
> Hope this helps.

Perhaps I should have mentioned *why* I wanted the specs for AT, but I
thought it would be best to keep it brief. I want to use some old AT
mini-towers that I can get for free for some electronics projects. I want to
get the mechanical design ready, but I don't have them with me yet. In any
case, it's easier and more accurate to enter the physical dimensions into my
design from standard specifications than to measure them with a scale.

This is what I did earlier this year when I used an ATX case, complete with
the PSU, for a one-off project. I used the same atx2_2.pdf file that you
mentioned. I'd like to do the same thing with those smaller AT cases which
are about the right size for some of my upcoming projects.

GT wrote:
> "David W. Hodgins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having
>>> much
>>
>> As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked
>> at, with
>> on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with
>> a very limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out
>> metal from the back
>> of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most
>> other connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside
>> of the case, to the motherboard.
>
> Even if the backplate is a varying size, the mounting holes that he
> asked about must be in a standard position or you couldn't install
> the motherboard into a case!

Exactly. I didn't do a lot of assembling of computers in the pre-ATX age,
but with those that I did, I didn't have any problem matching the mounting
holes on the motherboards to those on the cases.

But my current requirement is not for computers. I want to use some old AT
mini-towers for custom-designed electronics projects.

"Pawihte" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:icoglm$sgj$(E-Mail Removed)...
> GT wrote:
>> "David W. Hodgins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not having
>>>> much
>>>
>>> As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked
>>> at, with
>>> on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with
>>> a very limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out
>>> metal from the back
>>> of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most
>>> other connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside
>>> of the case, to the motherboard.
>>
>> Even if the backplate is a varying size, the mounting holes that he
>> asked about must be in a standard position or you couldn't install
>> the motherboard into a case!
>
> Exactly. I didn't do a lot of assembling of computers in the pre-ATX age,
> but with those that I did, I didn't have any problem matching the mounting
> holes on the motherboards to those on the cases.
>
> But my current requirement is not for computers. I want to use some old AT
> mini-towers for custom-designed electronics projects.

Can't you just map out the motherboard mounts on one of the cases you have?
Asuming the motherboard mount points are standard, then any case should do
for that!

GT wrote:
> "Pawihte" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:icoglm$sgj$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> GT wrote:
>>> "David W. Hodgins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:15:58 -0500, Pawihte
>>>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I need the specs for AT computer cases (cabinets) but am not
>>>>> having much
>>>>
>>>> As far as I know, there aren't any. Every motherboard I've looked
>>>> at, with
>>>> on board connectors, has a different layout, and will only fit with
>>>> a very limited number of cases. I've frequently had to cut out
>>>> metal from the back
>>>> of a case, to allow the on board usb connectors, to be used. Most
>>>> other connectors use cables to connect from the plug on the outside
>>>> of the case, to the motherboard.
>>>
>>> Even if the backplate is a varying size, the mounting holes that he
>>> asked about must be in a standard position or you couldn't install
>>> the motherboard into a case!
>>
>> Exactly. I didn't do a lot of assembling of computers in the pre-ATX
>> age, but with those that I did, I didn't have any problem matching
>> the mounting holes on the motherboards to those on the cases.
>>
>> But my current requirement is not for computers. I want to use some
>> old AT mini-towers for custom-designed electronics projects.
>
> Can't you just map out the motherboard mounts on one of the cases you
> have? Asuming the motherboard mount points are standard, then any
> case should do for that!

The problem is that, while I can get several cases for free (along with the
PSUs which I also intend to use), I don't have them with me yet. In any
case, it's easier and more accurate to enter the dimensional data from the
specs into my design. Besides, I also need info other than the mounting
points such as clearance to the sides, location of the slots, etc.

I used an ATX case for an important project earlier this year and used the
specs to work out everything before I ever started on the actual
construction. I took those specs into consideration while designing the PCB,
input and output ports, etc.