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New Player - Low Profile Intel DH61AG mini-ITX - G4 Cube

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can you please help me to get hdmi audio working on this board by posting your dsdt
 
I've been following this thread for a little while now and finally created an account so I can ask some Q's. Very nicely done to everyone who has contributed to the cause! Brings back memories of when I custom built Windows PC's and modded cases. Been using laptops only for the past 7 years, with the exception of my Windows Home Server (now a temporary HTPC), which was replaced with a Seagate BlackArmor 440 NAS (4 X 1Tb hd's for 2.68Tb of usable RAID 5 storage).

The DH61AG is getting along in age, as computer components do, and I have found a replacement board that looks interesting. It's the Intel DQ77KB (Newegg Link - has better pictures). My target case is a Habey EMC-800S, with an Intel i7 3770S Ive Bridge @ 3.1ghz or an i5 2405S Sandy Bridge @ 2.5Ghz, an Intel 525 series Lincoln Crest 120Gb mSATA SSD (has very low power consumption). Both of the processors are 65w and are listed on Intels website as being compatible with the board.The only other component would be a slot load internal slim Blu-Ray drive (haven't decided on which one yet). There are some new heat pipe low profile coolers that will fit nicely into the case & a slim drive. Having an mSATA SSD will also free up some valuable real estate inside the case. The EMC-800S comes with a 120w internal power supply and an external brick, but I will have to replace it as it is only 60w.

Please check out the motherboard. I need opinions (and, if I do this, lots of help as I am new to Macs, and very new to modifying OS X). What are your (everyones) opinions of this board and probability of getting OS X 10.8.2 running on it? Or would I just be better off getting a Mac Mini and an external Blu-Ray drive? Or one of the suggest boards from the buyers guide?

I know from the standpoint of "ease of use" the Mini would be the way to go. No fuss setup, and it will run right out of the box. BUT... the custom build would be a bit more powerful. Anyhow, whichever way I go you may have found another board you can tinker with. :beachball:

TY,

PsycoGeek
 
Hi PsycoGeek, there are several forum members (myself included) who have implemented the use of the DQ77KB already. Some have used it in Cube builds, Neilhart is midway through a very interesting custom build right now using the board. Its definitely a winner with OSX and growing in popularity in this community.

Cheers!
 
Hi PsycoGeek, there are several forum members (myself included) who have implemented the use of the DQ77KB already. Some have used it in Cube builds, Neilhart is midway through a very interesting custom build right now using the board. Its definitely a winner with OSX and growing in popularity in this community.

Cheers!

Wow! That is fantastic! Will be checking out your build (as well as others).

With the cost of the build vs. buying a real Mac Mini I'm still debating taking on the build.
 
Wow! That is fantastic! Will be checking out your build (as well as others).

With the cost of the build vs. buying a real Mac Mini I'm still debating taking on the build.

I am not sure that cost justification is major concern in this section of the forum. This section is about interest in G4 Cube re-engineering.

The Intel DH61AG motherboard is a Sandy Bridge generation item where the Intel DQ77KB is an Ivy Bridge generation. The major feature of both boards is the "low profile" design with the PSU on board. With either board the selection of the correct CPU is key when your intent is to run OS X as on board video support (HD 3000 for Sandy Bridge CPUs and HD 4000 for Ivy Bridge CPUs). But then you most likely already have discovered this information.

Also I own both of these Intel motherboards and both are capable and run the latest OS X very well.

Welcome to the forum and I encourage you to build your own machine as it is much more satisfying then purchasing a Mac Mini...

neil
 
I am not sure that cost justification is major concern in this section of the forum. This section is about interest in G4 Cube re-engineering.

The Intel DH61AG motherboard is a Sandy Bridge generation item where the Intel DQ77KB is an Ivy Bridge generation. The major feature of both boards is the "low profile" design with the PSU on board. With either board the selection of the correct CPU is key when your intent is to run OS X as on board video support (HD 3000 for Sandy Bridge CPUs and HD 4000 for Ivy Bridge CPUs). But then you most likely already have discovered this information.

Also I own both of these Intel motherboards and both are capable and run the latest OS X very well.

Welcome to the forum and I encourage you to build your own machine as it is much more satisfying then purchasing a Mac Mini...

neil

Neil,

I soooooooo get the re-engineering aspect of these projects. It's about having something productive and fun to do, the engineering challenges, the satisfaction of making something useful again, and being able to be proud of the finished product. I've been case modding since around 1998. Most of what I've done have been performance mods, like air flow and filtration of the intake, and water cooling. I even did a Sun (I think) cube mod. It was a purple case. I just wish I had pictures of some of my projects to share with you all. I once built a PC into an old SCSI external tape backup drive case, when mini-ITX boards first made it to market. I had to fit a 3.5" HD, a slimline DVD reader, and a power supply into the thing. It's possible I could even use that case for a custom Mac Mini.

I'm so glad to hear that the DQ77KB is working out so well with OS X. It makes tackling this build all the more accessible to me. I will be searching the forums for into on this board for sure.
 
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