[WIP] 2006 20" iMac Intel case mod.

[atl285]

@craighazan, that's fine. I only saw your comment regarding usb-c to thunderbolt cable on post #98. With the Apple cable it will work. As far as I know, it needs a real Thunderbolt-Display-Output, as MacBooks it have or a hackintosh with TitanRidge-Builtin/Adaptercard.

 

[craighazan]

Beautiful!, second half, check!.

 

[phunguss]

I just want to add this build is 35mm or 1 1/2" thin!.

If you want thinner... go off motherboard with an Intel Thermal Solution HTS1155LP. I think they are designed for 65W, has 3 heat pipes and is only 1" thin! Very similar to the Apple iMac cooler. I nabbed one off ebay for $30.

 

[craighazan]

If you want thinner... go off motherboard with an Intel Thermal Solution HTS1155LP. I think they are designed for 65W, has 3 heat pipes and is only 1" thin! Very similar to the Apple iMac cooler. I nabbed one off ebay for $30.

Kind of similar to the 2006 Intel Core 2 Duo iMac, I removed the fan. Three pipes cool the processor and the ATI Radeon X1600. Not as thin as your suggestion though.

I have an idea on how I want this build to look. I'm veering towards the Nintendo Switch Dock, I'm going to fit a eDP extension that can reach the base where the H310T will be to plug it into, if it works obviously!.

 

[craighazan]

Considering a second Thunderbolt Display for this project, I don't want to take my first one apart, it's in such good condition. I'll have to wait until next month, hopefully this deal will still be around.

 

[trs96]

I'll have to wait until next month, hopefully this deal will still be around.

You might want to tell them to blank out their serial number for the mini.
Looks like an awesome deal. You can even run Monterey on those 2012 minis quite easily.
Upgrade the ram to 16GB and install a Sata SSD. Upgrading to Monterey requires a little time using OCLP.

 

[craighazan]

I'm not taking apart my Apple Thunderbolt Display unfortunately!. But I am likely to be taking apart this Dell 27" curved monitor instead, which I'm assuming must have an eDP port and is already becoming unstuck.

 

[craighazan]

It's been a while, but I've made a start on my naked iMac. I won't be bothering with modifying cases to fit hardware, I'm all about naked at the moment!. My idea is to 3D print structures that can hold hardware onto the original iMac frame and getting the motherboard holes aligned was my first objective.

 

[craighazan]

it begs the question am I going to find a cheaper alternative to building my iMac. Is it worth the risk of having a 27” panel shipped from China. We all know that the Thunderbolt display has the right connector, and I can just go pick it up, it’s just too tempting!.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

it begs the question am I going to find a cheaper alternative to building my iMac. Is it worth the risk of having a 27” panel shipped from China. We all know that the Thunderbolt display has the right connector, and I can just go pick it up, it’s just too tempting!.

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Personally the $125 price of the real mccoy is very tempting. Not much of a wait and (hopefully) good quality. A panel can easily get broken coming half way around the world!

What I don't know about is the Thunderbolt connection. Would you need a TB2 to USB-C adapter?