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TV-VCR

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:01 pm

PRO Level 7

Joined: 09 Oct 2007
Posts: 284
Location: Bentonville, AR

JabbaPapa wrote:

I think you'd be better off just teaching yourself how to make them smilenod

IIRC a basic motherboard design is not hugely difficult to put together, provided you have the time, will, basic electronic workshop resources (garage, basement, spare room, whatever), and finances to invest in such a project --- from then on, the sky's the limit...

Well, I'm sad to say that the only thing I possibly have is money! I have no tools whatsoever, and the thought of making a motherboard makes me cringe. I really don't want to buy some old school crappy motherboard to trace over either... besides, it's outdated. Why on earth would I want ISA slots etc. in a modern portable PC I'm trying to make.

Can someone please just tell me what kind of business I should look for?

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ar1stotle

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:09 pm

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Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 5819
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

I really don't think any of us have a clue as to where to start with that. I didn't know people actually did that as a business. But really, I think you're the pioneer here.

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JabbaPapa
Julian Lord

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:31 am

Respected Member
of PROnetworks

Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 14263
Location: Monte-Carlo

ar1stotle wrote:

I really don't think any of us have a clue as to where to start with that. I didn't know people actually did that as a business. But really, I think you're the pioneer here.

Well, up til the 1980s or thereabouts it was certainly not unheard of for people to build their own mobos ; I even considered doing it myself smilenod

I've been racking my brains trying to remember the basic procedure, and at the time IIRC it was :

a) Design the thing, by finding the naked board first and then adding the desired components to that board -- really, once you had the naked board, you just followed the steps...

b) Find an electronics workshop ; or an unusual small computer repair shop with someone who knows how to do the electronics ; or do it yourself

----

HOWEVER : a LOT has changed since the 1980s, and just a quick readup of stuff I'm digging up via Google reveals a couple things...

1) In the 1980s there was still a real Industry standard, managed by IBM, so that ALL PC motherboards were essentially variations from this single design ; NOT so in 2000s anino

2) 1980s motherboards basically had a single layer that it was relatively easy to build on ; contrariwise, modern motherboards have several layers each interweaved with each other, so that they are much harder to customise on the fly

3) People building their own mobos as a hobby tend to build 1980s IBM motherboard clones with SDRAM etc smilenod

---

HERE you can see how the professionals do it, just to give you an idea wink

---

CONCLUSION

There appears to be very little modern-day interest in custom-built/custom-modified motherboards, except that certain large companies may need to deploy dozens or hundreds of motherboards and have needs that are not catered to by existing motherboards.

The fact that you're wanting a custom laptop motherboard probably adds an entire magnitude in the difficulties you'll be facing --- custom-building a laptop is certainly feasible, and in many ways a good idea ; but IMO a custom-built laptop motherboard is just going to be too much to ask for in today's world...

HERE is the site of one company that makes custom laptops for people --- but there is no reason at all why you shouldn't purchase the components separately and put it together yourself, exactly like building a custom desktop PC wink

--- you just need to be extra careful when ensuring that the case and motherboard and I/O slots all use exactly the same form factor smilenod

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TV-VCR

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:49 pm

PRO Level 7

Joined: 09 Oct 2007
Posts: 284
Location: Bentonville, AR

JabbaPapa wrote:

ar1stotle wrote:

I really don't think any of us have a clue as to where to start with that. I didn't know people actually did that as a business. But really, I think you're the pioneer here.

Well, up til the 1980s or thereabouts it was certainly not unheard of for people to build their own mobos ; I even considered doing it myself smilenod

---

HERE you can see how the professionals do it, just to give you an idea wink

--- you just need to be extra careful when ensuring that the case and motherboard and I/O slots all use exactly the same form factor smilenod

It's not a laptop, it's a tablet PC. And a very big one too. And it would require a custom logic board (with several components already built in to it), a custom case, etc. And, a desktop PC is not what I am wanting!

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TV-VCR

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:19 pm

PRO Level 7

Joined: 09 Oct 2007
Posts: 284
Location: Bentonville, AR

Bump

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Treihydral

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:10 pm

PRO Level 8

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 335
Location: Columbia, SC

DO a search for Custom PCB

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JabbaPapa
Julian Lord

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:22 pm

Respected Member
of PROnetworks

Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 14263
Location: Monte-Carlo

I'd suggest getting in touch with people like that company I gave the link for, and ask them --- for starters, they will certainly have a greater understanding of your needs than anyone here might have, and they may very well be able to help you one way or another wink

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TV-VCR

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:32 am

PRO Level 7

Joined: 09 Oct 2007
Posts: 284
Location: Bentonville, AR