The latest from Systm: Episode 65 - Build The Perfect Windows Media Center PC

I have this old Dell Optiplex that I use as a media box next to my TV. I bought the thing for 100 bucks from an army surplus. I wanted to take on some new project and I thought making a fully submerged PC cooling system would be fun. How about a show on how to make one?

For people who are unfamiliar with this, you can run a PC completely submerged in Mineral Oil in an aquarium. The up sides are that the computer is almost 100% silent if done right (you cant submerge the Hard Drive or the Optical Drive). The oil is also a great thermal conductor. The cooling works very well. The system with proper light looks friggen KICK ASS.

Anyway I think it'd be a fun project for System since they did the whole watercooling bit which kinda flopped with the car radiator not actually doing any good. This could be a fun follow up.

Ciff makes you think a bit.
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Not a systm watcher normally but this episode I really enjoyed.
Please bring more stuff like this to the show.:)

I think the above poster missed the concept of Party...

If you want to organize a lan party with your friends the steps are REALLY easy...and mostly free if you have a router and hub.


1) Have a big enough home to do it.
I have setup lan parties in my apartment. Just a few big tables in my living room and 6 geeks playin Counter Strike till 6 in the morning driven by 10 cases of mountain dew and a few pizzas.

2) Tell your friends your having a Lan Party.
People wont come, if you dont tell them your doing it. Try to schedule it WAY in advance and make sure just about everyone has the night open. I know all my computer geek friends tend to not do anything but game anyway so its always been easy for me

3) Make sure you have the proper networking gear.
Almost any comp geek worth his salt has a broadband router in their house somewhere. The router will allow 3 more computer connections typically. I bought an 8 port hub/switch from a local computer store for 19 bucks. I can run a 10 man lan party with those two pieces of hardware. everyone has a cat5 cable with their computer so have everyone bring their cables with them.

4) Make sure you all have the same games.
Been to a couple lan parties where I was a Counter Strike player and my buddies were doin Call of Duty 4....no fun if you cant play together. This resorts back to planning in advance big time. If i dont play COD4 id like to have enough notice to go buy it.

5) Pizzas from Pizza Hut or Lil Ceasars are 5 dollars for a large.
Cheapest way to feed a crew of gamers....everyone pitch in 5 bucks and everyone eats a large pizza. Nuff Sed.


AAANYWAY, lan parties dont have to be about making money. They can be about having fun with your friends and eating horrible food and staying up all night.

Ive had parties where every time you got fragged in game, you took a shot....those turn out to be insane too....

Hope you have fun with your friends! Eat a slice for me!

No, it was just an open ended question. I just wondered how people felt about it. There are some wonderful honest replies including yours.

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone knew about these projects; some seem to be remarkably cheap for their capabilities and would probably make an amazing episode of Systm. Think of it: having problems finding a certain part? print it. It'd be like a DIY, DIY-machine.

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I'm sure there must be more out there, so please post them if you know about them. and lets see if we can convince patrick he wants to make something like this. :p

Hey,
That was a pretty sweet keyboard that was used when in episode 64 (mythbuntu media center pc). Does anyone know what it was called so I could get one like it.