Now includes both analog and digital panels!
Extruded aluminum case provides sleek, industrial protection
No fan means no noise or dust
Unlike computers, the MiSTer doesn't require active cooling. It's an industrial device with 100C max temperature rating.
The case is the heatsink, dissipating internal heat to the exterior.
Thousands of these cases are being used all around the world, from Canada to Kuwait, including by developers!
Instructions: https://misteraddons.com/pages/guide
Includes all needed hardware for assembly including buttons!
REQUIRES AN IO BOARD WITH ~4.25MM BUTTONS
WILL NOT WORK WITH IO BOARDS THAT HAVE TALL BUTTONS
REQUIRES A USB HUB WITH DC POWER JACK AND USB BRACKET. NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE “C” SHAPED USB BRIDGE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A USB BRACKET, PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE HEADER PINS BEHIND THE MICRO USB PORT. USB BRACKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE https://misteraddons.com/collections/parts/products/usb-connectors
This thermal image demonstrates the aluminum case's ability to dissipate heat. The yellow areas are the hottest and black is the coolest.
It's normal for case temperatures to reach 40-50C. That's 1/2 the rated temperature of the FPGA :)
These charts show measurements of a small heatsink with no fan (No Case (Heatsink), a traditional case with fan and heatsink, and the aluminum case measured on the top and on the heatsink arm itself.
The aluminum case performs very well and well under the max rated temperature.
High quality and easy to assemble. Get one!
I really like the minimalist look of the case, and I very much appreciate a case that is passively cooled. The thermal pad seems quite sufficient as the heat that this kicks off is pretty toasty. I'm looking forward to breaking it in with the PSX core and getting my hands into some HDL. I have a few minor comments:
1. The video guide on putting the case together was good and detailed, but I tend to enjoy putting these kinds of things together at my own pace, and so I had to frequently stop/start. Not the end of the world, but it leads into
2. The bottom of the case now where the usb hub sits has the light pipes built in, which is nice because I don't have to put them in, but now one side will slide in easy, and the other you have to "pop" in to place. This isn't a huge deal and it went in easy, but I was a bit confused watching the video the first time around. A written guide would be good here because you can update it frequently without having to redo the entire thing.
3. The only part of the assembly I wasn't super happy with is the long screws and the standoffs for the usb hub, I would rather they be normal screw-in standoffs like the DE10 and the IO board have, because they were a bit finicky to get lined up, but I'm not sure if this poses some kind of conductivity risk, so I won't complain too much.
4. The Micro SD card is kind of hard to get at. I don't think any case is going to have a really good solution for that, Raspberry Pi cases never did either, so I can't really fault this product for that, but it's worth keeping in mind.
5, and lastly, the D-Sub port on the case you have to take the little stabilizer screws out of before you can put the back panel on, and then you get these nice long-thread ones to replace them with, but I don't think I heard mention of this in the video either. It was easy enough to figure out.
All in all, I'm super pleased. To my eye, it's a lot slicker than most of the "consolized" setups running around, and I like that I have a tidy box with no moving parts in it, it's very portable and I'm looking forward to getting some good use out of it. The printed legends on all of the ports are a nice addition.
Best case for the MiSTer!
Because the permanent fan noise of my MiSTer bothered me enormously while playing, I found this cute case. All my three circuit boards fit in absolutely perfectly and with the chosen purple case color it also has a retro style. Finally peace!! The heat dissipation via the housing cover is super solved, the quality of the parts is superb.
The only drawback, the six transparent LED bushings were already mounted on both sides on the long sides for the USB board when delivered. But then the board can no longer be inserted. Had to laboriously remove these on one side to avoid breaking them. Therefore for preproduction it is better to pre-assemble only one side and only enclose the others.
Good qulity