If you have the space for another PC and the need for a media player or server, then this is one of the simpler options.<\/p>\n
Just repurpose your old gear into a machine that sits on your network and does things while your other computers sleep.<\/p>\n
A media player is one of several low-powered single purpose computers you can build.<\/p>\n
Some others are: a legacy gaming station, network storage and file\/print server, dedicated firewall, Tor node, and an automatic Linux distro compiler and server.<\/p>\n
If you’re up for something a little more involved than an average low-powered PC build,\u00a0you can build an arcade cabinet<\/a><\/strong> for your old PC components.<\/p>\n When your spare PC isn\u2019t downloading files or playing back media, you can donate its spare clock cycles to science.<\/p>\n Join World Community Grid<\/a><\/strong>, download BOINC<\/a><\/strong>, and get crunching on problems that might help cure cancer or AIDS.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t or don\u2019t want to build a spare PC, you can cannibalise your old rigs for parts.<\/p>\n For the cost of an enclosure, you can have external hard or optical drives.<\/p>\n Should you not be looking to knock your old PCs down for parts, Instructables<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is an excellent source of inspiration for repurposing old electronics in other projects.<\/p>\n One such project is using a dead PC to house an aquarium<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n If you have the DIY chops, you can even combine this with a media server or legacy gaming station project and have the aquarium inside a working machine.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t find something useful for your old circuit boards to do, you can always turn them into a work of art, encased in a glass-paneled coffee table<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Why not make that special someone a set of earrings or a bracelet for next Valentines Day, or an upcoming anniversary?<\/p>\n Circuit boards also make for solid guitar picks<\/a><\/strong>. If you prefer a more rigid pick, that old RAM SIMM might be just the material you needed.<\/p>\n If you have four equally sized motherboards lying around, or boards you can cut so they can form a square or triangle, why not try your hand at this lamp shade<\/a><\/strong>?<\/p>\n If none of these projects, or anything else on Instructables<\/a><\/strong> and Lifehacker<\/a><\/strong> tickle your fancy, you can always dispose of your old junk.<\/p>\n eWasa<\/a><\/strong> lists a number of recycling centres that will take on your e-Waste, while Desco<\/a><\/strong> operates drop-off points around the country in partnership with Massmart.<\/p>\n Incredible Connection also occasionally runs e-waste promotions, allowing you to trade in old gear<\/strong><\/a> for credit towards something new.<\/p>\n Desco\u2019s map of e-waste drop-off points is embedded below.<\/p>\n![\"Micro](\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Micro-ATX-cases.jpg\")
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\nMake or assemble an arcade cabinet<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nDonate spare CPU cycles to science<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nExternal drives<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nPC case aquarium<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nCircuit board coffee table<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nBracelet and earrings<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nGuitar pick<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nMotherboard lamp shade<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nRecycle<\/strong><\/h3>\n