Maybe this should go in hardware hacks... (Any one seen this anywhere?)
There's no reason a 17" iMac can't be rackmounted in a sort of 2U drawer kind of thing, where the iMac (sans cool stand) slides out and a secure hinge (mounted back top of iMac) with the help of gravity allows the cpu to face forward out of the rack. Yes, it needs plenty of give on any cabling, perhaps some crude spring spool to tidy them up when you lift up the iMac and close the drawer, which should be a real locking drawer to protect the CPU, the LCD from something falling on it, but also have vents (fans?) in just the right spots.
This is interesting, but I'm talking about a brand spankin' new intel 17" iMac... there should just be a kit for this...
a little help, plz
oops, here, the (older) imac rackmount project
Can the imac use a Vesa mount? If so, I'm sure you could find a pull out rack mount vesa drawer.
Just checked with apple, and there is a Vesa mount adapter, but only for the 24'' http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=6C04E07A&nplm=MA473G%2FA
I was you could use it with something like this:
http://www.touchscreens.com/vesa-rm-kbd.html
-edit-
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Apple_Computer_Mounting_bracket__5777879
looks like maybe the older G5 version had a vesa mount also?
Unfortunatly i don't thinkt he 17" model can be vesa mounted.
Are my prospects any better with VESA mounting a 20-inch?
It seems so strange that Apple didn't standardize the iMac stands and mounts across the line. I'm still in denial.
I had great aspirations of doing something cool and custom with a 17-inch, but I think the 20-inch is wider than a rack (maybe it could fit flat and on its side... but that would be pretty ugly).
I think I'm down to mounting it to the cage (yuk). Or to some blank wall space.
btw
this thing is really beautiful. I wish it were mine.
http://www.wikiela.com/wiki/How_to_wall_mount_a_Core_2_Duo_Intel_iMac_20_or_17
Hope it helps. The 20" iMacs are great. (have one on my desk at work and love it) A bunch of my end users are stepping up the 24" iMac. If I weren't so frugal with company resources - I'd have gone for one on my desk.