What is Pizza Box Computer? – Definition, History, Features and More

Pizza Box Computer Definition

Pizza Box Computer – Pizza Box denotes a housing design for desktop computers. The housing shape is reminiscent of this, which is in the English pizza box.

In computer science, a pizza box is a type of box for computers or network switches.

It tends to be very thin, usually one or two rack units (1U or 2U) in height, which makes it full and flat, being very similar to the boxes in which they distribute the pizzas.

The cases are extensive so that a monitor can be placed on top, for example, standing on a desk. Housing is one to two height units (1 HE = 1¾ ” = 44.45 mm ) high.

What is history of Pizza box Computer?

The first computer in this style were desktop workstations from Sun.

• Other common examples were the NeXTstation from NeXT Computer and the Macintosh LC from Apple.
• Over the years, the pizza box design replaces by the tower design (with the computer cases placed upright under the desk).
• In the server area, the term uses colloquially for housing forms in 19-inch technology and a height unit for installation in racks.

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What are the Features of Pizza box Computer?

The first computers whose box is usually called pizza box were high – end computers. Such as workstations from Sun Microsystems sold in the 1980s, particularly SPARCstation 1 and SPARCstation 5.

• Other famous cases are the SGI Indy, the NeXTstation, the Macintosh LC, and the Commodore Amiga 1000: all considered among the highest performing teams of their generations.
• The original design of the SPARCstation 1 includes the SBus expansion technology, specially designed for this form factor;
• The expansion cards are small, especially compared to other expansion cards in use at the moment. Such as VMEbus, and are mounted horizontally rather than vertically.
• Computers IBM compatible PC used with this type of box cards for PCI bus limited to one or two horizontally mounted via a riser card or by low – profile cards.
• The calculation power density and stacking possibility of pizza box systems also make them attractive for use in data processing centers.
• Equipment initially designs for desktop use placed on the racks of the racks, sometimes requiring to cut part of the box so that it can fit — servers with that form factor now design for rack mounting.

Similarly, many companies began to develop high-end Ethernet switches in this form factor for mounting on top of the racks.

What are its uses?

The use of pizza boxes has mainly decreased due to the increase in desktop computers of ventilation and expansion.

Which brought the establishment of the towers and monitors as a de facto standard.

It continues to occupy a niche market in business-oriented branded computers (Dell or Hewlett Packard equipment ).

It is still the most used format on servers and switches and routers for rack mounting.

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