The Official PC building thread -3rd Edition

I've had an HTPC setup since TV cards DVD readers became available. I used to rip and compress movies to Mpeg4 and play them back from CDs and the hard disk. Then along came DVD burners and larger hard drives. I still keep one constantly updated with the latest technology. Mine will play HD DVD, Blu-Ray and any other known format. It will record to hard disc and here's where having a mid tower case works great, it will also compress to different formats without over heating.

 

I started out thinking the same way as you, but then I got to thinking if I buy a cheap desktop case, I may have cooling problems. I also don't like the idea of a non-standard PSU. After doing a bit of research on these two, and planing on a Phenom II using it's low profile Heatpipe cooler at stock speeds, cooling should not be an issue. Even if I OC a bit, cooling should be no problem It should make a very nice HTPC/MediaCenter computer. Sit my Sound System right on top of it, and it will fit right in with what I have now. I particularly like the fact that they divide the cooling into different areas. It's perfect for my needs. I think the $99 cost would be money well spent!

Russ

 

Well put! I think you just sold me bud. However gonna have to save some funds. Been on vacation for a week now, Won't see another check for close to 2 weeks! What I really need to do is get to writing a book! Its my life long dream

 

Just be careful that you get any deal you make in writing. I Co-Wrote a book called Ben Gurian's Scandals back in 89-90, and the person who we wrote it for, Naeim Galadi took the Manuscript to Israel, had it published under his own name, and we got stuck holding the bag. We never got a dime! Hundreds of hours for nothing! and we wound up having to pay the expenses out of our own pockets. My Co-Author, Trudy Heard wound up losing her house because of it! Live and learn! LOL!!
http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/Bookstore/productDetails.cfm?merchID=16
Naeim Galadi is a Crook!

Russ

 

Wow buddy, I feel for you, REALLY. I fear something like that happening. Believe me, I will ONLY go through the most reputable!

 

Ah, now that I will agree with you on. Proper desktop form factor cases are very hard to find cheap.
My concern about the case you posted, like Russ, is the non-standard PSU. PSUs that come with cases are universally deathtraps, for sub $100, you're very unlikely to find an exception to that. I've often recommended this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146034
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163116

 

Only 1 HDD internal drive bay on that NZXT case, that kind of sucks, and according to some reviews, taking things in and out of the case can be a pain. Otherwise, it looks nice.

 

Like my input means anything but these are my picks for a HTPC case.

Lian Li PC-V800B

a few microATX desktop cases

I'm not a fan of a case coming with a PSU but Antec's psu's aren't to bad. Make sure you look up that particular psu and I would want a standard size psu as well. Makes it easier if something goes wrong with the psu or you just want a bigger one.

My pick is the Lian Li... me likes that case and the GM puts it on notice for a future HTPC build.

....gm

 

Antec's SFF PSUs have been pretty poor in the past, far from the quality of their Earthwatts units.

 

Both the Cases I linked him have Earthwatts PSUs. One is 380w and the other is 430w! The Lianli or whatever is nothing more than a modified desktop, and the cooling is awful! It's really not suitable for his purpose. He's better off with the $99 Antec as it was designed from the ground up as an HTPC/Media center case! It's low profile and still has room for two ODDs and 2 HDDs. Definitely my first choice. I really like the Fusion 430 as well, but too much money just for a fancy control panel, and having to give up 1 5.25 bay for it. The PSU is standard ATX!

Russ

 

Well take it off notice as the cooling is terrible! I know someone who thought the same thing. The big problem is the top vent. His wife laid a bunch of magazines on top of it without realizing it was an air vent! LOL!! The Antecs are much better suited for an HTPC case! It makes it difficult to put something on top of it like stacking components as I plan to do with mine!

Russ

 

LOL, Funny you should mention that. My barebone came with one, I took one look at it and I was like NO, Ah no. However I didnt hestiate to put it in another build. A build thats not power hungry.
Well... It gave up anyway! System started to hang, Virtually every component would hiccup, so to speak. I slapped my old thermaltake 430W in it. Smooth sailing now Now im running whats in my sig. VERY VERY nice. Not very loud either. Now.. I suppose if I demand of it, it might get noisier. Believe me, Im well aware of PSU's going out(specially in my area). I only trust certain manufacturers.

 

greensman,
About those TriCool fans and using the MB headers. Here's what Antec has to say about it! copied right from the Antec HTPC case I posted's manual!
http://www.antec.com/usa/productDetails.php?lan=us&id=92480

Note regarding using fan speed controllers with TriCool fans:
The minimum voltage to start the fan is 5V. We recommend our users set the fan speed to High if the fan will be connected to a fan control device or to the Fan-Only connector found on some Antec power supplies. A fan-control device regulates the fan speed by varying the voltage to it. The voltage may start as low
as 4.5 V to 5V. Connecting a TriCool™ set on Medium or Low to a fan-control device may result in the fan not being able to start. The already lowered voltage from the fan control device will be further reduced by the TriCool circuitry below 5V.

Best Regards,
Russ

 

omegaman7,

The PSU is an ATX and the fans are TriCool on both cases!

Russ

 

Russ - that's merely due to the minimum spin-up speeed, has nothing to do with damaging the fans. When new, Tricool fans actually need less than 5V to spinup. I found about 9V on low, 4V on high. However, as fans age, this voltage increases, so Antec's reasoning is solid. I ended up using Medium and 7V, worked fine.

Omegaman: For output stability reasons (regular pulses of ripple in the output, which OCZ to this day can't explain), OCZ GameXStream units aren't on my recommended PSU lists, and they usually have faulty fan controllers which is worrying as they could overheat if stressed. However, they are FSP units underneath, which aren't known to be troublesome electrically.

Many smaller Lian-Li cases are mediocre at best for cooling, that one is no exception. Two 60mm fans are all well and good, but if they're at all quiet, they're useless.

 

FSP??? Full service provider? Still pretty new to some terminology. Ehhh... it was getting good reviews. 3 yr warranty. And apparently they'll take it back with out much proof of purchase too Never tried OCZ. Thought I'd give em a shot. I had some money to play with at the time. Usually my luck is pretty good with this stuff. Excluding my new add-in card of course hmfff. probably just hexxed my computer LOL

 

No, FSP is a company, OCZ's power supply warranties work on the basis that they repair the unit and then send it back, rather than sending a new unit, which means they take a long time. This is at least how they used to do it, not sure if that still applies.
http://www.fsp-group.com/

 

sammorris,
I read what you said about the Lianli 60mm fans, and I quite agree that at any speed other than flat out, cooling would be a problem.

please note that in the Antec, there are two 120mm TriCools
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129034
Also the case is divided into two separate sections to isolate any heat from the PSU and the ODDs from the MB and the HDDs. Two 120mm TriCools for the main chamber cooling should be excellent! The Customer reviews are remarkably high for the number of sales, 98% overall for Excellent and Good, with only two complaints out of 70 reviews. Normally I don't take all that much stock in customer reviews, even though I do know how to weed out the Idiot factor, but in this case the results are overwhelmingly on the plus side.

Great news! I just sold My computer to the same person that bought my P4, and am just waiting on Intel for the New CPU, so I should be building the AMD by the end of the month and will be using the case I linked! Yahoo!!! LOL!!

Best Regards,
Russ

 

The Antec is undeniably a nice case, but is more than double the original $50 request, though admittedly it includes a decent PSU which will save money.

 

Thanks sam. See so many acronyms on the web, I simply assumed it was exactly that. I try to keep mine to a minimum. Allows my hands to get faster and faster. Though I must admit, sometimes im lazy and use Dragon naturally speaking. VERY NICE program.