[mythtv-users] RE:D.vine home-theater atx case

Chris Siwiec csiwiec at ftdi.com
Tue Jul 22 19:41:10 EDT 2003


too each there own on how much you spend on a case.

I get mine from www.electroseller.com nice cases that are not way overboard.
some of them have lcd displays and cost $80-90

----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Southern" <russ.southern at cox.net>
To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at snowman.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 6:02 PM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] RE:D.vine home-theater atx case


> On Tue, Jul 22, 2003 at 01:53:27PM -0700, Jason S wrote:
> > Could the expensive-case HTPC crowd help me understand
> > why you'd pay $229 (or more) for a case that doesn't
> > even have a power supply when there are very similar
> > $60-100 cases available (with power supplies!)? LCDs
> > aren't it, as you can buy and LCD and stick it in the
> > drive slot. Is it the soundproofing? The looks? I have
> > checked out these cases and I just don't see it... I
> > figure I must be missing some key criteria.
>
> Here are my criteria (with no other evidence to support my views than, um,
> my views):
>
> Power Supplies included in cases are, as a whole, notoriously low-quality.
> If it doesn't burn out in a few months, or lose its cooling fan (then burn
> out) it will drive you crazy from all the noise.  I am going to buy a
power
> supply anyway, either from PC Power and Cooling (no PCP&C product has ever
> failed me, ever) or, this time, Zalman (to go along with all the other
nifty
> silence stuff I got).  I chose not to waste money on an included PS I
would
> never use.
>
> My HTPC case is very likely a once-in-a-lifetime purchase.  I may upgrade
> that hardware someday with a new M/B, or bigger drives, or whatever.  The
> case will not change.  Why lowball the one component that will outlast all
> the rest?  Go cheap on hard drives, and upgrade them in a year, when they
> are twice the size at half the price, but your case will never change.  I
> looked for quality and aesthetics I knew I would be happy with for a very
> long time.
>
> That cheap plastic on the front of cheap cases does very little to block
> sound.  This case, and most other "expensive" HTPC cases, have thick
> aluminum faceplates that are not only attractive, but sound-dampening.
Your
> hard drive (not to mention that noisy CD/DVD-ROM drive) will be very busy
> while you capture and view video and movies.  Do you want to put up with
the
> whirring and whizzing and clicking all through your favorite movies and
> shows?  I looked for a case with a closeable cover over the CD-ROM drive
to
> block its noise.
>
> This system is going to be the showcase of my A/V stack (such as it is
:-).
> When friends and family come to visit, we will certainly talk about that
> wonderfully geeky computer that really doesn't look like a computer
sitting
> there under my cable box, just above my receiver.  Is it pretentious to
> spend an extra $100 bucks or so just for aesthetics?  Probably.  Ask your
> girlfriend if her clothes and makeup are a waste of money. ;-)  On second
> thought, don't, since you may very well go through more girlfriends than
> HTPC cases anyway (see above).  No need to accelerate the turnover...
>
> In summary, I have learned over time to always buy up.  I have never
> regretted buying better than I "could settle for."  The longer I am going
to
> own the article in question, the more important it is to be sure I am
happy
> with it for the long haul.
>
> > On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 11:44:26 -0500, Russ Southern
> >
> > I am quite happy with this case:
> >
> > http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Cases/ht200.asp
> >
> > Full-size ATX compatible, aluminum, non-proprietary
> > power supply
> > mounting
> > (watch out for CoolerMasters if this matters to you!),
> > front USB and
> > firewire, extra cooling fan included, and...
> >
> > it _includes_ a VFD display!
> >
> > $229.
>


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users at snowman.net
http://lists.snowman.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users




More information about the mythtv-users mailing list