[mythtv-users] Advice on Building a Quiet MythTV Box?

John Finlay finlay at moeraki.com
Tue Nov 18 22:35:18 UTC 2008


Charles Iliya Krempeaux wrote:
> Hello,
>
> First, thanks to everyone to responded to my first e-mail:
> http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/2008-November/238792.html
>
> So given people's comments in there, I'm exploring building a MythTV box myself.
>
> The first thing I'd like a MythTV box (that I would build) to be, is
> to be quiet.  Completely silent if possible.  Does anyone have any
> advice or experience in doing this?
>
>
> Is using SSDs (Solid-State Drives) instead of a Hard Drive an option?
> (Anyone have experience using them?)
>
> What about not having any fans?  (Like no CPU fan, no power supply
> fan, no graphics hardware fan, etc?)
>   
I wanted my frontends to be quiet and low power because both are in 
closed door cabinets. I couldn't use an Antec Solo because the form 
factor didn't fit but I went with a couple of Antec NSK2480 cases. I 
found a MB with on-board Nvidia 7050 graphics for one system (out to 
HDTV) and fanless Nvidia 8500 (out to analog tv). The MB had passive 
cooling on the northbridge chip. The 2480 has a couple of  Antec120mm 
fans that are very quiet at the lowest speed setting. I use fanless 
Scythe NINJA MINI CPU coolers with AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 
2.1GHz CPUs since the NINJA was apparently designed to work in the 2480 
using only the 120mm case fans. In one case I removed one of the 120mm 
case fans to decrease noise as far as it would go at a cost of slightly 
higher system temp (4C IIRC). I replaced the Antec power supply with a 
Nexus 80Plus 400W power supply which has a 120mm fan (very quiet but 
pricey). I've had problems with crappy PS taking out my entire system 
including hard drives so I don't economize on PS. The frontends run 
diskless since hard drive noise seems loud (maybe the newer hard drives 
are better). These run quiet and cool until I play back HD at 1080p when 
the system temp goes from 30C to about 38C.

John


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