[mythtv-users] The elusive silent myth BE/FE box [in search of]

[Epinephrine Junky]

For a variety of reasons my backend sits behind my TV and bugs the crap
out of me because I can't get it to be silent. It seems that no matter how
many times I change the fan configuration in hopes of a cheap/easy fix
there's just too much heat with my Core E6600 CPU and GeForce GT220. I
measure 85W for the whole system with my kill-a-watt. That's better than
the 130W I started with 2yrs ago (got better 80+ PSU and traded 3.5" drives
for 2.5") but it's not enough to get a silent BE/FE. 

Here's what I've
found that makes me think it may be possible. 

JETWAY JNC9B-HM67 SOCKET G2
(RPGA 988B) INTEL HM67 HDMI SATA 6GB/S USB 3.0 MINI ITX INTEL MOTHERBOARD -
0 ON Newegg

That plus a 25W mobile Sandy Bridge CPU cuts system power to
pretty low levels. Something like 30W at TDP and considerably less at
typical and idle. Next the GPU, it looks like the NVIDIA GT 520 (using Asus
silent model) can handle the VDPAU playback with another 29W TDP and less
for typical operation. 

So far I'm looking at a system with one x16 slot
for a GPU and one mini PCIE slot. To add my TV tuner (hauppage hvr-2250) I
need: 

PCI Express Mini to PCI E X1 adapter with flexible cable and extra
PE-X1 straddle - 2 @
HTTP://WWW.ORBITMICRO.COM/GLOBAL/PEMINI2X1-S-F--BASE-P-8247.HTML?REF=BASE

I
use 4 drives in my system: 1 for the OS, 1 for the media, and 2 in Raid 1
as my NAS. 3 of my drives are 2.5" to save space and cut power while my
media sits on the 3.5" for lowest cost/GB. I'm willing to give up the
optical drive I almost never use but the JetWay has 5 SATA ports so I'm
covered either way. This system seems ideal for a 130W Pico PSU sold by
ELECTRODACUS on ebay (no fans).

I've cut my PSU fan and GPU fan and I'm
hoping to rig a passive cooler for the CPU and have one big (120mm?) quiet
fan to cool the whole system.

So I have two remaining problems: 

1) I
can't find any CPU coolers for the G2 socket mobile Sandy Bridge so I may
have to McGyver something. At 25W I'm not too worried but would prefer to
reserve my glue and duct tape for other projects.

2) I need a case that
can take three 2.5" drives, one 3.5" drive (prefer soft mounted to mute
vibrations) and possibly an optical drive along with the aforementioned
mini ITX motherboard and the biggest fan I can cram in there.

Any
suggestions on a case or CPU cooler? Am I spending too much time and money
on this? (hint the answer is yes)
Anything I might have
overlooked?

thanks, as always, to the devs who enable my obsessive
tendencies, and anyone else who's read this far without thinking I'm a
total nut job. :)
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