[mythtv-users] Cool ATX cases

[Edward Wildgoose]

> 	My current mythtv box (+web, mail, file server) is in an Antec Sonata.
> I'm quite pleased with it.  

I have one of these too.  I'm also very happy.

> The 120mm case fan is very quiet (and I have it
> running flat-out, not plugged into the variable speed fan supply leads).  

I have the single 120mm fan plugged into the 5v line not the 12v line (ie like you).  It's silent from more than 30cm away, and just a faint whir if you put your head to it.  

I have removed the original power supply because it was too loud, and put in a fanless one with a huge heatsink that hangs out of the back.  Even though I have just the single 120mm fan in the whole machine, the CPU heatsink is cold to the touch, and even under full load it only gets warm.  (2.8Ghz intel with slk900 and vantec silent slow spinning 80mm fan)

> The
> sideways-mounted hard drive trays are nice to work with, 

Definitely!

> I haven't noticed a huge impact on
> seek time due to the rubber hard drive mounts, though I would prefer a
> hard-mounting choice.

Sounds spurious to me.  

The hard mounting choice is a bad idea if you want quiet.  I was absolutely stunned when I started rubber mounting fans and stuff.  You would have thought that hard mounting stuff would not make a difference, but it is amazing to find that the majority of the noise in most systems is actually vibration transmission through the case.  Rubber mounting the fans in particular and also the HD has a huge effect once you have got some fairly quiet fans in.  (The Antec is already rubber mounted everywhere).  I have 6 fans in a cooler master tower case and by rubber mounting them and spinning them slower I can't hear them even up close, but everything inside is basically cold to the touch...

A cheap source of rubber mountings is the local hardware shop for tap washers... (Do americans call them faucets?  ie the things you get water out of in the bathroom)

> 	The one worrying part is that the power supply runs rather hot.  Antec
> seems to have slowed down the PS fan in an effort to keep it quiet

Chuck it.  Too noisy...

> Oh, and i
> managed to break off the drive door on about the third day, grr.

Yep, same here.  Rubbish isn't it (actually I broke mine off in less than 2 hours.).  However, via the retailer Antec were quite happy to supply a whole new door - probably happens a lot, give it a try.

> 	Oh, in the case is a dual Athlon 2200+ Tyan Tiger MPX, 4 drives (for
> 200GB raid-1 storage)

Stuff that.  Get some of the Maxtor 300Gb Maxline drives (or the 250Gb one if you want a 7200 rpm drive in SATA format).  Once you get a couple of those you will be set for HDTV.  Anything less and you are just mucking around...




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