[mythtv-users] Any advice on cooling down my backend

Brian Wood beww at beww.org
Fri Sep 19 17:20:47 UTC 2008


Edmund wrote:
> My myth backend is in a small cupboard with a switch, router and a 
> couple of other things. The cupboard is quite warm even though the rest 
> of the room is cool. I am concerned that if next summer is hot the 
> cupboard might become too hot for the PC.

The most obvious thing would be to ventilate the cupboard somehow. Quiet
fans are available.

> 
> I am considering removing the graphics card. There is no monitor on the 
> PC, but I do connect one from time to time. Mainly when playing with the 
> bios. Removing the card will probably mean changing a bios setting 
> becomes a real chore. Is there anyway to turn a PCIe card off from the 
> command line?

Depending on your motherboard and BIOS, a serial console might be an
answer. This feature usually only exists on server type boards, but
there are some replacement BIOSs out there that add that feature for
some common mobos. Look into the OpenBIOS project.

For day to day access you can just ssh into the box, and use X
forwarding if you need a GUI app. You could run VNC if you really need
an entire desktop, but none of these tings will help you at the BIOS
setup level.

> 
> The PC is used as a file server which holds music and backups and other 
> stuff so turning it off when myth isn't recording isn't an option, but 
> is there any way of underclocking from software? It is an AMD64 x2 chip 
> and I think from XP this is possible. I could then underclock it in the 
> daytime, when it isn't doing much (and the room is warmer).

Cool-n-quiet would be one answer.
> 
> I don't want to replace the motherboard at this time, but next time I 
> change something I might look at cooler chips.
> 
> Any other ideas. (There is no air con in the house.)

A more efficient PSU will reduce the heat generation, at least a bit.

beww


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