[mythtv-users] System specifications review...

Robert Longbottom RobertCL at iname.com
Sun Nov 15 13:38:11 UTC 2009


Patrick Doyle wrote:
> OK, I think I'm ready to pull the trigger.  Here is what I've decided
> upon for HW to build my ATSC MythTV Frontend/Backend TiVo replacement:
>
> Case:
> Antec 2480
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129034&Tpk=NSK%202480
> I picked this one because it was at the top of the list at
> silentpcreview.com, and it is roughly the size of my old TiVo (plus
> the converter box sitting on top of it).  I'm hoping that the black
> DVD rom panel will not look too out of place in the silver front panel
> of the 2480.  It might even be considered to be "stylish", but history
> has shown that I can be a pretty poor judge of what is considered to
> be "stylish".
>   
I've had this case for a couple of years now and it's very nice.  Those 
big fans make virtually no noise and come with a switched speed control 
- I've always just run mine on minimum.  The PSU fan is virtually silent 
as well.  Inside there is plenty of space for everything.  I've got a 
dvd drive and a single hard disk in there at the minute, with space for 
a second hard disk and a second dvd drive.  The hard drive enclosure has 
some nice anti-vibration gromits to limit noise and the hard disk is 
it's own compartment to help with airflow, etc.  I keep this in an 
open-backed unit in my living room, and while it's not silent, it's 
quiet-enough.

> Graphics:
> ASUS EN9600GT SILENT/2D/512MD3 GeForce 9600 GT 512MB
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121324
> This is a fanless graphics card.  It's clocked at 600MHz and should
> dissipate only 69W.  There were 2 other fanless 9600GT cards that were
> each clocked at 600Mhz, dissipating 95W.  From the wiki, the 9600GT is
> supposed to be able to implement the Advanced 2x interlacing at 1080i,
> but it doesn't indicate whether the GPU was clocked at 600 or 650MHz.
>
> Also, I'm planning on using this to drive my LCD TV via HDMI.  Does
> anybody know what sort of issues I might run into?  (Audio issues come
> to mind).
>
> It seems a shame to buy a motherboard with a built in video chipset,
> and then totally ignore that chipset.  The Biostar motherboard has an
> ATI Radeon HD3300 chipset built in.  If I were to get a motherboard
> with an nVidia chipset, is there any possibility of ganging up the
> processing between the mobo and the graphics card?
>   
That sure is a monster!  I'd be a little worried about the cooling pipe 
that loops out of the top (see 3rd image) - I think it might stop you 
getting the lid back on the case without some "modification" (i.e. cut a 
bit hole in the lid!)  But you might just be ok...

Robert.



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