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

[Epinephrine Junky]

>>> (iii) Your pico-PSU may sound a good idea but remember you'll get
losses
>> in the power brick as well, say 7 to 10W.
>> True but the beauty of that is that the heat is dumped outside the box
so
>> it doesn't contribute to (over)heating the CPU.
> 
> Not exactly.  Say you've got a system that tops out at 100W.  That power

> supply is going to add another 15-20W into the mix.  However that power 
> supply is dumping straight out the back of the system, and drawing air 
> from inside the system to do so.  Not only is it not making the system 
> hotter, it's actually helping to cool it.

I have experimented with the picoPSU and can confirm what you say above. 
Even though the PicoPSU itself has better efficiency than my Antec
Earthwatts 80+ it lacks an outlet fan.  I found that temps inside my case
went up 10-20C with the PicoPSU.  This had the side effect of making the
CPU fan max out which was very noisy.  So even though I had one fewer fan
the net effect was higher temps and louder box.  I'm thinking I might
experiment with the PicoPSU again and this time install a 120mm fan in the
hole where the ATX supply lives currently.  So I should get less heat put
into the box and quieter overall because my ATX PSU uses a moderately loud
80mm fan.

I'm also mulling over a better than stock CPU cooler since my
finger-in-fan testing shows that the loudest fan in my box is currently my
CPU fan. I'm considering this guy to fit in my HTPC case.
    Nexus LOW-7000 R2 120mm Endurance-Sleeve Bearing Universal Low Profile
CPU Cooler


I agree with your comments about the totally fanless system.  I haven't
seriously considered them because I don't see any world in which I'm going
to spend $1500 on a case.