HTPC case w/ 80mm fans?

[spockware]

I have a Silverstone LC03. It's 2 60mm fans hum like a vaccum cleaner. What else do you expect from small fans!!! Anyway, it just got bad reviews for noise in MaximumPC, Entertainment Computers mag, so I am pizzed and I am scrapping it.

What is a cool HTPC looking case that still fits multiple 80 mm fans? I want something that blends in with my other components.

[Kanati]

http://www.iuneed.com/

The x15 has a built in touchscreen lcd and looks pretty kickass...

http://www.ahanix.com/dvine5.html

[spockware]

Just checked it out. Tx. cripes. In my first post, I should've put in a $ limit! For $599 , it better be kick-ass!

[stanger89]

http://www.dremel.com/HTML/home_fr.html

[Kanati]

Well there IS that I suppose.

You *COULD* buy an old vcr... the older kind... larger... Gut it... and build your own case out of that. I've been eyeballing an old sony I have sitting in the corner that hasn't been hooked up to anything in ages.....................

[stanger89]

Well the silverstone's a nice looking case, if one is going to "scrap it", you're not out anything (but time and cutting wheels ) trying to mod it. Worst case, you've got a destroyed case (but you didn't want it anyway), best case you've met your objective without spending a lot of money.

That's what I did to my D.Vine 4

[thatdude90210]

Another alternative is a pair of Panaflo 60mm fans, both connected to a Zalman fanmate via a splitter cable (or just two fanmates with no spitter). That's what I'm doing on my Dvine 5, and I find that my spinning harddrives are louder than the fans. And they do a decent enough job of cooling along with an Arctic cooler on my vid card.

[Lucas]

I have an older LC03 with the single 60mm fan. Had the same noise issue.
I now use a zalman fanmate 2 to cut the rpm down to 3000rpm (or even lower during the winter) and the noise has gone down significantly.
From 3 meters away, it can't be heard.

The fanmate2 has a long cable, I have the control hanging outside the back of the case so I can adjust rpm at will.

[spockware]

All good options and they can be done in succession:

1. try new Panaflows w/ fanmate
2. Get the dremel back out (used it to cut out the 80m fan opening in the front of the case already), then add larger fan(s).
3. Also, I did just store away my old VCR. See what options it presents!

thanks

[mikesm]

The Silverstone LC16 should have 80mm rear fans and 92 mm front fans which will provide good cooling at low noise, but I don't think they have entered production with it yet, so who knows if we will see it anytime soon.

Thanks,
Mike

[judoGTI]

I added 2 panaflo 80mm fans to my LC03 and its no louder and help a lot with temps.

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by stanger89

That's what I did to my D.Vine 4

Ditto, except mounted my dual 80's externally using 60 to 80 adapters so even no cutting. See sig for pic's.

[dooferlad]

80mm - pah! I have a 120mm panaflow attached to the back of my Shuttle! Has a certain charm to it... charm, with a little crazy mixed in for good luck. The PSU sitting beside it is mostly obscured by other stuff... The point is you can't hear it, almost, got to sort out the graphics card, but other than that...

[spockware]

JudoGTI,

Can you tell me what mods you had to do to get the 80mm fans to fit your LC03? A digital pic would be worth a 1000 words as well.

tia

[spockware]

Originally Posted by mdmint

Ditto, except mounted my dual 80's externally using 60 to 80 adapters so even no cutting. See sig for pic's.

Very cool. Where does one pick up these 60-to-80 adaptors?

[Tej]

There are some sources of parts mentioned in these threads

http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php...=10445&hl=lc03

http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php...=11888&hl=lc03

forgot to mention there are some pics too...

[Wakecrash]

you might want to check out silenx fans at 3dcool.com, they recieve some good reviews,,, after a case mod to put at least 80mm fans in. The way stanger did it certainly is more work, but looks to have less impeded air flow, which should create less noise and lowers temps.

Keep in mind two low rpm quite fans create less noice than a single higher rpm fan. From what I recall a single 11db fan is louder than two 9db fans. Low rpm 60mm just don't crate enough airflow. So get the most quite, if temps are high after that, cut your case somewhere and add a 92 or 120 if you can.

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by spockware

I have a Silverstone LC03. It's 2 60mm fans hum like a vaccum cleaner. What else do you expect from small fans!!! Anyway, it just got bad reviews for noise in MaximumPC, Entertainment Computers mag, so I am pizzed and I am scrapping it.

What is a cool HTPC looking case that still fits multiple 80 mm fans? I want something that blends in with my other components.

I have an LC10 including the (2) 60mm Fans with a whopping 25 dBA each ... I agree with Wakecrash ... You might call 3DCOOL.COM. Ask for Lew Mariotti. The guy is a genius with regard to silent cooling ad you'll get a good education. He recommended, and I bought two of these 8 dBA babies, an 80mm SilenX for my intake and the Thermalright XP-90C CPU Heatsink ... Never looked back.

http://www.3dcool.com/Details.asp?cid=91&id=342

Good Luck ...

[stanger89]

You called 3dcool and they didn't recommend a T-Balancer?!

The horror

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You called 3dcool and they didn't recommend a T-Balancer?!

The horror

Actually I aready knew about the T-Balancer from you. I didn't get it beacuse I don't have the room for it in the case with all the other junk I have ... Plus, compared to the stock Silverstone fans, these fans are virtually silent. Besides the HD's, which I bought also rubber HD gromets for vibration control, the SilenX fans are the only noise makers.