Anyone using a Shuttle PC as a Client

[trevorst]

I am condidering getting a small Shuttle PC to use a client. If anyone is using one I would like to know how noisy they are and what is the smallest CPU I could get a way with to keep the heat down. I would need to put my radeon 8500 video card in to output to a HDTV component input.

My thoughts are a Shuttle Sk41G http://us.shuttle.com/specs_access.asp?pro_id=285

With an Athlon XP 1500 CPU, 256 meg memory, DVD player and a small hard drive. Total cost would be around $260 - $280 depending on the DVD drive.

Anyone have any thoughts.

[Tej]

Earlier this year, I wanted a very quiet solution for a bedroom HTPC. So I built one using a Shuttle SS51 with an ATI AIW Radeon (the original all-in-wonder radeon) and a PVR-250 card. I use the AIW's digital output to drive a 22" LCD as the monitor. With the Elecard decoder/dscaler combination, the picture is very high quality.

Using a 2.4 GHz Pentium, it only runs a steady 40 C. The Seagate Barracuda 120GB drive I used is nearly silent. I can't recommend it highly enough. Using XP and only SageTV, my uptime now is weeks to a month at a time - once I got the bugs out

The cooling fan's however, are not silent. I had to replace the main cooling fan and the power supply fan with quieter ones purchased from CompUSA, which made a big difference. Sitting in a small TV stand, behind a glass door, it is now quiet enough to run 24/7 without disturbing my sleep, but it is not silent. My stock Dell Optiplex GX 260 tower (2.4 GHz) is quieter, but that model is known for being nearly silent.

check http://forums.sudhian.com/ and do a search for the word "quiet" or "silent" for much more information. Lots of other people using the Shuttle boxes for HTPC's successfully.

[Tej]

Oops, forgot to include the thread with the pics of the modifications. Scroll down about halfway....

http://forums.sudhian.com/messagevie...threadid=22772

[Deadbolt]

Anyone know if the PVR 350 fits into a shuttle mobo and case?

Thanks!
Deadbolt

[danward79]

Hi

A 350 will fit, in my shiuttle it is a sb51g or is it ss51g, i dunno.

I would hate to have a shuttle in my bedroom, due to the drone...

Be careful, some people can sleep thru a tornado, i can hear a pin drop. So even with mods it may not be quiet to you..

Dan

[phenixdragon]

I like the SimpleMax 101 case and then just add in the mobo you want. I tis very quiet and is easily put together.

[Deadbolt]

Great! Thanks....any other recommendations for small form factor, silent pcs would be appreciated.

Thanks again!
Deadbolt

[danward79]

What about a epia via pc....

[cmoney]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

I've got a Sony Vaio RZ with GigaPocket but that GigaPocket software is such crap that I'm looking to rebuild my PVR architecture. So I picked up a Shuttle SN41G2 from Best Buy on New Year's Eve to test out with Sage and SnapStream. Also picked up a Hauppauge 250.

Long story short, the Shuttle is probably going back after this weekend.

The Shuttle is pretty loud. I've got it with an Athlon 2100+ and it's louder than a PS2 even when I underclock the chip to run at 100MHz FSB and 1500+ rating. The thing I love about the Vaio is it's pretty quiet, except since it's my main PC (otherwise I'm 100% Mac) it's gotta stay in my office. I was planning on using the Shuttle in the entertainment center, but even in there, I see the fan noise being an issue.

Now Shuttle did release a new power supply by SilenX so maybe that'll help out with the noise. Except my other issue with the Shuttle is that it's running pretty hot without even recording or doing any major work. I don't foresee it being able to run 24x7 like I want it to. That's another advantage of the Vaio: you can put it to sleep and it'll wake up before it has to record. And the Sony shuts off the fan when it sleeps unlike the Shuttle.

Anyway, just today I picked up a MediaMVP. Hopefully its standard features will tide me over until Sage releases Sage Client support for the MVP.

Oh, btw, just for a reference point, the Sony PS2 is too loud for me to sleep with it in my room and my TiVo's hard drive got a little annoying at times (though it's now shut off and disconnected since TiVo jacked up the prices), so yeah, I'm pretty picky about silence. The Shuttle may work as an HTPC but I'd still be concerned about heat.

[dgage]

My friend Mike just bought the Biostar IDEQ and he says it is pretty quiet. Not silent but quiet. But then again, neither one of us have heard a Shuttle in person. He also said he thought the layout of the IDEQ was very good, tight, but good.

Here is the one he bought.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...115-003&depa=1

I am currently using a MediaMVP but I am thinking of upgrading to an HDTV. If I do that, I will go with a different set-top box or setup a PC client.

David