What hardware/PC Case do you use?

[srothwell]

Thanks to everyone again for helping me get my system running.

As would be prudent, I was testing on my computer, and wanted to see it work, before spending $$$ on a new system just for Sage.

That being said, here's what I'm looking at buying for my Sage Server. I appreciate any comments or suggestions, keeping in mind that suggesting anything outrageous (i.e. expensive) will not get by the CFO of the house (my wife) :-)


PC Case: Antek Overture "Silent" Media PC Case

MB/Processor: ASUS A7V600 with AMD Athlon Thouroghbread 2200+

Memory: 2x256MB (512MB) DDR333

1x Hauppauge "Blackbrid/Rosyln" Card

1x Hauppauge PVR-350 (for better TV Output)

Western Digital 250GB SATA Drive



All this machine will do is be a SageTV server and also act as a central file server to the rest of the house.

I really am looking for feedback on the case. I want something that is not a Full-Size tower, but much more importantly is QUIET as it will be in the living room along with the amplifier, DVD player, etc.

Comments and suggestions on the above are very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

Stacy

[Grey_Goose]

so did you get the UI working on the PVR-350?

[srothwell]

Haven't got the 350 yet. I'm still using a USB2.

I seem to be told by the vast majority of people here that the 350 will solve my interlacing (or rather de-interlacing) problem if I take the video right out of the card.

Stacy

[sleight42]

I'd have to strongly recommend against using the Roslyn. There should be a few threads floating around the Hardware and Gen Discussion forums (several started by myself) highlighting several problems with the Roslyn. In fact, the poll on the Hardware forum illustrates 7 of 9 users have issues with the Roslyn.

Shell out the few extra bucks. At about $125, get a 250 MCE. It's not that terribly pricey.

And please let us know how the Overture case works out. I saw one of this in MicroCenter the other day and it set me thinking.

My first client box is going to be an (itsy bitsy teen weenie) Shuttle box but the Overture would sit nicely in the place formerly occupied by a TiVo.

Primarily, I'd be concerned about noise and heat. I hear that the Overture is quiet but a lot of that may depend on how hard the fans have to run to keep the unit cool. I'm guessing that's why you're purchasing a Thoroughbred? Looking at ChipGeek, the Thoroughbred burns plenty of power when compared to the Barton for $10 less and a slower clock and bus speed. On further inspection of ChipGeek, evidentally higher clockspeed Bartons may prove slower, MIPS-wise, than a similarly clocked T-bred.

I'll admit, I just discovered ChipGeek tonight. Useful stuff when concerning oneself with heat.

Not to hijack the topic, but I'd be curious just how much heat is dissipated by any particular case. I've suffered entirely too many heat/electrical problems with my past two machines to trust a power supply and CPU heat sink to perform all of the necessary lifting anymore. P4s and Athlon just burn too hot!

[jphhughes]

I have been using the Antec overture case for about three months now with no heat problems. The case is reasonably quite. What I mean by that is that when watching Tv I do not take not of the noise. In a silent room you will take note of the noise. These judgements become very subjective. Too me its quiet enough. The style of the case is why I picked it. I have it on one of the shelves of my stereo rack which is not enclosed. The case does have potential for heat problems but it is my understanding that current models have been modified to provide additonal venting. I have three fans in the case two of whihc come with the case, the power supply and main case fan. The third is the fan with the kamakaze cpu cooler which is quiet and cools very well.

I been very happy with this case.

[Bathel]

I've been running that case for about a month now. I don't have any specific issues with it ... however I'd recommending looking around.

I only bought the Antec case because I like that instant gratification.

There are several better made cases for little more money out there. My next case will be more in in line with my audio components and not like a desktop computer case ... to me that's what the Antec case looks like ... old desktop computer case.

Check out PCAlchemy ... http://www.pcalchemy.com/index.php/cPath/23

They carry a few good lines of cases.

Also if you really want to drop some cash ... http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=ht400b_1

Now to drop some serious cash ... http://www.atechfabrication.com/
My personal favorite ... the embeded touch screen ... gotta love that I believe you can use the touch screen to run many functions or hell ... just run windows desktop



As for the original poster .... I would not recommend the Blackbird cards.

Also, why would you get the PVR350 to put into a sage server .... no need for the video out features of the 350 ... stick with PVR250's for the server machine .... you will be much happier.

[garyc]

I was also considering an Antec Overture, but after reading several reviews with heat issues, I found the Cooler Master ATC-620C-BX1, which has much better cooling (per the reviews), so that's what I'm going to use for my living room client. With a Seasonic power supply and a good heatsink this should be nearly silent. I'm building this in August (we're going to be gone for the next 3 weeks) - so I don't know yet whether or not a Zalman 7000 will fit on one of these microATX systems, but if it does I highly recommend it. Used one on my desktop system (along with a Seasonic) and it turned a very noisy P4-3.2 into a virtually silent system you have to practically lean against to tell if it's on.

You might want to read the case reviews on Newegg.

Gary

[sleight42]

Good lord! That A-tech touch screen case is causing me some serious Geek envy!

[stanger89]

Originally posted by sleight42
Good lord! That A-tech touch screen case is causing me some serious Geek envy!

If you look at the price, your envy may be tamed a little (not that it's not worth the price).

[sleight42]

Indeed. Mine would come out to $525 + $700 for the LCD screen. That's most of the cost of a fine gaming machine right there minus the fine gaming machine!

Oh, that would be such a toy though...

[Bathel]

Originally posted by sleight42
Indeed. Mine would come out to $525 + $700 for the LCD screen. That's most of the cost of a fine gaming machine right there minus the fine gaming machine!

Oh, that would be such a toy though...

Yeah ... it's definately a "bling bling" item ... not much real return on the money .... but some people have so much money they don't know how to spend it .... I'm not on of them however ... so I'll just keep dreaming.

[krass]

I've been running an Overture case for approximately two months, as for the heat issues, it does run a little warmer, maybe 2c-3c warmer than other cases, but it isn't that much. To drop the heat, I've inserted a slot fan, which runs around 26db, and a smaller 30/40mm fan inside the case blowing from the back of the slots. The noise is tolerable, and is only noticable because of the 30/40mm fan.