Best of Breed HTPC Case

[jptaz]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I've got a D.Vine 4 and IMO it's the best of the Ahanix line since it take full size components (ATX motherboard, power supply). And it definitely blends into the rack (see pick). But the ATech Fab cases are definitely in a league of their own.

Stanger,

I give up. Which component in the Picture is the HTPC?

EDIT: I see it now...the second component down has some USB or firewire ports that give it away...took some lookiing though

John

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by jptaz

Stanger,

I give up. Which component in the Picture is the HTPC?

EDIT: I see it now...the second component down has some USB or firewire ports that give it away...took some lookiing though

John

John, Check out this attachment ... It has photos of each recommended HTPC ...

http://forums.sage.tv/forums/showpos...03&postcount=9

T.

[dagar]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Yes, I do ... but being a two story house the cable is probably running somewhere between the two floors. If it were one story with an attic, I might consider snaking it. The way it is now I am not very confident I would be successful. I'd probably just jack up the coax.

BTW ... Anyone have any idea when the HeatSync Case will arrive on the streets or about how much it will cost? It looks very interesting, but I am not sure I want to wait too long.

Thanks, T.

Heh, you could always do what I did (assuming you have a crawl space not a slab). I converted a closet into a wiringcloset and telco demarc. I have a 3" conduit running to the first floor crawlspace

If the coax was installed during construction then you will most likely be unable to move it (stapled); which is what happened to me.

[TheraEdge]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Yes, I do ... but being a two story house the cable is probably running somewhere between the two floors. If it were one story with an attic, I might consider snaking it. The way it is now I am not very confident I would be successful. I'd probably just jack up the coax.

BTW ... Anyone have any idea when the HeatSync Case will arrive on the streets or about how much it will cost? It looks very interesting, but I am not sure I want to wait too long.

Thanks, T.

Um, or you could just do a wireless network and hook up the client that way...you have been waiting for an excuse to add the wireless anyway right?

[stanger89]

Wireless is generally not recommended for use with Sage. While it can work, it's far to easy, and there's far too many ways, to have trouble compared to wired.

[TheraEdge]

Um, I'm a little confused as to what wireless cannot handle then? The streaming of video from another computer or downloading the guide to that PC or what? I mean I'm sure you wouldn't want a PC to not be hooked to the cable to record, but other than that, where elese would wireless cause problems?

[mls]

In general, you'd need 802.11g for best results. Don't let 'em scare you though just because some people are have bad results. There are many others that have no problem at all with using a SageTV client wireless. It all depends how much other interference there may be and how many walls and other obstructions the signal has to pass thru. There are also some minor differences with various brands or models of wireless Routers and adapters.

In other words, try it... if it works for you great, if it don't ya can't say you weren't warned about possible problems.

[stanger89]

I always like to take the pesimistic side. Yes 802.11g is theoretically fast enough for streaming (802.11b isn't though), but with wired, you're essentially guaranteed it will work, where with wireless it's easier to have problems.

I look at it this way, if you can run wires, do it, you know it will work. If you've got wireless already or can't run wires, give it a shot.

[mls]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I look at it this way, if you can run wires, do it, you know it will work.

I agree totally on that stanger89. I, myself, am not into that wireless stuff. All my equipment is wired CAT5 Ethernet. In fact, I just bought a HP 2610 network printer last weekend. I could have bought the 2710 which also has built in wireless, but I just couldn't see paying an extra $100 when I don't even have anything to work with it wireless here anyway. Can add a Bluetooth adapter though to this one if I ever get a PDA and need to use the printer, but I'm not into that PDA stuff either (like what do I need on a PDA that don't fit on a piece of paper in my wallet anyway).

[dagar]

Wired will work, just don't use a #^$@ hub (then it won't).

[TheraEdge]

So I'm still trying to figure this out, the client PC then would stream everything off of the full sageTV computer in the other room, right? Even live TV? So that is why the network connection needs to be so blazingly fast?

Oh, and I wanted to include another HTPC case that people might like for options. Antec "OVERTURE" Piano Black, Quiet Media Case. I like this one for the space, the possibility it would be cool & quiet and it just seems like an all around good functioning design. The biggest issue is the exposed drive blanks on the front giving it away as a PC case, and why did they have to make the center portion silver? It is the correct width for a standard size A/V component though. A Black option would have been nice, that would have blended in more. It is the case I am starting to lean to for my HTPC system though.

[Grasshopper]

I'm using an Antec Aria case. Nice, small, quiet. It's obviously not an AV component (looks rather like a slightly overgrown Shuttle SFF case), but it does the job nicely.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by TheraEdge

So I'm still trying to figure this out, the client PC then would stream everything off of the full sageTV computer in the other room, right? Even live TV? So that is why the network connection needs to be so blazingly fast?

Exactly, but it's not so much the absolute speed, but the fact that the link must be in very good shape ALL the time, if you drop the link for a split second transfering a file, you probably wouldn't notice, if the same thing happens streaming video, you get a hickup/studder.

Like I said 11g is more than fast enough theoretically (54Mbps, vs 12Mbps max for Sage recordings), but if the link ever dropps a frame or two, it can interupt playback.

[TheraEdge]

So is the server/client setup more desirable to have? I mean I guess I wanted to just contain everything in a single device, but a friend told me the Tunder cards put our quite a bit of heat, and the chip I have laying around to use is going to be pretty warm, plus I was planning on a couple of hard drives, to add some more heat, so I guess I'm starting to get a little concerned about a noisy box in my living room.

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by TheraEdge

So is the server/client setup more desirable to have? I mean I guess I wanted to just contain everything in a single device, but a friend told me the Tunder cards put our quite a bit of heat, and the chip I have laying around to use is going to be pretty warm, plus I was planning on a couple of hard drives, to add some more heat, so I guess I'm starting to get a little concerned about a noisy box in my living room.

That's exactly it. You can pack the server away in a closet and use small, quiet clients near the TV's. Some folks use VIA EPIA motherboards, which are super tiny and quiet, but expensive for the performance you get. I built a small Windows PC running Client. One attractive new option is to run Client on your server, serving a MediaMVP plugged into the TV -- this seems to be a cheap, flexible, scalable solution to serve media throughout the house. Just one big box hidden away, and one MVP for each TV. Quiet, easy. Only downside is the MVP won't play DVD's.

[ErsatzTom]

Hey, does anyone have any experience with the agp risers used in the SilverStone slim cases (like the lc04)? I've got an antec minuet case that I like but I'm going nuts being restricted to low profile peripherals. I like the lc04 because it is still a small case but can take 1 full height agp + 1 full height pci card. However, the risers make me nervous that it could cause stability problems. Any input? Thanks,

t

[mightyt]

Hmmm ... New Silverstone Case ...

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-lc10w.htm

Thoughts? Comments? Anyone got it already and have an opinion?

And do you think the provided remote is Sageable?

Thanks, T.

[ErsatzTom]

I just picked up an LC03V. It is slightly smaller than the LC10W and doesn't have the nice builtin front panel audio/usb/firewire ports but does have more external drives (2*3.5 & 2*5.25). I put a matching SilverStone front panel audio/usb/firewire module into one of the 3.5" and my flash card reader in the the other. It seems like a pretty well made case and I'm sure the 10W is as well. I put an extra 8cm fan in mine (the 10W comes with one) and the case is a little loud for me now. However, it isn't in the entertainment center yet, which will help, and I plan on slowing the fans down a bit as it has more airflow than it really needs right now.

Don't know anything about the remote.

t

[edgley]

I just took delivery of my Atech case today.

Oh my.

It is of the most exquisite detail, from the packaging to the screws. I can not recommend it enough.

Simon.

[dagar]

Oh sure... rub it in Enjoy it! Let us know how it works out for you.