Comments on: Ain’t She a Beauty? http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/ Looking for the latest laptop or gadget information? Building your own home theater PC? Well you have come to the right place! Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:54:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: TPfron http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-112 TPfron Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:37 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-112 Nice set-up - you've got great taste in amps and speakers...... I have Kef egg envy!! Nice set-up – you’ve got great taste in amps and speakers…… I have Kef egg envy!!

]]> By: Jay Taylor http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Jay Taylor Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:17:01 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-111 <a href="#comment-310" rel="nofollow">@NZRegs</a>, Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, there is just not enough room in the blog to list all the nice HTPC chassis out there. Therefore, I used what I had immediately on hand to provide some guidance. Zalman, Luxa, Origen, and so many others have nice HTPC chassis solutions on the market. The purpose of the blog was to give readers an idea on just how much the chassis industry has changed to provide solutions to this space. There is something for just about any budget and aesthetic environment. I do appreciate you providing the link though. The easier it is for readers to find a solution, the better. Regards, Jay @NZRegs, Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, there is just not enough room in the blog to list all the nice HTPC chassis out there. Therefore, I used what I had immediately on hand to provide some guidance.

Zalman, Luxa, Origen, and so many others have nice HTPC chassis solutions on the market. The purpose of the blog was to give readers an idea on just how much the chassis industry has changed to provide solutions to this space. There is something for just about any budget and aesthetic environment.

I do appreciate you providing the link though. The easier it is for readers to find a solution, the better.

Regards,
Jay

]]> By: NZRegs http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-110 NZRegs Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:02:42 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-110 i see you're missing the Zalman HD160 case from your lineup. I really like the zalman case as it matches my Onkyo Amp for size and is not quite as long (420mm) as all the other cases (460mm) and therefore fits in my entertainment unit perfectly, see it in action here: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2314765699_9026208d0d.jpg?v=0 Zalman link here: http://zalman.co.kr/eng/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=190 i see you’re missing the Zalman HD160 case from your lineup. I really like the zalman case as it matches my Onkyo Amp for size and is not quite as long (420mm) as all the other cases (460mm) and therefore fits in my entertainment unit perfectly, see it in action here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2314765699_9026208d0d.jpg?v=0

Zalman link here:
http://zalman.co.kr/eng/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=190

]]> By: Maverick0984 http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Maverick0984 Tue, 12 May 2009 03:14:39 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-109 I am pretty sure the PC-C39 sports RF, not IR, therefore not being attachable to a standard harmony remote...unless you have an RF version of course. I am pretty sure the PC-C39 sports RF, not IR, therefore not being attachable to a standard harmony remote…unless you have an RF version of course.

]]> By: Jay Taylor http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Jay Taylor Fri, 01 May 2009 15:49:46 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-108 Thanks Michael. While I agree that HTPC chassis have not fully aligned with traditional CE equipment, I think that is in part due to the different requirements of the HTPC. Now, I do think we will continue to see the HTPC move ever closer to the look/feel of AV equipment. As we improve CPU, chipset, GPU power and performance and increase functionality, those will impact chassis design. Likewise, as HDD, ODD, PSU technology improves, those too will impact chassis design. I think it is exciting to see how all these changes are coming together to make the HTPC a viable and aesthetically pleasing box in the living room. Thanks Michael.

While I agree that HTPC chassis have not fully aligned with traditional CE equipment, I think that is in part due to the different requirements of the HTPC. Now, I do think we will continue to see the HTPC move ever closer to the look/feel of AV equipment. As we improve CPU, chipset, GPU power and performance and increase functionality, those will impact chassis design. Likewise, as HDD, ODD, PSU technology improves, those too will impact chassis design.

I think it is exciting to see how all these changes are coming together to make the HTPC a viable and aesthetically pleasing box in the living room.

]]> By: Michael Christsen http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Michael Christsen Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:57:33 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-107 I will agree that HTPC cases have come a ways, but are still far from being CE grade. Long term A/V component companies like SONY, Yamaha to B&O and Marantz have their formulas that produce consitant and appealing designs. I have looked at Antec, Thermalake, Silverstone and the like, and are relatively disappointed trying to find a case to match evenly into my SONY equipment (ES class DVD, Receiver, CD Change, etc). The Moneual 312 case is the closest as it provides a simple unassuming design. It is too bad Omaura failed becuase they had the right ideas. I hope that the future holds better choices and would be stoked if the A/V players got into the action more seriously. I am going to head back to reading you contributions to an MSI-7411 thread on AVS. Keep up the great work! I will agree that HTPC cases have come a ways, but are still far from being CE grade. Long term A/V component companies like SONY, Yamaha to B&O and Marantz have their formulas that produce consitant and appealing designs. I have looked at Antec, Thermalake, Silverstone and the like, and are relatively disappointed trying to find a case to match evenly into my SONY equipment (ES class DVD, Receiver, CD Change, etc). The Moneual 312 case is the closest as it provides a simple unassuming design. It is too bad Omaura failed becuase they had the right ideas. I hope that the future holds better choices and would be stoked if the A/V players got into the action more seriously. I am going to head back to reading you contributions to an MSI-7411 thread on AVS. Keep up the great work!

]]> By: Jay Taylor http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Jay Taylor Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:00:20 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-106 <a href="#comment-136" rel="nofollow">@Chad Stamper</a>, Hi Chad, Yes. MS has done some pretty good stuff with their Media Center UI. Win 7 looks to continue to improve the UI and make it a more robust solution for the HTPC space. You might want to look at my Plugged In post, I believe there is a plug in available for Google Calendar. Ahh, facebook. My wife is a Facebook junkie and a Myspace junkie before that. I just never really got into the Facebook/Myspace thing. I am on Twitter though (Java_Jack). Regards, Jay @Chad Stamper, Hi Chad,

Yes. MS has done some pretty good stuff with their Media Center UI. Win 7 looks to continue to improve the UI and make it a more robust solution for the HTPC space.

You might want to look at my Plugged In post, I believe there is a plug in available for Google Calendar.

Ahh, facebook. My wife is a Facebook junkie and a Myspace junkie before that. I just never really got into the Facebook/Myspace thing. I am on Twitter though (Java_Jack).

Regards,
Jay

]]> By: Chad Stamper http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Chad Stamper Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:00:42 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-105 Hi Jay, I ran across this while trying to find a decent way of integrating Google Calendar into my HTPC. Looks like I need to take another look at WMC. I have actually had an HTPC for about 5 years now using Snapstream as my DVR and XP Pro as the OS. I linked to some info on my current setup... and yes, the site is dated, I'm working on that. Also, I looked for you on Facebook, surprised I didn't see you. Hope all is well. Hi Jay, I ran across this while trying to find a decent way of integrating Google Calendar into my HTPC. Looks like I need to take another look at WMC. I have actually had an HTPC for about 5 years now using Snapstream as my DVR and XP Pro as the OS. I linked to some info on my current setup… and yes, the site is dated, I’m working on that.

Also, I looked for you on Facebook, surprised I didn’t see you. Hope all is well.

]]> By: Jay Taylor http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Jay Taylor Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:03:55 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-104 <a href="#comment-105" rel="nofollow">@KAMonnig</a>, There are some solutions out there that do work. Noiselimit has their Silent Flux Media cooler that measures about 60mm tall and uses a radiator type implementation they call Bubble Pump technology. It also has an 80mm fan that is relatively quiet. I have used it in several designs and it handled up to a 95W CPU without difficulty and this was installed in a couple of low profile chassis. Though I have not used it, the Scythe Mini Ninja has also been touted by many in HTPC circles as a pretty effective solution as well. @KAMonnig, There are some solutions out there that do work.

Noiselimit has their Silent Flux Media cooler that measures about 60mm tall and uses a radiator type implementation they call Bubble Pump technology. It also has an 80mm fan that is relatively quiet. I have used it in several designs and it handled up to a 95W CPU without difficulty and this was installed in a couple of low profile chassis.

Though I have not used it, the Scythe Mini Ninja has also been touted by many in HTPC circles as a pretty effective solution as well.

]]> By: KAMonnig http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-103 KAMonnig Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:51:05 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-103 I have to agree with Peter G especially: "Want a better performing heatsink for lower temps or quieter operation? Good luck. The height restrictions ....nix ... popular heat sinks." Most medium to high perfromance thermal solutions today wont work in HTPC or in a small uATX Lanbox they are all too tall. The 'low profile' ones available are some combination of; 1) Too loud 2) Occlude the ram slots 3) Still taller than ~100mm 4) Expensive 5) May not cool well, you can't tell from the manufacurer 'specs' It's not that there is no space in these cases to put in a thermal solution. It's that the space available is not utilized I have to agree with Peter G especially:

“Want a better performing heatsink for lower temps or quieter operation? Good luck. The height restrictions ….nix … popular heat sinks.”

Most medium to high perfromance thermal solutions today wont work in HTPC or in a small uATX Lanbox they are all too tall.

The ‘low profile’ ones available are some combination of;

1) Too loud
2) Occlude the ram slots
3) Still taller than ~100mm
4) Expensive
5) May not cool well, you can’t tell from the manufacurer ‘specs’

It’s not that there is no space in these cases to put in a thermal solution. It’s that the space available is not utilized

]]> By: Jay Taylor http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Jay Taylor Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:34:54 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-102 <a href="#comment-79" rel="nofollow">@ilovejedd</a>, You are correct. The C-36 was a late addition to the blog post. It does not support IR. I will get that corrected shortly. Good catch. @ilovejedd, You are correct. The C-36 was a late addition to the blog post. It does not support IR. I will get that corrected shortly. Good catch.

]]> By: ilovejedd http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-101 ilovejedd Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:40:08 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-101 Pretty sure the Lian Li PC-C36 doesn't have IR. The new models from Lian Li are the PC-C38 and PC-C39. Anyway, good info! :) Pretty sure the Lian Li PC-C36 doesn’t have IR. The new models from Lian Li are the PC-C38 and PC-C39.

Anyway, good info! :)

]]> By: JoeWPgh http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-100 JoeWPgh Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:16:13 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-100 nMedia has come along way, but are still, for the most part, committed to 60mm case fans. The fans aren't terrible, but still a deal breaker for me. Their provision for installing a standard MS remote sensor internally is a very nice touch (assuming the new models still do this). My favorite HTPC cases to date are the Antec Fusion for mATX, and the Silverstone LC-17 for ATX. But neither of those are perfect products either. The Fusion's LCD/LED readout is absolutely useless and (to me) is an ugly wart on an otherwise nicely styled case. The LC-17 has no dampening for HDD mounting, no provision for an internal remote sensor, and needs a little work to improve ventilation. I agree that the HTPC cases have come a long way in the last 2 years, but it seems like they're not quite there yet. nMedia has come along way, but are still, for the most part, committed to 60mm case fans. The fans aren’t terrible, but still a deal breaker for me. Their provision for installing a standard MS remote sensor internally is a very nice touch (assuming the new models still do this).
My favorite HTPC cases to date are the Antec Fusion for mATX, and the Silverstone LC-17 for ATX. But neither of those are perfect products either. The Fusion’s LCD/LED readout is absolutely useless and (to me) is an ugly wart on an otherwise nicely styled case.

The LC-17 has no dampening for HDD mounting, no provision for an internal remote sensor, and needs a little work to improve ventilation.

I agree that the HTPC cases have come a long way in the last 2 years, but it seems like they’re not quite there yet.

]]> By: Peter G. http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Peter G. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:29:58 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-99 The HTPC market is a great segment these days with so many new, interesting products coming out. Sadly though, when it comes to actually building a HTPC box users have some tough choices to make these days regarding their chassis. Even with all these great cases coming out there's still much to be done regarding compatibility. Users looking to install common pieces of hardware like heatsinks, video cards, and power supplies often have to make trade-offs. Want a quieter video card? You gotta go passive or swap heatsinks. Both tend to take up more space in the case, blocking motherboard slots. If the case is mATX or smaller, there's a good chance the sound card or network card you've installed will interfere. And that's if the card itself will fit in the chassis due to the varying length of cards these days. Want a better performing heatsink for lower temps or quieter operation? Good luck. The height restrictions so many of today's cases impose nix the installation of the a great number of popular heat sinks. Great strides have been made to create better HTPC cases, but there's still much more work to do. I don't think it's a matter of simply "going bigger," but more of an issue with design optimization and better attention to these details across the manufacturing spectrum. The HTPC market is a great segment these days with so many new, interesting products coming out. Sadly though, when it comes to actually building a HTPC box users have some tough choices to make these days regarding their chassis. Even with all these great cases coming out there’s still much to be done regarding compatibility. Users looking to install common pieces of hardware like heatsinks, video cards, and power supplies often have to make trade-offs.

Want a quieter video card? You gotta go passive or swap heatsinks. Both tend to take up more space in the case, blocking motherboard slots. If the case is mATX or smaller, there’s a good chance the sound card or network card you’ve installed will interfere. And that’s if the card itself will fit in the chassis due to the varying length of cards these days.

Want a better performing heatsink for lower temps or quieter operation? Good luck. The height restrictions so many of today’s cases impose nix the installation of the a great number of popular heat sinks.

Great strides have been made to create better HTPC cases, but there’s still much more work to do. I don’t think it’s a matter of simply “going bigger,” but more of an issue with design optimization and better attention to these details across the manufacturing spectrum.

]]> By: wpeltola http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/04/03/aint-she-a-beauty/comment-page-1/#comment-98 wpeltola Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:41:11 +0000 http://blogs.amd.com/home/?p=302#comment-98 Hi Jay, I'm using the Antec Fusion Black 430 as my HTPC case. Thus far, I've been pretty happy with it, but it's pretty easy to fall in love a majority of the fine cases mentioned above. That Thermaltake DH102 looks very hawt :) Hi Jay, I’m using the Antec Fusion Black 430 as my HTPC case. Thus far, I’ve been pretty happy with it, but it’s pretty easy to fall in love a majority of the fine cases mentioned above. That Thermaltake DH102 looks very hawt :)

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