mCubed HFX build...

[Hildebrandt]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.3 RC3
MediaPortal Skin: Blue Two Wide
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: Athlon 64 3500+
HDD: 400GB seagate & 2x 1TB seagate in RAID0 configuration
Memory: 2 GB
Motherboard: ASUS A8V-VM SE
Motherboard Chipset: VIA K8M890
Motherboard Bios: AMI
Video Card: Sapphire x1300, 256MB GDDR
Video Card Driver: Catalyst 7.10
Sound Card: Integrated in MB / Realtek ALC660
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Terratec 2400i
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T - PCI-E x1
1. TV Card Driver: BDA Driver 1.0.3.266
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: mCubed HFX Classic
Cooling: Heatsinks on cabinet - hooked to CPU/GFX/HDD enclosures via heatpipes; plus Nexus Real Silent, 120mm, 22,8dB(A),B/W controlled by mCubed T-Balancer® bigNG
Power Supply: NesteQ Nova 500W 0dB External PSU
Remote: Firefly
TV: Sony KDL32-D3000
TV - HTPC Connection: VGA

Works well - CPU hovers around 40 degrees celcius running MP, is silent - as you can imagine the loudest part is the harddrives... WAF is high...

[SpeedFreak]

Originally Posted by Hildebrandt

Cooling: Nexus Real Silent, 120mm, 22,8dB(A),B/W controlled by mCubed T-Balancer® bigNG

Don't trust your heat pipes?

[Hildebrandt]

Even if i did, the fan wouldn't help much... No it's for the north bridge (cooled w. heatsink) and the RAM on the GFX, which i fitted with heat sinks... The sensors from the T-Balancer are attached to these points, and activate the fan if they get too hot...
No noise problem fron that fan, though... As stated - biggest noisemaker is the harddrives...

[Hildebrandt]

Had spare time/cash (!) so decided to do total renovation/reinstall of my HTPC - New setup:

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.3.0 Final
MediaPortal Skin: Blue Two Wide
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (2,8 GHz)
HDD: 750GB seagate (boot) & 2x 1TB seagate in RAID0 configuration
Memory: 3 GB Kingston HyperX DDRII PC2-6400 (3-3-3-10)
Motherboard: ASRock ALiveNF5-eSATA2+
Motherboard Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 520
Motherboard Bios: AMI
Video Card: Club 3D HD 2600XT 512 MB GDDR3 SDRAM
Video Card Driver: Catalyst 7.10
Sound Card: Integrated in MB / Realtek ALC888
1. TV Card: Terratec 2400i
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T - PCI-E x1
1. TV Card Driver: BDA Driver 1.0.3.266
Video-Audio Codec: ffdshow-rev1589_20071031_clsid_sse_icl10.exe + MPV/MPA
HTPC Case: mCubed HFX Classic
Cooling: Heatsinks on cabinet - hooked to CPU/GFX/HDD enclosures via heatpipes; plus Nexus Real Silent, 120mm, 22,8dB(A),B/W controlled by mCubed T-Balancer® bigNG
Power Supply: NesteQ Nova 500W 0dB External PSU
Remote: Firefly
TV: Sony KDL32-D3000
TV - HTPC Connection: VGA

Works very well - CPU hovers around 25-26 degrees celsius idle (running RMClock, so CPU is clocked @ 800mHz idle), 45 degrees celcius running MP, 55-60 degrees celsius @ full load (HL2), is silent - as you can imagine the loudest part is the harddrives... WAF is (still) high...