Calling all MP New Zealanders (Both of you!!) (139 Viewers)

[Paranoid Delusion]

intel DP35DP motherboard that has 6 pci slots

That's why the likes of the blackgold 6in1 cards where invented, still waiting for cheezey's review on this, but besides a couple of comments "it works" been a bit quiet.

At least with that size motherboard, no problem with airflow, just don't put it on show

 

[Spragleknas]

If you need that many expansion cards, then I would think using a (TV) server would be a better way.

Don't forget that the case should be able to keep an acceptable temp inside. With a desktop case w/more tha 4 exp. cards, I am not sure that this will be an easy job ...

 

[mcraenz]

That's why the likes of the blackgold 6in1

Yeah I guess but I'm planning on moving 3 of my PCI cards from old HTPC to keep costs down.

If you need that many expansion cards, then I would think using a (TV) server

I find that the remote clients don't enjoy the same speed as the singleeat client, e.g. re-wind/ffwdoesn't work on a remote client. Although in saying that channels changes are almost as fast.

Don't forget that the case should be able to keep an acceptable temp inside.

I've been giving this a lot of thought. I'm planning some kind of ducting, to keep air moving though the whole case. I plan to cool an ATI2400XT, 4xPCI tuners, core2duo 3.0Ghz and a 400watt PSU with 2x 120mm YateLoon silent fans. Am I dreaming? Maybe? Time will tell! Maybe 3 Fans if I go with a quad core instead!

 

[handya]

i have a server and remote client although i think the channel changing is a bit slower its fine, i don't fast forward and rewind i only skip its a lot faster and you don't have to view the ads

 

[mcraenz]

Yeah I skip too but I like to ffwd the last few seconds of the ads, maybe I'm just picky ;-) I also like to rewind if I missed something.

 

[rpmnz]

does anyone know a good, cheap htpc case?

I'm thinking of getting one of these silverstone LC17s.
Buy SILVERSTONE LASCALA SST-LC17 Silver Aluminum/Steel ATX Deskto at PlayTech.co.nz

Still $130 without PSU! which I think is expensive for a case, especially since my current HTPC is in a compaq W4000 workstation case!!

I have one of these. Found it to be very well made. It is a little bit larger than I ideally wanted and could do with a fan added at the front. Which it has a cut out for but just no fan there stock.

Nice clean look and finish, solid feel, but check the actual dims as I found they look smaller in the pictures

The CD draw(s) blanking plates are a little finiky, you have to stick them onto the drawer of the dvd/cd drive with double sided tape (supplied). Not ideal but it works.

 

[Klathman]

I'm thinking of getting one of these silverstone LC17s.
Buy SILVERSTONE LASCALA SST-LC17 Silver Aluminum/Steel ATX Deskto at PlayTech.co.nz

I've got the black version of this and quite like it. My only comment about it is that with my motherboard, which is like the one your looking at with loads of PCI slots, the graphics card is jammed right up against the drive bays. It wasn't such a big problem with my old graphics card but I just got a passively cooled 3850 and damn is it tight now!!!

I do wonder how people get on with insy wincy cases though as this baby is pretty full of stuff as it is.

Oh and I ended up taking out the front fan as only a silverstone fan seems to fit there, not just a standard one and it just seems to get in the way. No big loss though as I've still got 3 fans going and it seems nice and cool.

 

[rpmnz]

I'm thinking of getting one of these silverstone LC17s.
Buy SILVERSTONE LASCALA SST-LC17 Silver Aluminum/Steel ATX Deskto at PlayTech.co.nz

I've got the black version of this and quite like it. My only comment about it is that with my motherboard, which is like the one your looking at with loads of PCI slots, the graphics card is jammed right up against the drive bays. It wasn't such a big problem with my old graphics card but I just got a passively cooled 3850 and damn is it tight now!!!

I do wonder how people get on with insy wincy cases though as this baby is pretty full of stuff as it is.

Oh and I ended up taking out the front fan as only a silverstone fan seems to fit there, not just a standard one and it just seems to get in the way. No big loss though as I've still got 3 fans going and it seems nice and cool.

Yeah do agree that it gets quite chokka inside and that I dont know how people do it with the micro ATX cases. I did manage to fit a large zalman or something Cpu fan in there just which cuts down on the noise. I've only got the two PCI sat cards and a graphics card in the PCI-e slot so its not so bad as some people. Yep from memory the HDs are a tight squeeze with the cards and there not even that long.

 

[Klathman]

Yeah do agree that it gets quite chokka inside and that I dont know how people do it with the micro ATX cases. I did manage to fit a large zalman or something Cpu fan in there just which cuts down on the noise. I've only got the two PCI sat cards and a graphics card in the PCI-e slot so its not so bad as some people. Yep from memory the HDs are a tight squeeze with the cards and there not even that long.

We must have very similar looking system as I've gone for a Zalman CPU fan as well. Only got PCI tuner cards though.

The noisiest thing I have now is the DVD drive which even AnyDVD can't make totally silent in the quiet parts of movies. Then again I am thinking of just buying a couple more TB HDDs and just ripping my collection.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

just buying a couple more TB HDDs and just ripping my collection.

Just got so fedup going to the unit dvd's were stored in, best thing i ever did, and no more jam on DVD's to clean up to (just remote).