Noisy HTPC (1 Viewer)

[Wonderm00n]

Hi there,

See my HTPC specs on my profile, please...

I'm not sure this is the right forum, but...

I have a really noisy HTPC

Can anyone help me reducing the noise? Tips? Configurations? Hardware replacement?

My HTPC has the following fan's:
1 - Eurotech Silent 400Wt Power Suplly (120mm fan) [ http://www.minfo.pt/catalogo/detalhes_produto.php?id=68909 ]
2 - CPU Zalman cooler (set to minimum speed with it's hardware controler) [ http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=237&code= ]
3 - GeForce 7300GT cooler (not noisy at all...)
4 - 1 small (60?) case fan [ The case: http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=48 ]
5 - 1 medium (80?) case fan

See this image, and check the numbers regarding each fan: http://wonderm00n.blog.com.pt/_temp/20070920_fans.html

 

[Sh4nn0w]

I'd probably say its your 60mm / 80 mm fans that are making the noise., assuming they are the ones that came with case. Here does various quieter ones & sizes; although once can probably get them cheaper elsewhere.

I swopped out my 120mm fans in my desktop for Nexus D12SL-12's and its a lot quieter. They only do as small as 80mm, which only cover's one.

Only 60mm one I know of that's supposed to be quiet is off the first link, AcoustiFan: DustPROOF 60mm fan., can't vouch for it though, haven't come across many "quiet" branded 60mm fans, which is why I still don't have a case, trying to get one which doesn't have 60mm fans and has what I want isn't easy.

Hopefully someone else might be able to recommend a good quiet 60mm fan.

EDIT: Just came across this: 60mm Papst 612 F/2L Quiet Case Fan 16dB (Papst are supposed to be quite good)

Also found a danish site where someone has used them in place of standard fans in HTPC, here's an almost readable translation Seems to say they are quieter, also recommends rubber fan mounts, which I have to say on my PC stopped a lot of the fan vibrations.

 

[dm15644]

It's not necessarily the PSU fan and case fans. It can also be hard drives and anything else with moving part.

First, check what is creating most noise.

You can for instance stop the fans one by one to see which makes the most noise. Try to stop the PSU fan for a moment. Unplug the HDDs.

When you have found out which components produce most noise, you can start improving the situation.

Case resonance can also be an issue. Maybe you just need to dampen the most noisy component.

Generally, 60mm fans tend to be a bit more noisy. 80mm can be ok if you have the correct product (e.g. Nexus).

See also www.silentpcreview.com for lots of information.

Cheers,

jayrock

 

[Wonderm00n]

I was SO wrong...

The GeForce fan is the noisiest... I've disconnected the 60mm fan and connected it, and disconnected it, and connected it... and no difference at all in the volume of noise, so this one, for now, is ON.

Just to try, I've stopped the GeForce fan with my finger, for 1 or 2 secs, and the difference is huge!

I'll swap this cooler with a passive one, to start, and I'll get back with more info after this.

 

[Sh4nn0w]

Glad you've found the problem, Jayrock had the right idea. I forgot to advise that approach, considering that's how I went about sorting out what was causing the most noise in my desktop.

 

[dm15644]

Hey Wonderm00n, good luck with your modding activities. Let us know about the result!

Cheers

jayrock

 

[Wonderm00n]

I there... I was only able to find this cooler to my GeForce 7300GT 512Mb:
http://www.chiptec.net/incs/verproduto.php?id=6228

But it's way to big to fit in the case (maybe I'll just open a hole on it, ehehhehe NOT!)

I have an ATI 9200 128Mb (passive) but I'm afraid I'll not have the same performance I have with the GeForce one, becaus I'm using Nvidia codec with hardware acelaration.

Any thoughts on an option?
I really didn't want to buy a new graphics card, because my budget is not so good right now... but I'm guessing it's my last an only option...

I know this is not better than my current GeForce 7300GT 512Mb, but do you think they'll deliver me the same/similar results?
- http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=NX6200AX-TD256&class=vga

 

[graemef]

I got completely sick of noise in my HTPC. Up to revision 3 now, using a Zalman Reserator 1 plus cooling system now. No fans anywhere, even power supply and 100% silent (execpt HDD and DVD). Love it. Looks very cool on top of the bass speaker as well.

 

[Wonderm00n]

Hi there guys,

For testing proposes I've replaced the noisy GeForce 7300GT 512Mb for an old ATI Radeopn 9200 128Mb, that was lying around since my last upgrade on my main machine.

This card has a passive fanless cooler, so I knew I would have less noise on the machine, but it's an old card and only 128Mb.

Surprisely I can see TV, Movies and DVD's just like before (well I had to disable the excluve DirectX mode).

But now I have another problem: there's a horizontal line, between the top and the middle of the screen, that gets REALLY annoying when there's movement on the picture, that means it is anyoing 99% of the time I'm using my HTPC.

I've tried to change refresh rate from 60 to 75 bu the problem persists...

I'm not being able to get it by pressing PRINT SCREEN because it's just not there... So I took some pictures where this problem is visible.

Download the pictures: http://wonderm00n.blog.com.pt/_temp/20070921_line.zip

Any ideas?

PS: Thanks for all users on this forum that had been REALLY NICE to this newbie!