HTPC Cases

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alskdj

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#57740 23-Feb-2010 13:06

Hi guys,
just wondering, are there any advantages of HTPC cases over traditional computer cases, apart from an aesthetics/space conserving point of view? My TV is currently next to my computer desk, so a normal case on the floor wouldn't look too out of place (hopefully this made sense).

PANiCnz

999 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 161

#301494 23-Feb-2010 14:06

There are minimal benefits aside from aesthetics. Some cases have improved cooling (e.g quite fans, better airflow) to reduce noise, however this isn't exactly uncommon in modern traditional cases. You will find some of the higher end HTPC cases have intergrated LCD screens and Infrared receivers to increase functionality. The intergrated infrared receiver can reduced clutter, e.g dont need an external USB receiver.

uktuatara

149 posts

Master Geek

#301504 23-Feb-2010 14:46

Depending on how you feel about asthetics I think the airflow and noise level are going to be you're biggest factors for choosing a case. While it is true that some HTPC cases are quieter or have better airflow, be on the watch for cases with small fans that whine. I think it's definetly a plus to have a built in infrasred receiver, it looks tacky having an external USB connection (IMHO)

Some cases might look nice but fairly quickly after installing it in your lounge you'll be wishing you chose the quietest and coolest.

My advice would be to Google "HTPC top ten" or "HTPC reviews" you'll quickly find re-curring themes on some cases.

Tuataras were once feared by Māori as the messengers of Whiro, god of death and disaster. Today, tuataras are regarded as a taonga (treasure), and as the kaitiaki (guardian) of the trails to the realms of the mind and spirit that give humans life.

My Tech : Samsung 3d LED UA46C7000 - Samsung 3d Blu-Ray HT5530W - Plex for Samsung Widget - XBOX360 Slim - Windows 7 Workhorse - Windows Homeserver - Plex Media Server for Windows

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#301714 24-Feb-2010 06:33

Hi there. I just thought I'd get my 2 cents in on this thread.

I based my HTPC on the Antec Fusion V2 case. I did this for aesthetic and noise reasons as my HTPC is in the lounge and my wife would not approve of anythig less!

The case looks good, is quiet, and has an built-in LCD display which looks groovy. I also really like having the IR receiver built into the front panel so I don't have to have extra cables hanging around for a receiver plugged into the box.

However, with the benefit of hindsight, I think I should have looked at doing things differently. As this case is based on the Micro ATX motherboard, I seem to have snookered myself in terms of expansion options.

With my NvIDIA GeForce 9800 GT video card installed in the PCIe-16 slot, it makes one of the PCI slots unusable. This only leaves me with one PCI and one PCIe slot free. I have two DVB-S tuners, one in each of the free slots, however I'd like to add a third tuner. Sadly my only option is to replace one of the tuners with a dual tuner, and up until revently I have been unable to find one easily.

Of course I could use MediaPortal and two tuners would suffice, however this is not the point of this thread!

My HTPC - Case Antec Fusion Remote, MOBO Intel DH67BLB3, CPU Intel Core i5-2400S 2.5 GHz, RAM 8GB DDR3 1333, HDD 120Gig Corsair Force Series 3 SSD system | WD Caviar Black 2TB data, Tuners Black Gold BGT3595 dual DVB-S/S2, dual DVB-T, Video nVIDIA GeForce GT 520, 1024MB, Sound Intel® High Definition Audio (onboard), OS Windows 7 x64