Ok here it is. The case only takes a micro atx motherboard, you need to get a board specifically where the AGP slot is close to the backplane (otherwise the riser doesn't fit) you only have the use of two of the PCI slots, which imho is adequate.
Some of the aspects of the case are a little foreign, there are obvious reasons for the way they have done certain things but others are obscure. for instance the back plates of the cards are held in with a hinged door, The case would probably allow for a full atx board, if the CD rom drive was lowered a little and the back plates had a different type of catch. On the whole its a pretty ordinary case, both LED's are blue which of course oozes class. The aluminium front is high quality metal and quite thick also (unlike these cheap cases with about 1/10th a mm of aluminium) The power/reset buttons are very slick but still get stuck every once in a while. Cooling is excellent, in fact if you're buying a motherboard specifically for this case then you should get one where the fins of the heatsink will run parallel with the back of the motherboard, as then you can remove the fan from the CPU cooler and just use the intake on the side of the case. Mounting the mainboard upside down is a stroke of genius for HTPC cases, as this means you can have perfect vents on the bottom without spoiling the top of the case. Oh yes, also the HDD mountings hold the disks the right way up, when the case is in place so you must remember to mount the hard disks upside down when you are installing, (if you put them in the wrong way the power lead will not fit properly) The CD drive has a nice discreet opening, and aluminium door and button. It would be conceivable to incorporate a VFD/LCD screen and LIRC dongle internally (if you have an internal com port, like the board I bought), some drilling would be required but if done right, shouldn't effect the overall look of the case. Overall I'd definitely recommend this case for freevo users. I have this motherboard in my case, and its perfect http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5852&GroupID=529 Hope this helps karl, On Wed, 2005-01-19 at 14:04 +0000, John Molohan wrote: > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > > Of Karl Lattimer > > Sent: 19 January 2005 07:50 > > To: freevo-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > Subject: Re: [Freevo-users] Media Center Case Choices > > > > Patric wrote: > > > > >I would recommend that you take a look at the > > Silverstone-chassis, thoe > > >they are quite expensive. > > > > > >I went with this configuration instead. > > >- CoolerMaster Cavalier 4 Miditower (desktop) > > >- Antec Phantom PSU 350W EC Fanless > > >- Zalman CNPS7700-CU CPU Cooler > > >- disk with fluid bearings > > >- RaptorVibe Disk cooler/silencer > > >- Zalman ZM80D-HP VGA Dual Heatpipe for the gfx-card. > > >+ a fan-controller that will autoadjust the speed of the > > 2x120mm fans > > >+ on > > >the rear depending on the current temp. > > > > > > > > >Also a thing that i can recommend to you all that wants a powerful > > >machine as a htpc... Get one of those cpu-fans that i have, > > get a AMD64 > > >cpu + a motherboard with the cool'n'quiet tech + passive cooling for > > >the gfx-card..... and then just enjoy the silence =) > > > > > >/Patric > > > > > > > > >On Tue, 2005-01-18 at 22:08 -0500, Justin Wetherell wrote: > > > > > > > > >>I am looking for an "small" ATX case that has atleast three "5 1/4" > > >>drive bays and atleast "2" Hard Drive bays. I'd like it to be a > > >>desktop and not a tower. I have a DVD-RW, a 2 bay LCD, and > > 2 internal > > >>HD's and i'd like to accomidate them all. > > >> > > >>Thanks for any suggestions, > > >>Justin > > >> > > >> > > >>------------------------------------------------------- > > >>The SF.Net email is sponsored by: Beat the post-holiday blues Get a > > >>FREE limited edition SourceForge.net t-shirt from ThinkGeek. > > >>It's fun and FREE -- well, > > almost....http://www.thinkgeek.com/sfshirt > > >>_______________________________________________ > > >>Freevo-users mailing list > > >>Freevo-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > >>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users > > >> > > >> > > >> > > I've just bought a silverstone LC11 for 100Â from > > www.microdirect.co.uk just incase your interested... > > > > > > > > I'd be very interested in a report on this case if you've got some time to > give feedback. > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > The SF.Net email is sponsored by: Beat the post-holiday blues > Get a FREE limited edition SourceForge.net t-shirt from ThinkGeek. > It's fun and FREE -- well, almost....http://www.thinkgeek.com/sfshirt > _______________________________________________ > Freevo-users mailing list > Freevo-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users > ------------------------------------------------------- The SF.Net email is sponsored by: Beat the post-holiday blues Get a FREE limited edition SourceForge.net t-shirt from ThinkGeek. It's fun and FREE -- well, almost....http://www.thinkgeek.com/sfshirt _______________________________________________ Freevo-users mailing list Freevo-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
