Well I have looked at all the HTPC cases and to be honest there is only one case I really like - and it costs $270 or so. This manufacture http://www.arisetec.com/ incorporates the FEATURES and THE LOOK that in my opinion a HTPC case should have (my standards). All the rest of the cases are trade-offs/compromises//etc.
So at this point I have decided to build my own. Just bought 3 of these aluminum cases http://www.xpcgear.com/aluminum.html at $35 a pop (delivered). I hell of a deal in my opinion. I will use the extras to either sell 2 additional units if I am happy with my labors - or I will incorporate them into builds for customers. To start with I am going to begin with the removable motherboard tray. I am going play with placements to wind up with a package that fits my needs and permits all HTPC technology to be included. Some factors: . A 19" width (hence a full size ATX motherboard) is fine. I would like to keep depth to a max of 12 inches so that placement on a shelf is not limited. . Height will be no more than 8" - actually would make it 6" but I would like to incorporate a 7" LCD monitor screen along the right side of the case. One of the manufactures have a 5.5" lcd screen but that is probably too small to be practical. . Sides of the case will be a Black Walnut burl. Front Black Walnut burl and back - aluminum from the removal tray. . Tops and Bottom will be aluminum from the sides of the purchased case. . Hard drives will be mounted to one of the aluminum surfaces for passive cooling. . The power supply will either be mounted above the cpu for removal of hot air or setup up to exhaust through the bottom of the case for noise reduction and air circulation. . It may turn out that a mATX board is necessary to achieve the look and feel that I am after. . It may turn out that the motherboard is mounted upside down to make use of the bottom of the case where holes won't matter and noise reduced. In that case I will use a low noise blower to move air around the CPU area, . Will employ a 1/2 height DVD writer. This to conserve space - also no floppy. . Infra-red or other remote technology installed behind the front panel so that a small hole for transmission capabilities maintained without being painfully apparent. So Chris, this is why I am (at this point) not concerned about spec'ing a full size ATX board. And also why heat generation of components is. Bob .-----Original Message----- .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:hardware- [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Reeves .Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 1:24 PM .To: 'The Hardware List' .Subject: RE: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . .I do agree the option of 3 PCI-E x1 slots are nice, although as of .right .now, I've seen no devices that use them :) . .I guess I'm just on the other side of it.. for a HTPC unit, .overclocking .potential is moot, and since MSI board has coax/digital output, the .addition .of another soundcard is a wasted effort.. since both have 3 PCI slots, .which .is where your encoder devices would be, it's a wash. But the smaller .form .factor means a better selection of more HTPC type cases. . .But I do see your point as well.. there are two boards on the AMD side .with .the same chipset (Epox/ECS) which also use the RS480 ATI, and are full .format (3 PCI-E, etc.) I just didn't consider them ;) . .CW . .-----Original Message----- .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] .[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of rls .Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:57 AM .To: 'The Hardware List' .Subject: RE: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . .Well Chris I did look at the MSI board but it has one minor and one .major .flaw. . Minor flaw - no overclocking potential. . . Major flaw - does not contain the gamut of Expansion Slots . .The Asus/Intel version of the ATI chipset includes . . 3 @ PCI-E x1 . . .Now I am not really aware of any PCI-Ex1 devices but sooner or later .there .will be sound, modem, etc and I would like to go that direction in the .future should the opportunity present itself. .Bob . . .-----Original Message----- . .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:hardware- . [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Reeves . .Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 1:58 AM . .To: 'The Hardware List' . .Subject: RE: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . . . .If you don't want to move a lot of air, etc. the MSI R480-M2 .board on . .the . .AMD939 side is pretty nice, though S-Video & VGA Only out :( .But . .still, . .it's functional for MCE2005, has no fan on the . .southbridge/northbridge, and . .with a Venice core and the right case will stay nice and quiet. . . . .Either option will serve you well for MCE services ;) . . . .-----Original Message----- . .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] . .[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of rls . .Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:49 PM . .To: 'The Hardware List' . .Subject: RE: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . . . .Well on the AMD side was looking at the AMD Athlon 64 3200+ .Venice . .1GHz $205 . .And Intel Pentium 4 640 Prescott 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Processor .$280 . . . .Thing is I want to use the ATI 200 express chipset. So on the .AMD side . .they . .only make MATX - so limited slots - and the MSI version has a .few . .wrinkles . .than need addressed. . . . .Intel cpu would go in a full size Asus m/b that has a nice .selection . .of . .advanced slots . . . .I want to put together a Media Center PC in a case that will not .move . .a lot . .of air - hence the heat gen on the cpu is important. . . . .I don't want to purchase a video card at this time - cost and .heat - . .and the . .ATI 200 express has the best current onboard video. . . . . . .BUT HEY - thanks for the observations - you always provide top .notch . .info - . .thanks . . . .-----Original Message----- . .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] . .[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris .Reeves . .Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:14 PM . .To: 'The Hardware List' . .Subject: RE: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . . . .Even in the 90nm configuration, the Intel is still significantly . .hotter . .(significantly so). . . . .If you're comparing, it's somewhat difficult; AMD has two .different 90 . .nm . .chips on the market.. the newest being Venice. . . . .Venice offers SSE3, which is new to the AMD family, and a newer .memory . .controller, it basically is coming in to replace the Newcastle .core. . . . .Now, here's the thing, so far, in all our tests, the SS3 .function . .doesn't . .make a giant bang in all applications (though it does in a few), .but . .it . .keeps AMD within 2-4% of DiVX encoding and basically dead on .with . .encoding . .Nero MP4, which is all I care about. . . . .But more then that, the Venice runs so damn cool it's freakish, .and it . .makes . .overclocking with even standard fans a cinch.. . . . .The 3800+ Venice core, right now, is one hell of a bang/buck. .Below . .that . .I'd put a 3500+ Venice, then the P4 (right now). . . . .Venice 3800 - $386 . .Intel 660 comparable: $620. . . . .So, a little more then $80. For that kind of price difference.. .shew. . .The . .650, which would be closest comparable (about $80) is not a .direct . .compare . .to the 3800+ Venice, because in multiple areas (outside of .encoding, . .where . .it is neck & neck) it gets stomped. . . . .CW . . . . . . . .-----Original Message----- . .From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] . .[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of rls . .Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 9:43 PM . .To: 'Brian Weeden'; 'The Hardware List' . .Subject: [H] CPU Intel 6xx series v. AMD 939 (3 gig plus) . . . .--- Note please comment if you have had hands on experience with .both . .of . .these CPU's . . . .1 - AMD 939 with 90 nano design . . . .And . . . .2 - Intel 6xx with 90 nano design . . . . . .Both cpu's can operate in an 64-bit environement . .Both cpu's are designed to run 'cooler' . . . .The AMD is cheaper clock v clock . .The Intel employs a 2 mg cache to offset the lack of .significant . .increased . .clock speeds. . . . . . .So the question - What was your overall impression of both .systems? . . . .Did the Intel display a clear superiority in video creation - .and if . .the . .video cards were the same, how about overall video performance. . . . .The Intel option is going to cost me about 70-80 more and I want .to go . .that . .direction as that motherboard has the overall features I want. I .would . .feel . .better about making the purchase if the Intel was faster in .important . .areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
