No inlet fan, just holes? Wanna replace holes with window...

[Logic Zero]

Hi guys,

Im completely new here, familiar with PC's but a complete n00ber when it comes to PC modding. I have an HP Media Centre PC (m3750), its fairly quick but i'm quickly getting bored of the case.

I have taken the side panel off and there is no inlet fan in sight, so i suppose the thousands of small holes in the side panel are the "inlet"?

I want to cut out the large square section of small holes and replace it with a window, but i am concerned about the lack of cool air that will now be entering the case...

Will the case naturally draw air through the empty expansion bays that are in the PC, or do i need to install a new inlet fan in the plexiglass?

Cheers in advance

-Chris

[dgrmkrp]

i've been looking for the "m3750" and found nothing :( i've searched for hp media center pcs.. and found a lot... basically, most look pretty much the same.. is your similar? http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/images/DynamicImages/Product/MEDIACENTRE_review_HP_mc.jpg

if it is, i know what holes you wanna cut.. considering it's pretty silent now (i suppose so..), and that i see no other way for air to enter to the front (maybe it has an opening in the lower part, under the front.. usually cases have a slit there..), you may either put the window and add some cooling or not.. depends on the temps...
i would choose a different path: if u have a fan blowing perpendicular on the cpu (most common), use a fan on the window and a duct to channel air to the cpu (what model is it?) or if possible space-wise, change it with a tower/heatpipe and make a pseudo wind tunnel with the front 5,25 bays.. u didn't say what u have in the case, but i assume there is a dvd there.. so you have one bezel worth of area to get air in.. not much of a problem, you could put something there which doesn't restrict airflow (but still looks good/part of the case).. so u would have: room--cpufan-heatsink--casefan.

of course, if u have a different case, if the inside is cramped, if u have another idea..... to wrap it up, it's your choice of mod :) have fun!

[Logic Zero]

i've been looking for the "m3750" and found nothing :( i've searched for hp media center pcs.. and found a lot... basically, most look pretty much the same.. is your similar? http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/images/DynamicImages/Product/MEDIACENTRE_review_HP_mc.jpg

if it is, i know what holes you wanna cut.. considering it's pretty silent now (i suppose so..), and that i see no other way for air to enter to the front (maybe it has an opening in the lower part, under the front.. usually cases have a slit there..), you may either put the window and add some cooling or not.. depends on the temps...
i would choose a different path: if u have a fan blowing perpendicular on the cpu (most common), use a fan on the window and a duct to channel air to the cpu (what model is it?) or if possible space-wise, change it with a tower/heatpipe and make a pseudo wind tunnel with the front 5,25 bays.. u didn't say what u have in the case, but i assume there is a dvd there.. so you have one bezel worth of area to get air in.. not much of a problem, you could put something there which doesn't restrict airflow (but still looks good/part of the case).. so u would have: room--cpufan-heatsink--casefan.

of course, if u have a different case, if the inside is cramped, if u have another idea..... to wrap it up, it's your choice of mod :) have fun!
Hi dude, thanks for the reply.

Im really sorry, my pc isnt a m3750, its a m7350 (DOH!!) :redface: That is the same case i have, yes, and yup those little holes are the buggers i want to cut out and replace with a window. It has a slit under the front just like you said, but im not sure if its enough to keep the air moving inside the case, although i doubt it needs it anyway since them small holes look useless (just something for the exhaust fans to pull air through i suppose) I reckon i will put an led window fan in anyway just to liven it up a bit and keep things cooler, cant do any harm.

Thanks for the help :)

[dgrmkrp]

no pb... so, how do you plan on doing stuff? i mean, there are so many ways of making a window+fan mod.. what will u do? (i found the specs on this type of system, and if you have a standard system i'm thinking the CPU(2x 2.8GHZ+2MB L2) can get hot.. and i see this as a challange.. hihi)

just a Q: do you have some pics of the inside? i'm curious as how they made this box.. and what they did with the missing space? ;) at 192 x 420 x 385 mm it seems spacious, but the front panel layout looks.. different.

[Logic Zero]

Here is a pic of the insides

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6074/online1xf7.jpg

Basically i am planning on cutting out the centre piece of the panel, using the curved square that is already stamped into the panel as the template. Gonna touch up the sides and file it all smooth.

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/2527/online2th8.jpg

I will then decide after putting the perspex cutout and panel up against the pc to see the most logical place to put the fan, most likely directed at the cpu fan.

You know the rest i should imagine! :) Fitting etc.

The inlet fan will be a 120 mm blue led jobby, and i am going to replace the outlet, PSU and CPU fans with better, more effecient fans.

EDIT: Oh yeah, the specs you have there are correct, it is a dual core 2.8ghz, 1gb ram (gonna bump this up to 2 gigs whilst changing the fans), ati x1300 256 series.

Cheers for the input, much much appreciated :)

[Logic Zero]

if you have a standard system i'm thinking the CPU(2x 2.8GHZ+2MB L2) can get hot.. and i see this as a challange.. hihi)


Surely with an inlet fan it would run cooler than stock? Runs flawlessly with just the holes :?

[dgrmkrp]

thank you 4 the pics :) interesting case hp made... hard drive is hidden somewhere.. a!, i see the sata cable so i think i know where it is..

hmm... the holes are there to get it cooler :) if u don't have them, the amount of cool air will be severly reduced.. with a 120mm fan (cool), no problem anymore... so, can't wait to see more :)
a problem i see for this case is that the lower part(under the video board) is completely isolated.. this could be turned into a pluss.. but not important now..
changing the fans is a very good idea: i see you have a CM fan on the cpu..and i know that heatsink too from somewhere... still.. if u wanna change the fans.. a bit more bucks and u can change the heatsink(s) too.. to go with the fan||mobo, a nice thermalright sink (non-tower) woud be nice.. this way, u could link it to the 120mm fan on the window and maybe even sacrifice a noise source without any cooling issues.. silence is what HTPC are made, so large, silent fans: goood... if a heatsink is efficient, only airflow (no pressure) is needed to cool it decently...

about the heat issue.. i admit: i'm a maniac :D right now, i'm running 2x120 fans with 7V(almost not working) on a 2.1GHz XP and i can hear my harddrive.. just aircooling.. but still, i get only 38 degrees centigrade, on a hot night (like now :( ), with no fans actually blowing on the heatsink directly.. they are like 5cm and 15 cm away from the heatsink :) while not a problem most of the time, when i start doing some renderings in 3dsmax and get the cpu at 100%, temps rise only to 40-41 degrees.. that's hot for me ;) so, considering that the P4 is a dual core with huge L2 cash... at full load it can get 60+ with normal HSFs... so i've heard..

[Logic Zero]

Arghh!! Im being pummelled with technical terms!!

I didnt understand much of that :redface: Sorry lol :redface: :D

So basically, if i add the 120mm fan to the window and change the fans in my pc it will run nice and cool and be ok? :D

Also could you please explain this to me?



a problem i see for this case is that the lower part(under the video board) is completely isolated.. this could be turned into a pluss.. but not important now..

Thank you :D

[dgrmkrp]

So basically, if i add the 120mm fan to the window and change the fans in my pc it will run nice and cool and be ok?
pretty much true.. and in a few words: for added boost, change heatsink with heatpipe quality one.

Arghh!! Im being pummelled with technical terms!!
told you i'm a maniac :)

well, the lower part of the pc, as best seen here:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/dgrmkrp/misc/7e644561.jpg
with the video board matching the case so tightly will form a seal and wont let hot air rise.. so:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/dgrmkrp/misc/43fb839a.jpg
u get this.. because x1300 are not so hot, no problem.. but in time, who knows? better safe than..

so something to blow heat away would be nice :) but it will kill your last free pci slot :( if a fan is located just on the videoboard, like an arctic cooling silencer, that exhaust hot air out of the case, it will do some suck action and help cool the circuits of the mobo in that area too... add an intake CFM matched and u have a small wind-tunnel... air must get in the case and flow out tru the videoheatsink.. this makes for efficient cooling.. but maybe an x1300 doesn't need it ;) i wish i had one to experiment with.. but i dont.

so, happy reading/learning/modding!

[Logic Zero]

Ok dude, i see what ya mean. It has performed faultlessly so far so until i upgrade my gfx card i will leave the setup as stock. Thanks for all the help so far!!

I started the dremelling this evening, takes ages lol:rolleyes: :D Looking good so far, i think i will spend a while filing to get it looking perfect.

Does anyone have any other ideas for cutting out the centre? I dont really fancy using a jigsaw because the metal on this case has a very hard outer layer but it is soft on the inside, and i dont think i will be comfortable using one. My dremel is easy to use but very slow and i am afraid of shattering a disc, though i am using diamond coated discs and changing them after each side.

If anyone has any other ideas that are quicker and faster id much apprectiate it :D I have finished working on it for today, will continue tommorow evening.

EDIT: Don't worry, its out now :D Was just smoothing out the corners when the dremel ran out of batteries :(, need another li-ion batt...