Htpc

[markkleb]

my designs are quite simplistic..Basically air in the front and out the back.. the easier/faster it passes through the case the better.
Try to make the airflow as straight as possible and keep as much wiring/junk out of the way as possible.
My 9600GTs use Accelero Coolers and run in the 20-30C range and are silent.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186016

your main prob is your intake (front of the case is flat/solid so air needs to come from a small slot in the bottom)

Here is a very good case take a look at how air goes in and out
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112099

some of its really good points are
top vent (helps to equalize air pressure and allow heat to exit)
front face is perforated to allow air to enter
rear fan mount has no little holes in its center to restrict air
alum gets rid of heat better\
HDD rack is in good place to cool Hdds

look at some aftermarket coolers. I just ordered an ASUS 9800GTX+ with the Dark Knight cooling solution. I read a review, and they said that it runs cooler than the regular 9800GTX.

One of the cool things about the 9800GTX+s is they are 55nm cores so they all run cooler than the reg 9800GTXs.
That Asus cooler looks very nice (low profile and fins run front to back)

[Vital]

Well I decided to rebuild the case from scratch, since I want it to be horizontally structured not vertical. So I can really make any cuts needed to achieve efficient cooling.

I also heard that this cooler was very good for my VGA, http://www.xoxide.com/thermalright-h...ga-cooler.html

And by the way, thanks.

[markkleb]

That cooler is BIG TIME overkill for an 8600, Congrats on modding ur existing case.

This is a very nice cooler for that card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186017
(as long as you have the height)

You are very welcome..

[Vital]

Alright. Any recommendations for quiet fans to put inside the case. I am making a HTPC case out of wood, steel sheets and red plexiglass and I want to make sure it is quiet when watching movies or listening to music, but also plenty cool. And also a cheap, quiet PSU, I was thinking the SunBeam Hush Supply?

And finally while I have your attention, I want to put a touchscreen on the front of the case, for media controller, etc. I have been looking at Ebay, since I want a budget touchscreen under 12 Inches. I was thinking maybe this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ELO-TOUCHSCREEN-...:B:SRCH:US:101 What is your opinion on that? I also found a 6.5 inch which is ideal, but I am unsure of the video connection, and how to hook it up. http://www.internetsuperstore.net/it...mZ220312521646

[markkleb]

NO!!!! Sunbeam, lol
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139008

for fans I would spend more and get better. I use Silenx but these are good too
http://www.svc.com/sy-fan-sff21f.html

Remember 1 good tip is buy a faster fan...you can always slow it down but its REALLY hard to speed up a slow fan.

[Vital]

Alright. Any suggestions on the touchscreen? And thanks again. Buying the fans tonight.

Last thing, what is the best brand for a fan controller, and temperature monitor.




And I think this should actually be in the questions section. So a mod can move this if they want.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

NO!!!! Sunbeam, lol
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139008

+rep for that, I was gonna tell him his PSU was a bit of a fire hazard, and would hate for him to replace it with something that wasn't really an upgrade... those Corsairs are built by Seasonic and are generally excellent, the next best thing to Etasis or Zippy.

[markkleb]

+rep for that, I was gonna tell him his PSU was a bit of a fire hazard, and would hate for him to replace it with something that wasn't really an upgrade... those Corsairs are built by Seasonic and are generally excellent, the next best thing to Etasis or Zippy.

LOL, of the hundreds of PSs that I owned the Sunbean Tech one was the only one that exploded. (scared the crap out of me)

Alright. Any suggestions on the touchscreen? And thanks again. Buying the fans tonight.

Last thing, what is the best brand for a fan controller, and temperature monitor.
And I think this should actually be in the questions section. So a mod can move this if they want.

for touch screens I have to plead ignorance (no clue) but for fan controllers the Scythe ones are pretty sweet
here is the 4 fan/temp version (fits in DVD slot)
http://www.coolerguys.com/kazemaster5.html

they make a 2 fan/temp controller that fits in a floppy slot too

there are quite a few controllers (Lian Li makes a good one too) But the Scythe ones just look so elegant.

One other thing is you can mess with their wiring a bit .. by taking a yellow wire (12V) and hooking it to the positive terminal of the fan and a red wire (5V) from your PS and hooking it to the neg terminal of your fan it will run the fan at 7V which slows it down a bit and dosent cost a thing.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

One other thing is you can mess with their wiring a bit .. by taking a yellow wire (12V) and hooking it to the positive terminal of the fan and a red wire (5V) from your PS and hooking it to the neg terminal of your fan it will run the fan at 7V which slows it down a bit and dosent cost a thing.

Yep, quick and easy mod. I've got two ex-server 120mm Deltas (one 38mm, one 25mm) on my CPU modded to 7v; they'll last forever this way, and they run at a livable volume. Most fans won't start at 5v, though, unfortunately, so the easiest solution isn't the best in this case.